Blake's 1965 Mustang Project

[digitalsolo]

The bottom of the CHRAs are maybe 1.5" from the BOTTOM of the oil pan, so yeah, much lower than oil level.

[digitalsolo]

Working through the charge pipes.   I'm trying to make as few compromises as possible, and as few pieces as possible.  There are a few very tight issues, and in a few of those areas, the best solution is to use the bigger pipe, but just give it a few hammer whacks to clear.   I think I'm a couple hours from finishing the lower piping, which is by FAR the most complicated.   This picks up both turbos, runs to a y pipe (all in 2", which is the turbo outlet) then has a 2" to 3" transition right at the y-pipe, then runs 3" out to the front of the engine, under the AC compressor.   This has 1/8" clearance everywhere, at BEST, and I want it to all be in one piece, so I have to be very thoughtful about how it comes in/out.

From there, I just have a 1 or 2 piece section that comes around the AC lines and radiator lines to the intercooler.  This is TIGHT as well, but just in one small area.  After that I have freedom on adjusting path and it should be pretty easy.  Once that's finished (maybe this weekend) I can get some braces built for the turbo sump tank, and that should finish up the drivetrain stuff for having it drivable.

Then it's alignment/bolt check time.   ALMOST there.

[shainiac]

Are you using silicone couplers and hose clamps or Wiggins-style clamps? Making tight tubing merge and maintaining three 3D constrains is a giant PITA!

[digitalsolo]

Wiggins style for the intermediary connections, silicone couplers at the ends to give at least a little bit of play in alignment.  All Wiggins on this would SUCK to deal with.  Haha.

[Exidous]

Are you using real Gucci Wiggins or knock offs? If knock offs, source preeze.

[digitalsolo]

Oh, knock-offs for sure. 

I'm running a bunch of these with good luck:  https://www.ebay.com/itm/144460748553?hash=item21a2881709:g:1rQAAOSwsWtiLtXt&amdata=enc%3AAQAIAAAA4Mqt2QPnAraTjTFp4w6K6re7alP7QfMcsZTEXUNT2kFn%2FW9Lbpa3Hqgxffm5EVhly1WQleiRxJBn%2FMsIg2A8qD8KzkNmLZ81i5dQpyrUW6vDLx5YA3MOI5DiuXfpo60sx0wbcGNW3UUlHg6RriE%2BsIhC7%2BqXlZaSJfIGoOh1iltwdj%2BP3u5lm9og7CgQjZs5LG6pSYoPvrxQjQYG34iQh%2BGi06OBRoFKNAdaPEkfE%2BtKmaJPZMaT7VnowZbnGMTlm1XdxxVlaFwvMliE6mSAoBxsQjw2ZIrhqmU0bsDhnF4T%7Ctkp%3ABFBM7PLa09di

The sleeve allows misalignment, and the little spring loaded pin makes it easy to remove tool-lessly.

[Exidous]

I've been looking for something similar but at 1.5" for coolant. No dice except for the OG.

[digitalsolo]

Yeah, probably stuck with OG on that. 

I did get the first piece of the charge pipes built, and sorted out the "theory" for the last section.  I found that I'd need to either pie cut or cast 90 a spot to make the clearance sane, so I just ordered up a cast 90.   

If I get zealous tonight, I'll get the sump tank bracing done, and hopefully over the course of this week I'll get the charge pipe done, finally.

[digitalsolo]

Charge pipes are finished!

Hoping to finalize the sump bracing this week, and finish alignment next week and start road testing.

[digitalsolo]

Sump bracing done, swaybar endlinks done, steering components reinstalled.

Next:

Reinstall AC bracket/tensioner
Reinstall front body work/bumper
Bolt check/align front suspension
Bleed brakes
Wash car
Road test!

I'll get pictures of the finished underside work shortly.

Next season I'll add the skid/air ducting plates, and build a new strut tower brace since my new one won't fit with the changes.

[digitalsolo]

List above is finished.  Put the car down and did the alignment (wasn't super far off already, which was nice, yay calibrated eyeballs).   In fairness, I didn't check caster as I basically maxed out the kit I have and I don't care what it is beyond that, haha.

Anyway, Haltech just released a new transient fuel loging/mapping setup that is supposed to be the cat's pajamas (that means good).   I uploaded that tune, fired the car up and verified it runs great.

It also dumped 3-4 quarts of oil out of the turbo seals because I'm an idiot and forgot to plug the ground for the scavenge pump in when I reinstalled the AC bracket (ground for the pump is an eyelet that mounts behind the AC bracket).   Damnit.

Anyway, I'm confident it didn't hurt anything beyond my pride and oil dry budget.  I fixed that, and this weekend I'll put it back up in the air, clean up the mess I made, get some pictures, top the oil back off, and clear out the back of the garage so that I can wash and then road test it.    I changed insurance carriers yesterday (friend of mine is an agent now) and we set a deadline of November 10th to get this car put on storage for the winter, so I need to make sure it can make the 25 minute drive to my friend's shop for winter storage between now and then.

Oh, and I also need to chase down a weird power reset issue in the car.  Something is blipping power to my keypad and EPAS relay control randomly.  I'm not sure if it's something in the CAN system being noisy and making something angry, or a power setting in the PDM I need to adjust.  I'll figure it out, but it's a little annoying.  It doesn't stop the car from running/driving, but it does disable the power steering and headlights/etc.

I also tried out my "bleed from master" for the front brakes.   I did an initial bleed at the calipers with a power vacuum bleeder until it pulled some fluid, then I just pulled vacuum on the master with a power bleeder sealed to the reservoir.   Held vacuum against it for about 3-4 minutes while pumping the pedal occasionally, then repeated that a couple times.   Seems to be great pedal feel, but I'll know more when I get the car out and about.   I have a transducer on the master for the front circuit, so I can measure actual brake pressure.

[Exidous]

What did you use for the vacuum bleeding? Pretty certain a have a touch of air in my system still.

[digitalsolo]

It's just a cheap pneumatic vacuum bleeder from Harbor Freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html

I made an adapter for the master out of a rubber stopper from the hardware store.  I just push it down into the master reservior opening by hand and hold a little tension on it, then press the button on the bleeder.

[Exidous]

Gotcha. I want to take a large mason jar and connect it to an A/C vacuum pump. Might be overkill though.

[Cobranut]

It's just a cheap pneumatic vacuum bleeder from Harbor Freight.

https://www.harborfreight.com/brake-fluid-bleeder-92924.html

I made an adapter for the master out of a rubber stopper from the hardware store.  I just push it down into the master reservior opening by hand and hold a little tension on it, then press the button on the bleeder.

That's the same unit I have.  It works great for flushing and bleeding brakes too.
I just used a Mityvac kit to put vacuum on the master cylinder.  I left it under vacuum for several days before it finally got my clutch pedal solid.