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Topics - 88CougarGT

2
T-Bird/Cougar Parts & Cars FOR SALE / TC Hood, 7.5" Locker, 8.8" rear end w/ quadshocks
All prices are negotiable.  Looking to clear this stuff out ASAP!  Located in NW San Antonio, TX 78240.

88 TC Hood with scoops.  Has a few layers of paint on it but it's nice and straight.  Asking $75.  Local pick-up in San Antonio Only.


7.5" Locker.  Will remove gears for shipping.  $25+ship.


1988 8.8" Tbird Rear end.  No gears/carrier.  Includes bearing caps, Axles, breaks, quad shocks, and ebrake cables.  Has new axle seals.  4 bolt wheels.  Will bolt right into your tbird/cougar.  Asking $20.    Local pick-up in San Antonio Only.


5.0L underdrive pullies WP and Crank.  I do not have the Alt pulley.  Asking $20 + ship.


Thanks!
Dan
6
Lounge / Fitting on Toilet burst destroying my Kitchen Ceiling
Fitting blew off the toilet at about 710A this morning.  Luckily I was home but by the time I woke out of my stupor and figured out what was going on, it had piled up 2 inches of water in the room.  It then found a hole in the subfloor and poured down into the kitchen ceiling.  I poked holes in the ceiling in a vain attempt to help it drain faster (morning stupor).  It helped some, but its still slowly getting worse.
:toilet:

At about 730A:
X

At about 1030A:
X

The SOB fitting:
X


I got everything dried up as best I can and called the insurance folks.  They are coming out tomorrow 8am.

I've never been through anything like this.  Anyone have any pointers?  I'm pretty handy, but I really don't need this right now and would love to just pay the deductible to get it taken care of.  I just don't want to get screwed (and Insurance companies are in the business of screwing people).

Maybe I can get them to build me a stoss outhouse with a drain and I'll convert that pos bathroom into a closet.

Halp?
7
Lounge / Open Source Hot-Rod Project - Dreaming
Hey guys,

Just kicking around a thought. 
I'm an engineer by trade and car junkie by heritage.  I dream of one day scratch building my own hotrod/tube chassis of some sort. 

I would love to build something like the Ariel Atom, Factor Five Racing 33 Coupe, or Stalker V6.  So I got to thinking, what about starting an open source chassis design?

I'm pretty handy at fabrication, and I use solidworks and autocad at work quite a bit.  I'm an EE/CPE by trade so I have no formal training in suspension or frame design.  How many of you guys would be interested in collaborating on something like this?

I think we could follow the Megasquirt business model.  Whereas, the frame design and models would be available free.  If it works out, build a few in our garages.  If they became a hit, maybe people would pay to have a few batches built (I know some excellent fabrication shops in SA).  I'm not saying do it for the money, I just want to build a car from the ground up.

I like the idea of re-using parts like the Stalker V6.  This keeps the cost down.  We could pick a drive train (spindles, brakes, etc) from a easily poached junkyard vehicle (Cougar, Towncar, Mustang...whatever) and build the frame/suspension around those parts. 

As far as body, I like the coarse open frame look of the atom or the Stalker.  Maybe something simple that could be fabricated from sheet metal over a DIY form.  Obviously it would never be as elegant as the Atom, but I'm more interested in the high HP:Weight ratio, wind in the hair, I did it my  self aspect.

I've always been a huge proponent of open source work.  This just seems like a logical mingling of the OS and vehicle worlds.  So what does the hive mind think?  Anyone out there have some good input on suspension design?

-Dan
8
Electrical Tech / Fix for poor idle, rich mixture, and poor performance after HO, T-5, mass air swap
I've been having problems ever since I performed the HO and T-5 swap.  I used an A9L computer (re-manufactured by advance), spliced in a MAF, dropped in the engine and away I went.

I have never been able to get the car to idle correctly.  The idle would flux up and down, setting the base idle would lead to stalling or 1000 rpm+ idle speed.

Here are the codes I pulled (from a previous post)
Exhausted over HCI swap problem
Quote from: 88CougarGT;341417
Ok, heres the dirt.

I pulled codes koeo:
51 - ECT sensor signal is greater than the Self-Test maximum of 4.6 volts.
22 - MAP/BP sensor out of self test range.
53 - TPS circuit above maximum 4.5 volts.
54 - ACT sensor signal is greater than the Self-Test maximum of 4.6 volts.
35 - PFE or EVP circuit above the maximum limit of 4.81 volts.
85 - Canister Purge Solenoid circuit failure
95 - Fuel pump secondary circuit failure. The EEC senses infinite resistance to ground from the fuel pump on the Fuel Pump Monitor circuit.
I ignore 95, I did not hook up the fuel pump relay signal during the swap to mass air. 
Hmm those sensors share the sig return line.  So I added a ground (just a wire clipped on to the ground going to the TPS)

Disconnected the neg cable for 5 minutes to clear the codes.

Re-ran KOEO:
31 - PFE or EVP circuit below minimum voltage of 0.24 volts.
85 - Canister Purge Solenoid circuit failure
95 - Fuel pump secondary circuit failure. The EEC senses infinite resistance to ground from the fuel pump on the Fuel Pump Monitor circuit.
Weird, ok.

Ran KOER:
41 - HEGO sensor circuit indicates system lean (right side).
31 - PFE or EVP circuit below minimum voltage of 0.24 volts.

The car seems to be running rich (sooty exhaust, floods on startup occasionally, dark plugs).  Do you suppose my left 02 is bad?  They are $40 at autozone.  I might try to pick up a few at the junkyard instead.  I can't imagine its running lean.
85 perplexes me too because all the emissions  is hooked up with good vac lines.

It starts better with the extra ground I added but it still wants to idle really high.  If I remove it, it drops down to a nice 900 rpm idle.  I'm pretty tired of these gremlins.  I have to DD the car too until I get my girlfriends truck fixed (shes driving my normal DD).  At 10 mpg its killing me.  I will try to shoot the wires this weekend and find out why the sig retn is open.
-Z


*** Note, the Code 41 was from a burned through wire on the o2 sensor - I fixed this before continuting to troubleshoot ***

With the auxiliary ground wire attached, it would run OK.  From a cold start, the car would hold a high idle until you cycled the key, then it would drop down nice and slow.  I could never get the idle speed into the zone I wanted it.  It had a rolling idle, sometimes it would have hard starting issues. 

Since then, I have been digging and digging and digging.  I finally ran across some posts talking about a burned out trace.  There is a subtle difference between the AOD and the T-5 staring circuit.

Corral Forums post about the fried signal ground (46)

It took some more research, but this is what I found.

In a manual, the NDS signal (pin 30) is connected to the clutch neutral safety switch and the trans neutral safety switch in parallel.  These, when in the neutral position, provide a ground to the NDS line.

In an automatic, the NDS signal is connected to the neutral safety switch in the trans AND is T-ed off to the ignition switch.  The ignition switch provides +12v to the NDS signal when the key is in the Start position.


Now here is the catch, the programming on the A9L computer, expects that line to be neutral.  When +12v is supplied, its dumped through the circuit board and though a very small trace to the filtered sensor ground (pin 46).  When this happens, the trace fries and you loose your sensor ground. 

Here is the circuit from an 88 Tbird/Cougar EVTM



The easiest way to diagnose this is to check for continuity between the TPS ground and the vehicle ground.  A high impedance means that the line is probably fried (assuming you have performed a swap similar to mine).

REMEMBER TO FIX THE REASON IT FRIED IN THE FIRST PLACE.  Disconnect the NDS (Pin 30) from the HOT IN START circuit.  Failure to do this will further damage the computer after the repair.  I ran a wire through my clutch neutral safety switch and to ground.  You can leave it disconnected (cut and ungrounded) but you will not be able to run KOER codes.

Anyway, enough of the backstory,  heres how to repair your fried computer:

1. Assemble the following tools, small wire (I used a strand from an old Ethernet cable, wire strippers, wire cutter, small torx screwdriver, medium torx screwdriver, razor blade, screwdriver, soldering iron, solder, a multi-meter, and toothbrush.



2. Start by removing all the exterior case screws, 10 in total.  You will need to cut the tape that covers the programming port and the warranty sticker.
 


3. Open the case, and remove the screws attaching the PCB to the rear frame.


4. Remove the PCB from the frame and flip it over.


5. Examine the backside.  Find pin 40 and follow the trace. 


6. If yours looks cooked (like mine) then take your multimeter and check the resistance of the trace.


7. Mine is bad (open loop = infiltrate resistance).  If you see less than 1 ohm across the trace, then your sensor ground trace is good.  Something else must be wrong.



8. Start by cleaning the conformal coat from the pin contact pad and the nearby through hole pad.  Use the razor to carefully se clean the pads.  Use the toothbrush to clean up the residue.


9. Strip back a small segment of the wire jacket.  Form the end into a small hook.


10. Place the hook around the pin lead and tape the wire to the pcb.


11. Solder the wire onto the pin lead.  Remember to heat the joint and apply solder to the joint, not the tip of the solder iron.  The components are pretty stout so there shouldn't be too much worry of overheating. (If you have the ability, you may want to remove the old solder first, but as long as you use just a little bit of solder, this is not necessary).


12. Trim the wire to size following the original trace location.  Trim the jacket and form the other end into another little hook.  Place the wire over the through hole lead.


13. Solder the wire onto the through hole lead.


14.  Route the wire cleanly and close to the board.  Check for any stray solder or bits of wire.  Clean with compressed air and/or the toothbrush.


16. Check the continuity of the trace.  Mine is now 0.4 ohms = FIXED. (probably less than 0.4 ohms but its hard to hold the probes and take a picture).


Anyway, I don't know if anyone else will ever find this handy.  I hope so.  I have spent tons of hours trying to figure it out.  This will only happen to people using the A9L (or any other MAF manual computer) with the AOD harness.  I guess not all A9L are affected either.  It is somewhat common though.  There is something to do with a difference in the o2 sensor wiring.  Ford put a loop back in the harness to configure the harness for the appropriate trans. 

I compared my o2 harness to the images discussed at this link but the cougar's harness is different.

This was so frustrating that I nearly sold the car because of it.  Hopefully this will save someone else the same grief I went through.

(I will be annotating the images later. but for now, I'm going to bed)
13
Engine Tech / Exhausted over HCI swap problem
A while back I built the following:
Stock re-ring, reman crank, file fit rings, new oil pump...etc
World Windsor JR heads
Stud mount roller rockers
New lifters
New Double Roller timing chain
TFS-51402000 cam
A9l mass air conversion stock mass air sensor
T5 conversion.
ARP Head bolts
Cheapie Professional Products Typhoon Intake


Clayed the PVC, checked all the tolerances, file fit the piston rings for perfect clearance.  The bottom end runs smooth and runs quiet.

New FPR and filter.

But I cannot get the  thing to idle below 1100.  It runs strong in higher RPM bands.  Sometimes when its cooler outside, it wants to idle around 1900....very annoying :mad::mad::mad::mad:  It will also try to idle high after a good WOT run. Turning the car off and back on will have it settle down to 1100 again.

Codes deal with the emissions stuff that is not hooked up.

Things I have done:
1. I have checked a million times for vac leaks, I am certain there are none. 
2. Removed the IAC, cleaned Installed.
3. Removed IAC disassembled, cleaned, reinstalled.
4. Swapped IAC with one from another engine
5. Installed new IAC
6. Set TPS voltage.
7. Swapped TPS with another.
8. Installed TPS
9. Reset the Idle per multiple methods about 1 million times.
10. Readjusted the valves (I am about to try this again using my dial gauge).
11. Checked IAC Voltage

If I disconnect the IAC, and adjust the idle, the computer will compensate the timing to kick up the idle and wont go below 1000.  If I pull the spout it will let me adjust it down to around 900.  Any lower and it starts to surge or tries to stall.  Once I plug the spout and the IAC back in it shoots back up to 1200 or so.

Is there anything I have missed?

EGR is attached but is ornamental (no vacuum source) but it seals good and would probably work if hooked up.

I will pull codes again tonight to see if there is anything new as my girlfriend has been daily driving the car lately.  Maybe I will get a vid.  I am starting to think about pulling a whole harness from the Junkyard.

Thanks.