HELP Please, Engine problem open track

[batfat]

'03 Cobra open track car. Only engine mods are K+N Fipk and Magnaflow catback and they have been on since new. 9300 miles. At least 20 track days without a hiccup. Ran gas that was pumped all at once into the tank and 2 jerrycans. Just completed a 2 day event. On the 2'nd run of day 2 with 2/3 tank (ie: no starvation) on about the 4'th lap the engine lost power and the 'service engine soon' light flashed on and off. Limped around and on the back strait the light stopped flashing, the power came back and I started running fast again. Half a lap later it happened again. Limped back to the pits and the light went out. Did a battery disconnect and later in the day ran 2 more 25 minute sessons with no problems at all. Plugs are good, clean Maf, fuel filter etc. Any ideas? Thanks :shrug:

 

[mustangsally50]

Just a thought.......
Check your engine temperature, it is probably going into heat soak mode. Mine does this usually on my second run of the day after some hard laps. The engine pulls timing and kills the power. The power returns when the engine temp has gone down. You can check the temp in diagnostic mode from the odometer readout. It may be time for cooling mods.

 

[03'Darin]

Just a thought.......
Check your engine temperature, it is probably going into heat soak mode. Mine does this usually on my second run of the day after some hard laps. The engine pulls timing and kills the power. The power returns when the engine temp has gone down. You can check the temp in diagnostic mode from the odometer readout. It may be time for cooling mods.

X2 Very well said.

 

[HISSMAN]

Limp mode. Like said above. Invest in some cooling mods and that should help a lot. Talk to Jimmysidecarr. He knows all of the ins and outs.

-Jeff

 

[batfat]

Thanks for the input. It was a cool day (60 F) and the digital odometer temp never got above 100. It was only a couple of laps into the session. Looks like some cooling mods.....I'd just really like to be sure that was it as it was fine in the next 2 sessions...

 

[etfhb]

i don't understand why your car went into limp mode this time, after 20 events without a problem.

ive read many times about cobras going into limp mode at open track events.
it is very odd that your car never has reached limp mode until your last event,
especially because it was a cool day.

 

[batfat]

I agree, no previous issues in much hotter weather.....

 

[TEABG]

'03 Cobra open track car. Only engine mods are K+N Fipk and Magnaflow catback and they have been on since new. 9300 miles. At least 20 track days without a hiccup. Ran gas that was pumped all at once into the tank and 2 jerrycans. Just completed a 2 day event. On the 2'nd run of day 2 with 2/3 tank (ie: no starvation) on about the 4'th lap the engine lost power and the 'service engine soon' light flashed on and off. Limped around and on the back strait the light stopped flashing, the power came back and I started running fast again. Half a lap later it happened again. Limped back to the pits and the light went out. Did a battery disconnect and later in the day ran 2 more 25 minute sessons with no problems at all. Plugs are good, clean Maf, fuel filter etc. Any ideas? Thanks :shrug:

My brother had a similar problem, it appeared his Fuel pumps were overheating and his fuel pressure would fluctuate causing the same problem you are experiencing.

 

[ShelbyGuy]

for future reference:

maybe the service engine soon light means its throwing a code and maybe that code would help us diagnose things? (putting the D in OBD2! yay!)

just a thought.

if it walks like a duck and swims like a duck and quacks like a limp mode it must be a oh wait....hrmm....i dont have an answer for it except that your car didnt cool off that long between sessions and there was probably a lunch break between session 2 and session 3.

i cant quite figure out how you have 20+ track days on a car with only 9300 miles on it.

 

[1fastredcobra]

'03 Cobra open track car. Only engine mods are K+N Fipk and Magnaflow catback and they have been on since new. 9300 miles. At least 20 track days without a hiccup. Ran gas that was pumped all at once into the tank and 2 jerrycans. Just completed a 2 day event. On the 2'nd run of day 2 with 2/3 tank (ie: no starvation) on about the 4'th lap the engine lost power and the 'service engine soon' light flashed on and off. Limped around and on the back strait the light stopped flashing, the power came back and I started running fast again. Half a lap later it happened again. Limped back to the pits and the light went out. Did a battery disconnect and later in the day ran 2 more 25 minute sessons with no problems at all. Plugs are good, clean Maf, fuel filter etc. Any ideas? Thanks :shrug:

Had a very similer thing happen with the intermittent runs bad/runs ok thing and it turned out to be a faulty fuel rail pressure regulator. Drove me nuts for a while, but now that I replaced the regulator, the car runs like a beast again.

 

[batfat]

Thanks for the input guys...Not sure if the code will still be in the box since I did the battery disconnect but I'll check....Could have just been a sensor gremlin as well.....

 

[TroyV]

I typically run 7/10 or 8/10 at my limit. I will not push much harder at an HPDE. To avoid limp mode I run three laps hot and one lap cool. I have a good amount of track miles on the car this year so far, but I haven't really gotten much seat time in the hot weather. My next event is on July 3...It'll be pretty hot that day I'm guessing.. I'm thinking I might pulley down to the 3.4.

 

[Dirk]

Had a very similer thing happen with the intermittent runs bad/runs ok thing and it turned out to be a faulty fuel rail pressure regulator. Drove me nuts for a while, but now that I replaced the regulator, the car runs like a beast again.

How did you find out that it was the faulty fuel rail pressure regulator?
Where is it located and how much was it?

 

[SVTkel]

'03 Cobra open track car. Only engine mods are K+N Fipk and Magnaflow catback and they have been on since new. 9300 miles. At least 20 track days without a hiccup. Ran gas that was pumped all at once into the tank and 2 jerrycans. Just completed a 2 day event. On the 2'nd run of day 2 with 2/3 tank (ie: no starvation) on about the 4'th lap the engine lost power and the 'service engine soon' light flashed on and off. Limped around and on the back strait the light stopped flashing, the power came back and I started running fast again. Half a lap later it happened again. Limped back to the pits and the light went out. Did a battery disconnect and later in the day ran 2 more 25 minute sessons with no problems at all. Plugs are good, clean Maf, fuel filter etc. Any ideas? Thanks :shrug:

Just noticed how old this thread is!

Hey bud, What code did you get? Also how hot was it outside when it happened?

As you know, it is common to go into limp mode at on-track events especially when it is hot outside. Had it happen once to me at Shannonville and it happened last year to Bert at Dunnville.

If you want you can come and check out my Aeroforce gauges and see if you like them. They will go along way to help id any overheating or IAT2 temp issues while on track. Seems to me at around IAT2's of 150 you will go into limp mode and we all know the stock coolant / engine temp guage sucks.