Progress Thread "Alter Ego" White 1993 LX 5.0 5spd

idareu · Nov 7, 2024

I pulled the pulley that was installed and yep, it's the wrong one.

The one that was installed was marked as EZSE-8A528-BA and is for a mid 80's Ford Truck 302. It's a 5" diameter pulley (1 3/8" width). The one from my 91 GT is marked as E1ZE-8509-A4. It's 4 3/4" in diameter (1 1/8" width). I need to clean up the correct pulley before I put it on but at least now I know.

Thanks for pointing me in the right direction @AeroCoupe . I'm hoping this will fix the squeal above 2k RPM as well but if not, at least it one less thing wrong.

idareu · Nov 8, 2024

I got the correct pulley installed, made sure the belt was dead center on the pulley and fired it up. The belt is still walking towards the front of the pulley which got me to thinking about if maybe the power steering pulley is out of alignment. I put a straight edge on the back of the water pump pulley and ran it to the power steering pump and it look like maybe the power steering pump/pulley is too far forward. At least that's how it looks to me.

Correct Pulley but belt is getting chewed up

Power Steering (top)

Power Steering (gap?)

idareu · Nov 8, 2024

Add the fun continues....

I was comparing the pulley on my 91GT to this one and it looks like the previous owner used a 4cyl power steering pump pulley (E7SE-3D673-AA) which is about 3/4" larger than a normal 5.0 one (D9ZC-3D673A-AA). So instead of having a 5 1/4" pulley, this one is closer to 6". From the front, the pulley looks flush on with the input shaft of the pump, but when I look behind the pulley, there is like a 1/4" from the pulley to the body of the P/S pump which probably explains why the pulley isn't lined up with the other ones (didn't take a picture but probably will later).

I guess I can rent/buy a puller and take the pulley of the P/S that is for the 91GT and move it to this one for now. I'm not sure of the condition of the pump on the 91 but the 93's seems okay so a pulley swap shouldn't be too hard (famous last words).

idareu · Nov 29, 2024

I finally got some time to pull the power steering pulley off the 91GT and moved over to the LX. That was not fun but at least its done. It took some time to get the pulley lined up correctly so that the belt was running straight but at least I know its correct now. I had bought an 84.5" belt per LMR's reference chart if you aren't running a smog pump or a smog delete pulley but it still won't fit. On a hunch I measured the crankshaft pulley and it's roughly 6.5" across and from what I'm reading, the stock pulley should be 5-7/8". Right now I'm running a 86.5" belt but it still sounds like it's slipping. I'll probably go pick up a 85.5" belt for "fun" and see if that helps, at least until I get around to swapping the crank pulley.

I think this will be the first and last 4cyl swap car I deal with. I'm making the best of it and it's good motivation to keep going on my other project.

Next up is to find a parasitic battery drain, can't let it sit for a week without the battery going dead and then figure out a better rim/tire combo. I'm still running the 4.10s and F cam and from what I understand I need to stay around at 27" tire. I'm thinking maybe a set of 17" ponies with 245/50/17 (26.7" height) would be okay.

AeroCoupe · Nov 29, 2024

Typically a larger diameter power steering pump pulley is run to reduced the over boosted feel of the stock Fox steering. I’m not sure how much it reduces it but the thought was to slow the pump down.

idareu · Nov 30, 2024

Interesting to know about the P/S pulley size, I'll have to keep that in mind. A quick trip to AutoZone this morning and with an 85.5" belt and that takes care of the slipping.

I did find out that my passenger side window is "stuck" down now this morning. I haven't tried to roll it up in a few weeks so one more thing to add to the "to-do" list. It could be wiring or motor but my bet is on the motor. These things only last for so long so I'll have to take the door panel off and see what's going on. The weather is nice (upper 50s/low 60s) so the windows won't be going up any time soon anyway .

General karthief · Nov 30, 2024

Give that door panel a little 'love tap' in the area of the motor while holding the up button. My passenger side window motor will stick if you let it roll all the way down to the stops.

idareu · Jan 20, 2025

Things were going pretty well up until last Friday. I jumped in it to run an errand and found out the speedometer wasn't working, although it had been fine on Tuesday. I figure it has to be one of 3 things:

1. Speedometer itself
2. Speedometer cable
3. Speedometer gear in the transmission.

Since I wasn't a fan of the white face overlays and trying to remove them had damages the paint around the gauges, I figured I'd swap the cluster out of my 91 into the 93. Easy enough, took about 30 minutes but either I didn't get the speedometer cable on all the way or something's up under the car because, the results were the same, all gauges but speedo was fine. I didn't have time to dig any deeper and put it back in the garage for the night. Saturday, I get up back it out of the garage and while idling, I noticed that the tach was stuck at 500 rpm, turn key off and it drops to 0, start the car and it swings back up to 500 and stays there.

I still need to get back behind the cluster and make sure the speedometer is on and tight and then check it from the bottom end so that's on my to-do list. As far as the tach goes, I've never had one do this before.
-------
Another issue I want to deal with sooner than later is the car's stance (Front: 215/60/15 & Rear: 275/60/15). I knew when I bought it, the difference in height would drive me crazy. Right now there is almost a 3" (2.83") difference in height front-back. I want to even it out but my options are limited to putting a fresh set of rubber on a set of 16" pony rims.

Since this car is a 4cyl conversion, it still has the 4cyl springs which drops the front considerably. I've got about 25" from ground to middle of the arch in the front fender so I don't have much room up there for a bigger tire. The issue is trying to figure out a tire combination that will work with the 4:10 gears and 8 tooth gear in the transmission. The closest I can get is 225/55/16 up front and 235/60/16 in the rear but that still leaves about 2" (1.94") of difference between the front and rear (if my math is right).

AeroCoupe · Jan 20, 2025

You problem is not the tires it’s the 4 cylinder springs up front. But a set of good springs for all four corners and keep moving forward.

idareu · Jan 21, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
You problem is not the tires it’s the 4 cylinder springs up front. But a set of good springs for all four corners and keep moving forward.

Yeah, you are right. I'm sure those springs are worn out as well. A decent set off springs will be the next thing I get. Thanks for the advice. It will be good practice for when I put the '91 sitting next to it back together.

I wonder what other "gotchas" I haven't found yet with this one though. I know 4cyl conversions can be done right but I don't think I'd buy another one, and probably wouldn't have bought this one if I had slowed down and did my homework.

AeroCoupe · Jan 21, 2025

My guess will be the control arms will need bushings and ball joints.

idareu · Jan 21, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
My guess will be the control arms will need bushings and ball joints.

Good point, best to replace those while I'm under there.

idareu · Feb 17, 2025

I made some time last week to diagnose the speedometer issue. I pulled the cable from the transmission and sure enough the speedometer gear was shredded. I ordered a replacement from 23 tooth (for the 4:10 gears) replacement from LMR and slapped it, made sure the needle moved by manually spinning the gear and the buttoned it up for a test drive. Unfortunately that didn't fix the issue, got back under it and when I pulled the cable again, I put my finger in the transmission hole and as I should have expected, the drive gear inside is not there... My guess it came loose off its clip or just flat out shredded; and to top it off, the bolt hole for the cable is jacked up and the bolt apparently was cross-threaded so now it won't tighten up completely. So now I get to drop the transmission at some point in the near future.

nickyb · Feb 17, 2025

Oh the joy and pain in the ass they are.

AeroCoupe · Feb 17, 2025

Do yourself a favor and get a black 6 tooth drive gear (the one in the transmission). This will allow you to move down to a lower number tooth driven gear (the one on the VSS). This will keep the driven gear from stripping. Its a known issue with the 21 & 23 tooth driven gears.

idareu · Feb 18, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
Do yourself a favor and get a black 6 tooth drive gear (the one in the transmission). This will allow you to move down to a lower number tooth driven gear (the one on the VSS). This will keep the driven gear from stripping. Its a known issue with the 21 & 23 tooth driven gears.

Thanks for the tip, got the gear kit for T5 w/4.10 gears my cart at LMR now.

My previous mustangs didn't have tall gears in the rear so that VSS gear wasn't an issue before. It's these little things that bite ya in the butt.

FastDriver · Feb 18, 2025

AeroCoupe said:
That water pump pulley looks wrong to me and I would be more suspect of the tensioner pulley than anything.

Very nice eye.

idareu · Feb 18, 2025

FastDriver said:
Very nice eye.

Yeah AeroCoupe got me on track with that. The water pump pulley and power steering pump pulleys were wrong. Once I got those swapped to the correct sizes, all the belt issues went away.

This site has been my mustang haven for a long time, lots of good knowledge around here.

General karthief · Feb 18, 2025

Donations accepted.

nickyb · Feb 18, 2025

You just want cookies

Progress Thread "Alter Ego" White 1993 LX 5.0 5spd

idareu

idareu

idareu

idareu

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

idareu

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

idareu

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

idareu

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

idareu

idareu

nickyb

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

AeroCoupe

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

idareu

FastDriver

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

idareu

General karthief

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

nickyb

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

Similar threads

Progress Thread "Alter Ego" White 1993 LX 5.0 5spd

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

lube between the nut and the face. I know my lubes

I was uncomfortably high & wearing a helmet

wonder how much it would cost to ship you a pair

I gotta say i never painted my nuts, Never Ever

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