LarsD's build thread

[Mustanganatic]

Looking good Lars. My motor is pretty much stock, except for Bassani shorty headers and X-pipe, MSD and March Ram Air. I picked up one of those left over '95 Ford 5.0 blocks from Summit years ago, someday I'll build me a motor that'll add bite to my mostly bark '89. I got a MM quadrant gear to put in too, not looking forward to it. I've heard some just bust the plastic gear apart to get it out. It's not imperative to replace at the moment, I skipped a couple teeth so the clutch isn't grabbing way down.

 

[5LiterWes]

Nice build. Wish I could have gone into the motor this year on my car. Just getting ready to spray a Zex 4cyl kit on it. Just a 75 pill. :/

 

[LarsD]

Thanks guys. the hardest part of the quadrant install for me is getting the old plastic pawl off of the clutch pedal. I couldn't even break it off. Past two times I have replaced them, I needed to pry on the pawl with a pry bar and flip it around upside down, once I did that, I was able to move the pedal higher and slip it off.

 

[LarsD]

Finally got to drive it. The idle is rough, but it seemed OK... until I tried to get out of the driveway. It bucks very hard at 1200 and under, and kept dying on me. I was having to rev it pretty good to keep it alive (not great for the new clutch I imagine). When it would die, I couldn't get it to restart unless I stepped on the gas a little to open the TB. I have an exhaust leak that you can hear when you stick your head in the engine bay on the passenger bank (sounds like the collector on the shorties) that I can't seem to get closed up. Though I imagine it can affect the car, I doubt it is causing all the trouble I am having.

It had some vacuum leaks that were giving me trouble, but I think I got all of them ironed out, however my braking isn't great because of low vacuum. The cam isn't that wild, so I don't think it is because of it.

Good new is, despite being 90+ outside it never got above 180 degrees, and the TKO shifts a lot nicer then I thought it would.

 

[foxbodymike87]

my car bucked so bad at low RPM's it make the tires screetch..it turned out to be the TPS sensor

 

[LarsD]

my car bucked so bad at low RPM's it make the tires screetch..it turned out to be the TPS sensor

I'm using the stock sensor that was on the car before. In the mean time since my last post. I found the fuel pressure regulator's vac line had popped off. So I ran into town, and got a line that fit tighter. Got some bigger bolts for the exhaust too. I *think* I have gotten the exhaust leak fixed. Believe it or not, it seems the idle quality has gotten worse. I got it warmed up and it took it for another spin. All seemed well until I was rolling up on a stop sign and it died. So I restarted it (like before, foot on the gas), and it promptly died again. Needless to say I barely got home. Just as soon as it is in neutral and doesn't have a load on it, it dies. Doesn't matter how fast I am going.

 

[foxbodymike87]

mines stock to..i had to ajust it so much that i took a dremel and made the screw holes bigger so it would idle and not buck...and when mine wasn't idleing properly i had held it at 1500-2000 RPM for a few minutes then it would idle.

 

[LarsD]

Well despite Accufab and AM stating you shouldn't adjust the idle screw on Accufab's TB, I did, and it fixed my idle problems. I imagine that the IAC was maxed out trying to raise the idle and couldn't keep up. With the base timing set to 10 degrees, it idles solid now at 1000rpm. A little higher then I like, but I'm just happy it isn't surging and dying constantly.

 

[NIKwoaC]

I'm using the stock sensor that was on the car before. In the mean time since my last post. I found the fuel pressure regulator's vac line had popped off. So I ran into town, and got a line that fit tighter. Got some bigger bolts for the exhaust too. I *think* I have gotten the exhaust leak fixed. Believe it or not, it seems the idle quality has gotten worse. I got it warmed up and it took it for another spin. All seemed well until I was rolling up on a stop sign and it died. So I restarted it (like before, foot on the gas), and it promptly died again. Needless to say I barely got home. Just as soon as it is in neutral and doesn't have a load on it, it dies. Doesn't matter how fast I am going.

What year is the car? Was it originally speed density?

 

[LarsD]

What year is the car? Was it originally speed density?

It's a 91, so MAF car.

 

[NIKwoaC]

It's a 91, so MAF car.

Gotcha. Never mind then.

 

[LarsD]

Well just got back from a 75 mile trip. Pleased to report nothing bad happened, car behaved the whole way. The cruise doesn't work for some reason, and 1st gear is a little sticky from a stop. Otherwise it went well. About to do the first recommended oil change once it cools a bit, and I think I'm going to drive it to work all next week to get some more miles on the clutch.

 

[StreetsideStig]

Woohoo!

 

[LarsD]

For those of you who don't venture over to tech much:

It's back apart again.

 

[LarsD]

So Tremec built it with an out of spec shift selector apparently. They made good on the parts and labor of the local Tremec guy. Course I had to rip it all apart. Got it back last night. Stabbed it today, re-adjusted the clutch. Feels better in the garage, won't know till I drive it tomorrow.

Stupid H-pipe is the worst part.

 

[darthcual]

Damn that sucks. How is she acting now?

 

[LarsD]

Damn that sucks. How is she acting now?

Lot better. I ran it hard yesterday and it smoked pretty badly. I think it had something to do with feather footing it for 500+ miles cause it didn't do it again today when I drove it. Planning on taking it to a dyno soon.

 

[darthcual]

Cool let us know what numbers she throws up.

 

[LarsD]

Will do.

In other news my speedometer was way off (reading 60 mph and I was actually doing 70). I did some poking around and found this spliced into the speedo cable:

One of the members here pointed out it was a gearbox for changing the speed of the cable itself (as I suspected). So I ordered a new cable and set out installing it today. It was just as bad as I figured it would be, but I got it in. Now the speedo reads 65 when I am doing 62.5ish (checked with my GPS). Not perfect, but at least I won't get a ticket, plus the speedo isn't all bouncy at speed as well. Found a leak at the speed sensor also, so I replaced the O-ring, hopefully that stops it.

 

[Shaolin Crane]

Blah blah blah, whats it run?