Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted April 15, 2018 Hey Bob Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted April 15, 2018 Cool, thanks Jim. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted May 3, 2018 Since every other person who sees my Mustang asks why the front fenders have primer around the wheel openings, I figured I should get some paint on them. After I finish wet sanding them, I'll polish the entire car. Painting the hood and cowl panel black will follow. I'm at around 3-1/2* caster on the front wheels, and it handles great, but would like more caster with the LCA still being close to 90* to the frame. I've read a lot about suspensions by Ron Sutton, a guru of sorts, who says optimum caster is 2* less than steering axis inclination (SAI). The Mustang has 10* SAI, so while 8* would be the target, I'll shoot for 6*. As I already have upper and lower control arm fixtures, I thought I'd make some new lowers with an offset ball joint sleeve like the UCA I made. 1 Ridge Runner reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
bigmal 225 Report post Posted May 4, 2018 Very nice work Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted May 12, 2018 Wow, nice job. When you have the skill and the tools, it is amazing what can be done. Lots of talent on this forum.... I don't have the machining skills, I have big front tires, and my Borgeson steering box likes a lot of caster. So, on my '70 I have the Global West (+) 3 Upper Control Arms. They have the relocated ball joint, so the UCA is essentially an un-equal length tubular assembly with the ball joint pushed back. I easily dialed in 5-1/2 degrees of caster. You can see the pics on my build thread. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted May 19, 2018 Vic, if I can learn how to fab stuff, most anybody can. I took a few machine shop and welding classes at the local Junior college when I was in my late 20's. I highly recommend it. My upper is offset 1/2" which I measured at 3°, and the lower is 5/8" offset. So I'll have ~6° with the control arms square. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted May 26, 2018 6 degrees is nice. Should be fun. I used to work in a Machine shop during my college days. But, they had all the cool toys....Bridgeports, lathes, etc. I don't need to weld I just take it over to Mike, who is a wizard at that..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 Pulled the oil pan and then the rear main cap in order to change the rear seal. This oil leak has run its course. I didn't like the look off the rear cap main bearing, so I pulled the rest. It has but 6k miles. Gotta determine the thrust on the crank. I've read where torque converters balloon the snout forward causing issues of the relief in the crank end isn't deep enough. Which some after market cranks suffered from. This is a Scat crank. I unbolted the TC nuts, but couldn't get the TC to budge. This is the worst of them, and the #3 main. Is this normal??? :) Fun times ahead. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 Is that bearing cracked ot the top edge? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 Oh ya. The front thrust part of the middle #3 main bearing took a beating. It caused quite a bit of damage to the machined thrust part of the crank. Hopefully the crank can be repaired. If not, I'll need a new crank, then balancing. Good eye Jim. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 That crank must be slamming forward to do somthing like that,i have never seen a cracked main bearing...seen lots of burned ones though Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 Yep. I've found a bunch of similar stories that were posted years after I built my motor. Lots of theories, nothing concrete. I do know I had .005" end play clearance, book shows .004-.008". But many folks online with the same damage had proper end play. I'll check the depth of the recess in the rear crank for the TC snout. Gonna take the crank to AMS machine shop in Fresno for repairs. They've only done stellar work for me, and my brother. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
latoracing 256 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 Ya' done tore it up, Bob. That is not good. Looks like it isn't trashed, but will need a little love and attention. That could have been very bad, you caught it at just the right time. And while you're in there... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 Did you try moving the crank back and forth with the flex plate and converter bolted up? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 7, 2018 Yes. It has the same amount of movement. Does that point to something? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted June 8, 2018 No ,i just heard somthing about a torque converter snout that was to long and when tightened to the flex plate it pulled back on the flex plate ,but if yours had play it must not have been that Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 8, 2018 Yes I did Mike, and absolutely the right time. Thank the Lord I was fed up with that oil leak. I was ready to fix the rear main seal and button it up. My mech eng nephew spotted a couple of things on a bearing pic I sent him (that bearing wasn't really too bad) and he said he'd look deeper into the bearings. Good thing I did. I told him dinner was on me at Rudy's BBQ when I visit Austin in September. If I didn't have to get new pistons I'd put the oem 351 crank back in. Btw Mike, may I borrow your lift? :) Thanks Jim, that makes sense. 1 latoracing reacted to this Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jmlay 80 Report post Posted June 8, 2018 That is a good catch. You better offer better BBQ than Rudy's! Lots of great places in & around Austin.: https://apps.statesman.com/austin360/eats/lists/43/best-barbecue-austin/ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 12, 2018 Rudy's has been just fine every time for me. Just cause a place makes somebody's list doesn't mean I'll go wait in line at a tourist trap :) Dropped the crank out of the block. The side of the #3 main journal lost some iron. Took it to a trusted shop in Fresno where they'll weld in some filler, do some machine work and polish the journals. The owner and crank machinist impressed me. A couple of bills and a week and I should have it back. Which brand torque converter do you guys recommend? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted June 12, 2018 Is that the front thrust side or the rear thrust side burned on the crank ? Somthing must be pushing or pulling against that side ,that is why i was thinking torque converter. When you set the motor in and coupled the tranny could you move the converter in and out before it was bolted tight? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 12, 2018 The pic appears like there is color on the crank, but it's all a shiny polished silver color and not burned. The damaged on the crank is at the rear, from being pushed forward. Since all the measurements I took between the crank, flexplate and torque converter were good, the tc seems logical. Since my original post I was able to find one thread conclusion that points to the converter. I'm going to open my tc, just for training purposes. I can't say for sure if the tc was able to move a bit before being bolted up Jim. At that time I knew about 3 things about auto trannies. That clearance before bolt up will certainly be checked this next time. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted June 12, 2018 Most converters will move in the front pump almost the length of the stud before bolting up tight ,if it doesnt push back from the flexplate somthing must be wrong between the front pump and converter Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RPM 1,190 Report post Posted June 12, 2018 Ya, I will definitely keep an eye on that with the new converter. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Vicfreg 771 Report post Posted June 26, 2018 RPM..what kind of trans.... C6 or C4? I am using a TCI converter. I know this is probably obvious, but make sure you don't have a 50oz imbalance harmonic balancer and a 28 oz imbalance flex plate...or vice versa. Also, I am a believer in the "2 clunk" torque converter install. So when you put the converter on the transmission, I spin it and push it towards the transmission until I hear 2 "clunks"....meaning it is fully inserted. I have destroyed at least one transmission in my younger days by thinking that the converter was fully inserted, and it wasn't. The last thing is that some of the flexplates look very similar, but have slight variations in the depth. This is the case with an AOD and a C6 flexplate. They are not interchangeable. Good luck! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Ridge Runner 1,112 Report post Posted June 26, 2018 Is anyone elses screen messed up on here on 69 stang today? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
