Progress Thread Fire Hazard GT build: On the road

[rdharper02]

Mike, I'm damn impressed. Is that the movie you demo your home theatre with? I had to use the avatar, it's the same look I get every time I end up getting asked to work on others cars when I planned on working on my own (just hear the "wwwhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuut" in the background.

You're right, I still need to get the lifters, so I will probably try to give LMR a ring tomorrow.

It's been dark when I 've been getting home, so I decided to take a peek at the last order. After ripping out all the packing material, I finally got to all the parts..........wow, figured it would be much more.....impressive. The daughter asked what I had in the box......I just told her it was part of her college savings then gave her all the packing paper and told her she better make some impressive art out of it or she won't be able to attend college. It still puzzles me when my kids look at me like they would rather just try and cut the break lines of my truck.

So here's the questions I have been mulling over. The flywheel for the 3550 looks pretty decent and is a "billet" piece and the pressure plate face looks great. I would love to send the disc and pressure plate back into the company to get tested and rebuilt (due to rear seal leakage). So I search for numbers and find exactly jack. Can anyone identify this clutch (I'm thinking Ram 9000 dual ceramic/organic)?

The picture is rough, but the discolored spots on both are oil I have not cleaned off.

So here is question number two. If I do the Scott Rod inner panels it will only be to ease the distress I feel every time I look at the opening for the turbo. (The jackass that cut it decided he wanted to do it all over again.)

So if I decide to go with a black pair of the above, what is the best way to cut out the turbo opening? I killed a HF air saw doing the last cut and ended up with a cutting wheel, so the bulk would be tracing it out and neatly cutting it out.

 

[Boosted92LX]

Mike, I'm damn impressed. Is that the movie you demo your home theatre with? I had to use the avatar, it's the same look I get every time I end up getting asked to work on others cars when I planned on working on my own (just hear the "wwwhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuut" in the background.

You're right, I still need to get the lifters, so I will probably try to give LMR a ring tomorrow.

It's been dark when I 've been getting home, so I decided to take a peek at the last order. After ripping out all the packing material, I finally got to all the parts..........wow, figured it would be much more.....impressive. The daughter asked what I had in the box......I just told her it was part of her college savings then gave her all the packing paper and told her she better make some impressive art out of it or she won't be able to attend college. It still puzzles me when my kids look at me like they would rather just try and cut the break lines of my truck.

So here's the questions I have been mulling over. The flywheel for the 3550 looks pretty decent and is a "billet" piece and the pressure plate face looks great. I would love to send the disc and pressure plate back into the company to get tested and rebuilt (due to rear seal leakage). So I search for numbers and find exactly jack. Can anyone identify this clutch (I'm thinking Ram 9000 dual ceramic/organic)?

The picture is rough, but the discolored spots on both are oil I have not cleaned off.

So here is question number two. If I do the Scott Rod inner panels it will only be to ease the distress I feel every time I look at the opening for the turbo. (The jackass that cut it decided he wanted to do it all over again.)

So if I decide to go with a black pair of the above, what is the best way to cut out the turbo opening? I killed a HF air saw doing the last cut and ended up with a cutting wheel, so the bulk would be tracing it out and neatly cutting it out.

I guess to answer you question it would be good to know if you want a round hole for a pipe, or is the hole actually for the turbo and square will suffice?

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Mike, I'm damn impressed. Is that the movie you demo your home theatre with? I had to use the avatar, it's the same look I get every time I end up getting asked to work on others cars when I planned on working on my own (just hear the "wwwhhhhhhhhhuuuuuuuuuuut" in the background.

You're right, I still need to get the lifters, so I will probably try to give LMR a ring tomorrow.

It's been dark when I 've been getting home, so I decided to take a peek at the last order. After ripping out all the packing material, I finally got to all the parts..........wow, figured it would be much more.....impressive. The daughter asked what I had in the box......I just told her it was part of her college savings then gave her all the packing paper and told her she better make some impressive art out of it or she won't be able to attend college. It still puzzles me when my kids look at me like they would rather just try and cut the break lines of my truck.

So here's the questions I have been mulling over. The flywheel for the 3550 looks pretty decent and is a "billet" piece and the pressure plate face looks great. I would love to send the disc and pressure plate back into the company to get tested and rebuilt (due to rear seal leakage). So I search for numbers and find exactly jack. Can anyone identify this clutch (I'm thinking Ram 9000 dual ceramic/organic)?

The picture is rough, but the discolored spots on both are oil I have not cleaned off.

So here is question number two. If I do the Scott Rod inner panels it will only be to ease the distress I feel every time I look at the opening for the turbo. (The jackass that cut it decided he wanted to do it all over again.)

So if I decide to go with a black pair of the above, what is the best way to cut out the turbo opening? I killed a HF air saw doing the last cut and ended up with a cutting wheel, so the bulk would be tracing it out and neatly cutting it out.

* Sigh....

It used to be very easy to identify a certain mfg's clutch product from a picture back in the day, as there were colors that each of them used exclusively to do that ( i.e. Zoom was purple, somebody's else's was orange,( Hays maybe) Mccloed was red,....blah, blah, blah...
Now save for Zoom, color is up for grabs.
That could be a Ram, Centerforce, or Mccloed clutch for all I know. W/o a way to properly identify who makes it, or what performance level it is ( given that it's a diaphragm, it's on the " street/strip" level I'd guess) the only way is to pick one of them, and send it in. The caveat there is, You pack that heavy piglip in, and it gets to Ram, and they tell you that it's rated as a mild replacement.

Whuuuuuuuuuuuuuttt?

and you're gonna reinstall that behind a turbocharged what?

Do you have a local clutch resurfacer? They could test the spring pressure maybe, then you could call a Ram, Centerforce, Mccloed and get a better idea of what you have there.

As for the hole in the new aluminum aprons.....

Temporarily fit the one, hold it in place w/ a couple of sheet metal screws ( if you don't have Clecos) determine where the hole is supposed to be, and drill a center hole in the middle of your intended location. Remove it, flip it and draw a circle on the backside. Drill the center hole big enough to get a jig saw blade through, and then use a jig saw w/ a really fine blade from the back side to cut the hole. ( so you don't scratch the front w/ the saw base).

And the good part is, it works for all geometric shapes. Circles , triangles, or squares.

And as for my usage of a minion movie as a demo.....

Yes, I do. I'll let it run while I'm programming a remote, and laugh at the same stuff I laughed the last time I ran the movie. As for Blueray demo material,....NOTHING looks better than a CG animated movie.

 

[rdharper02]

Sorry Boosted, I forget that this this threads been on here awhile an assume everyone has seen the photos showing the inner fender. The turbo inlet hangs over the frame rail, requiring space for the whole inlet side. We'll just call that one an "oval" as there's no way I'll get a nice circle on the underside, toward the bottom of the turbo. A second hole, for the intake piping ends up coming through about five inches further back. Both areas are attached to the engine, which is nice enough to move every time we touch the go pedal. So I got a little tired of "little-by-little" and basically opened it up to provide for both pipes in one big opening. I'll throw a picture down

I like the cutting from the backside and do not know why I have not thought of that before. I had a plan on laying the vast majority of the area with masking and working it with a jig saw. It might still go that way, but only if I cant utilize large circular cutouts and then connect them neatly.

To answer your question Mike, I have Southland Clutch about four hours away. Work takes me about three hours closer, every so often. I had them build a clutch for one of my cars years ago and got the impression that there are some other brands that "re-brand" their stuff. The one they built lasted through some pretty abusive times. The truth is that I am at a point in life where I have less and less time and will probably end up paying more for less when I can't get down there.

Oh, and as far as the carb cleaner, I live in California. I opened the can up and there was a plastic basket in it.......that's right plastic. What in the hell?

Now back in the day, I would have been fishing a plastic blob out of this stuff. What do I know, maybe the latest space probe found a plastic that withstands the harsh chemicals I expect out of my favorite caustic substances. So I soaked the carb in it overnight. I got nervous because I forgot to pull one of the needle seats and even brass did not do well in the "old" stuff. Well, no worries here, the basket is intact, the seat is good and the carb is less than clean.

The good news is that it is Thanksgiving and we are going due over at the same family's house that I'm rebuilding this thing for. Want to take bets on how many parts I loose while in a hurry?

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone

 

[rdharper02]

Well, just got back from the right coast and found some of the parts came in.

Yup, figured out how to reuse the clutch. It involves ordering the one in the box and hanging the old one art-deco style on the garage wall. So I got the sensor I busted, the lifters, timing chain and some other parts for the below.

So the crappy picture is my new oil pan. Some ass pounded a starter hole and then tapped the side of the pain for the oil drain. Now this mentally challenged cave man was extremely lucky for the lack of garbage flowing toward the oil pump. Now in the cave man's defense, he got the brilliant method from the instructions for a well known supercharger company. So you beat the side of the pan, make a hole, grease the heck out of a tap and pray like hell all the trash doesn't make it into the motor. It read good after a cold adult beverage, but I think it's time to weld one of the -10 bungs onto the new pan and reduce the amount of crap the filter needs to pull out.

So, speaking of welding bungs.....I picked these up so I don't ruin my expensive FRPP valve covers. I have not decided how I am going to plump the system, but am considering adding an oil separator system. Any ideas? So these will get scuffed and painted wrinkle black. I'm not going to have all the piping done over, so all my Jet Hot will still be silver, but I've done the black look on several motors so far. I've actually got a short set of black covers to go with the below intake.

Now the other intake has been ported to match the heads, so I need to clean it up for paint. Which means I need to order the HF standing sand blast cabinet right? According to the misses, my thought process is flawed and I need to pay someone else to sandblast my parts. Anyone have that 30% coupon number for HF

 

[rdharper02]

I'm a little behind so let me give the update. Everyone loves carnage pics, so here is the crank. I decided to go 306, so I'm not using this, but could have ground it after my machinist did all the math.

Those pretty little lines are a result of these beautiful bearings not being treated well. The brass color is a bad thing, but again, I could have waited and had these resized. Deep down, it's just that I like to have parts sitting around the garage. Just in case I decide to treat the next motor as poorly as this one has been treated.

Something I actually decided to maintain is the "Billet" steel flywheel. I've never stuck around to see them clean one of these up, so the machinist buddy let me stick around.

Definitely an interesting process and vice my normal luck, it came out pretty good.

My AFRs are not quite done, but are started at this point. All the carbon build up led me to having them completely gone through.

So beyond the photos I've been trying to figure a couple of things out. The first one is if I actually consider "light" beer to be a beer or a source of water during periods of survival. I'll have to figure that one out once I run out of things without the "light" in the title. The second is how I am plumbing my oil catch can. The initial plan had been to weld 10an male bungs to the valve covers. Low and behold, the only catch cans that have said bung size only come with a single inlet and filter. I want two inlets, so I need to figure out a smaller size of "an" bung. I know a couple of you have done this, but any input into the valve cover bung size and how you replicated that size on the catch can.....well it will save me from ordering multiple times and allow me to work more hardily on my beer thesis.

Oh.....#MadMike or #Noobz, can I get a title change of some sort? The motivation thing just sounds weak.

 

[stykthyn]

You should able to change the name. Go to thread tools at the top of the page.

 

[rdharper02]

Thanks Guys.

So I get a chance to run down my brake line leak. After installing the Hurst line lock I decided to use Summit's line lock install kit. So far I've had three bad fittings and will need to flare another line to straighten this one out. I didn't snap a photo, but the line I attempted to re-flare tonight has the center so far off it looks like any bending would have created a thin spot that could potentially leak. I forgot to snap a photo, but think I'll start over with Hurst's kit this time. It's a shame. Every time I try to save 5 bucks I spend 50 more doing it over again.

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

Thanks Guys.

So I get a chance to run down my brake line leak. After installing the Hurst line lock I decided to use Summit's line lock install kit. So far I've had three bad fittings and will need to flare another line to straighten this one out. I didn't snap a photo, but the line I attempted to re-flare tonight has the center so far off it looks like any bending would have created a thin spot that could potentially leak. I forgot to snap a photo, but think I'll start over with Hurst's kit this time. It's a shame. Every time I try to save 5 bucks I spend 50 more doing it over again.

Wanna trade do overs?.... Mine for yours. I'll spend the 50 bucks, and you spend the other 50..............hours.

 

[RangerJoe]

Thanks Guys.

So I get a chance to run down my brake line leak. After installing the Hurst line lock I decided to use Summit's line lock install kit. So far I've had three bad fittings and will need to flare another line to straighten this one out. I didn't snap a photo, but the line I attempted to re-flare tonight has the center so far off it looks like any bending would have created a thin spot that could potentially leak. I forgot to snap a photo, but think I'll start over with Hurst's kit this time. It's a shame. Every time I try to save 5 bucks I spend 50 more doing it over again.

I'very had mixed results with summit brand stuff, but they always make it right. All the internet info was that Hurst made the summit linelock. After going through 3 of them, all replaced by summit, I bought a hurst. Definitely not the same maker and the hurst has lasted 3 years so far.

Joe

 

[A5literMan]

I'very had mixed results with summit brand stuff, but they always make it right. All the internet info was that Hurst made the summit linelock. After going through 3 of them, all replaced by summit, I bought a hurst. Definitely not the same maker and the hurst has lasted 3 years so far.

Joe

I just bought the hurst kit myself. I almost bought the summit and remembered you and another person(different forum) had issues. Where did you mount the button?

 

[rdharper02]

#MadMike: I would gladly trade you. I had a long conversation with an old friend regarding the "sweet spot" in our lives. At one point there was no income and all the time in the world and it gradually progressed to a fairly stable income that requires all my time. Sometime in between there had to have been the point where I could afford to toy with stuff and actually had time to work on it. I'm figuring that was about 6-8 years ago. I'm not complaining with today's economy, but will continue to dream of that "sweet spot" in the future.

#Ranger Joe: Where were you when I ordered about.....oh.....3 years ago...lol. Honestly, I kind of regret buying the line install kit, but we'll see if I regret the solenoid too.

#A5Literman: Joe probably has a better set up, but my father has been buying me these custom pool ball shifter handles, so below is the picture of mine. It took some clear tubing and some small zip ties to ensure to would be just comfortable enough to use, but uncomfortable enough that it doesn't get accidentally used. The photo is a little off with the flash, but the tubing looks black in normal light.

So I did figure out how I will do my catch can set-up. I'm going to weld to 8an bungs onto the fire wall side of my valve covers and a fill bung towards the front of one of them.

So I had to check with my Dad on the conversion. I personally haven't layed with AN fittings and the conversions, so he came up with the common 3/8 NPT to 8an adapters (into the can). From there it will be 2 90 degree fittings at the valve covers and 2 90s for the inlets. Still debating about plugging the PCV valve at the back of the intake or using a turbo coupe PCV valve.

 

[rdharper02]

On another note, I ordered a metric crap ton of parts back in November. Checking on what I still have not received, I found that my piston to valve tool set had never shipped. I call LMR up and say I ordered on November 14 and received a "It's in stock and will ship soon" email on the 24th and again in mid December. I was a little bit ticked off when I get the "it's in stock, don't know why it has not shipped". Now, I've been dealing with LMR for as long as I've had a mustang and have always considered them a class act, but I decided a really didn't need the thing that bad. Ultimately, I would probably be building the motor right now if my machinist had not had a death in the family. That means that I would need to ensure my PTV clearance and push rod length using the tool.

So, I calmed down, put some faith in a distributor I've dealt with for years and they made it right. Thanks LMR.

 

[RangerJoe]

I just bought the hurst kit myself. I almost bought the summit and remembered you and another person(different forum) had issues. Where did you mount the button?

I just use a toggle switch mounted on my radio bezel. I never felt comfortable with a mounting spot for that momentary switch that comes with the kit. I have long arms, so I just keep my finger on the button and flip it off towards the end of my burnout and roll out a few feet before letting off.

I also have my LL wired through my clutch on a seperate circuit. One of the tracks I go to is really bad and a stick car rolls out of the beams on the starting line. I activate the LL though this circuit, which holds the front brakes until I release the clutch, then it disengages.

Joe

 

[rdharper02]

#RangerJoe, I put the safety in, but know myself. The main power is on a switch below the radio, but a little adrenaline and I'm likely to show how far the rear tires can push the fronts.

So the ultimate question is if this is a build thread or a progress thread. Actually the only progress I've made is ordering parts....lol

 

[CarMichael Angelo]

On another note, I ordered a metric crap ton of parts back in November. Checking on what I still have not received, I found that my piston to valve tool set had never shipped. I call LMR up and say I ordered on November 14 and received a "It's in stock and will ship soon" email on the 24th and again in mid December. I was a little bit ticked off when I get the "it's in stock, don't know why it has not shipped". Now, I've been dealing with LMR for as long as I've had a mustang and have always considered them a class act, but I decided a really didn't need the thing that bad. Ultimately, I would probably be building the motor right now if my machinist had not had a death in the family. That means that I would need to ensure my PTV clearance and push rod length using the tool.

So, I calmed down, put some faith in a distributor I've dealt with for years and they made it right. Thanks LMR.

I-I-I-I don't know RD, but the picture you've furnished was of a lifter, and an adjustable pushrod. Those are typically used to check pushrod length, but I guess you could just increase the length of the thing until you cause the valve to collide with the piston.

Most of the time, PtoV is checked with a dial indicator positioned on top of the rocker tip using a checking spring, and whatever length pushrod you've determined to be correct after you use the kit you've pictured. Or a blob of silly putty/clay/playdoh.

Where's that pic?

So the ultimate question is if this is a build thread or a progress thread. Actually the only progress I've made is ordering parts....lol

When you start building something,....we'll see. As long as we're ordering stuff,...

You're " progressing " along nicely.

INLOL.

 

[rdharper02]

Mike you are absolutely right. The non-collapsing lifter and adjustable pushrod is labeled as "1985-1995 5.0 piston to valve clearance checking tool" even though I bought it to verify my pushrod length. Must be a typo at LMR. I'll do my PTV clearance with a couple of check springs, my magnetic base and my dial indicator.

 

[rdharper02]

So, my latest struggle has been the 10-15 minutes I get to re-work the brake lines going to the Summit Brand Line lock. I put it in a couple years back and never managed to replace the leaking line by the turbo exhaust manifold. The engines out, so it was time. Tighten it all up....and the lines would leak somewhere else. So I tightened one fighting on the body of the solenoid and it continued to leak. No worries, just tighten it ....aaaannnnnnnnd it's stripped. So get the old flaring tool out and work it. Tighten it and......it still leaks..........tighten a bit more and.......its stripped!. Go to re-flare and the tubing slits. So it has to be the sub standard tubing, right? So I order another line kit from Hurst vice Summit. It has to be better...right?

So the kit comes in and I decide to remove all the Summit stuff, minus the solenoid. Bend them up, test....tighten the leaky ones and then tighten the next one that leaks after that. Then finally, I'm left with one.........so I tighten it a little more aaannnnnnnnnd it's stripped. Pull out the flare kit and re flare/fit......replace, tighten.....and it leaks......tighten a bit more annnnnnddddd the brass fitting strips.

So, I pause a minute and realize it is the same line. WTF? Time is up and I have to go to family friends for dinner. So I figure it is not the line or fitting, but the actual ort in the solenoid above. Is it time to buy the Hurst that it's based off of, or replace with another Summit?

 

[rdharper02]

Well, I still need to replace one, but I found my problem on the line lock and made some engine progress. Oh. I actually learned some scary stuff too.

The Summit line lock is minus one thing. The dog gone male end of your break line flares. It's not in any literature I could find and yours truly did not notice. Seems I am not incompetent at bending and flaring. I pulled the line, used a flashlight, and found the doggone thing is blank on each of the intake ports. The answer.....the below Eaton inserts that have the internal male that your flare seals against. So after finding two, I am awaiting a third to finish up.

So I took a day off and started to work the short block. My machinist is a friend so I went over to his shop to work the assembly.

The interesting stuff. We tried a timing set from a manufacturer that my friend carries. After degreeing it out, we ended up with my fancy F303 cam being just over two degrees advanced. I wasn't really excited about it, or the fact that we would only be able to adjust in four degree increments. So we would either have to stick, or be about 2 degrees retarded. I don't need to move the torque around with the turbo. I'll work the pictures in a bit.

 

[A5literMan]

My timing set was the same(FRPP unit) and ended up at 2* retarded. 2* advance put ptv to close for comfort. If you don't need the low end I'd recommend going with the 2* retard position.