The Official Hot Rod Thread - Part 4: Burnouts for Distance

[churchmouse]

Got to drive the Mustang a little more tonight. I'm thinking it needs new plugs from sitting all winter.
Thoughts? How normal is it for something like that to cause an issue? When I figured out the issue with the tune at the end of last year, it felt like a monster. Well. Far better than it had all year. Now it feels a little off. Not quite a misfire, but maybe?

Need to figure out a couple of the water leaks.

Trying to find a place to rip around some corners. I'd like to rip around 144 at night, but my Lasik is uh... well, I have an appointment at the end of the month to see if I need a retreatment, and I think that's gonna be a yes.

Plugs and wires can become an issue. Does it have a cap and rotor or a coil pack. I honestly cant keep up with the mad scientist...

 

[Jaybird1980]

Got to drive the Mustang a little more tonight. I'm thinking it needs new plugs from sitting all winter.
Thoughts? How normal is it for something like that to cause an issue? When I figured out the issue with the tune at the end of last year, it felt like a monster. Well. Far better than it had all year. Now it feels a little off. Not quite a misfire, but maybe?

Need to figure out a couple of the water leaks.

Trying to find a place to rip around some corners. I'd like to rip around 144 at night, but my Lasik is uh... well, I have an appointment at the end of the month to see if I need a retreatment, and I think that's gonna be a yes.

Is it fuel injected? Check the grounds. Could be moisture in the distributor cap if it has one.

Ahh CM already mentioned it on the next page.

 

[churchmouse]

Is it fuel injected? Check the grounds. Could be moisture in the distributor cap if it has one.

Ahh CM already mentioned it on the next page.

If it sat all winter in an un heated area then yeah it could be everything we mentioned.

 

[jeffsqartan]

If it sat all winter in an un heated area then yeah it could be everything we mentioned.

With this thing, it's still stock distributor and all. I don't even remember if it has upgraded wires on it at this point lol.
Cap and rotor I did at the beginning of last year. It's sat in my garage all winter long, but it's not "heated" just insulated. I'll check those in the morning.
I believe I also swapped out wires last year. When I did the intake swap I had an issue with a "misfire" (turned out to be a corrupt tune) and replaced the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Car maybe saw 2,000 miles last year. Doubt it was even that much.

Also, yes it is EFI. If the "tune" didn't give it away lol.
Bad grounds are not at all an impossibility on this rust bucket.

 

[Jaybird1980]

With this thing, it's still stock distributor and all. I don't even remember if it has upgraded wires on it at this point lol.
Cap and rotor I did at the beginning of last year. It's sat in my garage all winter long, but it's not "heated" just insulated. I'll check those in the morning.
I believe I also swapped out wires last year. When I did the intake swap I had an issue with a "misfire" (turned out to be a corrupt tune) and replaced the plugs, wires, cap and rotor. Car maybe saw 2,000 miles last year. Doubt it was even that much.

Also, yes it is EFI. If the "tune" didn't give it away lol.
Bad grounds are not at all an impossibility on this rust bucket.

Haha yeah tune to us old technology folks could be timing, ignition boxes, carbs.
Plus it was late at night. Lol

 

[jeffsqartan]

Haha yeah tune to us old technology folks could be timing, ignition boxes, carbs.
Plus it was late at night. Lol

Lol I hadn't even thought about it like that. I have literally never messed with a carb before. My old 88 K1500 was carbed, but I never touched it. Just did some mechanical repairs during the year-ish that I had it.

Then I went diesel. Got a Del Sol as a daily that I never did anything other than plugs/wires/cap, and now the Mustang.
This blow through thing is gonna be super interesting. I'm looking forward to it.

 

[churchmouse]

Lol I hadn't even thought about it like that. I have literally never messed with a carb before. My old 88 K1500 was carbed, but I never touched it. Just did some mechanical repairs during the year-ish that I had it.

Then I went diesel. Got a Del Sol as a daily that I never did anything other than plugs/wires/cap, and now the Mustang.
This blow through thing is gonna be super interesting. I'm looking forward to it.

In this I am seeing you need a Holley. Just what I see and hear.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

In this I am seeing you need a Holley. Just what I see and hear.

Honestly I would look into a Holley Sniper if I were him. A good blow thru carb is going to be over $1,000. Might as well go self-learning EFI if you’re going to spend that much. They are blow thru capable.

 

[jeffsqartan]

I'm hoping that the carb in the garage is a Holley. If it's not, I might change how I handle things.
Only reason I'm not going EFI is because I have a few carb parts laying around and by my current math, it will cost far less to make that work than it will to go full EFI.
Should I go full EFI, I'm looking at $400 in injectors alone. Then there's still the issue of what I'm going to tune with. I was going to use the same tuner/software that I'm using on the Vert. Still not sure if I want to go that route. I have a spare ECU laying around, so that cuts down on some of the cost. I also have a cut-up wiring harness that I think I can salvage.
Next option is going with a cheaper MegaSquirt of sorts. Which kinda sucks, cause I sold one earlier last year lol.
And then the big money option is Holley. Holley is where I would ultimately like to be.

Goal: Don't get it right, just get it running.
Car has sat for nearly two years. It's time to get something done on it. I refuse to be "that guy" with a decent car sitting in the backyard wasting away.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

$1,300 bucks for a complete kit: fuel pump, filters, fuel lines, 2 bar MAP sensor, everything. And it’s self learning with an included wideband O2 and a touch screen, so no tuning software required. Mounts up just like a carb for easy packaging. Not a bad deal honestly.

Holley Sniper EFI 550-511K Holley Sniper EFI Self-Tuning Master Kit - Black

Holley's Sniper EFI Self-Tuning Master Kit is the best way to upgrade your car to fuel injection in a cost-efficient way with just 4 simple connections required. Built specifically with a dual pattern bolt on design built to fit 4150 flange and spreadbore manifolds. Take your build to the next...

www.holley.com

 

[femurphy77]

I'm hoping that the carb in the garage is a Holley. If it's not, I might change how I handle things.
Only reason I'm not going EFI is because I have a few carb parts laying around and by my current math, it will cost far less to make that work than it will to go full EFI.
Should I go full EFI, I'm looking at $400 in injectors alone. Then there's still the issue of what I'm going to tune with. I was going to use the same tuner/software that I'm using on the Vert. Still not sure if I want to go that route. I have a spare ECU laying around, so that cuts down on some of the cost. I also have a cut-up wiring harness that I think I can salvage.
Next option is going with a cheaper MegaSquirt of sorts. Which kinda sucks, cause I sold one earlier last year lol.
And then the big money option is Holley. Holley is where I would ultimately like to be.

Goal: Don't get it right, just get it running.
Car has sat for nearly two years. It's time to get something done on it. I refuse to be "that guy" with a decent car sitting in the backyard wasting away.

Oh it's not that bad, I've been that guy for 20 years on the racecar!

 

[Jaybird1980]

I'm hoping that the carb in the garage is a Holley. If it's not, I might change how I handle things.
Only reason I'm not going EFI is because I have a few carb parts laying around and by my current math, it will cost far less to make that work than it will to go full EFI.
Should I go full EFI, I'm looking at $400 in injectors alone. Then there's still the issue of what I'm going to tune with. I was going to use the same tuner/software that I'm using on the Vert. Still not sure if I want to go that route. I have a spare ECU laying around, so that cuts down on some of the cost. I also have a cut-up wiring harness that I think I can salvage.
Next option is going with a cheaper MegaSquirt of sorts. Which kinda sucks, cause I sold one earlier last year lol.
And then the big money option is Holley. Holley is where I would ultimately like to be.

Goal: Don't get it right, just get it running.
Car has sat for nearly two years. It's time to get something done on it. I refuse to be "that guy" with a decent car sitting in the backyard wasting away.

Post a pic of the carb.

 

[jeffsqartan]

Post a pic of the carb.

Still gotta find it lol. That's one of my goals for today.

Also, if I'm gonna go EFI then I'm gonna do the Terminator X kit. I have an aftermarket intake. It's the injectors and fuel rails and all that which makes it so much more expensive.

 

[churchmouse]

I'm hoping that the carb in the garage is a Holley. If it's not, I might change how I handle things.
Only reason I'm not going EFI is because I have a few carb parts laying around and by my current math, it will cost far less to make that work than it will to go full EFI.
Should I go full EFI, I'm looking at $400 in injectors alone. Then there's still the issue of what I'm going to tune with. I was going to use the same tuner/software that I'm using on the Vert. Still not sure if I want to go that route. I have a spare ECU laying around, so that cuts down on some of the cost. I also have a cut-up wiring harness that I think I can salvage.
Next option is going with a cheaper MegaSquirt of sorts. Which kinda sucks, cause I sold one earlier last year lol.
And then the big money option is Holley. Holley is where I would ultimately like to be.

Goal: Don't get it right, just get it running.
Car has sat for nearly two years. It's time to get something done on it. I refuse to be "that guy" with a decent car sitting in the backyard wasting away.

I understand your goal but man you have sooooooo many projects.
Start one. Finish it. Move along.
Just my way of looking at it. This takes some of the stress out of this. At least it des for me.

I envy your ability's to stack up the projects and have the time and patience to do this in the manner you do.

 

[femurphy77]

I understand your goal but man you have sooooooo many projects.
Start one. Finish it. Move along.
Just my way of looking at it. This takes some of the stress out of this. At least it des for me.

I envy your ability's to stack up the projects and have the time and patience to do this in the manner you do.

I realize pot calling kettle black and all that as I've too many irons in the fire as well but. . . . . .


I actually have about 1/4th the projects going now as I had a few years ago, it's still mind boggling at times but DAYUM what a relief it's been.

 

[churchmouse]

I realize pot calling kettle black and all that as I've too many irons in the fire as well but. . . . . .


I actually have about 1/4th the projects going now as I had a few years ago, it's still mind boggling at times but DAYUM what a relief it's been.

To be clear. I had this in my life but I had more than I area to store and work in. All of them heated. And seriously I do envy the mad scientist. He is a force among Ford lovers. Good on him. He sees something is LE in every car part he comes across
I have a crap load of irons in the fire as well but less than half of last years list.
With this Impala project I am been swarmed with guys wanting work done.

 

[jeffsqartan]

I really don't like having too many projects. Though, I don't feel like I have as many as you guys make out lol
I just have a TON of ideas.

Right now my focus is on the drive train on the vert so I can make it to a road course event this year.
I'll switch attention to the oil leak on the truck, then the Notch.
I think we touched on this a little last year, but I'm done with upgrades to the vert. I do want to make sure it's reliable, but no more upgrades. Just maintenance.

Plugs are done on the Vert. I still don't know how to read plugs all that well. #7 plug had oil on the threads and looked pretty dark. Not really sure what's going on there. Rest were pretty white.
Car feels a little stronger. I did check the cap/rotor and those are in great shape. I do remember replacing those, along with wires, around a year ago.

Took it out for another road test.
Definitely doesn't like being above 75. Question: if I've got it in 5th and try to cruise 75 or faster, there's a rumble, but it's a "rotating rumble." Like, smooth then rumble, smooth then rumble. Is that the transmission or the driveshaft? This is only in 5th. In 4th it feels more like a constant rumble.
If I drop it in 4th, hammer down to 80+ and drop it in neutral and coast, it's a pretty harsh rumble that I'm assuming is coming from the driveshaft.

So is it all in the drive shaft, or is there a good chance I have an issue with my transmission, too?

Would be willing to have someone ride along in it (at your own risk ) to see what someone more experienced thinks.

 

[ChristianPatriot]

I’m kinda over having major car projects. My vette is 100% bone stock and honestly I might just keep it that way. It’s quick enough to be fun and quiet enough to cruise comfortably. I’ll give it a good claybar and polish just because I like doing that, but it’s got enough rock chips and scratches that I don’t really care if it’s always pristine or parked in the boonies when I go somewhere.

 

[Jaybird1980]

I really don't like having too many projects. Though, I don't feel like I have as many as you guys make out lol
I just have a TON of ideas.

Right now my focus is on the drive train on the vert so I can make it to a road course event this year.
I'll switch attention to the oil leak on the truck, then the Notch.
I think we touched on this a little last year, but I'm done with upgrades to the vert. I do want to make sure it's reliable, but no more upgrades. Just maintenance.

Plugs are done on the Vert. I still don't know how to read plugs all that well. #7 plug had oil on the threads and looked pretty dark. Not really sure what's going on there. Rest were pretty white.
Car feels a little stronger. I did check the cap/rotor and those are in great shape. I do remember replacing those, along with wires, around a year ago.

Took it out for another road test.
Definitely doesn't like being above 75. Question: if I've got it in 5th and try to cruise 75 or faster, there's a rumble, but it's a "rotating rumble." Like, smooth then rumble, smooth then rumble. Is that the transmission or the driveshaft? This is only in 5th. In 4th it feels more like a constant rumble.
If I drop it in 4th, hammer down to 80+ and drop it in neutral and coast, it's a pretty harsh rumble that I'm assuming is coming from the driveshaft.

So is it all in the drive shaft, or is there a good chance I have an issue with my transmission, too?

Would be willing to have someone ride along in it (at your own risk ) to see what someone more experienced thinks.

Try checking by RPM and not just speed. What RPM are you running at 75 in 5th, run the same rpm in the other gears and also feel for vibration in steering wheel, pedals, seat etc and that may help some. Vibrations can be hard to track down. Have you checked the u joints?

 

[jeffsqartan]

Try checking by RPM and not just speed. What RPM are you running at 75 in 5th, run the same rpm in the other gears and also feel for vibration in steering wheel, pedals, seat etc and that may help some. Vibrations can be hard to track down. Have you checked the u joints?

It definitely does not vibrate like that under 75. It's all drive train, for sure. I feel it in the shifter, not in the wheel or pedals.
I want to say 5th @ 75 is about 2800rpm and I know that rpm doesn't vibrate like that in the other gears.

I haven't taken the driveshaft out and inspected ujoints yet.