Al C's MK4 Coyote Build

[Boydster]

Very nice color selection... Classy.

[Al_C]

Progress and challenges!

8650 has been home for a month now from Bloomington, and the weather is just now starting to act like spring. I have a relatively short list of items to complete prior to graduation, but a couple of them seemed like they might be significant. More on that in a bit. The list included:
- cover the sharp edge on the license plate where i trimmed it to fit around the trunk handle
- install the Herb Fraser door panels
- Install the wind wings
- Install the door stops
- Install carpeting on the door sills
- Fix the turn signals that don't work with the headlights on (yes, this is one of the significant ones)
- Apply the hood badge and side badges
- Put on the steering wheel hub (but not until I have determined I don't need to remove the dash)
- Identify the source of the oil leak

I'm making decent progress on these.



Door panels? Check. (the white lines on the door itself is a reflection from the ceiling light)



Badges? check.



Wind wings? Check.

Door stops will get done today, probably. Edge on license plate is done. Carpet? I found a thread from 2017 that showed the specific pieces and Boat737 and edwardb both responded. That helped a lot, thanks!

The lights. Ugh. I will get this fixed. Not sure exactly when, but I will get it fixed. I don't think a diode will do it, but will reserve judgment until I try. In the meantime, I need to spend some quality time with the schematic and draw out exactly how my RT turn signal interfaces with the RF wiring and compare that to what's installed. the biggest challenge is getting on my back under the dash so I can look up at the issue. Unfortunately, I'm not as flexible physically as I used to be. We'll figure it out.

So yesterday I decided to tackle the oil leak. Clearly, it had to be one of the two plugs under on the Moroso pan. I just had to get the car up on a lift or jack stands and get it warmed up. That was the easy part. Let's deal with that then we'll get to the hard part.

It's this one:



Once it is better sealed, I should have an oil-free floor.

Now the hard part: As soon as I started it up, I could see fluid just pouring out onto the floor. Coming from the bell housing. But wait - it's ATF, not oil. Transmission seal? You can see how much fluid I was losing based on this lovely puddle:



It got bigger. I shined a light between the bell housing and transmission and could see that the leak seemed to be pretty high up on the transmission. So I pulled the transmission tunnel cover off and saw this:



Is it one of the cover seals or the vent? I figured if I started it up, I'd see pretty quickly where it was shooting out from. Didn't show much. The drip today was much smaller and I couldn't see where it was coming from - looking from above. Honestly, I expected to see it spurting!

In one of my more lucid moments, I figured that I had lost too much ATF for it to be throwing it around, so I crawled back underneath to remove the fill plug and pump in some more fluid. I got the plug off and fluid is pouring out of the fill plug.

Wait a minute. I lost this much fluid (see photo above) and I still have fluid coming out of the fill plug? If it was that over-full, why didn't I have anything leaking until yesterday? Why didn't it leak out when I drove the car 250 miles? Why didn't it leak out in the neighborhood?

Here's how you could help. Seen this before? What do you think: is it the vent or one of the cover gaskets? Why would I still have fluid pouring out of the fill plug when it didn't seem that it was over-full initially? Thanks in advance!

[Jeff Kleiner]

Al,
Just an FYI , it was leaking a small amount of ATF when it was here but not anywhere near that much! It was losing more from the engine that the trans.

Jeff

[Railroad]

Drain trans fluid to proper level, hopefully seals will be able to keep the proper amount in without leaking.
You may get some dripping, if it is inside the bell housing. I would spray everything down with some brake cleaner, except seals.

[Al_C]

Well, don't I feel stupid. Did you know that Dexcool looks just like ATF? Especially when it is all over the transmission and leaking from the front of it?

I got a much brighter light on the problem area this afternoon, seeking a crack or leak anywhere on the top front of the transmission. I couldn't see anything coming out of it, but I could still see fluid on the bellhousing. Dripping down. Here's the culprit:



So the orange stuff was dripping down onto the bell housing and splashing all over the top of the transmission. Time for a new bypass valve. Much easier than dealing with a transmission.

So how did I make this massive miscalculation? Easy. I'm predisposed to thinking transmission leak because I still have the vertical seam leak. I've had the un-repaired oil leak for months, so I automatically think under-car rather than under-hood. I just have to be able to distinguish one fluid from the next...

[Al_C]

Part of this is “let’s see how complicated we can make it”. The other part is “whew! Progress at last!”

Last we heard, there were a few larger shakedown problems, and a few smaller items needed prior to graduation. We’re almost there! Let’s review:

1. Heater bypass. Originally, I installed a Four Seasons 74809 bypass along with a custom-made bracket fabricated by none other than Ducky2009. That combination worked extremely well for a good 800 miles. Then it didn’t.

Once we realized that the problem was the bypass, I got another one. Same part. Same modification (remove the vacuum part). Same original (fixed) bracket. That one lasted about 12 miles. Mind you, Ducky’s valve is still going strong after, what, 2 years? Go figure. I am just destined to have all of the rookie problems because I don’t know any better, I guess.

So I shot an email to the four seasons people, told them the part I was using, how I was using it and what my problem was. The response was something to the effect of “we don’t recommend that modification. No matter what you do, that part is going to leak.” OK, message received!

My resulting search turned up an Old Air part, 25-1018. It’s very closely related to the four seasons part, but it’s cable operated and cost $25 more. Designed for cable operation. Ordered, delivered, installed. The only issue I had was whether or not it needed to be anchored anywhere. So I emailed the Old Air people and the response was, “no, it can float just fine.” So, there you have it. And here it is:



Remember the oil leak we talked about in a previous post? Some sealant on the NPT plug and voila! No more leak. Mark that one done.

2. Turn signals don’t work when the headlights are on.

You may recall I whined about this issue recently, going so far as posting another thread about this little issue. Advice was “sounds like a ground problem”. Pretty accurate, actually. My little brain was focused on the problem being caused by some inept connection under the dashboard. That predilection gave me pause and resulted in not really wanting to explore it further because I was really, no, REALLY, going into uncharted territory. And, by the way, the body was on, so the only way to examine the wiring was from underneath. Oh, the joy of it all…

I got everything (notes, RF instructions, drawings) out in order to make a specific schematic, thinking that would help me find the error in my ways. Then, a few days ago, I had the epiphany to shoot a note to tech support at Ron Francis. I explained the symptoms and what I had done for troubleshooting. Their guy Keith stated that it had to be in the front turn signal fixtures. The more I thought about it, the more that made sense. The more I thought about it, the more I thought I should have figured that part out on my own! Sure enough, the wires were backwards on the weatherpack connectors for the front turn signal lights. It took longer to get the car up in the air to provide access than it did to fix it. This was way better than the alternative of trying to troubleshoot a wiring problem under the dash! Never did draw the schematic. Whatever.

Have you ever tried to spend time looking under the dashboard without killing your back? I conjured up a platform out of plywood and 2x4s that is the same level as the door sill. I push it up next to the body, cover it with a couple of towels and lay down on it. It works pretty well. I made this thing specifically so I could work on wires behind the dash from underneath, but it really came in handy to get at the bolts holding the bypass brackets on the firewall. Fortunately, I don’t need it anymore, and hopefully won’t be needing it. My neighbor suggested I not tear it down quite yet…

So right now, in spite of myself, I have basically two things left to do before graduation: glue the carpet to the door sills and install the door stops. I held off on those until the lights were fixed as I wanted to open the door as much as possible. I should be able to get the rest done in the next week or so, depending on weather. If it’s nice out, I’d rather be driving.

[Ducky2009]

Good job Al at figuring it all out. Sometimes calling to right support people is the smartest thing we sometimes overlook.

[Al_C]

It’s been 7 months since I updated this build log, so we’re right on schedule! There really wasn’t that much “building” going on, but I thought it might make sense to recap the driving season and some of the issues – no, “challenges” – met along the way. I know that this car will never be done, but I’m thinking that this update should effectively be the closing chapter on the build itself. On to the update!

May: after giving the car its weekly bath (I got lax on that as the driving season progressed), I noticed that DS rear wheel sits higher in the wheel well than the PS does. Take a look:







After some research and talking with others, we collectively decided it must be a result of a difference in camber on the left rear. I’ve had suspicions about the accuracy of the alignment done on the IRS, and this topic will come up again later.

Prior to graduation, I needed to get two items addressed: door sill covers and the door stops. The door sill covers were a cosmetic issue to find a good way to dress up the outside edge of carpeting. I did a separate thread on that here: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...rner-of-carpet

I think the resulting solution came out well. I just need to get some mats on the floor as I can see the FFR carpet starting to disintegrate under the pedals already. That’s a winter project.

Finally, after 4 years and 8 months, I was able to document what I thought entailed “done”. It was June 8: Graduation! Here’s a link to that thread: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...Roadster-8650!

I was humbled by the response.

For sometime in June, I suggested that we have a Chicago-area get together. That suggestion took on a life of its own! On June 28, a bunch of us got together in the town square of Woodstock, IL, had an impromptu car show, and then headed off en masse to Eagle, Wisconsin – for lunch. It was a blast. I made a bunch of new friends and got one piece of advice: “get rid of the front license plate.” Thanks, Pete. Here’s a group photo from Wisconsin:



After the requisite pissing and moaning, I finally took off the plate. In hindsight, I’m glad I did.



July 11 was a fun day. Being a Saturday, I had my usual round of golf, only this day I was taking the roadster out to Aurora Airport in Spring Grove, IL to get photos with an F8 Bearcat. That trip and the aftermath were a highlight of my summer. (Needless to say, given the pandemic, it didn’t take that much to be a highlight…)

Here’s a link to that thread: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...p-in-the-rain!

Here are two photos, not included in that thread that are pretty cool:



This is a Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp making 2300 HP. I remember seeing a modified pickup with a radial engine that was displayed at SEMA a couple of years ago. That was pretty wild…


This little tug is how John and Doug move aircraft in and out of the hangar. While less than half the footprint of the roadster, it weighs in at 3800 lbs!

[Al_C]

The fall brought a couple of new items to deal with. Well, one of them had been around since the beginning. I have the Quicktime bellhousing and it hung down at least an inch and a half below the oil pan. My frame is 4” off the ground. That meant that I had about 2.5 inches of clearance under the center of the car. I avoided speed bumps like the plague and learned to be extra vigilant of the road surface in front of me. That needed to get addressed.

But first, we had to deal with the exhaust. You can read about that fun time here: https://thefactoryfiveforum.com/show...rackle-and-Pop


Lesson learned: check your exhaust pipes regularly.

I got a call from my friend Greg in October. He had just acquired a four-post lift and wanted it to get used. He said “bring the Cobra on over and we can put it on the lift!”. I thought that was a pretty good idea because I knew I needed a lift to deal with my bell housing. Well, I didn’t NEED a lift, but it would certainly be easier. Greg’s driveway is a slight rise into the garage. The lift has ramps that extend about 18-24 inches out, and the platform is effectively 5 inches above the concrete floor. Between the driveway angle, the ramps and the 5 inches I needed to get up, it didn’t work. I hit the side pipes on the ramps and the bell housing on the platform.

The solution was a couple of 2 x 6 boards 8 feet long. We put them up against the platform, lowered the ramps down on top of them and gave it a whirl. It worked just fine until I had to give it a little gas to get over the hump, so to speak. The rear wheels shot the ramps out about 25 feet like a couple of rockets. Well, I guess the limited-slip works…

We ended up getting the car onto the ramps and then pushing it the rest of the way. More effort, yes, but it succeeded. Once we had the car in the air, it was a simple matter of grinding away! That bellhousing is pretty thick and it took quite a while to get through it. While I’m thankful that the angle grinder has a disk shield in place, that limited how high I could cut the housing. Whatever. I wore goggles, hat, long sleeves, gloves. Next time I try something crazy like this, I will use a face mask. That way I won’t burn my beard. I ended up pulling a gator up over my nose, and that did keep the sparks off my face. A full face shield would still have been better.









The last thing I want to get done this year is a 4-wheel alignment. After another failed attempt at a shop that had been recommended to me, I thought I was going to have to learn how to do this myself. You may have experienced this yourself: I get to the shop, the office guy says no problem we can do it, then the technician can’t find the car in his computer.

“I told you that you wouldn’t find it there. You have to use the specs I gave you.”

“I can’t do it if it isn’t in the computer. Maybe we can look it up by VIN.” That was the last straw. I politely suggested we call it a day, but he wanted to keep looking. Go ahead, I thought, you’re only wasting your time.

So while I’m thinking about what I need to have set up to do it myself, I happen to have a conversation with Jeff Kleiner. I told him my tale of woe and he mentioned there might be a shop that could do it about an hour or so away from me. That afternoon, I get a call from NUHALE (Bryan). He, too, had been talking with Jeff and knew about the shop. Problem solved.

While I was talking with Bryan, he mentioned that his axle nuts on the IRS had loosened and he recommended I check mine, too. We both have the “old style” IRS. Sure enough, while the PS was OK, the drivers side was really loose. The easy way to test it, Bryan said, was to jack the car up and see if the wheel wobbled. I can attest that the test works.

Lesson learned: check your IRS. Even if you did torque it to specs (as I had).

Since the middle of October, each time I’ve taken the car out I’ve been saying it might be my last trip of the season. Nevertheless, here we are in early December, and I’m still taking her out! Thankfully, we have had no snow or salt on the roads. Those two items are deal killers. We got out briefly last weekend, and I fully expect that is my last trip of the calendar year. But who knows?

Winter projects:
1. Paint the aluminum in the wheel wells black. (another Pete suggestion)
2. Floor mats
3. Hydraulic cylinders for the trunk lid.
4. Alignment.
5. Replace the PS pump belt with the shorter one sitting on top of my workbench.

[nuhale]

I've had continuous issue with my axle nuts loosening... maybe I need to stop the burn outs!

I just replaced the nuts with the solid ones that have a nylon locking ring in them and torqued them down around 250-300lbs. Hoping this tackles this or else next plan is to double nut them.

[GTBradley]

I have the exact same issue with a bigger gap on the right side rear fender. My painter is going to look at it soon to see what we can do about it. I’ll let you know what we find out but I can tell you that alignment is not the issue for me.

Also, have you measured from the ground to the fender lip on both sides and are they the same?

[nuhale]

Al, I just looked at mine and it's pretty darn close side to side. I know you've probably looked at the obvious but make sure your ride height didn't settle and still even both sides. I made a little jig with some 2x4 that is 4" and 4.5" (front & rear) and I check here and there for settling.

It can also be the track width as well as camber. When you get over to the guys at Don Hansen's alignment have them take a look at the track width. They do it anyway with thrush angle. I did mine just a bit wider for a nicer fit with the 17" rims I have. Cant recall the exact width but remember 59.5" from tire mount surface. All of that should get it much closer to even.

[Al_C]

I have the exact same issue with a bigger gap on the right side rear fender. My painter is going to look at it soon to see what we can do about it. I’ll let you know what we find out but I can tell you that alignment is not the issue for me.

Also, have you measured from the ground to the fender lip on both sides and are they the same?

My frame measures 4" on both sides, front and back. If you look at the car from the rear, it looks like it is listing to port. Jeff Kleiner is the one who suggested camber. He also said that the bodies don't always sit evenly or something to that effect.

[Al_C]

Al, I just looked at mine and it's pretty darn close side to side. I know you've probably looked at the obvious but make sure your ride height didn't settle and still even both sides. I made a little jig with some 2x4 that is 4" and 4.5" (front & rear) and I check here and there for settling.

It can also be the track width as well as camber. When you get over to the guys at Don Hansen's alignment have them take a look at the track width. They do it anyway with thrush angle. I did mine just a bit wider for a nicer fit with the 17" rims I have. Cant recall the exact width but remember 59.5" from tire mount surface. All of that should get it much closer to even.

I'm looking forward to getting to their shop. That will answer a lot of questions for me. I just don't know if that will happen before spring Although, it's pretty nice outside today (and tomorrow, too, I believe) and I plan on getting out with it if I can.

[nuhale]

Just for clarity in Chicago we consider 50F "nice"...

Looking at your June cruise pic again I notice that there is a lack of BLUE in the lineup. too much Red IMO besides Craigs black and Dave's silver... Next spring we will have some contrast!!!!

[Alan_C]

I just saw your thread, congrats on the successful build, beautiful car. The body color you chose is almost the same as what I used a Honda color called Dark Cherry Pearl. I love the dark reds and dark colors really seem to look good on the Cobra body. Now that the car is done, enjoy.

Turns out I last showed my car at the 2015 Cruise in. I remember well as we got our first shower on the way home from the show.

[Al_C]

I used a Honda color called Dark Cherry Pearl. I love the dark reds and dark colors really seem to look good on the Cobra body.

Photo?

[Jryasko]

Totally agree on the too much red in the photos. You and I have not met or spoke yet but hopefully next season we will meet up. I have had the pleasure of meeting Al. 9735 will change up the color scheme for sure and I know there is another Kleiner Blue model from down south here.

[Ed Mc]

I will be representing blue next spring. Got my car back from Jeff Kleiner early November, Spectre Blue with pearl white stripes, but it has gone into hibernation as I don’t have a heater and 50 is a bit chilly

[Alan_C]

P1030176.jpg

I went with a Toyota dark grey for the stripes. Jeff Miller called the contrast a phantom stripe, not in your face like the bright whites and silvers.

Many similarities to what you did in your build, just a few years earlier and essentially pre-Coyote. I installed a 2004 4.6L DOHC engine from a Mach 1. I sold the car in 2018 to fund my 70 Mach 1 restomod which is Coyote powered.

[Al_C]

I will be representing blue next spring. Got my car back from Jeff Kleiner early November, Spectre Blue with pearl white stripes, but it has gone into hibernation as I don’t have a heater and 50 is a bit chilly

It's going to be 54 today! Your lower body will be plenty warm, just wear a hat and gloves. Maybe we can meet someplace mutually inconvenient half way!

[Al_C]

P1030176.jpg

I went with a Toyota dark grey for the stripes. Jeff Miller called the contrast a phantom stripe, not in your face like the bright whites and silvers.

Many similarities to what you did in your build, just a few years earlier and essentially pre-Coyote. I installed a 2004 4.6L DOHC engine from a Mach 1. I sold the car in 2018 to fund my 70 Mach 1 restomod which is Coyote powered.

That combination looks great. Someone got themselves a great looking car!

[Ed Mc]

Al

I would love to meet but have babysitting duties with the grandkids. Let’s hope for an early spring!

Ed

[Al_C]

Al

I would love to meet but have babysitting duties with the grandkids. Let’s hope for an early spring!

Ed

Yup, no contest. See you in the spring!