Feels Like a Money Pit Sometimes!

[AnthonyR23]

So I am going to start this thread because I have a lot of loose ends and rather than starting up a hundred threads I will just post any questions I have at the end of this thread. So I am going to list what I have done on the car.

There was a period of about a year that I didn't do anything because of the project I took on with the new engine. Mainly I started the larger part of this because I was having some engine trouble, couldn't drive the car without passing an emissions and the car had about 180 000 k on it so thought it was time for it to be revived. So after all is said and done I'm at the bottom of this list and just trying to tie up the loose ends and get through this terrifying emissions test.

I have owned the car since about grade 12 which was about year 2000. So I guess 9 years.

MODS:

88 Mustang GT Convertible

Mod List:
-Silencer Removed
-pedal covers
-180 degree thermostat
-Cold Air Intake
-65mm Throttle Body and Spacer
-BBK Equal length headers
-Roll Bar
-White Faced Gauges
-New Taillights
-Reupholstered Interior
-New Black Carpet
-Black Door panels
-Black Painted Dash
-Offroad X Pipe 2.5 inch
-Mark VIII Fan with Spal Controller
-3G Alt. Upgrade
-Battery moved to trunk box
-New Vacuum line kit
-New o2 sensors, TAB and TAD Solenoids
-New EGR Valve
-New Spark Plugs, Cap/Rotor, Spark Plug Wires
-Poly Motormounts
-Poly Urethane End Link Kits
-Underdrive Pulleys/Overdrive Alt Pulley
-A/C delete Kit
-New Clutch
-New Paint


-Pulled Block and Rebuilt from 302 to 347 with Probe Short rod kit.
-Canton 7 qt. Oil pan
-Crane Powermax 2030 Camshaft
-New Crane Lifters
-New Molly Pushrods to length
-Trick Flow Street Twisted Wedge Aluminum Heads
-1.6 Roller Rockers with TFS Stud Girdle
-New Pioneer Balancer 28.5oz
-Fidanza Alluminum Flywheel
-Replaced T5 with upgrades, including shaft, etc., new throwout bearing and output shaft.
-New Waterpump and chrome t-stat housing
-Trick Flow timing chain set
-Trick Flow Street Heat Intake Manifold Upper and Lower with 1 inch spacer
-Trick flow tall valve covers
-New vacuum line kit
-Pypes 2.5 Inch Catalytic Converters
-2.5 Stainless Flow Tubes
-2.5 Inch Borla Pro XS mufflers
-2.5 Tailpipes
-Full length subframe connectors
-190 lph fuel pump
-Fuel rail kit with 30 lb injectors
-Mass Air conversion with A9L comp and 70mm mass air meter calibrated for 30lb injectors



So that's about it, obviously my list will continue with rear end gears, control arms, etc., but for now my focus is getting it running well and passing the dreaded emissions test.

I am going to do what I can on the weekend and am sure I will be posting some questions, but will try to keep them here rather than litering the forum.

The car has less than 10 kilometers on the new engine. Only thing on the list I haven't received but have ordered is the tailpipes which should be hear tuesday or weds. I haven't installed the frame connectors yet but they are sitting there. Everything else is installed and as is.

I have an extra set of o2 sensors and 2 iac motors, 2 egr valves, which may help me clear up codes. After I do a few things I want to try tomorrow I will post my error codes. I did the mass air conversion before installing the engine so all I had to do was unplug the map sensor vac line and plug in the mass air meter which I had.

Thanks guys for your constant help over these years!

Cheers!

Anthony

 

[AnthonyR23]

I have mentioned a million times that I would try to post pics. And have more to come of the engine build and install up to this point. Aswell as painting pics and old pre paint pics, etc.

Anth0ny8's Mustang Project - Forums

I am setting up on my forum where a user can have there own category for there project where only they can have permission to start threads and only they can post with pictures of there projects if anyone is interested. I also am going to provide a link to my favourite mustang forum which is obviously stangnet. But I just think it would be helpful seeing some individual peoples project.

I think some people could learn from some of the mistakes I have learned and I am going to write about that. Eg. Installing the Lower intake with the cork ends and ending up getting water in my oil.

 

[AnthonyR23]

So after I noticed my oil started getting milky at my first startup breakin, after only running for about 2 or 3 minutes. I drained the oil and left the plug out and filter off over night, then installed new oil and filter. Had a very slow oil leak so added some engine stop smoke and leak stuff. So just want that to work a little bit before dumping it again. I am supposed to dump it after break in anyways but haven't really had a chance to drive the car, other than around the block a few times.

So once I get this running I am going to have to change the oil and filter again.

I got this mechanical oil pressure gauge and I'm not sure what I need to hook it up??

 

[jrichker]

Here's some help with the oil pressure gauge...

Mechanical oil pressure gauge installation..


1.) Remove old pressure sender. It is located down by the oil filter and has 1 wire on a push on screw connector.
2.) Install ¼” pipe tee fitting with a short ¼” nipple on the place where you removed the oil pressure sender.
3.) Install the original oil pressure sender back in one of the tee ports.
4.) Install the gauge line restrictor in the remaining port of the tee.
5.) Connect the flex tubing or hydraulic hose to the gauge restrictor. Be sure to route the tubing or hose away from the exhaust manifolds. Be sure to either use hydraulic hose or oil and heat resistant flex tubing for the pressure line. Do not use copper tubing for the connection to the gauge restrictor or engine. Over a period of time, the vibration will work harden the tubing and cause it to crack and fail.
6.) If the gauge is going to mount under the hood, connect it to the end of the hose or flex tubing. Use some Tie-wraps to secure the gauge and its plumbing to the wiring harness on the driver’s side inner fender.
7.) If the gauge is going to mount in the passenger compartment you get to find a place to run the tubing through the firewall. I suggest that you pick your spot from the inside since that is the area with the most difficult access. Do not run the tubing through the exact same hole as the steering shaft. It will tangle up with the steering shaft and cause major problems.
8.) Install the gauge inside the car in the location of your choosing. Connect the pressure line to the gauge and secure it out of the way of moving parts with Tie-wraps.
9.) Be sure to ground the gauge lighting wire to clean, shiny bare metal. Connect the other wire from the gauge lighting to a light brown/red wire on the radio wiring harness. There are 2 connectors in the radio wiring harness, but only one of them has the light brown/red wire you need for gauge illumination. Solder the gauge lighting wire to the light brown/red wire on the radio harness and cover the soldered joint with heat shrink.

How to solder like a pro - Ford Fuel Injection How To Solder Like a Pro a must read for any automotive wiring job.

Be sure to use a gauge restrictor fitting in the pressure line going to the gauge. The restrictor will prevent all of the engine's oil supply from ending up on the pavement before you can stop it if the gauge line fails. I had a gauge line rupture, and the restrictor fitting saved my engine from serious damage.

 

[AnthonyR23]

Thanks Jricher that's great about the mech. oil pressure guage!!!!

So regarding the o2 sensors, I pulled the 2 on the car, and checked them as well as the extra 2. Two of them after applying alot of heat with the torch stayed at about .1 and didn't fluctuate. The newer ones fluctuated from .1 all the way to .9 very quickly and then when I take the heat of drop back down at a reasonable rate. So I am assuming that both newer o2's are working fine!!!!!

I am topping up my transmission fluid, while I have the car up. 5 minutes ago I just installed the 2 good o2's. Going out right now to top it up. Then I am going to drop the car back down, start it up, going to once again confirm with the vacuum of that I am getting 39 psi of fuel pressure. Then I will recheck my timing. Clear codes and recheck engine off and on codes.

I'll post the codes when I get them. Probably in an hour or so. Thanks!!! Cheers!

I love the weekend! Have been wanting to work on it all week!

 

[AnthonyR23]

So, I am kinda delay with getting the codes, decided to get the subframe connectors on. Because my car is a convertible it has extra braces on the frame so I had to take those off to get the full length connectors on. I am going to tie them into the rails on the outside which was what the braces were for. So the car is up evenly and I have the full length connectors jacked up into place tight. I have cleaned all surfaces down to steel around all weld spots. Now just need to either borrow my friends welder or rent one which I am going to do tomorrow. Thought since it was all jacked up and have these sitting there that I should get them on. Had to grind of the rivets off the front and back braces on either side. Its looking good and ready to be welded. Then I can get the mufflers back on and check those codes. I may just leave it up though and wait for the tailpipes that should be hear tuesday or weds.