I'm getting out of the Thunderbird game for right now, but I'm sure I'll be back at some point.
Here is my car... This is a running, driving 1988 Blue/Blue cloth Turbo Coupe with 5.0 swap. It is a rust-free southern car that spent its whole life in NC. I drive it everyday to work.
Mods and parts: - Rebuilt 306 with GT40 heads and Cobra intake - AOD transmission - Full dual exhaust with factory headers, h-pipe - 3.73 trak-loc 8.8 rear - 140mph speedo with V8 tach mod - NOS head lights
$1,500 for the car as a whole, or let me know what parts you want/need.
Do you guys know how to figure out the correct length of push rods? I believe my pushrods are too short and causing some valvetrain noise.
Here is a picture of my rocker setup (1993 Cobra Crane rockers)...
I have the stock HO cam with stock roller lifters and 1993 GT40 heads and valves, but with TFS springs. I used the pushrods that cam from the same engine the fully assembled heads came from. It only had idle time.
I just ordered a Comp Cams adjustable pushrod to measure the length between the lifter and rocker arm.
But how do I work the adjustable pushrod? Zero lash is when I can't spin the pushrod? How much longer should the pushrod be from zero lash to pre-load the lifter?
My resistor modified 4 cylinder tachometer is not very accurate and seems to be slow in responding above 4,000 rpms. I'd like to buy a true V8 buttstuffog tachometer if anyone has one available.
Hey guys. I have recently completed a 5.0 engine build and swap into my TurboCoupe. But the car seems to be down on power as compared to my Mustang. So I was just tinkering to check the normal healthy motor diagnostics...
I pulled the plugs to see if there was any indication of a problem in the combustion chambers:
I then hooked up my vacuum gauge and started the car. The gauge read 15-16 Hg at idle (~1000 rpm).
I then hooked up my vacuum gauge to the healthy Mustang 5.0 and started the car. The gauge read 19-20 Hg at idle (~1000 rpm).
The mustang is stock except for a K&N filter, 73mm MAF and a 3/8" Phenolic intake spacer. The thunderbird 5.0 is fairly stock except for GT40 heads and like intake spacer. Both cars have the stock HO cam.
What are you guys running for vacuum at idle? Please include your setup info.
I have a 1988 Thunderbird Turbo Coupe. It is Twilight blue metallic (or was before the clear-coat peel) with blue cloth interior. It has every option except for leather seats. I bought it as a parts car, but I have decided to make it something special...
The plan: A smooth, comfortable, great handling street machine with 400+ rwhp -- something that can hang with 90% of the street cars, but something my wife wouldn't be afraid to drive.
A 5.0L HO with a single turbo kit and an automatic transmission. Hoping to keep all of the creature comforts, but have power to spare.
This will be a longer term project that won't happen overnight. So check in every so often and enjoy the progress!
In the summer I bought a black/grey cloth 1988 Cougar LS 5.0L to use as a donor for my 1988 Turbo Coupe roller. The car is VERY nice. I was driving it for a while, until the starter just went out.
I finished disassembly. See NEW parts available periodically.
If you are interested in exterior parts (all prices OBO plus shipping)...
In the 88 Cougar, the doors seem to squeak really bad when going over bumps, during braking or during take off. I guess it is attributed to chassis flex? If so, there is quite a bit of flex!
These are BIG, HEAVY doors on our cars. Short of subframe connectors, what might help with the squeaks?
