Joe's '94GT money pit

[joemomma]

He came back at $125 plus shipping, so I took it. I'm not going to let a few bucks keep me out of budget go-fast part lol.

 

[07GtS197]

Funny you say that I do the same when it says or best offer lol. Hopefully an upper can be found for a deal too!


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[RAU03MACH]

So the new speedo gear is already acting up. I've literally driven it to work twice. Is the only way to really fix it to pull the tail shaft and replace the gear inside there with a 6-tooth?

that gear should be the brownish colored gear for 373,
but you may have to pull off tail shat to replace the other gear
that may have been damaged due to plastic gear mismatch

 

[joemomma]

Yeah I'm thinking I need to get the tail shaft out once we get moved. I should have plenty of time to work on it once we get moved.

Lots of Exploder uppers around for $100+/-, so I'll be in for less than $300. I can't see paying twice that for a new/used TF or Edelbrock intake, for essentially the same performance at the power levels I'm planning to run.

 

[joemomma]

Got an upper on the way - both parts should be here this week. I still need to get an elbow and install kit (gaskets, bolts, etc.).

Is there a good guide on vacuum routing/capping? I watched a few videos but I'm still not sure I follow everything. Maybe it will make more sense once I have them in-hand, but pictures would be rad (plug this line here, this one here, etc.). One video was talking about water lines for the TB? I was hella confused.

EDIT: I may hold off on the install until I get a cam. Doesn't seem like there is much to gain from just an intake, plus you're doing the work twice.

 

[joemomma]

Upper arrived today, I grabbed it off the porch when I went home for lunch. I still need to order an elbow, but I have some factory upper bolts on the way and some ARP lower bolts on the way as well.

Still looking for vacuum line info/routing.

I found a B cam on FB Marketplace yesterday within a 30-45 minute drive, but it had sold by the time I messaged the dude. I realize there are better cams out there, but if the price had been right, I would have jumped on it with this being a budget build and all.

 

[joemomma]

So I finally got both pieces of the Explorer intake. Saturday was nice so I set about cleaning/painting them. The cleaning wasn't too bad, I used Simple Green and a couple of brass brushes. They cleaned up pretty well. Painting was straight-forward, although I probably spent way too much time taping stuff off. I used VHT Engine Enamel in Cast Aluminum.

Taping "important" areas off before painting:

I didn't paint the bottom, just taped the ports off:

Painting:

Finished product:

I think it turned out pretty good. I did three coats, allowing it to flash off between. It was warm and windy, so I gave it about 10 minu tes between coats.


I also bumped the timing up, it was stock. It idled fine, but I didn't have a chance to drive it afterwards. Curious to see how much of a difference it makes. I set it between 12 and 14 degrees, it was hard to tell with the timing light I have (it's possibly as old as I am, or close to it).

 

[joemomma]

So after driving the car yesterday and today, I have to say that bumping the timing really woke it up, especially in the mid-range. It seems to pull much harder. Of course, as weak as this thing was, any improvement is noticeable lol.

 

[joemomma]

I did notice what I thought might be some pinging - but I can't tell for sure. It doesn't do it during acceleration, but say I do a solid mid-range pull, let off, and then get back in it I hear just a couple or three what sound like pings. It immediately clears up, but I want to make sure I'm not getting detonation. Is there a solid way to tell other than just listening?

 

[Chenn2389]

I did notice what I thought might be some pinging - but I can't tell for sure. It doesn't do it during acceleration, but say I do a solid mid-range pull, let off, and then get back in it I hear just a couple or three what sound like pings. It immediately clears up, but I want to make sure I'm not getting detonation. Is there a solid way to tell other than just listening?

What octane gas were you running? I'm about to start my engine for the first time. I was planning on setting it at 10* for break in and then bump it up to 12*-14* once break in oil is out and there a few miles on it. My 331 has the comp ratio bumped up to 10.3 I'm kind of worried about pinging in the desert here in PHX. We only have 91 octane.

 

[ttocs]

What octane gas were you running? I'm about to start my engine for the first time. I was planning on setting it at 10* for break in and then bump it up to 12*-14* once break in oil is out and there a few miles on it. My 331 has the comp ratio bumped up to 10.3 I'm kind of worried about pinging in the desert here in PHX. We only have 91 octane.

yea its already into the hot season there, not sure I would play with it.

 

[joemomma]

What octane gas were you running? I'm about to start my engine for the first time. I was planning on setting it at 10* for break in and then bump it up to 12*-14* once break in oil is out and there a few miles on it. My 331 has the comp ratio bumped up to 10.3 I'm kind of worried about pinging in the desert here in PHX. We only have 91 octane.

I'm running Shell Premium (93). Timing is at 13* as best I can tell - my paint marker skills laying on my back with my 30 year old timing light leave some room for error lol.

 

[Chenn2389]

yea its already into the hot season there, not sure I would play with it.

Agreed, I am probably gonna run 10* in the summer and only drive it early mornings on weekends and bump it up in the winter time just to be safe. Not sure how its gonna like 91 octane with 10.3 CR when its 115+ outside, even with aluminum top end, radiator and 160 deg t-stat.

 

[joemomma]

Had some noise coming from the engine compartment only with the AC on. I figured out it was the tensioner pulley - it was bouncing all over the place while the AC was on. Replaced that on Friday. I'll get a pic of the old one and throw it up - it had something coming out of the back of it, like a winding or something. Looked to be plastic, odd. I'm guessing it was part of the tensioning mechanism.

Also ordered some budget eBay seats, they should be here this week. I'll update later.

 

[joemomma]

Got the seats in, they're actually pretty decent. I noticed a few places that would look "better" on a nicer seat, but for what I paid, these will be dandy. By that, I mean the staples in the underside of the seat back didn't look very professional, but it won't be seen.

Install:

Tackled the passenger seat first, as I figured it would be easiest (and I was right). Essentially, removed the included tracks and just transferred over the factory track from the original seat. I had to drill a new hole in each side of the track to mount to the new seat, but that was pretty straight-forward. The only issue was that in one of the new seat holes, the threads got fouled up somehow. Maybe shavings from drilling or something, I don't know. So, I ended up having to chase the threads with my tap. Finally got that sorted out, and the new seat is in. Looks really good. Their gray is a bit lighter than the factory opal, but it is certainly close enough. The material feels pretty good for "pleather". The seats definitely hold better than the factory. If you're a bigger guy, they will be snug. They're pretty tight across my back. For reference, I have a decent athletic build, 5'11" 230#, 36" waist.





Seat height is good, based on my limited seat time.

Then, the real struggle began. Started taking out the driver seat, undid the rear bolts and went to the move the seat back so I could get to the front nuts. Well, the seat decided it was done moving. It would not go back (and was all the way forward at this time). Everything else worked - up, down, lumbar, etc....but it wouldn't go back. I even wedged myself in and tried to assist, but the motor just wasn't doing anything in reverse. So, I had to take the front nuts off with an open-end wrench, 1/4 turn at a time. I couldn't get a socket on it or my ratcheting wrench on it because the seat track was in the way. That was fun. Finally got it out.

Of course, the factory power seat track wasn't going to work on the new seat. So, I'm going to have to fab up some way to attach the factory mounting bracket to the new tracks. I think I can take some flat stock and weld the factory brackets to that, then bolt that assembly to the new seat tracks. At least that is the plan. Here's what I'm working with:

New seat tracks:


Factory bracket:


The factory mounting bracket is actually two pieces riveted together for each side. One piece is part of the track, the other is the actual mounting bracket portion. I should be able to cut/drill the rivets out and weld that up with the bar stock to make a new seat mounting bracket/frame.

 

[joe65]

the gt40 intakes have to be one of the best parts Ford just got right....

 

[DKblue98GT]

Just go to the junkyard and get another passenger side track and use it on the drivers side.

 

[joemomma]

Just go to the junkyard and get another passenger side track and use it on the drivers side.

This will be the route I take if my bracket making ends in failure. Thank you for the idea!

 

[joemomma]

Well, long story short - seat bracket fab was a fail. Mainly because I can't weld aluminum to steel. And, there's no way to get a nut/bolt through the factory rail for it to hold anywhere near strong enough. Sending my dad to the junkyard today to see about getting another manual seat bracket - which is what I should have done in the first place. If that ends without joy, I've found one on eBay for what seems like a ridiculous price ($60). I also have a hell of a mess to clean up in the garage.

 

[joemomma]

Struck out at two yards in town (I'm thinking they just didn't want to pull a seat, mind boggling that neither yard had a '94-98 Mustang, but anyway). I found one on eBay, it shipped today so hopefully I have it by this weekend. I did try another round of fiddling with the power seat bracket, and got closer, but no cigar (yet). The way it is now, I don't have a way to "stop" the seat track from sliding on the factory mounts. I might can just run a bolt through at the end of the tracks to keep it in place. I may work on it more this evening, we shall see. I did manage to shampoo the carpet in it with our portable Bissel unit. It certainly helped.