In reply to gumby :
Solid! The GT40p stuff works well when you put a non-explorer cam to it. I liked the set up on my fox mustang
In reply to gumby :
Solid! The GT40p stuff works well when you put a non-explorer cam to it. I liked the set up on my fox mustang
Pretty much from dyno day onward, BHJ has been itching for more HP. I have received links to intakes for sale, heads, turbo kits, etc. Interspersed with these links and discussions, I also noted an increased frequency of transmission concerns..... I advised a proactive path forward with his limited funds, to get ahead of the AOD before it turned DOA.
A manual would free up some HP, reduce overall weight, and provide a more engaging experience. Obviously a win-win-win.
Parts have been collected to supplement the ones I already had on my shelves, and BHJ got started by swapping the pedals first
Last night we got the AOD on the floor. After a fresh rear main seal goes in, the T5 will follow.
BHJ and Freebird survived a Novice AutoX School yesterday.
The springs are too soft, tires too narrow, it weighs too much and needs more gear.
AutoXing terrible cars is way more enjoyable than being SRSBZNS
Hurray for Freebird and BHJ!
Freebird was mostly trouble free, for most of the summer. A few tweaks here and there, with the largest concern being the erosion of tread from the rear tires at an accelerated rate.
While changing those, we noticed an axle seal leak and discussed a gear change "while we're in there," and such a decision's potential effect on future tire life. Unfortunately, about a week after new tire installation, the engine munched a rod bearing.
Enter another free car:
A long time friend in the FoxThunderCat community has been sitting on this project for several years and BHJ's need pushed it "off the pot." It has an Explorer 5.0/T5 combo with HO Mustang camshaft.
The owner drug it over from OH for us, while in town for work. He and I sifted thru the trunk and backseat full of related parts, some he wanted to keep, some only had dibs placed if he needs them before I find use for them, and many will accompany the rust-free shell when I take it to another FoxThunderCat friend who is more Cougar-centric than I am.
The plan is for BHJ and I to pull the drivetrain, swap the TrickFlow cam from his engine into this one, add some new valve springs, and have Freebird back in service before Prom.
BHJ is on fall break, and decided he wanted the nicer xr7 seats for his own. He pulled them, and the carpet, from the Cougar, cleaned everything, applied some dye to faded edges, then installed everything into Freebird.
We also removed the engine from the Cougar, put it on a stand and stripped it for the cam/valve spring swap.
I liked that body much better than the previous. Actually, a bit better than the next... except the SuperCharged 'bird would be worth the less attractive body!
I wanted an 88, with the 5.0, but with the turbo coupe hood, back then.
Missed this thread last year; glad to find it.
Plugging along as teenage time and funds allow.
We pushed the Cougar out and drug the Tbird over from the house
The engine came out, and we set up an operating station
The TFS1 cam has been transferred over.
I snagged a Typhoon intake off FBMP for $125 (Merry early Christmas BHJ!) which will be going on after we install the new valve springs.
What are you using for valve springs? I'm interested to see if the typhoon provides a seat of the pants improvement
In reply to Shavarsh :
We are changing a couple things at once which will preclude an apples to apples comparison
For the price, I wasn't gonna pass the opportunity to replace the Explorer intake with something that flows better, especially while the engine is already opened up.
I am curbing the impulse to change the throttle body/inlet tube/airbox in an attempt at not screwing up the tune. We'll see how that plays out.
Alright, the replacement engine is in and running. A minor coolant leak, a couple rounds of nut and bolt checks, a short interval oil change, an IAC tweak in the tune, and all seems well. Maybe we will get it back on the dyno in the spring; the butt-o-meter says it revs higher and feels noticeably happier.
I performed a post-mortem on the original engine today. TL;DR it wasn't a rod bearing.
The engine was consuming a lot of oil. We had fixed all the external leaks, but it still needed a quart every couple weeks. All the plugs looked like this
The zero oil pressure was the result of a twisted off oil pump drive. There's really only one way that happens...
Looks like a spring from a seal. The screen appears intact...and yet...
No clue how the curved chunk made it thru the screen, but that guy was inside the pump. It matches up to a broken valve spring damper coil, and the spring in the screen is from the damaged stem seal.
The bottom end spins smoothly and looks ok so far. Keith Black pop-up pistons and ARP hardware throughout.
We plan to blueprint the shortblock assembly and (re)build up this ~10:1 engine at a later date.
Are you going to tear down the screen to see where the problem is? I can't believe all of that debris got into the pump!
The two smaller pieces pictured were found loose in the crank case.
I removed the guard to get a look at the whole screen. I found no tears or cuts, or distortions of the mesh which could have passed that curved chunk. It is a mystery.
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