Progress Thread Nasty Ninety Notch

1989 Mustang Electrical & Vacuum Troubleshooting Manual - Helm Incorporated
Nothing like a factory service manual for taking on wiring issues. The factory EVTM is priceless. Well OK, it cost about $15.....
My experience with AllData is more like No Data. They are good for finding out how many qrts of oil go into a Saab, but that is about it. We have AllData and Identifix here at work and AllData is severely lacking in information.
This is GOLD. Thank you. I want more.
 
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Yes, yes, pics or no go. The shop has been nuts. I managed to snap one of the rebuilt trans back in the car...

Tranny Back In.JPG
 
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Update: This car has been quite the challenge. After the 1st start up attempt it was observed that the T5 was basically a box of rocks. It got rebuilt. Then, after the 2nd start up attempt it was observed that one or more of the fuel injectors were stuck open. Raw fuel was gushing out of the tail pipe. So, the new injectors arrived (Accel 24lb units):

IMG_0952.JPG


We repaired the car's many wiring & vacuum woes enough to achieve start up & break-in. Once these new units are installed we will do just that. Afterward, we will see what other accessories, etc still have wiring concerns and take it from there. Considering that the budget has been blown sky-high the car may need to retain its jacked up paint job for awhile.

This may be the most mechanically sound ugly Fox on the road! It's practically a 2015 1990 Notch at this point.
 
Update: This car has been quite the challenge. After the 1st start up attempt it was observed that the T5 was basically a box of rocks. It got rebuilt. Then, after the 2nd start up attempt it was observed that one or more of the fuel injectors were stuck open. Raw fuel was gushing out of the tail pipe. So, the new injectors arrived (Accel 24lb units):

IMG_0952.JPG


We repaired the car's many wiring & vacuum woes enough to achieve start up & break-in. Once these new units are installed we will do just that. Afterward, we will see what other accessories, etc still have wiring concerns and take it from there. Considering that the budget has been blown sky-high the car may need to retain its jacked up paint job for awhile.

This may be the most mechanically sound ugly Fox on the road! It's practically a 2015 1990 Notch at this point.

you obviously haven't read Scott orJeff's threads...lol

They have you way beat on time and money my friend.
 
look up the how to spend 4 years and $40K thread and my never ending 89 thread

Scott probably has north of $50k in his car. Jeff probably $20k in the last 6 months. I'm not even going to guess with Nick @84Ttop
Ok, thanks. Yes, all of them have me beat. This project of mine would've been pretty easy if it weren't for all the hidden "treasures" the past owner didn't tell me about.

A roller is one thing. An object of frustrated hackery is quite another.
 
Ok, thanks. Yes, all of them have me beat. This project of mine would've been pretty easy if it weren't for all the hidden "treasures" the past owner didn't tell me about.

A roller is one thing. An object of frustrated hackery is quite another.

I'd have to say after reading Scotts and Jeffs threads that they didn't have the hackery you are going through although Scott (4 years and 40k) rewired his entire car himself but he did start with a clean well running vehicle before the undertaking started. Jeffs build thread I think has been a misery of modifications and/or engine building not working out successfully or just having bad luck in the never ending search of "enough" HP. He has however gotten to enjoy driving his car for lengths of time but not sure it's ever been running at 100%.

Your car gets the cake for a current hack build. Mine wasn't nearly as bad although this weekend was my first attempt to start the car and my coil and FPR are shot and are on order. Hopefully there won't be anymore hurdles getting it running.
 
I'd have to say after reading Scotts and Jeffs threads that they didn't have the hackery you are going through although Scott (4 years and 40k) rewired his entire car himself but he did start with a clean well running vehicle before the undertaking started. Jeffs build thread I think has been a misery of modifications and/or engine building not working out successfully or just having bad luck in the never ending search of "enough" HP. He has however gotten to enjoy driving his car for lengths of time but not sure it's ever been running at 100%.

Your car gets the cake for a current hack build. Mine wasn't nearly as bad although this weekend was my first attempt to start the car and my coil and FPR are shot and are on order. Hopefully there won't be anymore hurdles getting it running.
But I don't want the cake! lol.

Speaking of wire hacks, there is a wire bundle in the driver's side fender well behind the washer fluid reservoir. Somebody stinken got a pare of snips and simply cut all the wires off. What do they go to? Do you (or anyone) have any info to save my tech the trouble of testing every single wire and trying to sort them all out? Colors & locations (i.e., connection points) would be grand.
 
Ok, we are using the website at the moment. However, there is no information for the specific harness I was looking for. =(

Update: I sent back the Accel fuel injectors because the tuner said they were junk. I replaced them with Ford MS 24lbs EV1 injectors with adapters. NOTE: you will need a minimum of a 3/8 inch manifold spacer or else the adapter on cylinder #7 will contact the manifold.
 
Update: 1st start up attempt #3. The 1st attempt ended in the issue of a bad T5, the 2nd attempt with a bad injector, this 3rd attempt ended with a hairline crack in the upper manifold and poor head work from the machine shop. The cylinder heads were obviously not pressure tested because some of the int valves were not seating all the way (determined by a leak down test). Also, the ports were not matched per our instructions to the lower manifold.

The heart aching pics of ANOTHER tear down are below. In the interest of time we have ordered a set of Ford "X" aluminum heads. They are the versions with 58cc combustion chambers. They are the heads I wanted in the 1st place, but budget was also in mind. We will still get the ported E7TE heads made right though. Once they are right & pressure tested I'll sell them. They will be set up like those from TMoss.

Annnnd start all over again...
bad heads tear down 1.JPG


One of the unfinished heads...
bad heads tear down 2.JPG


some more heart break...
bad heads tear down 3.JPG


Note the small crack inside the runner on the upper right. Thankfully Midwest Mustang is sending us a replacement due to the amount of business we have done with them in the past.
bad heads tear down 4.JPG


This is a simple "pressure test." The head is upside down, cc chambers filled with water, then wait to see if gravity causes any water loss. You can see the difference in water levels from left to right. The left chamber remained full after about 10 minutes. The other 3 have varying degrees of leakage. If this happens due only to gravity imagine what happens under operating conditions.
bad heads tear down 5.JPG


Lord willing, next up will be picks of a re-assembled long block sporting some X heads.

As a side note the addition of aluminum heads will bring this car's pre-fluid weight to 2895lbs. Beginning shipping weight claimed by Ford was 3035 w/o fluids, -64lbs tube K-member Chrome Molly A-Arms & coil overs, -6lbs quad shocks, -20lbs hood, -50lbs heads = 2895lbs.
 
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Dang I thought I was having a rough time getting mine started but man you are having some bad luck. Keep your head up bro! Hope you get to burn those rear tires after reassembly.
 
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Dang I thought I was having a rough time getting mine started but man you are having some bad luck. Keep your head up bro! Hope you get to burn those rear tires after reassembly.
Thanks man. Its been brutal. We will still have wiring issues after we get it running. We just fixed enough to get the car started then see what's up from there. However, the key part of the plan is to GET THE CAR STARTED.

I may end up buying some used wiring harnesses. Its been too long with this hack job.
 
UPDATE:

Another week down, but the new parts have arrived. Lord willing we will get things back together this week. The pic serves 2 purposes: 1) so ppl don't roast me over no pic =), and 2) to show the entire kit Ford recommends for these X307 heads. I guess this means my brand new ARP head bolts will go up for sale!

In review: the build, engine wise, will consist of a 308cid block, stock camshaft (I've had enough cams in my life, want simple drivability, and its CA), 1.7RRs, FRPP X307 heads w/58cc combustion chambers for added compression), ported Explorer lower, and Explorer upper w/EGR provision. We went with the Explorer upper because out of all the Ford manifolds for this car, it flows the best & has the larger TB opening (cf., TMoss' article).

This car has lost 134lbs off the front end. Will I need a wheelie bar (lol)? Hopefully more pics to come soon.

X307 Cyl Head Kit.JPG