Small Projects

The weather here in Texas is great.  It is the perfect time to drive the Mustang and that is what I'm doing.  In the evenings, I tackle a small project or two to improve the car.  I'll document those here until I move on to something larger that deserves its own post.

The stock style antenna on the Mustang is a small item but makes the car feel a little dated.  The antenna is 32" which is considerably higher than the entire car.  I wanted to find a replacement about 18" but the closest I found was a 15" Votex antenna on Amazon.  While I was afraid it would look strange being so small, once installed, I found that it looked just fine and is now shorter than the car's roofline.

The LMR center console I received with the Mustang had a USB outlet and a cigarette lighter installed.  The wiring leaves them constantly powered.  There is a LED light that illuminates the USB ports that constantly then uses battery power.  Additionally, they don't look all that nice.

I purchased some much nicer looking USB chargers that fit in the console from Amazon.  The include provisions for both a USB-B and USB-C and have no light.  I pulled the console, installed them, and also used some of the SoundSkins Insulation Strip material to keep the various parts of the center console from rubbing together for a quieter ride.  This was a quick easy improvement.

Another small project on the interior is one of the plastic pieces inside the arm rest is broken.  The part number on the piece is E7zz-6113580-A which is being remade by Daniel Carpenter using Ford tooling.  I ordered one from NPD and swapped it in without trouble.  The broken part functioned but seemed ready to fully break in half at any point.

As part of adjusting some body panels and fitment, I want to adjust the hood.  The bumpers for the hood are not horrible but at one point were painted over and don't look very nice.  NPD still sells Ford bumpers (F49Z-16758-A) so I purchased a pair and replaced the two under the hood.  I adjusted them so when the hood is closed they just make contact.  I'll likely choose to work on fitment a bit more later but for now they are doing a better job than the ones previously installed.

The body side moldings behind the front tire were removed at one point.  They were put back on using white double sided tape which is losing its grip on the edges and is visible.  I decided to remove the driver's side, clean it up, put it back on with some 3M tape, and while I was at it replace the 5.0 emblem.  I put it on with 3M Acrylic Plus tape (#06384) which is 1/2" wide so I put two strips beside one another for a full inch of coverage along the top and again at the bottom.  Once it was on, it held firm and doesn't appear to be folding off the panel as it was before.  (While the emblem and molding look crooked in the photo, they are not).

The front right corner of the front facia has not lined up with the fender properly since I purchased the car.  I loosened all the bolts thinking it would be a quick fix but it certainly was not.  I was able to improvement alignment with my wife holding the facia in place while I bolted the fender back to it from under the car.  It isn't perfect but I image few things were with these cars when they were first made.  It stands out less than before so I'll take it.

On another night after work, I installed a new hood seal and the two plugs on each side of the cowl under the hood.  The hardest part was getting the old seal off.  You pull it up to remove it but the clips were not very flexible but ultimately came off by pulling toward the engine and up.  The new seal is made by Fairchild (#F4077) fit great and was exceptional quality.  I'm glad to see that as I've heard the Daniel Carpenter versions are not good.  That said, the two cowl end plugs were made by Daniel Carpenter (383689-PR) and fit perfectly fine but are a relatively standard plug.  I don't know if this was really worth it but I picked it up when buying other new seals for the car (all Fairchild from RockAuto).

Additionally, I changed the four bumpers which are along the fender and support the hood when closed.  Prior to installing these parts, the back of the hood, near the cowl, was about 1/8" low.  I thought I'd need to adjust the hinges to fix it but installing these new bumpers fixed it.  This was unexpected but great news as I didn't want to loosen any of the hinge bolts as they all look to be untouched and covered in factory paint.  

Weight Check

I'd like to consider for a moment the change in weight from various modifications I've made to this point.  I've not done an incredible amount at this point that impacts the weight of the vehicle.  The items which do include the Luxury Liner sheets, Intake, Interior Speakers, and subwoofer.

For the intake project, the combined weight of the Edelbrock complete intake setup (upper intake, lower intake, EGR spacer, throttle body, EGR, IAC, throttle cable bracket, all hardware, but no thermostat housing) was 43 lbs. 6 oz.  The stock equivalent weighs in a 41 lbs. and 8.5 oz.  This upgrade then resulted in an increase in weight by 1 lb. and 13.5 oz.

I added 3 lbs. of sound deadener to each door as part of the speaker installation.  I saved only 6 oz total across the front speakers and then another 6 oz for the replacement of both rear speakers.  The net change from this was then a weight gain of 5 lbs. and 4 oz.  

The radio replacement saved me 8 oz as the new Alpine does not have near the size chassis or a CD player.  

Each sheet of the Luxury liner weighs in at 12 lbs. and 8 oz.  I have put three almost full sheets in the car so far for a total weight gain of 37 lbs. and 8 oz.

To this point, I've actually added 44 lbs. and 1.5 oz. without considering the subwoofer.  I also have not considered the removal of the jack and spare tire.  Lastly, I removed the air bag control module and factory amplifier but I did not weigh either of them.

Edelbrock RPM 5.0 Intake Installation - Part 3

This morning I began the final steps of installing the Edelbrock upper and lower intake.

I've delayed cleaning the intake mounting surfaces of the heads until the end.  I started work on that this morning scraping off existing gasket material with a razor blade and then wiping down the surfaces with brake cleaner on a towel.  I repeated this process far more than necessary as I've had leaks from intake installs in the past and I don't want the same to happen this time.

With everything cleaned, I decided I'd paint the very top of the head which is visible between the intake and the valve cover.  This didn't work great as when I test fit the intake, it marred up the paint a little.  It might have been better to painter afterwards but I expect I can just do a little touch up work afterwards and have the same result.

While cleaning everything, I noticed the back of the block right behind the intake is stamped with the VIN8.  It is actually on the block so it is possible to determine with a car like this if it indeed has the original engine.  I cleaned off the area and took a quick picture so I have it for later.

The following morning, I put a light coat of Permatex Ultra Grey Gasket Maker (82194) around the water ports on both sides of the intake gasket.  I then used a thin layer of Permatex High Tack Gasket Sealant (80062) over the gaskets (except the RTV).  I put the Ultra Grey in the corners of the sealing surface and then a good thick bead along the front and back of the block.  I asked my wife for help and while I held the intake, she slid on the water hose onto the front of the thermostat housing.  The intake then went right into place.

While it went right into place, I'm paranoid that the RTV isn't thick enough to have sealed properly.  I lightly tightened all the retaining bolts and then took numerous videos with my cell phone.  I'm satisfied with the amount of RTV bulge I see on the front side to believe I have a good seal.  I'm about 90% confident on the back side.  There is one section that I can't see very well to know for certain.  

I waited an hour, per the Ultra Grey RTV instructions, and then torqued the intake down to 18 ft. lbs.  I used the proper tightening pattern and as normal, it took about six full rotations on all the bolts before they didn't need to be torqued any further.  I then took another video along the back edge and felt even more confident in the seal.  I'll still worry but I think everything is sealed up.  Since tomorrow is Monday, I'll have no problem waiting at least the full 24 hour cure time before testing the seal.  

While I enjoy working in the engine compartment and would like to keep putting everything together, I need to turn my attention to the valve covers.  I purchased a new set of OEM valve covers identical to mine (F1ZE-6583-CA / F1ZE-6A513-AA) but without all the oxidation.  There were only a few available so I picked the best looking exterior appearance knowing the insides were rough looking with oil residue.  I've been putting off cleaning them but have had them soaking with some diesel inside them for a day or so.

I didn't take any pictures of the original condition but took this one from the eBay listing.

I put a few hours into the new valve covers and they are looking much better.  I sanded them a few different times with 320 and used some pre-prep cleaner after each sanding session.  They are now quite smooth but I'll need to wait for a better day to paint them.  

This is the final product after painting a few days later after work.  I used Duplicolor DE1650 which is a really close match to the intake.  I sanded the valve covers quite a bit with a rubber 3M sanding block and 320 sand paper but there are still a few uneven spots.  They didn't shw up until I put the gloss paint on the valve covers but they are considerable better than the valve covers on the car today.  

Edelbrock RPM 5.0 Intake Installation - Part 2

I've been rather busy at work lately and my son was recently married.  As a result, I've not made a great deal of progress in any one day on the car.  Instead, I've wandered into the garage for short periods of time over the last two weeks to do work.

I installed the little baffle into the bottom of the lower intake manifold that came with it using some supplied retaining pins.  From the top, I then inserted a new Motorcraft PCV screen (FA1068).  Next came a new rubber grommet from LMR (LRS-6892A) and an NOS Motorcraft EV-98 PCV valve I purchased on eBay).  

I cleaned up the original IAC with some brake cleaner and 0000 steel wool.  I removed the plastic solenoid part of the IAC and then cleaned out the IAC with carburetor cleaner.  It wasn't particularly dirty inside but it was work the time.  I soaked the original bolts in Evap-O-Rust and used the new gasket that came with the Accufab throttle body to mount it back up.

I installed a new throttle body bracket to the Accufab throttle body using the original bolts which I also soaked in Evap-O-Rust.  The part is quite shiney and will probably oxidize quickly but it is better than using the rusty original one again.  

The Accufab throttle body I'm using is a AF-70K which is a polished 70mm throttle body with EGR spacer.  I'd far preferred to have a cast aluminum or black throttle body but Accufab doesn't make the EGR and blank spacer in those finishes.  I want the throttle body and spacer to match and want the ability to some day move away from an EGR spacer when I switch to a different engine management system (Terminator X).

I used a set of APR 200-2415 studs to install the throttle body and EGR spacer to the Edelbrock intake.  Unfortunately, they were not threaded far enough down the studs to secure the throttle body.  I found a set of black 1/4" spacers on Amazon and used those in place of the ARP washer and everything bolted up well.  

I also used a set of 200-2401 ARP studs and 5/15-18 bolts from ARP that are 1.25" long (651-1250) in place of the zinc mounting bolts that connect the upper and lower intake together.  My goal is to use ARP hex head bolts as much as possible for a nice uniform appearance.  I'll need to order two really long bolts that run through the upper intake and into the lower but no one has them in stock and there is a fairly long wait.  I'll put them on an order at some point but don't plan to rush into it.  

The heater tube assembly had a little surface rust on it in a few places.  I soaked the ends in Evap-O-Rust and then sanded the rest of it with 200 grit.  I painted it with Rustoleum Rusty Metal Primer and then top coated with VHT High Temp Engine Enamel in GM Satin Black (SP139).  I ordered a Gates 18743 180 degree hose which was 5/8" on one side and 3/4" on the other to loop around the back of the heater tube assembly to continue to bypass the heater core.  

I contacted the previous owner about the heater core bypass.  He said that it did not leak but he didn't want to risk it since he really didn't need the heater so he just bypassed it.  I could hook them up as the previous owner gave me the proper hoses to do it but I don't think it is worth the risk either.  However, I'm glad I took the time to find out while I still can.

I have numerous vacuum connections that I've slowly purchased to ensure excellent routing of the lines.  I have a two Evil Energy 3/8" NPT to 3/8" barb 90 degree fittings that will work for the PCV line and the main feed to the vacuum manifold on the firewall.  I am using two Evil Energy 1/8" NPT to 1/8" barbs on the back of the intake for the stock red and black vacuum lines which were in the same spot.  I then have an Evil Energy 1/8" NPT to 1/4" barb that does on the back of the intake near the throttle body to connect up the original fuel vapor canister line.  They are all black so which is better than something zinc coated that will just oxidize.

I planned to clean up the original injectors and use them again but they look horrible.  I wouldn't be surprised if they don't flow well even though the car idled fine.  Even the spray tips were covered in dark residue like the intake passages.  I decided to just order a set of Denso Type 3 Jetronic 19 lb injectors (LRS-37262).  They have a better spray patter and are flow matched.  I don't know that this is something which adds horsepower but it would be a shame to do the intake and put in injectors that don't spray well.   

I then cleaned up the fuel rails using 0000 steel wool to get the chrome portions to shine.  There are a few spots where it is rusty.  I sprayed it with Eastwood Rust Converter and then used the steel wool to get any residue off the chrome.  The fuel rails look much better but are far from perfect.  With them cleaned, I oiled up the O-rings on the injectors and put it all in place on the lower intake.  

Cleaned up the original distributor with some Super Clean and steel wool.  There wasn't much else to do but replace the O-ring on it.  The original O-ring was so rock hard it broke trying to remove it.  Since there isn't much oil up at the seal area of the distributor, it wasn't leaking any before.  The entire distributor appears to be original with a new cap.  It has part number E6AE-12A332-DA on a label stuck to the side, E4ZE-12131-AA cast into the side of the distributor, and the TFI module has part number E3FF-12A297-A1A on it.

I found an NOS Motorcraft DY-674 (F2DZ-12A697-A) Air Intake Charge (AIC) sensor on eBay to replace the one in the original intake.  The original one was horribly dirty and probably did a really poor job reading air temperatures.  It was $15 so it seemed like a reasonable maintenance expense.  

I intended to clean up the original thermostat housing but the oxidation on it stood out too much against the new intake.  I ordered a new Ford Performance thermostat housing (M-8592-M90) which looked to have the same textured bare aluminum appearance but when it arrived it was a smooth, darker aluminum.  I'm not going to worry about perfection with this and go ahead and use it as the textured ones I see on eBay are near $200 shipped..

I planned to use an Edelbrock 8604 high flow thermostat (180 degree) when putting it all back together.  However, once I opened the package, I noticed there was a larger lip around the edge which kept the thermostat housing and intake from closing up the way I'd like.  That was not present on the stock thermostat.  I then cleaned up the stock thermostat (192 degree) and decided I'd reuse it.  

I used Permatex 22071 Water Pump and Thermostat gasket maker on the FelPro 35440 gasket and a set of ARP 150-7402 to put it all together.  These thermostat housing love to leak but hopefully this one sealed up well.  With this done, I was really to the dirty job of cleaning up the engine so I could install the lower intake.  

While cleaning the intake side of the head mating surface, I took a moment to measure the intake ports.  They measured 1.90" tall and 1.02" wide in the middle.  The are fairly equal in width from one side of the port to the other.  When measuring the width, I measured the middle where is opens up just a little more.

The FelPro gasket I'm using measures 1.95" x 1.108".  The intake port on the Edelbrock intake that mates to the head measures.  1.87" x 1.05".  I thought the Edelbrock ports would be much larger that the stock heads but they are not drastically different.  If I end up with new heads at some point, I'll be best off port matching this intake to them.