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Engine Buying A Foxbody, Need Help On Whether Or Not Engine Build Is Good, Help Please

  • Thread starter Thread starter Rxzm
  • Start date Start date Apr 9, 2016
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FoxMustangLvr

I love my Pimp
SN Certified Technician
Oct 14, 2012
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Spokane, Wa
May 4, 2016
#41
  • May 4, 2016
  • #41
Rxzm said:
Also, can anyone guide me to where I can buy tools to work on a foxbody engine? I know the engine goes by two different scales, American and metric, and I don't want to go to a car store and buy the wrong items. I want to buy a Ford Mustang service manual and tools to fix the ac compressor as my first task
Click to expand...
This site below has just about everything electrical and then some for our cars. Also the Stangnet 5.0 Tech forum is a great place for the technical fixes and how to's for anything you need. @jrichker is the guru and very patiently helps a lot of enthusiasts that are new (or old) to the Fox Mustang world.

Like @2000xp8 mentioned, get yourself an all-in-1 mechanics tool kit. Sears has good deals on them with the Craftsman brand and an excellent lifetime warranty. There is typically a sears near by just about anyone so you can in inside in person to exchange broken wrenches, sockets, ratchets, etc. I've made the mistake of buying other off-brands with lifetime guarantees and I have broken tools and now I don't know where to take them because the store I bought them at no longer carries that brand.
 

Rxzm

New Member
Apr 9, 2016
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Houston, Texas
May 4, 2016
#42
  • May 4, 2016
  • #42
http://m.sears.com/craftsman-236-piece-mechanics-tool-set-and-rolling/p-00948327000P

http://m.sears.com/tools-tool-sets-mechanics-tool-sets/b-1021346

Which one seems better? Or post some other links up.

http://www.helminc.com/helm/product...m=result&Style=helm&Sku=FPS1219392&itemtype=N

That's for the book, but $85 seems like a lot?
 

2000xp8

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#43
  • May 4, 2016
  • #43
The first rolling one is probably good. Save you from making 50 trips to the garage.
You will need more eventually, but that should keep you going for a while

As for the books, they are expensive it's the real deal the one mechanics at ford use.
Probably get it as a dvd or download somewhere, but you will need to thumb through real pages.

If you want to start on a budget, I find the wiring/vacumm troubleshooting book from helm inc for $15 much more useful.
 

skyline247

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May 5, 2016
#44
  • May 5, 2016
  • #44
Congrats on the new car! As already mentioned, an all in one mechanics tool kit and some manuals are great starting points.

Sent from my Nexus 6 using Tapatalk
 

Davedacarpainter

Chicks can make things hard if they’re inspired...
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May 5, 2016
#45
  • May 5, 2016
  • #45
Rxzm said:
I still gotta buy all the tools to do any of those things . The wires I can probably do, but the parts I doubt it. I was just gonna save to buy tools and then replace a lot of parts towards the end of this year, and then dyno tune it next spring.
Click to expand...
Without a doubt, you can take those parts off and clean them up. Don't let it intimidate you. Just take pictures before you start, keep the parts neatly organized and clean them up.

It really isn't hard, you don't have to be a mechanic for this. Once you do it, you'll see, you'll wonder why you thought you couldn't do it.
 

jrichker

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#46
  • May 5, 2016
  • #46
Check out the pawn stores in your area for some top name brands like Snap-On, MAC, Matco, Cornwell, Proto, S-K, and Craftsman. The list is in order of quality (in my opinion anyway). Check out eBay for the same brands and see what you find. There are some dealers on eBay that sell new Craftsman tools in sets for a very attractive price. It is the same stuff you get at a retail store, same warranty, but a much lower price.

Almost all my American size sockets and wrenches are Snap-On (bought back in the late 60's). The ratchets, extension bars, and screwdrivers are mostly Craftsman. The Metric size stuff is a mixed bag, some Snap-On, most of it Craftsman, and some odds and ends.

The 3/8" drive sockets are the ones that you will use most, along with the wrenches sizes 3/8" to 7/8" and 10MM to 19MM . That's where to pay more and get the best quality you can afford. For the 1/2" drive sockets, you can skip the smaller sizes and start at 3/4" and to up to 1 1/8". I haven't seen any need for railroad wrenches (sizes bigger than 1 1/8"), so you don't have to worry about really big size wrenches.

Other than wrenches, you will need a good digital multimeter, a compression tester, fuel pressure tester, test light, tire gauge,100 FT/LB torque wrench, fuel line coupler tools and a feeler gauge. That's just the short list; when you get done, you'll have spent the equivalent of a year's worth of car payments...or more...
 
Last edited: May 5, 2016
Reactions: skyline247 and Davedacarpainter

Rxzm

New Member
Apr 9, 2016
26
2
3
Houston, Texas
May 5, 2016
#47
  • May 5, 2016
  • #47
2000xp8 said:
The first rolling one is probably good. Save you from making 50 trips to the garage.
You will need more eventually, but that should keep you going for a while

As for the books, they are expensive it's the real deal the one mechanics at ford use.
Probably get it as a dvd or download somewhere, but you will need to thumb through real pages.

If you want to start on a budget, I find the wiring/vacumm troubleshooting book from helm inc for $15 much more useful.
Click to expand...
Thanks man, you've been really helpful since the start, I'll keep you updated on the car!
 

Rxzm

New Member
Apr 9, 2016
26
2
3
Houston, Texas
May 5, 2016
#48
  • May 5, 2016
  • #48
Davedacarpainter said:
Without a doubt, you can take those parts off and clean them up. Don't let it intimidate you. Just take pictures before you start, keep the parts neatly organized and clean them up.

It really isn't hard, you don't have to be a mechanic for this. Once you do it, you'll see, you'll wonder why you thought you couldn't do it.
Click to expand...
I was thinking about doing that, but I was afraid. But reading it makes me more sure of myself, gonna do it sometime in June when I'm in summer break from college.
 
Reactions: Davedacarpainter

Rxzm

New Member
Apr 9, 2016
26
2
3
Houston, Texas
May 5, 2016
#49
  • May 5, 2016
  • #49
jrichker said:
Check out the pawn stores in your area for some top name brands like Snap-On, MAC, Matco, Cornwell, Proto, S-K, and Craftsman. The list is in order of quality (in my opinion anyway). Check out eBay for the same brands and see what you find. There are some dealers on eBay that sell new Craftsman tools in sets for a very attractive price. It is the same stuff you get at a retail store, same warranty, but a much lower price.

Almost all my American size sockets and wrenches are Snap-On (bought back in the late 60's). The ratchets, extension bars, and screwdrivers are mostly Craftsman. The Metric size stuff is a mixed bag, some Snap-On, most of it Craftsman, and some odds and ends.

The 3/8" drive sockets are the ones that you will use most, along with the wrenches sizes 3/8" to 7/8" and 10MM to 19MM . That's where to pay more and get the best quality you can afford. For the 1/2" drive sockets, you can skip the smaller sizes and start at 3/4" and to up to 1 1/8". I haven't seen any need for railroad wrenches (sizes bigger than 1 1/8"), so you don't have to worry about really big size wrenches.

Other than wrenches, you will need a good digital multimeter, a compression tester, fuel pressure tester, test light, tire gauge,100 FT/LB torque wrench, fuel line coupler tools and a feeler gauge. That's just the short list; when you get done, you'll have spent the equivalent of a year's worth of car payments...or more...
Click to expand...
Thanks man, I'm gonna screenshot your post to remember, it'll be really helpful and money saving in the longrun, especially for a newbie like me
 

LILCBRA

I wish I didn't have all of these balls in the air
Mod Dude
Dec 6, 2005
6,382
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194
Corn County USA
May 6, 2016
#50
  • May 6, 2016
  • #50
Here's a thought as far as buying yourself a tool set. This is just about the same kit as the first one you linked minus the roll around box.

http://www.sears.com/craftsman-230-...p-00950230000P?prdNo=2&blockNo=2&blockType=G2

The description says everything fits neatly into the supplied case. It'll fit in the hatch of your car and save you about $70 over what you've linked to. Then, when money and life allows, buy yourself a tool box to store anything that you acquire along the way as well as this tool set. I'm going to go out on a limb and say if this is something that you enjoy doing, you are going to acquire a lot of new tools in the coming years. Another idea as far as acquiring new tools or tool boxes is to keep an eye on estate auctions. Get a feel for what tools cost and see if you can't get lucky at auctions as sometimes the auctioneers will sell a complete tool box full of tools that most people will pass on. I have gotten lucky doing that, picked up tools worth a couple hundred dollars for like 20 bucks. Happy hunting!!
 
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