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GypsyR

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Posts posted by GypsyR

  2. Posted · Report reply

    How people install and remove engines is really as much personal preference as anything. I like to have the transmission and my long tube headers in and then put the engine in. But if the headers have never been bolted to the engine you are going to use, be sure to fit them outside of the car. There can be variances and it's really easy to grind out a bolt hole a little or whatever BEFORE everything is all in. I like to bolt as much stuff on an engine as practical before I put it in. To do so you kind of have to have had pulled the engine out with as much as possible still attached to it so you already know what you can leave on or not. It's not that big a deal bolting things on though.

    RPM reacted to this

  4. Posted · Report reply

    The "small case" Taurus alternators are a direct replacement and easier to fit. The "large case" ones like lanky (and I) used you need a longer adjuster bracket for, if you have a V8. I like to hit the '96-03 V6 Mustangs as the alternator harness is all one piece and easily removed from the car without cutting anything. Some junkyards don't like that and the ones that don't let you on the yard can be talked into getting you one if you make it clear the harness can simply be unbolted and unplugged at each end. 

    As far as I've been able to tell the 95, 110, and 130 amp versions all charge exactly the same at idle and all are pretty much overkill for our cars. They are overkill for the cars they came in. Because those cars not only need quite a bit of power, their computer systems are lot happier the more stable the system voltage it. Point being, the easier to fit 95 amp version will do all you need and more. Unless you just like overkill and want a hulking great big alternator. I can't throw any rocks there. :)

  5. Posted · Report reply

    For simplicity and reliability, you can't beat the Stator terminal. Period. Millions (literally) of Fords were wired that from the factory. Some even came with Holleys. (4180's). True it doesn't provide a full 12 volts but it doesn't matter, you're just heating up a bimetallic coil of metal like a spring. A friend and I did some informal testing and found on average if you hooked up to direct 12 volts the only difference was the choke plate went full open about two seconds faster. Barely measurable and certainly not noticeable. I can't think of a single reason to not use the Stator terminal if you are using an original style alternator. Some people don't like simple and reliable I guess (people DO go out and buy Jaguars).  

    Holley says not to, and so does Edelbrock. They should go into more detail and say not to on certain makes of cars and types of alternators but I imagine it's a LOT easier to just make a blanket statement. 

     

  6. Posted · Report reply

    I agree with posters above. I'd skip it and invest in the same tools the list. I had ones of those and got rid of it. Also I even gave away my last tach/dwell meter, I never used it to speak of. I use the crap out of a 12 volt test light so much I had to invest in a couple of fairly high end ones. IE, ones that don't fall apart the second time you use them.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    I use "3M adhesive remover", red and white can. I like the "paint thinner" style can but some parts stores only have spray cans. Really good stuff. Takes off all kinds of petro based stuff and then some. It's also mild enough to dab greasy fingerprints off beige velour headliners. Seriously. I've yet to find anything it stains or attacks that you don't want it to. A friend suspects it to be what dry cleaners use to get spots out of delicate clothes or at least closely related. I wouldn't be surprised. It doesn't work on everything but it's VERY handy to have around anyway. I've yet to see it affect paint in any way.

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Hardly the same as posting pics in a thread for everyone to see, but anyway. I've been through four different picture hosting services over the years, Photobucket was 4, Winkflash was 3, can't remember the earlier ones right off. They seem to come and go over the years. Postimage works fine for me at the moment. 

    Really sucks to dust off an old thread somewhere where someone had some neat pictures posted and see only a marker for something that no longer exists. Like there's someone in the library who goes around cutting out the illustrations out of all the books that are over five years old or something. 

  15. Posted · Report reply

    I did once have a happy 302 that started tapping. For some reason one rocker started tapping a baffle in a valve cover after eight years of service. I never did find an issue. I tapped the baffle some with a hammer and it was happy again.

    Then again I had a 289 that would repeatedly back off two rocker stud nuts and start tapping. A set of new nuts fixed it after I got tired of retightening every so often.

    Other folks have had "press-in"  rocker studs pull out of the heads. They only have to back out a tiny amount to start clacking. That tiny amount is hard to see with just the eye. You can run the engine without valve covers and carefully put a thumb on the noisy suspect rockers to narrow down the issue. Unfortunately this tends to let oil slobber a bit down on the exhaust manifolds a little. If the engine is hot and not revved above idle I have gotten away with doing this with no oil mess at all. Some folks have cut out the tops of old rocker covers for old school valve adjustments which works really well. 

     

  17. Posted · Report reply

    My local "Pull-A-part" sells starters for $19.95 plus a $7 core charge.

    The cheapest PMGR 1995 Mustang starter at my local O'reillys is $79 plus a $10 core.

    Depends on where you shop. I don't have a problem with either price.

    I do have a problem with O'Reillys (and all the rest) selling just the PMGR solenoid by itself for $50. I mean more than half the price of a complete starter WITH a solenoid on it. That's just wrong. About double what it should be priced at. Not that anybody is asking me...

    Local salvage yards are asking @$25 for a used one.

    I've noted over the years that parts prices can vary drastically depending on what part of the country you are in. Pretty cheap around here I guess.

    RPM reacted to this

  18. Posted · Report reply

    I've been using PMGR starters from the salvage yard for years and have yet to have the starter itself give a problem. It's always the attached solenoid. I've replaced a BUNCH of those.

    I've had one apart though. There's a small planetary gearset in one end but otherwise they're pretty much like any other starter rebuildable wise. Since you can buy a new off Ebay so cheaply rebuilding one hardly makes sense. 

    I find it very annoying that you can buy a complete cheap off-brand PMGR with solenoid off Ebay cheaper than you can buy just the cheap off-brand solenoid at the local parts store. I wouldn't look down on one of those cheap Ebay type starters, lots of folks have been well pleased by how well they work and last. 

  19. Posted · Report reply

    One reason I like 3G's is their exceptional ability to charge at lower RPM's. Something no older Ford alternator (or Delco converted to 1-wire) has ever been good at. Since you only actually need power steering at low vehicle and engine speeds, like in a parking lot, having such an alternator on a vehicle with electric power steering is pretty good thinking. Electric power steering doesn't actually draw THAT much power but still...

    If there is something on my car that I'm not particularly happy about, that is the ONLY reason I need to yank it off in favor of something I like better.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    It occurs to me you're asking about how to pretty much duplicate the stock (more or less) setup on my 1995 F150 5.8 4R70W. With PMGR starter and fender solenoid. Because Ford made them with external solenoids for a couple of years. (Minus the extra compression and I had to pull the wounded long tubes for the time being though.)

    I'm with Rsmach1 on the OEM parts counter starters. I've had lots of luck with them. The solenoids seem to be the weak point but not terribly.  If you want to go even cheaper, people have have pretty good luck with buying them off Ebay for less than what the chain parts stores want for just a solenoid. 

    A while back I needed to move my non-running 351W '67 out of the garage. Rather than pulling it with the truck I decided to crank it out with the starter and the transmission in reverse. Worked just fine, my driveway is a bit uphill. Later after it was back in the solenoid went out. I didn't have a spare at the time but I did have a good used older style starter so I just swapped it on real quick. Went to pull the crank in reverse trick again and only made it halfway. Added a second battery and it STILL wouldn't pull the hill. If I didn't like my PMGR starters before I sure as heck do now. The PMGR is fixed and back on the car AND I have a spare.

    OK, a lot of that sounds kind of silly but there's a whole lot more to the story of what and why I was doing all that. But it's getting late. Point is, stock style PMGR starters good, old style starters bleh. You can pay a lot more if you just really want to but I think Ford made good enough ones for me.

  23. Posted · Report reply

    An AOD and C6/E4OD use flexplates that are the same except for one very important issue. Different offsets. When you use a C6 plate on an AOD(AODE/4R70W) it puts the converter a little further back. That's OK until everything gets good and hot and you go to pass somebody (or whatever), balloon the converter a bit and the front pump takes a hit. And breaks. I haven't done it, but I've seen it and had to repair the aftermath. Lay an AOD and C6 plate face down on a flat surface and measure the height of the center. It's a small difference and hard to see, but it's there and it matters.

    A correct 164 tooth flexplate can be had from about any chain parts store. For a 28 ounce imbalance ask for one for a 1991 Crown Victoria with a 351W (police car). Most chains carry the Pioneer brand which I've found to be a good stock type replacement. last couple I bought ran me just under $60. Incidentally the same flexplate is correct for many FMX applications too. 

    I bought a 351W once that came with a free C6 attached. It's been on a shelf for close to 20 years and I've yet to have desire to use it in anything. (I'm addicted to overdrive.) Yet for some reason I've never really wanted to get rid of it either. Sold all my C4 stuff to drag racers.

  25. Posted · Report reply

    The basic design and outside dimensions of AOD's, AODE's, and 4R70W's are all but identical, I can't imagine how installation and header fitment would vary. Maybe you are thinking of AOD/AODE's versus C4's or FMX's or something? 

    Though a 4R70W is the new and improved version but you have the extra expense of computer controls to pay for. AOD's are very sensitive to the setup of their TV cables but are tougher than often given credit for. I like an AOD for the simplicity and lower price. Truth be told I currently have one of each in service right now and like them both fine.  (But my '69 is getting a five speed.)

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