My 1990 Notch Project
6/2/13, 09:57 AM
#102
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Well haven't made any real progress with the coupe...other than things breaking. Clutch cable (stock motorcraft with 150,000 miles on it) broke. Heater core gave up the ghost (also original) So I picked up a ford racing cable (non adjustable) heater core, restrictor, heater core hoses. Also found that the tailshaft bushing is DONE. Picked one of those up as well. Then last night I was down at a neighbor's helping him with his newly aquired 84 GT350, when I heard a crash and a bunch of screaming. Little boy lost control of his bike and ran into the front driver's side of my car damaging the bumper cover. Little boy was ok, went running home to his dad, who promptly brought him back over to apologize. I don't think I've seen a little kid so scared. He obviously didn't do it on purpose, dad was willing to pay for it. Told them both not to worry about it, just glad his son was ok. Sooooooooo gave me a little bit more motivation to get started on this:
Also if ANYONE has a tailshaft bushing removal tool that would rent to me I'd appreciate it. I don't really want to pull the trans out AGAIN to change it. I'd pay to rent it!
Thanks
Also if ANYONE has a tailshaft bushing removal tool that would rent to me I'd appreciate it. I don't really want to pull the trans out AGAIN to change it. I'd pay to rent it!
Thanks
6/2/13, 09:59 AM
#103
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Well I finally got my garage cleaned up and organized the way I want it...you don't realize how much crap you collect until you pull everything out and start organizing....sweet jesus....felt like a hoarder like on the t.v show LOL
Even got the hotwheels organized:
With it starting to act like spring here in Central Texas, severe thunderstorms are already making their presence know. Getting the garage cleaned out, now is going to allow mama's FX4 F1fiddy to share a stall with the coupe. Excuse the nastyness on the coupe....it rained :P
Even got the hotwheels organized:
With it starting to act like spring here in Central Texas, severe thunderstorms are already making their presence know. Getting the garage cleaned out, now is going to allow mama's FX4 F1fiddy to share a stall with the coupe. Excuse the nastyness on the coupe....it rained :P
6/2/13, 10:00 AM
#104
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Gentleman....
Need some guidance here....getting a vibration still...it was just 5th before...now however it is noticable in 3rd-5th. Here's the problem though.
It vibrates when accelerating (just normal acceleration)
It vibrates when coasting (taking my foot off the accelerator pedal)
It DOES NOT vibrate under trailing throttle (maintaining speed)
I also get a clunk when changing gears but it's when I am letting the clutch OUT to engage another gear. It does that in 1-4.
I have NO GEAR WHINE
Just to recap what I've done:
Changed ujoints............didn't help
Swapped driveshafts......didn't help
Rear end (gears,crush sleeves bearings and preload all within spec)
rotated tires, checked air pressure (which wouldn't explain the clunk anyway)
I'm still thinking it's in the transmission....either a bearing is going (output and 5th gear cluster)
Any other idea's?
So I started looking at my torque boxes. I haven't pulled the back seat out yet to look from the top. I jacked the car up and started looking at the lowers...found some cancer, but it's all still solid (tapped around with a tapered punch) I'm wondering if maybe I have a torn torque box? The rear end has prothane upper diff bushings. Tubular control arms also have prothanes. Only a year old. I took some pictures...wondering if anyone see's anything that maybe I'm missing other than the surface cancer...
Driver's side:
Passenger Side:
Am I looking in the wrong area's? Where do they usually crack? Keep in mind I still need to look up top under the back seat. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Need some guidance here....getting a vibration still...it was just 5th before...now however it is noticable in 3rd-5th. Here's the problem though.
It vibrates when accelerating (just normal acceleration)
It vibrates when coasting (taking my foot off the accelerator pedal)
It DOES NOT vibrate under trailing throttle (maintaining speed)
I also get a clunk when changing gears but it's when I am letting the clutch OUT to engage another gear. It does that in 1-4.
I have NO GEAR WHINE
Just to recap what I've done:
Changed ujoints............didn't help
Swapped driveshafts......didn't help
Rear end (gears,crush sleeves bearings and preload all within spec)
rotated tires, checked air pressure (which wouldn't explain the clunk anyway)
I'm still thinking it's in the transmission....either a bearing is going (output and 5th gear cluster)
Any other idea's?
So I started looking at my torque boxes. I haven't pulled the back seat out yet to look from the top. I jacked the car up and started looking at the lowers...found some cancer, but it's all still solid (tapped around with a tapered punch) I'm wondering if maybe I have a torn torque box? The rear end has prothane upper diff bushings. Tubular control arms also have prothanes. Only a year old. I took some pictures...wondering if anyone see's anything that maybe I'm missing other than the surface cancer...
Driver's side:
Passenger Side:
Am I looking in the wrong area's? Where do they usually crack? Keep in mind I still need to look up top under the back seat. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
6/2/13, 10:02 AM
#106
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So the UPS truck showed up yesterday....and I received a nice surprise!
I had purchased the Wild Rides Battle boxes (just the lowers) for $50 with free shipping.
Well I opened up the box and to my surprise:
They sent me the whole dang thing. Either someone screwed up and I got lucky.....or someone screwed up and I got lucky LOL....
Rewind to Thursday morning. I get up, do my normal before work routine. Fired the coupe up, let it warm up and head to work. I drive for about 10 min and stop at 7-eleven to get some coffee. I shut the car off, go get my coffee. Come back out and go to start the car and I get a couple of turn over's, and then the dreaded click click click. I've heard that when you put long tubes in, it drastically shortens the stock style starter....well I think that is what has happened. So I FINALLY after sitting for 20 min (cool down) I was able to get it fired back up. Drove up to work. Car sat for 6 hours.....fired right up and I drove home. Well the car was in the garage, and my two little ones like riding their bikes, playing in the garage, so I decided to move the car out of the way. So I did...around an hour later the better half decides she wants to go to dinner, I go to pull the car back in ...and once again...NOTHING....click click click....WTF!!!!So I jump it with mama's truck. got it fired...started a little investigating...battery 12.65 volts....alternator putting out 14.02 volts when running....hmmmmmm. So I take the car down to Vato Zone and leave it running get them just to clarify what I already know...battery checks out ok, and the alternator is in fact charging....well made the mistake of shutting the car off to check the battery (which was a mistake) ended up killing the car....oh and did I mention it's 9:00 and they are fixing to close....not a great part of town.....can't push start it because the way the car was parked....just a ****ty all around position.....so this happened:
Got her home and put in the garage....and now I'm doing this:
Going to a mini starter (92-95 style Mustang starter) gear reduction and all.
When I pulled my old beat to **** stock one out, you could smell it was burnt.
So that's my project for today....
I had purchased the Wild Rides Battle boxes (just the lowers) for $50 with free shipping.
Well I opened up the box and to my surprise:
They sent me the whole dang thing. Either someone screwed up and I got lucky.....or someone screwed up and I got lucky LOL....
Rewind to Thursday morning. I get up, do my normal before work routine. Fired the coupe up, let it warm up and head to work. I drive for about 10 min and stop at 7-eleven to get some coffee. I shut the car off, go get my coffee. Come back out and go to start the car and I get a couple of turn over's, and then the dreaded click click click. I've heard that when you put long tubes in, it drastically shortens the stock style starter....well I think that is what has happened. So I FINALLY after sitting for 20 min (cool down) I was able to get it fired back up. Drove up to work. Car sat for 6 hours.....fired right up and I drove home. Well the car was in the garage, and my two little ones like riding their bikes, playing in the garage, so I decided to move the car out of the way. So I did...around an hour later the better half decides she wants to go to dinner, I go to pull the car back in ...and once again...NOTHING....click click click....WTF!!!!So I jump it with mama's truck. got it fired...started a little investigating...battery 12.65 volts....alternator putting out 14.02 volts when running....hmmmmmm. So I take the car down to Vato Zone and leave it running get them just to clarify what I already know...battery checks out ok, and the alternator is in fact charging....well made the mistake of shutting the car off to check the battery (which was a mistake) ended up killing the car....oh and did I mention it's 9:00 and they are fixing to close....not a great part of town.....can't push start it because the way the car was parked....just a ****ty all around position.....so this happened:
Got her home and put in the garage....and now I'm doing this:
Going to a mini starter (92-95 style Mustang starter) gear reduction and all.
When I pulled my old beat to **** stock one out, you could smell it was burnt.
So that's my project for today....
6/2/13, 10:04 AM
#107
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Torque box upgrade day/night!!
Just to those who are thinking about doing this....the lowers are a piece of cake. As long as you remember that you can lower and raise the diff in order to gain you clearance, for drilling your holes (for the uppers). The upper's are a pain in the ***...and I suggest taking breaks when you get to a point that creates a challenge...I was at the point of throwing tools.
Zipped the tires off and got to it:
Torque box:
Removed lower control arm fwd mounting bolt (torque box reinforcement ties in with lower control arm)
Feeding the torque box reinforcment box inside the box:
Plate is in place. This is looking up.Control arm hardware"Snugged" down. The four holes in the box , get drilled through the bottom of the seat pan (back seat) and a plate is installed inside the car. Basically sandwiching the floor pan.
Two of the 4 holes drilled and snugged up:
Top plate. They want you to drill the holes from the bottom, however the actual torque box framing is in the way, So I drilled the two that I had access to, and then back drilled the other's. The top plates are location specific, so you shouldn't have a problem, once you locate the two.
Bottom view:
Wild rides recommends welding the top plate, so I wire wheel'd the surrounding perimeter of the plate in prep for the welding:
Installed:
Upper torque box....(pain in the ***)Upper control arms removed
Interior plates:
Final install:
Few notes, make sure you have different size drills, in order to get in those hard to drill spots. I had both air, electric (battery) and corded drills, that accepted 1/2 drill bits. Make sure you get good decent drill bits. 3/8, 7/16 and 1/2. Have a lot of patience. Since driving the car, I've noticed it feels a lot "TIGHTER", it's not as squirrely when getting deep into the throttle. All in all, it was worth the cussing, screaming and of course...ice cold beer afterwards.
Just to those who are thinking about doing this....the lowers are a piece of cake. As long as you remember that you can lower and raise the diff in order to gain you clearance, for drilling your holes (for the uppers). The upper's are a pain in the ***...and I suggest taking breaks when you get to a point that creates a challenge...I was at the point of throwing tools.
Zipped the tires off and got to it:
Torque box:
Removed lower control arm fwd mounting bolt (torque box reinforcement ties in with lower control arm)
Feeding the torque box reinforcment box inside the box:
Plate is in place. This is looking up.Control arm hardware"Snugged" down. The four holes in the box , get drilled through the bottom of the seat pan (back seat) and a plate is installed inside the car. Basically sandwiching the floor pan.
Two of the 4 holes drilled and snugged up:
Top plate. They want you to drill the holes from the bottom, however the actual torque box framing is in the way, So I drilled the two that I had access to, and then back drilled the other's. The top plates are location specific, so you shouldn't have a problem, once you locate the two.
Bottom view:
Wild rides recommends welding the top plate, so I wire wheel'd the surrounding perimeter of the plate in prep for the welding:
Installed:
Upper torque box....(pain in the ***)Upper control arms removed
Interior plates:
Final install:
Few notes, make sure you have different size drills, in order to get in those hard to drill spots. I had both air, electric (battery) and corded drills, that accepted 1/2 drill bits. Make sure you get good decent drill bits. 3/8, 7/16 and 1/2. Have a lot of patience. Since driving the car, I've noticed it feels a lot "TIGHTER", it's not as squirrely when getting deep into the throttle. All in all, it was worth the cussing, screaming and of course...ice cold beer afterwards.
6/2/13, 03:07 PM
#109
Nice Job!
6/15/13, 07:04 AM
#111
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Great pics on the torque box upgrade. Thanks a lot. Just wondering, did the Battle Boxes come with DETAILED instructions or did you have to figure out some things on your own?
6/17/13, 08:47 PM
#112
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