The Official "4-Mod-Fox" progress thread

Shaolin Crane · Mar 5, 2010

1990Coupe said:
My escape has 149,375k miles on it and i have no rattles and knocks? No its not a 5.4 2v, but you guys are throwing your mileage around and i wanted to join the party!!

feeling left out?

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 5, 2010

1990Coupe said:
My escape has 149,375k miles on it and i have no rattles and knocks? No its not a 5.4 2v, but you guys are throwing your mileage around and i wanted to join the party!!

The 07 Escape has 149K on it? How did you rack up so many so fast?

Okay...tonight I stayed after and I changed all the plugs. I don't know if someone recently changed them, but luckily they all came right out. They were Motorcraft platinums, which is what I put back in. They were all in pretty good shape, so I doubt there was a point in changing them. I'm glad they were cheap plugs at $42.00. I used a little bit on anti-seeze on each plug and I mean a TINY bit. I tightened them a little bit past where the 13ftlb mark was on the torque wrench. 13 just didn't feel tight enough at all.

I also change the water pump, painted the alternator and I changed the rusty coolant tube just for Mac'n89stang. LOL. I was gonna paint it, but I found my old one from my 96 Cobra. That was changed when I added the Vortec, so I had it left over.

Tomorrow, I just want to start wrapping things up like E-brake cables, paint the calipers, get the ABS wires mounted, idk....just a bunch of BS stuff. Wiring the tails and the doors and speakers is next. Wanna get it to be fully functional before paint.

25thmustang · Mar 5, 2010

90K on my 6.8L and it knocks when cold!

1990Coupe · Mar 5, 2010

The Escape was an Ex sales executive's car. I bought it in August with 130k on it. I drive 70+ miles a day to and from work, and my inlaws live 160 miles away in PA. We frequently drive out there to visit (going this weekend). She will have 200k on it before i know it!

Post pics of progress this weekend!!!

fivespeedsteed · Mar 6, 2010

SVT32VDOHC said:
All used conventional oil changed every 7,500 miles. Not one has had a motor problem.

/ rant....

woah woah woah. you run conventional 7500 miles between changes? filter and all ( i know people that change filters only inbetween oil changes)

thats just scary. call me old school.

you all's 5.4 down talk is getting me discouraged. im getting an 06-08 f150 with the 3 valve. i know of its problems, but the 5.4 is a good motor. bar none.

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 6, 2010

1990Coupe said:
The Escape was an Ex sales executive's car. I bought it in August with 130k on it. I drive 70+ miles a day to and from work, and my inlaws live 160 miles away in PA. We frequently drive out there to visit (going this weekend). She will have 200k on it before i know it!

Post pics of progress this weekend!!!

160 miles each way??? I thought I had it bad...hers are 28 miles each way. Damn, bro...that's a ride. Is she originally from PA?

fivespeedsteed said:
woah woah woah. you run conventional 7500 miles between changes? filter and all ( i know people that change filters only inbetween oil changes)

thats just scary. call me old school.

you all's 5.4 down talk is getting me discouraged. im getting an 06-08 f150 with the 3 valve. i know of its problems, but the 5.4 is a good motor. bar none.

Our trucks put on about 1,000 miles per week. I'd say 800-1,100 on average per week. So, 7,500 miles isn't bad for them. The oil is checked every morning. Most of this is highway miles, that's why we wait.

I'm not down talking the 5.4L at all. I have NO problems with mine. We each have the older 2V 5.4L's

Steed.....If you get a 3V 5.4L, the only thing you have to worry about is changing the plugs. The 3V uses a 2 peice Motorcraft spark plug. When you take them out, they break. The lower half stays in the head. Lisle makes a special tool to get that broken peice out. A good mechanic of a shop I sell to EVERYDAY owns a 2005 with 45,000 miles. He bought it new. He changed plugs 2 weeks ago. 7 out of 8 plugs broke. He said the tool worked wonders and he couldn't have got those peices out without it. Champion makes a one peice spark plug for the 3V 5.4L's. Once those go in, they will not break when they are removed.

If you can fork over the extra cash for a brand new 2009 2010, I'd do so before getting a used 04-08. I tried buying a couple 04-06's at auction, but the miles were high, so I backed out of that thought. I don't want something that somebody has possibly screwed up. Most places advise you to pull the heads if the plugs break. This tool was like 60 bucks and pulling the head would be 1200-2000.

NEVER change 3V plugs without this tool on hand!!!!
Lisle Ford Broken Spark Plug Remover LIS 65600 (Alt 303-1203 303-1398) | Hard to Find Automotive Specialty Tools

Pics of bad plugs...which actually all came out.
http://www.denlorstools.com/autoblo...lug-removal-tool-picture-of-fords-bad-design/

Champion one peice plug
http://www.denlorstools.com/autoblog/2009/10/champion-7989-one-piece-design-spark-plug-ford-3v/

Aaron · Mar 6, 2010

...wakes up from a looooong nap from Stangnet.
You're building another one?

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 6, 2010

Aaron said:
...wakes up from a looooong nap from Stangnet.
You're building another one?

I guess you are!!! I've been wondering, I haven't seen you post in a loooong time.

And yes...building another....badder than the last cause it's a 4V. And while I love notchbacks, this is a GT. I love GT's about the same since my first two fox bodies were GT's.

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 6, 2010

Got here about 8am and threw some paint on the brakes. Work from 9am-1pm, then installing all this stuff.

Front calipers painted.

Rear calipers painted....like my work bench???

Brackets and lines painted also. I am very happy with the finish of the engine paint.

FoxGT87 · Mar 6, 2010

Looking really good dude, that engine sounded ballsy. im going to bandwagon this time. Work faster!! more progress!!

Shaolin Crane · Mar 6, 2010

thats the same stuff i used to paint my calipers, only i sprayed drymoly first then did clear, and its lasted so far

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 6, 2010

Gettin all the brakes on as we speak. Right front wheel is all I have left. The damn paint isn't even fully dry and I painted them at 8:30 this morning. I'm just trying to handle them carefully. They're gonna get full of brake dust and road grime anyways...lol Pic soon...........

MAC'n89Blckstng · Mar 6, 2010

Nice dude! This car is gonna be sweet. I'm currently about to add pics as well of my car!

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 6, 2010

Got the fronts installed....still have to mount the brake hose bracket and get a couple other things mounted...PBR V6/GT brakes. I sold the Cobra stuff a while back. Didn't think I'd build this drivetrain...I might buy Cobra's in the futue, but I'm just going with what I have right now...

Got the rears installed, have to mount the left rear brake line to something to keep it clear from the axle. The right side is close....I think it should clear. These are the big Cobra rear brakes. I didn't want to pull axle shafts to change the brackets, so I just bought the Cobra caliper brackets and rotors. I had good used pads, and the V6/GT caliper itself is the same...

I actually just painted almost the entire rotor in all four corners. I HATE when people don't paint where the pad doesn't touch and then the rotor rusts. I painted the whole surface so while it sits for the next couple months it won't rust just from sitting and temp changes. The first time you touch the brakes, it burns right off and you're left with a perfect painted circle.

I am going home!!!!

Hawaiian5.0GT · Mar 6, 2010

Looking great keep it up!

Cobra Jay · Mar 7, 2010

SVT32VDOHC said:
Honestly, it doesn't.

My truck has been one helluva truck. I've only replaced the exhaust manifolds, a $30 vacuum line, the starter and the positive battery cable in 123,000 miles. All the front ball joints were done because one went bad, so I just did all.....

you're probabally just use to it. it's not like its super loud, but you can hear it. Since I went synthetic, no more knock.

Mine too. Other than oil changes and brakes (mine still has original rear rotors BTW) , I've only had to replace fuel filter,battery,shocks, lower ball joints,tires (2x), ac/heater blower motor,plugs,coolant flush,trans flush, changed front diff transfer case and rear diff fluid 1x. Oh, and a $1.50 piece of vacume hose that cracked when I was changing the plugs.

25thmustang said:
90K on my 6.8L and it knocks when cold!

what kind of oil do you use?

fivespeedsteed said:
you all's 5.4 down talk is getting me discouraged. im getting an 06-08 f150 with the 3 valve. i know of its problems, but the 5.4 is a good motor. bar none.

no problems with mine at all

SVT32VDOHC said:
I'm not down talking the 5.4L at all. I have NO problems with mine. We each have the older 2V 5.4L's

If you can fork over the extra cash for a brand new 2009 2010, I'd do so before getting a used 04-08. I tried buying a couple 04-06's at auction, but the miles were high, so I backed out of that thought. I don't want something that somebody has possibly screwed up. Most places advise you to pull the heads if the plugs break. This tool was like 60 bucks and pulling the head would be 1200-2000.

Me neither, other than the knocking, all 3 of my 5.4s have been good.

bold- WERD! I would definately spend the extra $ and get a 2009+ F150 instead. If they are to expensive for you, get one with a 4.6 3v w/3.73s. Wifes cousin has an 09 F150 xlt w/4,6 3v & 3.73s and its better than my 5.4 2v w/373s

fivespeedsteed · Mar 7, 2010

i knew about the plugs breaking. is it just the 5.4 though? my dad has a 4.6, will his plugs break?

im not big on the body style of 2009+ but im looking at them anyways. i could almost spring for an no option added on lariat brand new.

very nice progress with the car

Cobra Jay · Mar 7, 2010

fivespeedsteed said:
i knew about the plugs breaking. is it just the 5.4 though? my dad has a 4.6, will his plugs break?

im not big on the body style of 2009+ but im looking at them anyways. i could almost spring for an no option added on lariat brand new.

very nice progress with the car

I can get you an X plan discount on a new one if that helps. Will save you some big $

SVT32VDOHC · Mar 8, 2010

fivespeedsteed said:
i knew about the plugs breaking. is it just the 5.4 though? my dad has a 4.6, will his plugs break?

im not big on the body style of 2009+ but im looking at them anyways. i could almost spring for an no option added on lariat brand new.

very nice progress with the car

It's the 4.6L's too. The Mustang has that problem. I heard the 08 Mustangs came with a one piece design tho. I'm sure Mustang owners change their plugs more than F150 owners since people mod the crap out of Mustangs versus F150's.

I'd either change them to one peice when the truck was brand new, or leave them in there forever. You don't need to change them til well over 100,000 anyways and are you gonna keep it til it has 100K. I wouldn't. I've got a 97 F150 with almost 124K now. My Dad's 03 has 135K and they are both still running strong with original plugs. A friend of mine has a 97 Expedition and he changed his for the first time at 300,000. He's got 330,000 on it now. He runs a delivery company.

1990Coupe · Mar 8, 2010

My Escape still rocks the stock plugs! I don't know if mine are 1 piece or not. I'm thinking not.

The Official "4-Mod-Fox" progress thread

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