Car: 01 v6 mustang


Im getting off the highway after a 50 mile trip and my car wont idle below 3k . I am almost out of gas, so i pull into a gas station and pop the hood while the car is still runnning to check it out.

Headers are cherry red.

I jiggle the throttle cable and the tb is closed, wont idle down, so i shut the car off, and after further inspectino find that the connection from mass air connection to the intake tract going towards the TB is messed up ( more details later) letting air in.

Fixed that connection, and start car again. Still idling at 3k , headers glow again after 30 sec.

Im 5 min from meeting that starts in 3 min, so i fill it up with 93 octane + fuel injector cleaner hopeing to at least minimise detonation and to throw a fix at another possible cause to the obviously lean condition, and continue to the meeting. By the time I get there the car is idling normaly, Before i shut it off, I popped the hood, and the headers were normal.


Questions:

1. Do you think the air comming in after the Mass Air was the problem?

2. If yes to #1 then why did it continue for a while after that problem was fixed?

3. Is our temp gauge an actual gauge, or just a idiot light, like the oil preassure "gauge" ?

4. Should I have a tow truck on standby for the trip home

 

fix that hose, its lean. damage to follow.

 

+1 on being lean...

 

headers glowing=rich unburned fuel collecting

 

+1,consider cleaning the IAC just as a precautionary measure.

 

i had sorta the same problem with my old Ford F250 pickup with a 460 in it. kept noticing the floorboard getting nice and warm so i check out my headers one day and they were glowing orange, some to find out my catalatic converters were clogged up cause alot of heat to collect at the headers. new dynomax cats and $300 later all was good.

 

I think mustang man hit the nail on the head, when the headers are glowing, look at the cats, if they are glowing, they are clogged.

 

it wouldn't idle a 3k if that were the case guys.Just my 2

 

If you have changed anything in the cooling system recently you could have had an air pocket causing a heat problem. That has happened to me several times.