Wednesday, January 8, 2014
94 Mustang GT: Daily Driver Motor: Crankshaft Polish
Another update!
I was finally able to sync up with my buddy who has his own machine shop. We got a LOT done this sunday. before that, I modified my parts washer so that I could clean up the crank. I used a basin for a hot water tank, plumbed a drain, and ran an extension on the spicket. This gave me a much bigger basin to work in.
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/D8551E41-27BB-4315-8567-539FDDB6998C-12533-000006734DF8F7F6_zps0e4d7885.jpg[/img]
After the crank dried, I coated the journals with some WD40. A few days later it was off to my friends shop!
The first thing we did was mic the journals. they were all in spec but needed to be polished. The crank was put into the lathe and turned at a slow speed. the journals got 600 grit first, then crokus paper - which is 8-900 grit. this polished everything right up. That is a boot lace he is using to work the paper back and forth while the crank is turning.
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/A8E7EFB7-193F-4E75-960F-B9D59A4960E8-12533-00000672F80F051B_zpsa53e6269.jpg[/img]
once all the journals were done, we used a main bearing to hold the last journal in whats called a steady rest. the snout was chucked int he lathe. We needed to clean up the bore where the pilot bearing lives. some idiot must have chiseled the last one out. we basically removed the high spots without removing any material from the bore. We cannot remove any material because the bearing wouldn't seat right - its a press fit.
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/7C3DCF3D-2A83-4E5C-9F00-2AC4B7EBCE3B-12533-000006730893C96C_zps5456a2e0.jpg[/img]
While the engine was there, we used a bore mic and checked all the cylinder bores. they need to be corrected due to some scoring, but they are still in spec! this was great news. We also used a straight edge and made sure the main journals were in line. Everything looked good.
then we drilled out a broken WP bolt and removed it using an easy-out. inspection told us that the bolt had bottomed out in the hole. whoever built this motor was really sloppy.
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/F2EB0999-58FB-45A3-893E-B64F9A129215-12533-000006731042C1A1_zps05eff757.jpg[/img]
So the crank is ready and the block has been checked. Now I can order the main / rod bearings and the new rings. The perfect circle rings are what are used by most of the engine builders on the corral. The clevite bearings are stock replacement bearings. Clevite makes all sorts of bearings for different applications (billet / forged crank for example) and in a variety of different sizes. These below are stock replacements only. I'm not racing this car, so I won't waste the money on the high end race stuff.
Here are the part numbers and cost:
Mahle Perfect Circle Rings: PCR-3150036-030 - 109$
Clevite 77 Rod Bearings: CLE-CB634P - 4.25 each - 34.00$
Clevite 77 Main Bearings: CLE-MS590P - 39.97$
The next step is to clean the crank again and prep the engine. for the engine prep, I need to chase all the threads, clean the gasket surfaces, clean the block with the parts washer and then coat it with WD40 again. then we can fix the cylinder walls and double check the main bores when the caps are torqued with the new bearings. then it needs to be cleaned again. at that point the re-assembly can begin!
94 Mustang GT: Daily Driver Motor: Disassembly
Finally got started last night. I cut a piece of plywood to span the two legs of the engine stand. that does two things - place to put the tools and a makeshift oil drip tray.
First thing I did was remove the oil pan. I noted which bolts were missing - the 4 for the timing cover, and two on either side of the rear crank, one or two from the pan itself. good thing I have extras of these! I got out a package of zip lock bags and labeled one "oil pan bolts" and put them all in there. I removed pan rails - they go between the pan and the bolts - and the pan and set it aside. Next was the oil pickup and the pump. I remove the two bolts from the pickup to pump, and the main cap nut that holds the pickup. then I removed the pickup. two bolts for the pump and that came off too. another zip lock for the oil pump bolts. i put the pickup in a big cardboard box along with the oil pan rails that live on either side of the pan. This oil pan is tapped for an oil return - likely from a supercharger, so I wont be re-using it. I wont be re-using the oil pump either.
next up, I checked the orientation of the pistons as they sit in the block. the bottom of each of the TRW pistons is scribed with a number, and an arrow. the arrow points to the front of the motor (good idea!). I'm not exactly sure what the number is for. The number 1 cylinder piston Rod and Rod cap were stamped with number 1 (the other 7 are correct as well - rod and rod cap stamp match the number of the bore), but the scribe mark was number 3. I'll disregard the scribe mark unless I figure out what that is for.
motor is upside down. I set number 1 at TDC - piston closest to the deck, rod centered in the bore. then I removed the rod nuts and carefully removed the rod cap. I put some nylon tubing on the rod bolts so that they wont nick the crank. this part is super important! if that crank gets nicked - its a very expensive mistake! I plan to polish the crank - not replace or turn it. back to the pistons - i used a 1/2 inch wooden oak dowel - about 2.5 ft long and a hammer. I put the oak dowel on the piston and gave it a few taps. someone was on the other side of the motor ready to catch the piston when it came out. it came right out with just a few taps. I put the rod cap back on the piston, along with the rod nuts. then I did the same thing for number 5, which is across from number 1. Repeat for the rest.
had about 2 hours into it, which included pulling everything out - tools, stand, etc, making the plywood piece, labeling everything and eventually putting it all back away. The engine lives in a plastic garbage bag while its tucked away.
Pics:
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/306Build/0B69471B-634A-45B1-8337-09164A685231-920-000000B1B1B5EBD1_zpse72b92d2.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/306Build/E1808E02-F423-4771-86E3-AB9FD11DEDBA-920-000000B1AA90E644_zps40b9f62c.jpg[/img]
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/306Build/BC13F868-DEFA-43A4-8612-AB4D1FFB52EC-920-000000B1A30D27E4_zpsc1818b83.jpg[/img]
94 Mustang GT: Daily Driver Motor: Intro and Background
A little bit of a background here. My daily driver 1994 GT has 212k miles on the clock. I drive about 150 miles a day, three times a week into work. This doesnt include any driving on the weekends and other trips outside of my commute. Needless to say, they add up quickly. Thinking ahead, I have been planning to give the motor a bit of a refresh. I picked up a genuine Ford 1994/5 cobra intake and GT40 iron heads for CHEAP. that is what started this whole thing. I got the heads cleaned up / upgraded / rebuilt / heli - coil some threads / and milled a bit. they are perfect! I also had the intake cleaned up and powdercoated. I picked up the gaskets necessary for the intake and heads, and even a set of scorpion 1.72 pedestal rockers for those heads. I was going to do the head and intake swap last winter - but the car lived in the body shop instead, so that project got held up.
I'm glad it did! Along came this:
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/920CEF96-7DBA-4F73-B546-B54BEBE2FE33-3239-0000022D5C0D0556_zpsa7178c02.jpg[/img]
its a 306 with low miles on it. TRW forged pistions, stock everything else with all ARP hardware. For the deal I got on it, I couldn't say no.
It looks like when it was rebuilt the crank wasn't polished. The cylinders could also use a good hone - maybe they didnt clean the block correctly. So I'll disassemble, freshen and reassemble with new rings and bearings. I plan to keep a running journal of the work that gets done. The idea is to get this into the car BEFORE mustang week next year! I'll keep this first post updated with the parts on hand / ordered and I'll also keep a spreadsheet with the total $ spent.
PARTS on hand
Cobra Intake - powdercoated
GT 40Heads, with trick flow springs fresh
scorpion 1.72 rockers, and shim kit
ARP Head Bolts
head, intake, exhaust gaskets
intake bolts
Timing Cover
Total so far (includes work done below): $1775
Work Done
heads rebuilt
heli coil heads
powder coating intake
94 Mustang GT: Upgrade the plugs and wires!
I've been through a few sets of wires / etc lately and I thought it would be good to share my experience. I originally went with the motorcraft replacement wires. they worked great for a while until one of them melted on the header. my fault for not separating them correctly!
I've ben running autolite 24's for a plug since I had the car (one heat range colder). I picked up MSD's street fire wire set thinking that this would be an economical replacement for the motorfcraft wires. I also replaced the plugs with the same ones again.
The street fire wires didn't really fit well - they were tight. they also have a straight boot rather than an angled boot. By the time it was all said and done, they were installed and worked just fine… for a while.
After a few months, the straight boot on the number 4 cylinder had gotten hot enough to crystalize the boot and eventually cause the spark to jump. I also found that since the wires were stretched so much, there was some other 'jumping' going on. I replaced the bad wires with some spares I had, and ordered a new set.
I took the advice from Mr Shifter, and the set I ordered is the Moroso Ultra 40 MOR-73718. It is a shielded wire set, numbered. I also needed to make the coil wire. I replaced the plugs and in the process found that the porcelain on number 8 was cracked. good thing I was replacing them. At a dollar a plug, its cheap! I installed all the wires and made sure they were separated nicely.
I also borrowed the MSD wire crimping tool (thanks again man!) for the coil wire. I cut the coil wire to length. Then installed the shrink wrap. Then I stripped the shielding and scraped the wire (it has a coating on it) to make sure it made contact with the metal end. I tested it to make sure it was good and installed and crimped the end. Then I had to push the boot on there and take a heat gun to the shrink wrap. Fits perfectly!
I also want to add that this made a NOTICEABLE difference! its a lot more snappy now, for sure! I have a MSD coil, but other than that its a stock ignition.
one more thing - I cut and dripped the street fire wire and put it beside the ultra 40. it is now engrained in my head that not all wires are created equally!
94 Mustang GT: 8.8 Upgrade
when I recently replaced the clutch in my 94 i realized that the rear was leaking at the pinion seal. I completely rebuilt it about 102k miles. The car now has 220k on the clock. I know from experience that just replacing the pinion seal doesn't work - it almost always leads to issues with the preload / crush collar. I enlisted Shifter for help and he suggested that we install the ratech solid spacer instead of the crush collar on the pinion. Make no mistake about it, he did all the technical stuff and is absolutely THE MAN when it comes to building an 8.8. Here is what went down!
With the help of my lovely fiancé, we pulled the rear out of the car. I also proceeded to mash one of the ABS sensors in the process. Best is to tap these out with a brass punch or something soft - maybe a wooden dowel? I tried to twist it - don't do that - 55$ mistake here. The other side I tapped out with no issue.
here is the rear on saw horses:
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/AF0FB261-D74A-4DB7-9EC5-BF8F6B12299F_zpsvc2jl1zn.jpg[/img]
and the brakes - marked per side so they go back on correctly
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/0FDBF007-358A-47EC-AAC4-64A9BDA4B680_zpsuavlezus.jpg[/img]
sometime later I was able to get it over to Shifter's place. We pulled out the carrier and he got to work welding the tubes and then straightening the axel tubes.
Heres a shot of the jig installed and the tubes prepped for welding
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/C02A9402-1183-4FF4-9030-D6320F7BC481_zps5zdhdmf5.jpg[/img]
Verified with the jig- they were perfect after being corrected / straightened.
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/EDD94D11-BA1D-4133-868B-319D5AA66514_zpsdgeiqg62.jpg[/img]
Next we pulled out the pinion gear and found out that the bearings / races were done. The carrier bearings / races looked ok, but the pinion was pitted and needed to be replaced. Luckily this guy keeps spare parts on hand. Installed the new races and bearings for the pinion. Then he went though the process of finding the correct shims for the solid spacer that gave the right preload on the pinion.
the surgery table, also the solid spacer is on the pinion gear
[img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/8E5B5B53-9EA8-485F-9D74-627E0E64F4A8_zpsagyderei.jpg[/img]
Once that was established, the new pinion bearing was pressed on and installed in the rear. then the carrier was installed. This was also shimmed to tighten it up against the spacers. At that point we were done for the night. I took the rear, cover, axles and parts back to my place.
I put it back up on the saw horses so I could clean it, paint the welds, and install the axels. I have a 2 gallon parts washer. I also got an aluminum pan for under a hot water heater. I plumbed it to return back to the parts washer. I also installed a flex hose to the spicket of the parts washer so I can get the fluid up into the housing. here is a pic of the setup when I used it to clean the crankshaft: [img]http://i821.photobucket.com/albums/zz135/geargambler/MyCars/1994%20Mustang%20GT%20Convertible/D8551E41-27BB-4315-8567-539FDDB6998C-12533-000006734DF8F7F6_zps0e4d7885.jpg[/img]
I installed the axels, c clips, shaft and shaft retaining bolt. Then I got to spraying the fluid into the rear to flush it out. You wouldn't believe the shit that came out of here! Once I was done and it was dry, I installed the fluid. I used 75w140 synthetic. One of them already had the friction modifier added. the other quart did not have the friction modifier. I installed the cover with some black RTV and it was ready to be installed. With the help of my neighbor, I was able to install the rear into the car and get all the control arm / shock bolts torqued to spec. I also made sure to grease the bushings in the 8.8 housing as well as the ones in the lower control arms. I also reinstalled the brakes lines. I installed the busted ABS sensor and the ABS light came on. I installed the brakes, hub centric spacers and the wheels. Everything looked good!
when the new motor craft ABS sensor came in I replaced this (drivers side) and it worked perfectly - the connection for the ABS is under the rear seat.
A very HUGE thank you to Shifter for all your help! Let me know if anything here needs to be added / changed for accuracy. I think I got it all though!
I also have to thank my Fiancé and my neighbor for the help on the rest of the surgery.
Good Times!
Friday, August 3, 2012
94 Mustang GT: Cooling System, Stereo and Seats
When there's about 100k miles on a cart, the coolant should be changed. I was noticing that it was running hot during the summer when I had the AC on. The following winter revealed some weeping of coolant from the water pump and the radiator was also showing some signs of weeping where the plastic tanks on the right and left side meet the aluminum in the middle. I decided it was time to bring the cooling system up to date before there was a failure.
I won't get into too much detail on the fan. It had failed in the past and I had already replaced it with the equivalent ebay version of the fan. Nothing to upgrade, just remove and replace.
I went to www.summitracing.com for the radiator and water pump. I ordered stock replacement parts and They delivered the parts in two days. I picked up the gasket from my local parts store. The removal of the water pump is pretty straight forward. Remove the belt, then remove everything attached to the pump. Then remove the pump. I used a thin seal of blue RTV to hold the gasket in place when I bolted the new pump up to the timing cover. The radiator is also pretty straight forward. Drain the coolant, disconnect the lines, unbolt the brackets, unplug the fan and everything comes out. Unbolt the fan from the old radiator, and bolt it up to the new one. I jacked up the rear of the car which causes all the coolant to move to the front lower part of the motor. The majority of it will drain out of the water pump (which is not connected to any lines as of yet since the rad is out). I also hooked up a shop vac to the lower coolant line to get as much out as I could. I lowered the car, happy that I got the majority of the old coolant out.
I went down to the parts store and picked up two gallons of antifreeze. On the way back I stopped at the drug store and picked two gallons of distilled water. I have a few of the home depot 5 gallon buckets. I poured the antifreeze into the bucket, then followed with the distilled water. I now had four gallons of 50/50 mix.
Installation is the reverse of removal. I'm pretty sure I replaced the radiator cap too. They are inexpensive, so it was worth it. Once everything was hooked back up, I filled the radiator with fluid and checked for leaks. I started the car up and after a short while, when it warmed up, it seemed like all the antifreeze disappeared. I filled it up, filled up the overflow, let it run for a while longer and that was it. I think I maybe had to top off the overflow a day or two later after driving it regularly. I did all this using the 5 gallon bucket. When I was done, the excess fit in the two empty straight antifreeze containers. I labeled them as 50/50.
Some other Misc Stuff: Seats, stereo system, etc.
The driver's seat was ripped on the bolster by the door. The driver's seat is also power, so there is a lever / button that actuates a motor to move the seat forward and backward, up and down. The problem is that the down doesn't work, so the seat is stuck in the 'all the way up' position. I found an identical set of seats that someone was selling and went to pick them up. Before I left, I took out the passenger seat, and the back seat and left them in my garage. I also brought the tools with me to install the seats. I bought the seats from this guy and found that the rear seats are not the same. His seats came out of a coupe and I have a convertible. Live and learn. I still took them home. I was really just interested in the driver's seat.
I installed the new driver's seat and it worked. I was able to lower the seat down. I got home and gave all the seats a really good cleaning, and let them sit in the sun for a bit to dry out. You wouldn't believe how dirty the tweed seats can get to be.
Not too long passed and the motor died on the seat again. I found a set of manual seat tracks, CHEAP and installed those. They are lighter, and they will NEVER fail. Now the driver and passenger side seats are the same height, always!
Next was the stereo. Since I have an iPhone, I wanted something that had integration. I also wanted to replace the door speakers with some up to date models. I found a good set of Sony xPlode speakers on eBay. It was about 100 for 4 speakers, not a bad price. I also picked up a sony head unit that had iPhone and PANDORA integration. The installation was very straight forward. The vendor that I bought the stereo from (Sonic electronix) also gave me the correct wiring harness to install it in my car, no extra charge. I think the head unit was just over 100 shipped. I also ordered Sony's slimline xm1 mono amp, and installed a small subwoofer box in the trunk. The box is sealed, with two 8 inch drivers in it. I bridge the two drivers into a mono load and push it with the mono amp. It hits pretty hard for just 8's back there! I can't hear them too well with the top down, but when the top is up, it sounds really good!
This was not a competition stereo system. I did not go 'all out' with the wiring. I used a bunch of the stuff that I had laying around to do the install. I think that I ordered only one small installation kit for 20 dollars and didn't even use all the pieces.
The last piece that I installed was the Valentine V1 Radar detector. I actually hard wired it to the fuse box. It is allegedly the best detector on the market, and after having it for some months now, I totally trust it! Having it hard wired allowed me to put the detector wherever I wanted in the car. I ran the wire up along the A pillar and across the top of the windshield. I mounted the detector just above the passenger half of the rear view mirror. It works well up there!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
I won't get into too much detail on the fan. It had failed in the past and I had already replaced it with the equivalent ebay version of the fan. Nothing to upgrade, just remove and replace.
I went to www.summitracing.com for the radiator and water pump. I ordered stock replacement parts and They delivered the parts in two days. I picked up the gasket from my local parts store. The removal of the water pump is pretty straight forward. Remove the belt, then remove everything attached to the pump. Then remove the pump. I used a thin seal of blue RTV to hold the gasket in place when I bolted the new pump up to the timing cover. The radiator is also pretty straight forward. Drain the coolant, disconnect the lines, unbolt the brackets, unplug the fan and everything comes out. Unbolt the fan from the old radiator, and bolt it up to the new one. I jacked up the rear of the car which causes all the coolant to move to the front lower part of the motor. The majority of it will drain out of the water pump (which is not connected to any lines as of yet since the rad is out). I also hooked up a shop vac to the lower coolant line to get as much out as I could. I lowered the car, happy that I got the majority of the old coolant out.
I went down to the parts store and picked up two gallons of antifreeze. On the way back I stopped at the drug store and picked two gallons of distilled water. I have a few of the home depot 5 gallon buckets. I poured the antifreeze into the bucket, then followed with the distilled water. I now had four gallons of 50/50 mix.
Installation is the reverse of removal. I'm pretty sure I replaced the radiator cap too. They are inexpensive, so it was worth it. Once everything was hooked back up, I filled the radiator with fluid and checked for leaks. I started the car up and after a short while, when it warmed up, it seemed like all the antifreeze disappeared. I filled it up, filled up the overflow, let it run for a while longer and that was it. I think I maybe had to top off the overflow a day or two later after driving it regularly. I did all this using the 5 gallon bucket. When I was done, the excess fit in the two empty straight antifreeze containers. I labeled them as 50/50.
Some other Misc Stuff: Seats, stereo system, etc.
The driver's seat was ripped on the bolster by the door. The driver's seat is also power, so there is a lever / button that actuates a motor to move the seat forward and backward, up and down. The problem is that the down doesn't work, so the seat is stuck in the 'all the way up' position. I found an identical set of seats that someone was selling and went to pick them up. Before I left, I took out the passenger seat, and the back seat and left them in my garage. I also brought the tools with me to install the seats. I bought the seats from this guy and found that the rear seats are not the same. His seats came out of a coupe and I have a convertible. Live and learn. I still took them home. I was really just interested in the driver's seat.
I installed the new driver's seat and it worked. I was able to lower the seat down. I got home and gave all the seats a really good cleaning, and let them sit in the sun for a bit to dry out. You wouldn't believe how dirty the tweed seats can get to be.
Not too long passed and the motor died on the seat again. I found a set of manual seat tracks, CHEAP and installed those. They are lighter, and they will NEVER fail. Now the driver and passenger side seats are the same height, always!
Next was the stereo. Since I have an iPhone, I wanted something that had integration. I also wanted to replace the door speakers with some up to date models. I found a good set of Sony xPlode speakers on eBay. It was about 100 for 4 speakers, not a bad price. I also picked up a sony head unit that had iPhone and PANDORA integration. The installation was very straight forward. The vendor that I bought the stereo from (Sonic electronix) also gave me the correct wiring harness to install it in my car, no extra charge. I think the head unit was just over 100 shipped. I also ordered Sony's slimline xm1 mono amp, and installed a small subwoofer box in the trunk. The box is sealed, with two 8 inch drivers in it. I bridge the two drivers into a mono load and push it with the mono amp. It hits pretty hard for just 8's back there! I can't hear them too well with the top down, but when the top is up, it sounds really good!
This was not a competition stereo system. I did not go 'all out' with the wiring. I used a bunch of the stuff that I had laying around to do the install. I think that I ordered only one small installation kit for 20 dollars and didn't even use all the pieces.
The last piece that I installed was the Valentine V1 Radar detector. I actually hard wired it to the fuse box. It is allegedly the best detector on the market, and after having it for some months now, I totally trust it! Having it hard wired allowed me to put the detector wherever I wanted in the car. I ran the wire up along the A pillar and across the top of the windshield. I mounted the detector just above the passenger half of the rear view mirror. It works well up there!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
94 Mustang GT: Exhaust
When I bought the car, the exhaust was basically stock with the exception of some a Flowmaster 2 1/4 cat-back system. For those that do not know, the exhaust system on the Mustang is divided into three sections: Headers, Mid Pipe and Cat-Back.
The first problem I had was with a heat shield for one of the catalytic converters rattling. The stock mid pipe has not two, but FOUR cats. Its also VERY heavy. I decided to find a replacement for this. It didn't take me long to find a stainless steel H pipe, with cats. I had it shipped to my house for about 120$. The cats were hollowed out which basically made this an off-road mid pipe. Stainless also means no rusting! The nice part about where I live is that my county requires only a visual emissions inspection. That means that they look at the exhaust, see the cats are there, and I pass.
I spent some time removing the stock mid pipe and installing the new one. Without going into details, it takes some time laying under the car, and safety glasses are a must with all the rust falling into your face. I learned a few things while I was doing the installation. The studs on the headers were rusted almost completely away. I was able to get some of a nut threaded on there, but I was sure it was not going to hold for long. The best way to fix the headers is to, well, replace them with newer ones! I'll get to that part in a minute. The second thing I learned is that the mid pipe is 2.5 inch and the cat back was 2.25 inch. I was barely able to make the two seal up. the ball flanges on the mid pipe were just too big for the socket flange on the cat back. It worked, but I figured that the cat back will also need to be replaced. The Flowmaster cat back is made out of 'aluminized steel', and that rusts over time. It was definitely showing its age. I'll get to that part after I talk about the headers.
I did some shopping online and found a set of BBK ceramic unequal headers, used for 80$ They needed some work. The collector flange is threaded so that the header studs can be screwed into there, and replaced if needed. Apparently someone had stripped one and used a nut / bolt instead. I took the headers over to my buddy's place, along with some threaded bolts, the correct thread for the flanges - hardened steel. We used a band saw to cut the bolt heads off, then threaded them into the flanges. Then welded the flange to the bolt. We also straightened the flanges, and the collector ball flange as well. The BBK name plate also needed to be welded back onto the header. Once the headers were ready, I touched up some of the rust spots with some silver header paint. I then sourced some set screws, stainless lock washers and nuts from the hardware store and made myself a header stud kit. I bought the fel-pro exhaust gaskets and I was ready for the install.
I started on the drivers side and removed that header. I scraped off the old header gasket. These BBK headers did not have one solid flange where it meets the exhaust port. They were individual, and they had warped over time. This made the install a 'one bolt at a time' affair. I also had to employ a pry bar to line up some of the bolt holes for the set screws. This took much longer than I thought, but I eventually got it all to work. I moved onto the passenger side. I removed the cold air intake and began to work on the EGR tube. This is a tube that connects the Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve with the header tube. I used a torch to heat the fittings and eventually was able to remove them. The tube came out, I removed all the bolts for the header and removed the stock one. Again I cleaned the gasket surfaces and began the affair of installing the header stud kit one bolt at a time. The left most and right most set screws are first, then I hang the exhaust gasket on them, and install the BBK header. I put each nut on with a couple turns and began the install of the rest. Eventually it was all tightened up. I would like to mention the reason behind using header studs rather than the bolts. The stock bolts typically work well, but they were very rusted. The header studs don't back out, and the stainless washers and nuts will not rust. They work well, and they last forever!
I came to the part where I needed to install the EGR tube, and its the wrong size. A quick call to BBK revealed that I needed their EGR tube, the stock one will not work. They sent it and a few days later it showed up. Because of this one detail, my car was in pieces for a few days. Live and learn! The new headers were installed, and I finished up installing the cold air and other parts I needed to remove to make room for the headers. When the EGR tube showed up, I installed it. The mid pipe and header install was a noticeable difference in the seat of the pants feel. It surely felt stronger! I was very happy with the mid pipe and headers.
A few months down the line, I developed an exhaust leak. I started my car getting ready to leave work and it made that aweful exhaust leak noise. I couldn't find where the leak was, so I drove home and put it up in the air. What I found was that the passenger side cat back socket flange had broken off where it meets the cat back exhaust tube that goes to the muffler. The rust had taken its casualty. The good part was that I had a spare set of mufflers with no tail pipes. They had 'turn downs' right on the end of the mufflers. Typically they are referred to as 'dumped'. I put them on for the time being. They were also a flow through muffler, so they were loud. It just wasn't right for my car. Time to do some shopping!
I ordered 2.5 polished stainless steel Thrush mufflers from Jegs. I also ordered the Pypes stainless steel flow tubes (connects the mufflers to the mid pipe). I also bought stainless steel tailpipes from LRS. I think that I had less than 350 into the cat back exahust. It did need to be welded together, so it was off to my buddy's place with a case of beer for the welding! He is a master of exhaust systems, and has built a few himself. Soon the exhaust was all in place. It sounded GREAT! The chambered mufflers were fantastic, and I did not have the flowmaster 'drone' cruising at highway speed. Since everything was stainless, it should last for the life of the car.
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The first problem I had was with a heat shield for one of the catalytic converters rattling. The stock mid pipe has not two, but FOUR cats. Its also VERY heavy. I decided to find a replacement for this. It didn't take me long to find a stainless steel H pipe, with cats. I had it shipped to my house for about 120$. The cats were hollowed out which basically made this an off-road mid pipe. Stainless also means no rusting! The nice part about where I live is that my county requires only a visual emissions inspection. That means that they look at the exhaust, see the cats are there, and I pass.
I spent some time removing the stock mid pipe and installing the new one. Without going into details, it takes some time laying under the car, and safety glasses are a must with all the rust falling into your face. I learned a few things while I was doing the installation. The studs on the headers were rusted almost completely away. I was able to get some of a nut threaded on there, but I was sure it was not going to hold for long. The best way to fix the headers is to, well, replace them with newer ones! I'll get to that part in a minute. The second thing I learned is that the mid pipe is 2.5 inch and the cat back was 2.25 inch. I was barely able to make the two seal up. the ball flanges on the mid pipe were just too big for the socket flange on the cat back. It worked, but I figured that the cat back will also need to be replaced. The Flowmaster cat back is made out of 'aluminized steel', and that rusts over time. It was definitely showing its age. I'll get to that part after I talk about the headers.
I did some shopping online and found a set of BBK ceramic unequal headers, used for 80$ They needed some work. The collector flange is threaded so that the header studs can be screwed into there, and replaced if needed. Apparently someone had stripped one and used a nut / bolt instead. I took the headers over to my buddy's place, along with some threaded bolts, the correct thread for the flanges - hardened steel. We used a band saw to cut the bolt heads off, then threaded them into the flanges. Then welded the flange to the bolt. We also straightened the flanges, and the collector ball flange as well. The BBK name plate also needed to be welded back onto the header. Once the headers were ready, I touched up some of the rust spots with some silver header paint. I then sourced some set screws, stainless lock washers and nuts from the hardware store and made myself a header stud kit. I bought the fel-pro exhaust gaskets and I was ready for the install.
I started on the drivers side and removed that header. I scraped off the old header gasket. These BBK headers did not have one solid flange where it meets the exhaust port. They were individual, and they had warped over time. This made the install a 'one bolt at a time' affair. I also had to employ a pry bar to line up some of the bolt holes for the set screws. This took much longer than I thought, but I eventually got it all to work. I moved onto the passenger side. I removed the cold air intake and began to work on the EGR tube. This is a tube that connects the Exhaust Gas Recirculation valve with the header tube. I used a torch to heat the fittings and eventually was able to remove them. The tube came out, I removed all the bolts for the header and removed the stock one. Again I cleaned the gasket surfaces and began the affair of installing the header stud kit one bolt at a time. The left most and right most set screws are first, then I hang the exhaust gasket on them, and install the BBK header. I put each nut on with a couple turns and began the install of the rest. Eventually it was all tightened up. I would like to mention the reason behind using header studs rather than the bolts. The stock bolts typically work well, but they were very rusted. The header studs don't back out, and the stainless washers and nuts will not rust. They work well, and they last forever!
I came to the part where I needed to install the EGR tube, and its the wrong size. A quick call to BBK revealed that I needed their EGR tube, the stock one will not work. They sent it and a few days later it showed up. Because of this one detail, my car was in pieces for a few days. Live and learn! The new headers were installed, and I finished up installing the cold air and other parts I needed to remove to make room for the headers. When the EGR tube showed up, I installed it. The mid pipe and header install was a noticeable difference in the seat of the pants feel. It surely felt stronger! I was very happy with the mid pipe and headers.
A few months down the line, I developed an exhaust leak. I started my car getting ready to leave work and it made that aweful exhaust leak noise. I couldn't find where the leak was, so I drove home and put it up in the air. What I found was that the passenger side cat back socket flange had broken off where it meets the cat back exhaust tube that goes to the muffler. The rust had taken its casualty. The good part was that I had a spare set of mufflers with no tail pipes. They had 'turn downs' right on the end of the mufflers. Typically they are referred to as 'dumped'. I put them on for the time being. They were also a flow through muffler, so they were loud. It just wasn't right for my car. Time to do some shopping!
I ordered 2.5 polished stainless steel Thrush mufflers from Jegs. I also ordered the Pypes stainless steel flow tubes (connects the mufflers to the mid pipe). I also bought stainless steel tailpipes from LRS. I think that I had less than 350 into the cat back exahust. It did need to be welded together, so it was off to my buddy's place with a case of beer for the welding! He is a master of exhaust systems, and has built a few himself. Soon the exhaust was all in place. It sounded GREAT! The chambered mufflers were fantastic, and I did not have the flowmaster 'drone' cruising at highway speed. Since everything was stainless, it should last for the life of the car.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
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