Can’t get video to insert. Hmmmmm.
Detroit area show and cruise season is ramping up headed towards Woodward Dream Cruise. I’ve got two C&C’s tomorrow and a car show Sunday. Weather is supposed to be high 80’s and sunny.
Today I’m going to install a heater shut off valve in the delivery line to the heater core. I am also going to get my RocketMan tach installed. Tomorrow after the C&C’s I’m going to do my first front end alignment. I’ve got the tools and the Street or Track bits are all fully adjustable. I’ve decided to try this on my own after one shop said their system wouldn’t fit on my car (wheels too deep in to fender wells) and second shop quoted me a price that was more than I was willing to pay. Research on Vintage Mustang forum, YouTube, and discussing it with Shaun at Street or Track convinced me to give it a go. I’ve done most all the other work on the car myself and many times WAY outta my comfort zone so why not? None of the work I do or try to do will be irreversible or irreparable.
So best laid plans and all that. I decided to add a shut off valve to my water lines to the heater core and sourced a stainless steel ball valve with matching SS barbed fittings last year. I also wanted to add a coolant strainer to the upper rad hose. I budgeted a couple of hours then spotted coolant on the radiator support. Huh level is a bit low in the rad too. Drain and R&R the rad and fans, revise some wiring I rushed in 2017, cleaned up the engine a bit, and tightened up the recovery bottle mount then loaded it all back up. No leak located which has me a bit concerned but 20 mile test drive tonight showed everything was dry at about half way and again when I pulled in the driveway.
Show tomorrow-Troy Traffic Jam-then back home and start playing with the alignment.
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Ive done my own alignment as well and its not bad. A second set of hands is helpful especially when setting toe. One thing wish I had was a set of turn plates but I made due with a couple heavy yard trash bags folded into a square. Also the other thing I wish I did was get the lockout camber plates. I have had my cams loosen up occasionally
I scored a set of Bear heavy duty turn plates a few years back for a song. They probably weigh 50 lbs each but they moved freely and will do the job. I have a set of Tenhulzen alignment plates last year from Summit. They do caster, camber, and toe. I have Street or Track’s caster plates installed and last winter modified the steering rack mount with bigger access holes to allow me to swap the plates easily. Only thing missing is my experience!
Since everybody likes pictures. I did plumb the heater core return line such that the stainless steel valve does not contact the valve cover.
During the radiator R&R I damaged the AutoCoolGuy thermistor sensor. Quick note to them determined it could not be repaired and had to be replaced. None in stock for next two weeks. Boooo.
To drive the car I’m now running the fans at full speed. The controller has the capability to use the AC circuit (unused on my car) and it’s potentiometer to drive fan or I can wire up some relays and use FiTech to control them while I wait for new sensors a to arrive. I’ve got options to consider.
You got it squared away then, having the right tools is half the battle. The nice thing about doing the alignment yourself is if you mess it up you just need to try again!
I have not seen a coolant filter/screen like that. That should be a clean setup just make sure it does not restrict flow too much
Yeah, nothing I can do will make a mess or break anything. Just fasteners and tools like everything else I’ve done on this car.
The screen area on the strainer covers about 270 dergrees. Much greater area than the area of the ID of the hose. It captured a bunch of paint chips already. I strained the coolant to reuse it but knew it would be strained again with this.
Today I installed and tuned my M/E Wagner PCV and adjustable valve. I measured my manifold vacuum with the engine warmed up then followed the video installation instructions to set it. I’m hoping it will reduce oil mist out of my breather as the engine previously had nothing but two breather vents. We’ll see how this works.
Checked the driveway in front of the garage with a 6’ long flat steel bar and it was very close to perfectly level. Good enough for the job. Tomorrow I’ll dive in to the alignment and then a machine polish and wax. I cleaned the paint surface of contaminants tonight. It was mostly pine sap that came off easily with isopropyl alcohol.
Initial measurements showed camber close at -1.25 and -0.9, caster way off at +4.3 and +1.0, and toe at 1/8” in. After working yesterday for a bit I finished it this morning.
Caster +4.3/+4.2
Camber -1.25/-1.15
Toe 1/8” IN
Steers nicely even with the 245’s up front. I still maintain the R&P is a nice upgrade and the steering feel is more important to me than any potential loss of turning radius. Actually in my case the hard stops on my LCA’s are in the same position regardless of steering system.
I did a quick machine polish and will keep working thru my TO-DO list.
Try going tp an equal amount of toe out… about the same as a 2005 crown vic…even better
Both Street or Track (my suspension/steering/brake supplier) and OpenTracker Racing recommend 1/8” toe in. Both have a lot of experience in racing and autocross vintage Ford products. May I ask why you suggest toe out instead? I’m willing to listen and its an easy change to make and check.
Toe in ( or toe out ) is a method to load the steering components . With toe in , all is great in a straight line ,
but as you start turning the steering wheel , the toe in diminishes to toe out due to the ackerman effect designed into the front end ( at full turn you have gross toe out ). At the point between toe in and toe out , there is no loading of the components and you can get shimmy and or a darting feeling in the wheel. Old I beam cars are famous for this . So by starting out with toe out , you never get to a point that unloads the front end components.
The 68 small block cat wehad was pretty much stock andhad no feel at all . The alignment guys recommended a 2005 crown vic allignment ( a bunch of caster , wheels pretty much straight up and toe out )
The difference was un believable. So i did our 67 with a cavileer rack the same…and the our 62 merc monterey and finally my 47 plymouth sedan . All the results were huge improvements ove stock.
Many new performa ce imports use toe out standard such as Lotus. Thanks for listening to my rant. Larry
Thanks for that. My cars front end was pretty worn out when I got it and steering was more suggestion and recorretion than anything else. All new components-UCA and LCA (tubular plus rod ends, Bilstein coilovers, 1 1/8” anti-sway bar, adjustable strut rods plus R&P-have resolved that and I like the feel now. I may tweak it later in the fall to try to add more caster and may then try toe out at that point. I may even try an autocross event in September.
The last week here in metro Detroit was loaded with car activities centered around Woodward Dream Cruise. I did a couple of car shows, a parade lap, and lots of miles on Woodward-at speed and miles of creeping along in 1st gear. No overheating, no car issues, and the car ran well.
Today I went to the MOCSEM Mustang Memories show at Ford World HQ in Dearborn for a quick walk around. Freeway on and off ramps gave me a chance to load up the suspension and steering along with verifying my alignment. Woo Hoo! Car corners flat and hard at what may have been inappropriate velocity. Im very happy with my suspension/steering/brakes/seat choices and current tire selection!
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Met two buddies this morning at the Nissan Technical Center in metro Detroit where the Nissan Club was holding a Cars & Coffee event. All makes were welcome so I brought my car and my buddies brought their Miata turbo autocross car and their Porsche Panamera Sportback hybrid.
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Thanks to WCCC I’ve now got a bunch of new rubbery bits that are a lot less crumbly than the ones that were, or should have been, on the car. Thanks guys!