Progress Thread Hoopty v2.0 - Back in action!

hoopty5.0

mechanicus terribilis
15 Year Member
Dec 14, 2010
7,480
6,632
214
SW Houston
So here's the back story:

I have a buddy who I've come to know over the last few years in LA. He's got a '93 coupe that he's been shoveling money into. New paint, new suspension, new everything. It's got the DIYPNP MSII like mine had as well. As I was fighting the last car, he was having very similar trials and tribulations with this car. It had a mysterious leak. It popped a head gasket. It popped another head gasket, etc...

Well, I guess this weekend, it popped a third head gasket somewhere in the neighborhood of 11psi. He thinks the timing is somewhere other than where MS thinks it is, but at any rate, he's done and over it. He listed it online right as I was driving to look at that rust bucket car, and for CHEEEEEEP. So I thought about it overnight and started talking to him about it. It's 98% finished, has a whole basket full of top shelf parts on it (as you'll see) and a fresh paint job to boot. It seemed dumb to let this go, so I told him I'd buy it. And so I did.

It's going to stay at his house for a bit until I can get moved and settled into the new place and then I'll go get it.
IMG_3777.PNG
IMG_3778.JPG
IMG_3779.JPG
IMG_3782.PNG
IMG_3783.PNG
 
  • Like
  • Surprised
Reactions: 3 users
  • Sponsors (?)


So what's my plan?

- Fix the head gasket or whatever ails the motor
- put a 6# spring in the WG and let Steve work his magic, if he's willing
- finish the exterior trim paint and assembly
- install my new seats

- drive it. Don't phuck with it anymore. Concentrate on the wood work, make some money, and eventually convert to 5 lug and spend an absurd amount of money on custom wheels.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 2 users
E7 heads? Does your buddy have any data logs from when the HG's popped? I think it would be helpful if Steve could view them if they exist.
I'll ask, I'm sure that he does. He also thinks the timing could be off, so I'll check that too.
I hope the fixes are easy for your sake. Looks like a nice car!
Yeah, me too. I don't mind fixing these things, but full on pull-the-engine-out stuff is a no no for me any more.
 
Yes any info you have would be great, outline the ignition system for me as well... does it have an msd box? Ect...

Now is the time to decide on sd or maf tune... you have the diypnp and experience. We can tune it maf and it will do well with small future mods.
Your choice, pigtail and 90mm lmaf are stupid cheap... or you could do it blow thru with a slot maf. It does not matter what size maf as long as it's not a restriction.
 
When we were having a firmware issue while tuning my car, he thought my timing was at 30* and when I checked it with a timing light it was at 50*! So yeah, funny things can happen. Luckily we figured it out while just sitting in my driveway piddling.
 
  • Like
Reactions: 1 users
Yes any info you have would be great, outline the ignition system for me as well... does it have an msd box? Ect...

Now is the time to decide on sd or maf tune... you have the diypnp and experience. We can tune it maf and it will do well with small future mods.
Your choice, pigtail and 90mm lmaf are stupid cheap... or you could do it blow thru with a slot maf. It does not matter what size maf as long as it's not a restriction.
Did I mention that it already has the DIYPNP in it? Im fine staying SD as it is now. I think there's going to be some things to change in the tune, but it will most likely be pretty close. I think something else is going on here, as far as engine issues go. Factory TFI ignition in it now.
 
When we were having a firmware issue while tuning my car, he thought my timing was at 30* and when I checked it with a timing light it was at 50*! So yeah, funny things can happen. Luckily we figured it out while just sitting in my driveway piddling.
I would like details on this if possible. That's more of an ignition settings issue not a firmware issue, unless one of the versions has a bug I'm unaware of.
Do you have a msd box installed?
 
Can’t lie Steve, the stuff coming out of his mouth went right over my head. But we verified that I had correctly set the base timing at 10* with the spout out, verified my firing order, etc. The dude talks 100 miles a minute while he plays on the computer. Maybe that issue was unrelated to the firmware issue, but to me it was all happening at the same time in my driveway.

Edit: No, no MSD box. 100% bone stock ingnition (all new, but Motorcraft)
 
Last edited: