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Topic: Chuck's '83 TBird (Read 70671 times) previous topic - next topic

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #375
Not sure. I don't sense any "wobble". I do have 2-3 other dists in the garage. Just probably need to swap the aux shaft anyway, just to be safe.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #376
Well, I got back to it today, and detected the very slightest bit of radial play in the distributor.

So, I grabbed my stash of 2.3 distributors I still had.


I had one, never-used, refurbished unit, but the gear was damaged, and one of the dummy dists for the DIS/EDIS cars with a good gear.

The "new" dist also had the wrong style rotor mount and I wanted to reuse the factory Hall sensor from the current unit, so I swapped everything over.





Now to find an aux shaft.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #377
What is the aux shaft you are needing? Is this something 2.3L specific?

83 351W TKO'd T-Bird on the bottle


93 331 Mustang Coupe - 368 rwhp

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #378
What is the aux shaft you are needing? Is this something 2.3L specific?

Yeah. It's the shaft that turns the dist and drives the oil pump. Driven by the timing belt.

I've got a line on a used one.

I could get stupid and go billet, etc, but this particular engine isn't worth any of that. Priority is making the car driveable.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #379
I got this all together a couple of weeks ago. Things are good again.

Just haven't had much chance to drive it though. :nonchalance:
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #380
Driven it a bit and needless to say, it's fixed. I can slam my foot into it and it just goes, with no detonation.  :toothless:

Looks like I might need to replace my old Serial->USB adapter on my MS unit. I keep having connectivity drops. It *is* 15-ish years old, so it's probably due for replacement.
I want to sort that out before I up the boost a bit.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #381
Serial adapter? I haven't seen one of those in years!
It's Gumby's fault.


Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #383

I actually remember you building it. That was before I could solder circuit boards, and I remember seeing you doing that and saying hell no.

Have you considered going to an MS3? It has much better processing speeds and better resolution. Would it benefit you? Who knows.
It's Gumby's fault.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #384

I actually remember you building it. That was before I could solder circuit boards, and I remember seeing you doing that and saying hell no.

Have you considered going to an MS3? It has much better processing speeds and better resolution. Would it benefit you? Who knows.

It was actually my first electronics project. :giggle:

Unless this ECU totally shiznits the bed, I don't plan on swapping engine management in this thing until it gets a new motor. The old MS1 with the Extra Code runs this old tractor lump just fine.

What I would use depends on the project, really. I've got a MaxxECU Sport unit sitting here next to my desk for my Volvo 240 project. I looked at MS3 for that project, but it wasn't going to do what I wanted it to.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #385
I have a MS3 sitting in the garage that will eventually find it's way into my car.

Did you pretty much ditch the factory harness other than the stuff like gauges and lights?
It's Gumby's fault.

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #386
I built my own engine harness when I did this one. I'd do it MUCH differently if I were to do it now. It's not worth tearing it all apart now. (And dospoogeent things better. I've lost all of my old notes...)

Dash harness is still the same, and I just redid all of the main lighting power wiring recently.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #387
Welp, it looks like we're tucked away for winter now.

Pulled the battery out of it yesterday and have some StaBil in the tank.

The only thing I have planned for it over the winter is to pull the MegaSquirt out and replace the old serial connector on it with a Serial-to-USB port.
I've been having my connection drop on me while trying to tune/log and I think either the old in-line adapter is starting to fail, or the serial connector on the board is getting flaky after 15 years.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #388
I need to put the car away over the weekend too.

I am not a big fan of the StaBil fuel additive.  When I have taken the carbs apart on small engine equipment that had Stabil in it then began having problems I always found a milky white residue.

I found from the snowmobile groups use Star Tron because it isn't as ratio dependent and has a better shelf life in the tank for protection.  Since switching I haven't had to clean the carbs.  Thought I would pass it along for next year.
1988 Thunderbird TC, 5spd
Stinger 3" single exhaust, Cone Filter, Adjustable Cam Pulley, Schneider roller cam, Walbro 255 lph, AEM Wideband O2
'93 Mustang Cobra replica wheels on 235/50R17

'21 F150 Powerboost
'17 Husqvarna TX300

Re: Chuck's '83 TBird

Reply #389
I've had the StaBil 360 in there for a couple years, and haven't seen an issue. I'm FI and not carbed though. I didn't see anything odd when I had the system cracked open a couple times this past year.

Thanks for the info, though.
Long live the 4-eyes!  - '83 Tbird Turbo