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Messages - gumby

62
User Rides / Re: BlueBird
I don't really have much of an update here, but it has been a few weeks so here are some words. I have been driving the car regularly. Installed some adjustable upper control arms to dial in the drive line angles. On one of my test drives the low oil pressure light decided to start flickering at idle.

I parked the car for a couple days while I gathered time to stick a real gauge on it and check oil pressure mechanically. I found 60psi cold start and 22psi hot idle. Seems healthy, so I replaced the sender. Second guessed myself at the parts counter and got the wrong sender the first time, so I got to do that job twice. I also replaced the coolant temp sender at the same time. The gauge hasn't been working since I put the car back on the road. It is nice to at least have a minimal monitor on what the engine temp is doing 8)

Made it all of three days and it cut clean off while driving to work one morning last week.... WTF?
I called for a ride and came back with a friend and a trailer after work. Still no start. I was thinking TFI, but they typically will re-fire once they cool off. Bummer. Load up and shove it in the shop, didn't have time to look at it again till tonight.

Rotor spins during cranking, power to the coil. Shot some brake cleaner in the CFI and it coughed. No friggin way, I just had the tank down, you dirty mfer  :beatyoass:
Fuel pump was last on my list of things to check. The tank is only half full AND I have a spare pump on the shelf. This is NOT when fuel pumps go bad. Sure enough though, all the wiring checked out and I dropped the tank to swap pumps.

It runs again.  :headbang:
64
Archive & Library (Read Only) / Re: Sn-95 T-5 swap behind 3.8 Cougar/Bird How To.
Quote from: fordman3 – on
Gumby,
Found a pedal set from a '93 Mustang 2.3 for $40.  Does that price sound fair (I have to pull them myself)?  Gotta drive about 1.5 hrs to get them.  And, while I'm there, is there anything else off that car that's worthwhile to check on?  He's still got the cable, but I told him I won't be needing that (assuming I can find an SN95 cable).  I think he's got the bulk of the car still available.  Would his trans crossmember help me?  Or his driveshaft?  If I'm driving that far, I want to make the most of it.  Thanks again.
Just the pedals, $40 is fair.
Quote from: fordman3 – on
Gumby,
You probably mentioned this and I may have missed it, but were you able to get the right combo of speedo gears to have a functional speedometer? 
...
would swapping to the 3.8 Mustang's headers alleviate ... any of the interferences you all talked about.  Thanks again as always.
My speedo is dead on. You will likely need to change the drive gear located inside the trans tail housing in order to get into a reasonable working ratio for the available driven gears.
I doubt the later model tubular headers would change anything related to exhaust clearance around the clutch arm, but I have no first hand experience in that regard.
65
User Rides / Re: BlueBird
Based on evaluating the parts lot I received with the red engine, it was intended to be a blow-thru 2bbl setup, very low tech. A lot of these six guys are quite entrenched in the low compression for boost, late 70's-early 80's mentality. That's part of why I was so worried I might find dish pistons in this engine, even though I knew they were forged aftermarket pieces.
66
User Rides / Re: BlueBird
I am not keeping those nice valves. They are in the iron log head I removed from the red engine, which is for sale.
67
User Rides / Re: BlueBird
I knocked the red engine apart yesterday and found some nice flat top pistons, but some weeny put an 0.085" thick copper head gasket on it while leaving the pistons 0.020" in the hole, for a calculated 7.8:1 static compression ratio  :yuck:
IMG_2116.JPG

I am glad to find flat tops. I was worried this engine might have had dished pistons installed which would make it much more difficult for me to achieve a reasonable compression ratio. The rods are early C3 forged units, the pistons have coated skirts, and the assemblies appear to have been balanced. This rotating assembly will be re-homed into a later block with the big bell housing pattern(2/3 SBF).
IMG_2123.JPG
IMG_2124.JPG
IMG_2127.JPG

If I zero deck the block with these flat top pistons, run a normal thickness head gasket, and figure in the original chamber size on the crossflow head, the calculator spits out a 9.57:1 number that I like much better. Seems that I need to be making calls about camshaft profiles pretty soon.  8)
70
Archive & Library (Read Only) / Re: Sn-95 T-5 swap behind 3.8 Cougar/Bird How To.
Gonna put this in here so it is not lost in my build thread.
Quote from: gumby – on
87 CFI 3.8
  • sn95 v6 T5 and bellhousing
  • '83 F100 3.8 flywheel(same part number as 5.8L) 164T, 28oz
  • '83 F100 10" clutch
  • '96 F150 5.8L manual trans starter
  • Fox pedals
  • Clutch cable
All my research, mostly here on FTBCF, says this should be the correct combination of parts to complete the mission. We are going to find out together!
These parts all went together quite well, and everything functions as it should. I did have to shorten my driveshaft, but I also lowered the car at the same time, likely compounding any issues. YMMV

Reference links outside this thread, or dead links retraced:
https://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/index.php?topic=35400.0
http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread.php?37028-T-5-swap-behind-3-8-V-6-is-done

I re-used my AOD blockplate. I would recommend against this unless you make a couple small modifications before installation. The starter hole needs to be opened up a bit for the later starter, and I had some light interference between the blockplate and the flywheel when warm. This could be due to a tweaked blockplate, or a difference between the auto and manual parts. Just use the sn95 blockplate and don't look back.

I used a fox length clutch cable. This required changing to a multi-hook quadrant and firewall adjuster. While I think having the firewall adjuster is a good idea in the long run, I still think the sn95 cable would be a better fit with the sn95 bellhousing.

With these two adjustments to my original list(sn95 blockplate and clutch cable), I believe this swap would have bolted together like OEM.
74
User Rides / Re: BlueBird
I learned a long time ago not to set HP goals. It will make what it makes.
Since I won't put a roll bar in a street car that still uses the back seat, my performance target is to get kicked out for not having the bar  :giggle:
At 3400lbs(guessing here) Wallace Calculators says it will take ~450hp to get there.
75
User Rides / Re: BlueBird
Yeah, the straight six k-member is unique. I do have my eyes on a couple of Fairmont k-members. If neither of those pan out, I will fab some mounts.