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Messages - V8Demon

2
Misc Tech / Distributor shaft bushings for rebuilds
Ok.  Considering that I now own THREE cars with a TFI style EFI Ford 5.0 ignition system I figure it's time to have some spare GOOD parts on hand; specifically a distributor or two.

I have 2 old/worn distributors with known bad PIP sensors. One from one of my cars, the other I grabbed for dirt cheap to swap the PIP on to use as a spare.

Anyway I figure if I'm going through the hassle of pulling the gear and shift to get to the PIP, I may as well swap out the shaft bushings as well while I'm at it.  Worn shaft bushings can and WILL affect the idle quality and just off idle power due to the introduction of lateral and rotational shaft play even with known good electronics installed on the distributor and the rest of the ignition system.  Been there done that.

My question is where the hell can I source the proper bushing?  The earlier. 467" diameter ones are plentiful.

The ones for EFI cars it's a . 531" diameter shaft? I'm coming up with bupkis.  Strange considering that you can obtain cheap knockoff aftermarket distributors brand new so with that in mind, one SHOULD be able to source the proper bushings as well.

So, anyone ever rebuild one or know a source for the bushings?

Fwiw  .531" is basically 17/32nds...
3
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars WANTED / Re: Looking for stock 5.0 EFI parts
So, I'm looking for an injector harness for a 5.0.

I thought I was going to need more of a harness, but I can make use of most the CFI harness and just need to deal with hooking up the injectors.

Let me know what you have. Thanks!
What year harness?


IIRC I have 3 specific to an 87.

One if them has the mass air conversion hard wired in if you're gonna cam swap.
8
Electrical Tech / Re: Instrument Cluster Lights out







Hopefully you can see the pics I attached above this sentence.   I'm trying to send links from my Flickr account via my phone.

Flickr is NOT mobile friendly at all.

Your issue is almost assuredly the switch.  The little metal tab that connects to the switch housing and rubs on the rheostat dimmer wheel has a tendency to snap off on these switches.  The pics are a troubleshooting page and 2 pages of pinouts and tests for the switch to include testing for your exact issue.

Lemme know if you can or cannot see them.  I'll get on the laptop and work magic from there if I have to in order to make the pictures visible.  Yeahhhhh, edited for viewing through my Laptop.  Could not get it to work on my phone.  Not the forum's fault at all.  All blame is on Flickr.


If your switch IS in fact no good find an NOS one on Ebay.  The aftermarket parts store ones are WAY overpriced.  You can usually find NOS Ebay ones for around $30 USD.  I think AutoZone wanted over $100 for a Duralast brand one the last time I checked....
11
Body/Appearance/Interior / Re: Rear window glass leaking?
There's a channel where the window sits that can hold water.  If there's a pinhole anywhere it could leak in.  The window itself most likely is not leaking.....

Are the insides of the glass getting condensation following rain storms?  If not then don't worry about the glass.  Pill the seal off and look for anything out of the ordinary in the channel it rests in.
13
Other Vehicles / Re: Well, I did a thing.....
Restrictor is already there.  Better to know where I stand with regards to the condition of the core then guess.  I have an older build (read: actually made by original supplier) NOS heater core that I recently purchased just in case.



The pics SHOULD be viewable now.

14
Other Vehicles / Re: Well, I did a thing.....
She cleans up nice







Sitting for an extended period of time did take it's toll on the cooling system (something I'm all too familiar with on 5.0 cars with ethylene glycol based coolant.  Let them sit and wait for them to leak once you start driving it again).

The radiator was the first to go.  Easy enough fix.  Went with a Summit 2 row aluminum.  My last LSC had a stock replacement style one row with aluminum side tanks.   It was not as good as the stock brass/copper unit it replaced in that car.  I actually priced out an all brass copper stock replacement.  It was $10 less than the Summit piece.  The Summit radiator works commendably well.  I swapped out the fan clutch while I was digging around in there.  Hayden part #2783.
Severe duty clutch. A vast improvement over stock and even the old police package ones.

Shortly after that the water pump gasket sprung a tiny leak.  I knew the pump was weak anyway so I wasn't too concerned.  Then I looked at it.   I decided I wasn't messing with 31 year old water pump bolts that pass through a timing cover.

It was the correct decision. 

Apparently there was 5 hours of cursing and screaming involved in the removal of just those bolts by the shop I dropped it off to that did the work on that.  Working a shift of overtime more than paid for the job.  I've learned to pick and choose my battles.  I have no doubt if I had tackled that job in my driveway I would have snapped a bolt.  Not a good thing to do with limited tools and no lift.

New hoses and a new stock temp thermostat were installed as well.  The heater core was tested to 30 PSI (which it should NEVER see in real world application) and was good.  It now runs about 15-20 degrees colder than when I got it and doesn't leak. 

After that I got a good look at the sway bar end links.  Note to self.  Next time just use a cutoff wheel to remove them.  The fronts were in bad shape.  Replacement improved tracking in the car.  I still have to do the rears (yes, unlike other fox platform cars the Mark VII has rear sway bar end links).

Also on the agenda is new plugs, wires, cap and, rotor.

I'd like to put a good flowing yet quiet catback system on it as well as a larger throttle body.  I had the intake tube from a 87-88 Cougarbird 5.0 and a 70mm throttle body on the last one.  Didn't notice anything really top end, but tip in response did improve. There were zero idle issues as well.  Don't fear the bigger throttle body on a stock head/intake/cam car.


As far as the catback; there's a rather reputable custom fab guy only about 3 miles from the house and his prices are reasonable.  I was thinking 2.5" with Borla XS lers.  The plan is to keep the stock h-pipe and all emissions components.  Everything works properly on this car and I just want a decent highway cruiser.

Other than that I plan on taking those door moldings off and repainting them.   They're notorious for fading on the lighter color cars.   Interestingly enough the SE edition cars didn't seem to have that problem, but most were black or the deep red.

I have to respray the trim that bolts to the lower window felt as well.  It's separate from the felt and comes apart fairly easily.  SEM makes a good color match for it as well.  I have new felt to go on it when that happens.

After that, drive the snot out of it.  It now has 43k miles; about 5k on a new transmission.  I think there's a lot of life left in it. I've already slogged it into New Jersey (cringe) via the dreaded GWB and a couple of other multiple hour drives. She's mechanically perfect.  Just needs a little cleanup and ever so slight upgrades to suit my wants for it.



Pic of the Cougar for those that read the whole post!!!!