Marauder problems

[Darigaaz]

Hey all! I'm new to the Marauder and pretty much everything Ford since I've exclusively owned GM products since the day I turned 16 (Geo Storm, Pontiac Sunfire, Pontiac Trans Am, Impala SS). I do have some concerns with the car that I'm not sure where to start looking. I'm by no means an expert mechanic but I like to be as DIY as I can be.

The first issue is that the car feels rubber bandy when I want it to get up and go. I'll press the accelerator and the engine bogs down for a second or two and I'll have to press harder before it takes off like a rocket. Could this be an issue with fuel delivery? Is it a transmission problem?

The second issue is that sometimes the engine will start and immediately sputter off. Sometimes I have to hold the key for a few seconds longer before it will turn on. Is this a fuel delivery issue as well?

[SC Cheesehead]

Hey all! I'm new to the Marauder and pretty much everything Ford since I've exclusively owned GM products since the day I turned 16 (Geo Storm, Pontiac Sunfire, Pontiac Trans Am, Impala SS). I do have some concerns with the car that I'm not sure where to start looking. I'm by no means an expert mechanic but I like to be as DIY as I can be.

The first issue is that the car feels rubber bandy when I want it to get up and go. I'll press the accelerator and the engine bogs down for a second or two and I'll have to press harder before it takes off like a rocket. Could this be an issue with fuel delivery? Is it a transmission problem?

The second issue is that sometimes the engine will start and immediately sputter off. Sometimes I have to hold the key for a few seconds longer before it will turn on. Is this a fuel delivery issue as well?

Start by cleaning the MAF,, also check the IAC. As for the slugish trans, a tune will help the "rubber bandy" feel.

[Darigaaz]

I'm also completely new to OBDII tuning :o
I'll have to pick up a tuner at some point.

[SC Cheesehead]

I'm also completely new to OBDII tuning :o
I'll have to pick up a tuner at some point.

Contact these guys, either one can get you hooked up with a tuner and a great tune.

http://www.mosspeedshop.com/forum/

http://www.alternativeauto.com/Home.html

[Curless]

Welcome to the collective, a Marauder and an Impala....I like your style! We need to form a new club, MM's and SS' only!!!!!:beer:

[Darigaaz]

Pulled this out of the Impala this weekend, pain in the rear.

[clmrt]

That's a funny looking fuse.

[Curless]

Pulled this out of the Impala this weekend, pain in the rear.


What the heck is it....or was it?

[blackhueys]

clean maf as well as throttle body make sure you have a good clean air filter as well.

[Darigaaz]

What the heck is it....or was it?

The in tank Fuel pump. The car died one day so I went about diagnosing it with the slim hope that it was something other than the fuel pump itself. Well it was but I live in student housing and dropping a fuel tank is pretty much against my lease so I had to tow it 50 miles home and drop it there. The connector had completely melted together so I had to splice in a new wiring harness. The hardest part was getting that 23 gallon gas tank back in to the car. I pumped out around 12 gallons but it was still heavy and ended up taking 3 people to do with jacks and some sheets of wood. The fuel pump dying and me knowing how much of a pain in the ass it was to replace led me to find a Marauder to buy so it wasn't all bad.

[Darigaaz]

clean maf as well as throttle body make sure you have a good clean air filter as well.

I got a K&N kit from a wrecked marauder but the filter was banged up pretty bad so I ordered a new one. Once it comes in I'll replace the whole intake and clean the MAF.

[J-MAN]

You must really like bananas! :banana2:

[Darigaaz]

lol, my mother just moved so she hasn't unpacked all her stuff. I did not want to deal with the Florida sun so I shoved everything aside. :banana:

[Curless]

If you think that Impala is hard to change a fuel pump on you should try some of the cars that come in our shop. How about a 15 year old S-10 blazer that has been driven as a winter beater since new...full tank of fuel, rusted to crap straps, lines, filter....yeah just start at the front and replace it all! Not to mention what it actually takes to get the tank out...drop the drive shaft, heat shields, rock guards....break all of the bolts off, only to have the customer say "those things were not broke when I dropped it off"!!!!!!!!!

[tbone]

You could have done the pump with the tank still installed. Ask me how I know.

[2,4shofast]

You could have done the pump with the tank still installed. Ask me how I know.

"Custom" access panels FTW! I did that on several of my SHO's:lol:

[L.Mark]

If you think that Impala is hard to change a fuel pump on you should try some of the cars that come in our shop. How about a 15 year old S-10 blazer that has been driven as a winter beater since new...full tank of fuel, rusted to crap straps, lines, filter....yeah just start at the front and replace it all! Not to mention what it actually takes to get the tank out...drop the drive shaft, heat shields, rock guards....break all of the bolts off, only to have the customer say "those things were not broke when I dropped it off"!!!!!!!!!

You just wanted to jack up the bill...:P no seriously, it's hard to find somebody that replaces things that SHOULD be replaced when the things that need to be replaced are getting replaced, and is upstanding. Not just standing upright. I think Chris is the first one...:D

[Darigaaz]

Apparently Amazon just plain ol forgot to send my replacement filter so they had to order me a new one. I was checking out the K&N kit from the wrecked Marauder and realized the MAF was still on it so I cleaned it and will hopefully swap it out later today.


Hope it helps since I'm only getting around 12 mpg on a stock Marauder which is the same as my horribly old modded Impala SS.

[Darigaaz]

Cleaned the MAF and the airbox had sand in it so I cleaned it out. The rough idling stopped. Hopefully the new filter comes in on time.

[Dave1kRR]

If you think that Impala is hard to change a fuel pump on you should try some of the cars that come in our shop. How about a 15 year old S-10 blazer that has been driven as a winter beater since new...full tank of fuel, rusted to crap straps, lines, filter....yeah just start at the front and replace it all! Not to mention what it actually takes to get the tank out...drop the drive shaft, heat shields, rock guards....break all of the bolts off, only to have the customer say "those things were not broke when I dropped it off"!!!!!!!!!

Just try a rusted 95 Camaro z28. It's a fun one if you don't cheat by cutting a hole in the trunk!! Although I do agree. You can't take the bed off of a Blazer! :)

[Darigaaz]

All right! I cleaned the MAF with some CRC MAF cleaner and wiped the pipe down before I installed a K&N kit. It was used so I made sure the pipe and couplings were all cleaned before I bolted the whole thing down. Since it was used I bought a new cone filter and Amazon was so generous to send me 2 so now I have a spare. I did notice that the Throttle body butterfly valve thingy was covered in black gunk so once it stops storming all over the place I'll have to spray it down and clean it.

One cause of concern I had was that the last time I looked under the hood everything was pretty clean but this time it looked like a white residue had exploded all over the radiator cover and the plastic cover over the wheel well. I can't find anything leaking and it was also on top of my hood. Any suggestions? Should I get a better alarm because people are obviously too excited when they see my car?