Progress Thread Goofy fuel gauge on slow progress

Just saying when you do the suspension upgrades and quads are ready to be put back, one way gives more tire clearance then the other. Personally I don't like those bandaids on my fox, ive got quality control arms and no wheel hop.
 
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I have Steeda Aluminum with the piece bushings awaiting install. I need to get torque box reinforcements ordered, and am going to put née axle dampers on because even with 100k, 300k, or 200k miles on the parts (Carfax was confusing), I am not having axle hop like on my 79 5.0 when I really get on it. I plan on having better traction, better handling and looking good. And with the miles, I hope ride should be not be much rougher with these bushings. I should not have wheel hop, but just in case, I’m not reducing the weight much by eliminating them.
I’d skip them with one piece poly or Delrin.
 
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So it’s supposed to be 70 today. Time to get the Mustang out, cleaned, and use my 8th grader’s help on his day off to get things organized in the garage. I have to make sure I know where the parts are for the plans. (We’ll see how far we get, but a start is better than nothing.)

After that, there’s no excuse for not measuring the sway bars and detailing the interior. Some PDR and touch up (and a new headlight header panel) are on the list after we repair or kill off the other kid’s almost dead Beetle.

Crutchfield is out of the Sony deck I want again. The older Pioneer stereo in the car sounds good. But as low as it is in the dash, I want one that’s user friendly, much easier to read, and has USB and Bluetooth. The RCA jacks on the back of the Pioneer will work for a sub out or an Aux input, not both. I have a compact sub waiting to go in. So unless I hack the Pioneer’s satellite radio proprietary plug, digital music in is an issue with an aux amp.

I have had a metal plate from eBay to switch the radio and heater, and mount three gauges. With the cup holder console install, I probably will not miss the slot in the dash. I will have to see how long the cables are for moving the AC controls.
 
After almost a year, Crutchfield emailed me this morning that the Sony stereo I want is back in stock. (I missed the one time they had it about Thanksgiving.) So it and the rear 6x8’s are on the way. If the radio snd control flip plate I have works, I will post pics or the part and process.
 
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I want to make a headlight shut off reminder for my 91. In my 60’s era GM’s, I was able to get a piezo buzzer from Radio Shack, double side tape it to the side of the fuse block, and tuck the black and red leads under the ends of the right fuses. I think I upgraded the install with Scotch-locks, and it’s been years ago. It still works great. (The buzzer changes pitch with the dimmer, and it sounds like a Siamese cat I inherited.)
I do not see the same little buzzer, but there are a bunch of others on Amazon if I am out in my electrical parts cabinet.

So, before I reinvent it on the Mustang, has anyone done this? Can you tell me what wires to hook which lead up to and if I need an additional diode or something? The other chimes are almost not making any noise, (my ears ring louder than them), and that’s fine. But after driving with auto headlight in other cars, I have left the lights on too many times lately.
 
You could probably do this with two relays. One normally open, and the other normally closed.

wire the normally closed one into an ignition/acc on wire. When it has power, the relay opens. When you turn car off, it closes

wire another relay into the parking light wire off the headlight switch. When this relays power, the contacts close. Now wire the two main power legs of the relays in series. Both relays need to be close to complete the circuit and send power to a 12v chime or whatever you want to tell you to turn the headlights off.

to use what you have, would need to see a wiring diagram of how it operates
 
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Another Method: Single Normally closed/powered open relay.

Wire the relay between ignition power and ground. Ignition [on] opens the relay and holds it open.

When ignition power is [off] the relay closes completing a ground to the chime. Power the chime itself from headlight power. If there is no headlight power then no effect when the ground is made. If there's headlight power and no ignition, power is sent to the chime.

The current draw from the chime unit itself should be negligible.
 
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The piezo buzzers take little current, and they only work one way. The little one I used worked like a diode, only flowing current one way.
I did not think about the normally closed relays, so thanks!

On the old GM’s (and I am trying to remember back 33 years or so), it seems I put the positive to a dash/gauge light and the Negative to a switched accessory wire. If they both had power no buzz. If the power was to the ground side, no buzz. If the power is to the light side and the accessory power was off, it grounded through the not powered devices and buzzed. I can do better now.

I could hide a relay or two and the buzzer when I install the radio or new console lid, so wires near there will be easier.
The lighter has a light bulb in it, right??? If that’s with the dash, parking and headlights, there’s one wire. If not, I suspect the factory radio had a dimmer wire my stereo is not using.
A switched accessory in the neighborhood is with the Radio.
 
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Couldn't you just wire up something to turn lights off when you turn the car off????
If I put a S hook on a loop of string around my neck, and each time I get in, I hook the other end to a hole in the light switch paddle, I probably will not forget to shut the lights off many times. Being clotheslined would teach me quickly.

Or I could find the power wire to the light switch, and power it with a relay run by a switched accessory wire. I do not think I want to tear into the dash over there and modify that wire. But it would work.
 
I do like the string idea. I ran a 550 gpz( ninja) back in the 80's I used a string attached to a leather wrist band for a kill switch, in case I came off the bike.
 
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Looking at low voltage relays, it looks like the 5 wire ones that function as normally open or normally closed are not only easier to get, but are cheaper than an only normally closed relay. The ones on Amazon are all rated at 30/40 amps (or more). Unless there is a reason not to use one I am not thinking of, they should not wear out or overheat.
 
The major supplies are here off of Amazon. I plan on making at least two. I miss a good, local Radio Shack.
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Current techs and counter-folk, what brand of rebuilt starters and alternators is doing quality work? The Bendix on my 5.0 starter got over spun several times a few years ago (from a sticking relay/solenoid) and is starting to get very noisy.

The best answer is to take it to an electric motor place, but I do not know if we have one here. The next best answer is to bench test whatever brand I get before it leaves the store. We did that with all M1 Cardone and the import brand starters and alternators at one store before they hit the shelves and had few returns. But our warranty crates were always full of bad rebuilds or damaged items from rough handling before we got them.
 
You can get a brand New one for less then the chain stores rebuilt crap. You just don't get a lifetime warranty. Years ago my twenty year old original starter developed a noise, so I ordered a d.b. Electric brand new starter and it's been tits ever since. And I ran longtube headers till this lastOctober. I kept the original to rebuild one day, haven't had one day yet.

Rock auto new motorcraft starter $80 bucks or so.
 
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To shift into reverse when first starting the car, I usually have to double clutch. And if it has been moving, it’s still a good idea to avoid grinding the gears. I assume the T-5 is still the 91 model.
Do any of the newer Tremec models fix this annoyance?
 
The passenger door lock solenoid froze up when I went to pick up my kid at school. (It was dragging for a while, but I did not expect it to just get that stuck on a nice day,) It was so bad that he pulled on the unlock knob with two hands and I tried to not break the key. It’s unlocked, and I do not have time and room to make @jrichker’s conversion plan happen right now. (My girl’s bug is on life support, but improving, arthritis flare, etc.) So the last new Ford style solenoid I have is going to go in with me supervising the boy.
So what goes bad in these, and any ideas how to extend their life? I am considering trying dry chain and cable lube or silicone spray.
Thanks.
Ps any info on synchronized reverse gears from the previous post???
 
So does no info on prolonging the short lifespan of door actuators mean no one knows, and I should tear the stuck one down to see what failed?
Or-
Does it mean no one believes I will actually get anything done on my car soon? :D I might have to provide proof of life.