Only the best kind of update: minimal work on the car, just driving it. I’ve put more miles on the car in the last two months than I have since I owned it.
I’m still getting a small hanging idle issue, even after cleaning the salt and pepper shakers. We set base idle (pulled Spout/IAC, no codes when started) to about 600-650Rpm, but the car likes to settle at around 900-950 with everything plugged back in. TPS is in range. After some sprited driving the car likes to sit at 1,100 ish, and won’t come down if I shut off turn back on. I may swap the IAC. I cleaned it a while back it it helped, but maybe it’s getting old or I didn’t clean well enough.
Also fixed the PS leak at the rack. The low pressure o ring from the new line was undersized (green o ring). Even the parts store o rings where thinner. The high pressure side, with the black o ring (from the new line) had a nice heavy feel when sliding the fitting (not dry). The low pressure was super light, almost like there wasn’t an o ring at all - didn’t feel right. The parts store replacement felt worse. I committed the mortal sin of re-using the unknown aged old o ring, but it felt nice and snug and had no visual indication of rot or tears. I’ll ride this way until I regret it.
I modified the shifter bezel to fit better, but still thing the trans sits too high. The LMR boot feels too short, when I shift into odd gears the back of the boot pulls the bezel up. It’s a brand new t5z, used tri-ax with new ford crossmember and trans mount (big hump on passenger side).
Did the 3g swap. My replacement 2g the prior owner put in was actually hardwired - poorly. One of the two power lines (orange/black) wasn’t even spliced correctly and loose. Serious fire hazard. The upper bolt was also ~0.5” too short, so I helicoil’d the 3g and put a nice new 1.25” bolt in. Also took advice from elders here and added a ground from the stock ECM ground on the fender apron to the stock battery ground on the timing chain cover.
Coming up before the winter:
- I grabbed a 190lph Walbro that will go in
- Maybe paint the trim SEM trim black... maybe.
- I found some old underdrive pulleys in my parents shed, the FRPP blue crank/water pump. I *may* toss the crank pulley on (~4.36” dia). Will either keep the stock water pump pulley or grab a smaller cobra one - the underdrive water pump pulley (~5.25” dia) is garbage in my eyes. Grabbed a 1.9” alternator pulley to keeps its RPMs up
Spring time:
- I have a new contour fan, ordered a Derale 16795 and think I’ll grab a Be Cool radiator (not needed, but a want). Very on the fence with Mishimoto, but really don’t want to do things twice. Looking forward to fabbing up my own bracketry, I love the LMR kit but at $140 and dinner isn’t even included...
Summer time:
- Looking at 11r 170s to go with my explorer intake (TMoss ported lower). Keeping the stock cam/bottom end, maybe 24lbs injectors
- want to smooth/lightly touch up the upper explorer intake, might as well grab 70mm TB (Accufab) since the opening is ~67mm on the intake.
- Would like an off road H/X pipe (my current is 2.25” with cats) but really don’t want to throw codes (removing smog pump) or frustrate future me when getting an inspection.
Finally, not going with the ATS Brembos on this car. Cobra brakes are plenty enough for me - I’ll either sell/trade, or maybe get a new edge project to put them on.
