Beautiful day forecast for Michigan today, so got up early and took off for one of my favorite Saturday AM Cars & Coffees. Lingenfelters in Wixom. Nice hour drive through lake country and then lots of cool cars and conversation. When I backed out of the garage, the engine hesitated for just a second. No big deal but literally has never done that before. Hmm. Seemed to be running OK, so took off. Couple miles from home, noticed things didn’t seem exactly right. Throttle was a little mushy and when I stopped at a stop sign it didn’t immediately idle back like it usually does. In hindsight, should have turned back for home right then. But of course I didn’t. Seemed to be running OK again, so kept going. Couple miles further at a stoplight it died. It has never done that before either. Welcome to a morning of firsts. Started up but clearly wasn’t running well. Turned into a church driveway. It died again and now I was done. It would start, but then very quickly stop again. Grrr. Called home and warned my wife she was probably going to have to rescue me. Based on the hour, she wasn’t too excited to hear from me.
My first thought was fuel pump. With all the debate during the build about pumps, fuel line sizes, some guys having pumps dying prematurely, that was my first thought. The pressure gauge on the regulator showed 55 psi when the key was on, so seemed OK though. Once my wife arrived and I could get help trying to start it and watching the gauge, I could see it stayed at 55 when it died. So even though that was my first thought, didn’t seem like the culprit. MIL was not illuminated.
After thinking through the various other things that could be wrong, decided really no choice but to have it towed back home where I could troubleshoot it. Was only 5-6 miles away at that point. I have roadside assistance on the insurance, so called the number, answered all their questions, and was promised a flat bed within 90 minutes. First time in my life with any vehicle that I've had to call for a tow. 30 minutes later a standard tow truck shows up. The guy says “I can do it” but I said no you can't. Waited about another hour for the flat bed. Guy was super careful and got it up on the truck and back home without incident.
Once back in the garage, the driver wanted to talk cars a bit and also look at the Coupe under construction. I opened the hood on the Roadster to show him the Coyote (even though I wasn’t too happy with it at the moment) and guess what I saw:
Good grief. The air cleaner and MAF tube assembly was disconnected from the intake. Can’t believe I didn’t see that before. Temporarily pushed it back into place and of course it started right up and ran fine. That would have been an easy roadside repair. But a little late now. Spent another hour or so making a more permanent fix. At least I hope so. Used some 120 grit paper and roughed up both ends of the MAF tube so where it fits into the silicone sleeves there’s something more for it to bite on. The polished aluminum is pretty but also slippery. I made sure all the clamps were good and tight. The shield on the air cleaner adds a little weight, and no doubt may have contributed to the problem. But it's aluminum and not very heavy. The setup should be able to handle it. Also put little red dots at the base of all the connections with my trusty red paint marker. I’ll keep an eye on those witness marks to make sure the tubes stay where they’re supposed to be. If they start slipping again, I’ll think of something more to hold them. I put the scanner on the ODB2 port and confirmed there were no codes. Took a 10 mile or so test drive, and it ran perfectly, like it always has before.
Lessons learned? Add this area to the watch list. Check the clamps occasionally. Pretty sure they haven’t been touched since the car was done. When there’s a breakdown, don’t get so fixated on one thing like I was with the fuel pump that the obvious is missed. Add a winch to my SE trailer. I could have gotten back home myself pretty easily if I had a way to pull it into the trailer. Going to get right on that, and hope I don’t ever have to use it.
My laptop died last night. I guess I should have known today wasn’t going to go well either. Although I'm thankful it was an easy fix. Hopefully failures don’t come in threes.
Last edited by edwardb; 08-11-2018 at 04:47 PM.
Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.
Glad it wasn't anything more serious or costly Paul! At least you were close to home and got a free tow. Although not being able to hit the road when the weather is just right with a strong desire to drive certainly comes with a mental price tag...
Glad you got it back home ok.
Thanks for posting this! Will be checking all my clamps soon! That is one area that has concerned me in the past!
Any lessons to pass on abut getting it on the flatbed?
I see the wood pieces to help with the angle. Did he just hook up to the tow hook to pull you on? Any issue with the cable wanting to rub the front of the body as you were pulled up?
Not a funny situation but I would have liked to see the look on your face when the regular tow truck driver told you he could do it! That must have been good. haha
Bad week for Cobra shame! I am walking around in pain after getting careless and experiencing my first snake bite on the hot pipe!
MK4 #8900 - complete kit - Coyote, TKO600, IRS - Delivered 6/28/16 First Start 10/6/16 Go cart - 10/16/16 Build completed - 4/26/17 - 302 days to build my 302 CI Coyote Cobra - Registered and street legal 5/17/17
Build Thread http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...e-build-thread
PHIL 4:13 INSTAGRAM - @scottsrides
Glad it is a simple fix Paul. I had the same thing happen to me when on a cruise. Clamps as tight as could be but still came off. I ended up making a bracket that I connected through the end of the filter to the f-panel.
Wow, seems to be a common shared experience. I had my intake come off on a cruise up in the mountains before. All things considered, not too bad a problem. The fix is free and easily accessible after all. Glad you got your car home safely and fixed up.
Similar experience - minus the flatbed. The K & N filter vibrated off once. The spring check out includes a twist on those gear clamps, and the ones on the rad hoses.
Great fix by 65 Cobra Dude. There is a fair amount of weight cantilevered off the front of the intake manifold/throttle body.
MkIV #7854, Kit picked up September 2012, Coyote/BOSS 302 intake tuned at 488HP, TKO600, Center Force, Moser 8.8, driveshaft safety hoop, Stainless Header 4x1x4 headers, Gas-N-sidepipes, rad shroud, Wilwoods, NO PS/PB, heater/defroster, heated seats, wipers, Herb door panels, Dynamat Extreme sound/heat dampening, premium Rodtop top, Fast Freddie lexan wind screen, Nitto 555R, drop trunk battery, drop trunk storage,
Great suggestions guys. Thanks. May look into some added support. Looks like this isn't an unusual failure with that intake setup, so other builders should keep an eye on it as well. These are the exact parts Factory Five has listed on their instructions BTW. With the exception of the Spectre Performance 8130 heat shield. I added that after several other forum members reported their tuners were seeing inconsistent MAF readings attributed to the radiator cooling fan, and the shield seemed to solve it. But doesn't help with the added weight on the end of the assembly.
As far as the tow truck driver, he didn't use the tow hooks on the front of the chassis. He used fabric tow straps to go under the car. But hooking them to the chassis hooks would have pushed up heavily on the front edge of the body. I didn't look, but he said he hooked onto the LCA's right next to the ball joint. Real slow and easy pull onto the flatbed, so don't see how anything could have been damaged. He used the wood pieces to keep the transition as shallow as possible so nothing dragged. All was OK. He told me his company makes him personally pay for any damage done to cars during a tow. So he said he was motivated. Plus he really liked the car.
Last edited by edwardb; 08-11-2018 at 04:43 PM.
Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.
Sometimes the simplest things are the most intriguing. Great little bracket Ducky2009. I particularly like the way you used the radius slots at the bends to make it easier to bend and to prevent the corners from bending up. Hats off to you.
MkIV #7854, Kit picked up September 2012, Coyote/BOSS 302 intake tuned at 488HP, TKO600, Center Force, Moser 8.8, driveshaft safety hoop, Stainless Header 4x1x4 headers, Gas-N-sidepipes, rad shroud, Wilwoods, NO PS/PB, heater/defroster, heated seats, wipers, Herb door panels, Dynamat Extreme sound/heat dampening, premium Rodtop top, Fast Freddie lexan wind screen, Nitto 555R, drop trunk battery, drop trunk storage,
A few years ago I build a 65 Mustang Fastback Restomod. I got the engine running, a 5.0 from 95 Cobra Mustang, and couldn't wait to take a lap around the block. Kinda of like a first go kart drive in the roadster. I live in rural area so the block is one mile around. Exactly half way around the car died and would not start. So I walked back the house to get a toe rope and call my son for some help. And what did I find sitting the garage. The 5 gallon gas jug I forgot to put in the tank. So that was my "Walk of Shame".
Purchased and un-assembled Mk3 in 2016. 5.0, Aluminum heads, Performer RPM Air gap, Quick Fuel 650 carb, BBK headers T5, 3.55 rear solid axle, Koni Shocks, PS with Hydra-boost. Also own two restored vintage Mustangs, two Model A fords, 1941 Chevy truck and several other hot rods.
I’ve had mine on a flatbed a couple of times (trip to the painter for one). The first guy showed up and said it wouldn’t go on his rig. Gave us the name of a competitor who just got a new truck that could handle the car. No blocks, no wood, easy on easy off.
I’ve had mine on a flatbed a couple of times (trip to the painter for one). The first guy showed up and said it wouldn’t go on his rig. Gave us the name of a competitor who just got a new truck that could handle the car. No blocks, no wood, easy on easy off.
I think the Roadster would have gone up on this truck without the blocks. Nothing ever got close to the ground. He was just being super careful, which I appreciated.
Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.
Another life ago I had a similar thing happen to me.
I used to do Hi-End CarFi (audio) back in the 80's. Had a '72 Maserati Ghibli in the shop for new tunes. Beautiful car, ran perfectly. Pulled it in and did the new audio system.
Got all done & cleaned up, hopped in to start it and while cranking it back-popped through the intake... ran a second or two and nothing. Crank,Crank,Crank,Crank,Crank... NOTHING.
Opened the hood and yikes.gif... the upper 1/2 of the intake manifold was laying sideways on the engine. The backfire blew the upper air plenum off the 8 little rubber connecting tubes.
Now that we are into war stories.....In 1980 I got ahold of a 67 Rancharo with a 390. A couple months in it would starve for gas and die....Had the carb rebuilt, NOPE, Put in an electric fuel pump (because the mech was so hard to get to)NOPE, first pump died so replaced it, second pump NOPE died so spent 6 hrs replacing the mech pump (I was 20 doing it on the ground with screwdriver pliers and hammer) NOPE !!! Finally , my older brother walks by, kicks my foot as i'm laying under car and says "ja check the fuel line" I yelled "YES I DID, DO YOU THINK I'M STUPID !!! Sooooo, as soon as he was gone I check the line front to back. When I got back to the tank there was a 2in piece of rubber hose connecting the hardline to the tank.....IT HAD A SPLIT IN IT ! (MOTHADUTRA$$"";;??..:"><>?,.<m)(8&^%$#@) Down to Pep Boys I go. Same parts guy had been with me the whole saga....he throws the piece of hose on the counter and says "no charge" THE HELL YOU SAY !!! I just spent 5 days and $950 Dollars trying to fix my car and you are charging me for that hose. Couldn't stand the thought , after all that mess, to fix my car for free.....valuable lesson at 20, diagnose, diagnose, diagnose...da Bat
Trailer winch has been on my mind too since I ran out of gas and my wife had to rescue me with some fuel. I've been having so much fun driving I thought I could make it a couple more miles...nope,
This is a first! An opportunity to help out the master. And then David (Ducky2009) beats me to it. Truth of the matter - it is his idea: a support bracket for the air filter. I'm fabricating one as well based on David's advice. Thanks for sharing the story!
Mk IV Roadster - #8650 - delivered 7-17-2015 - first start 7-28-2018 - first go-kart 10-13-2018 - licensed and on the road 9-9-19: body/paint completed 3-17-2020.
Complete kit / 2015 Coyote / TKO600 / IRS / Wilwood brakes / Mid-Shift mod / Power Steering / Heater and Seat Heaters / RT turn signal / Breeze radiator shroud and mount
As mentioned already, a lot of similar aftermarket intakes in cars have support brackets.
There are also devices that will roll a bead into the tube to prevent this problem.
And a decidedly low-key solution i was told about a long time ago is spraying the inside of the coupler with hair spray before installation. Supposedly it gives just enough stick to hold it in place but leaves it easy to remove when you need to.
Hair spray works in a pinch, better yet is to wipe the ID of the hose with a grease removal solvent so that you remove the surface oils that may be on it. To ensure the silicone couplers don't come loose you should have a bead rolled on the tube and use a spring loaded clamp in place of a standard worm screw clamp as they loosen over time especially on silicone. One last thing to think about is if you make a bracket to hold the air filter to the chassis you should use a hump coupler in place of a standard straight coupler to accommodate movement between the fixed air filter and the moving / vibrating motor. In the industry this is the norm for both pressurized and vacuum manifold systems to ensure things stay in place.
Mk4, Moser M88 rear end, Eaton truetrak, Craft Racing 461 Windsor, MMR pro trans, Glenn’s 1,000 hp cobra fuel system and lots of other parts.
Thanks for all the replies and shared experiences. I'm still shaking my head that I missed the obvious problem while on the side of the road. But looks like I'm not the only one that's done it. Would have been an easy fix to at least get back home. Will watch and feel pretty confident if it stops running again may look at the intake this time before calling for a tow truck.
Thanks also for the suggestions to prevent. An added brace is probably the best choice. But it's the peak of the driving season plus I'm pretty deep into the Coupe build. I do have a little concern about having a brace that's too rigid since the engine moves a little bit. But for now I've decided to take a quick and real low tech approach. I added a 2 x 2 inch square of pretty stiff closed cell 1/2 inch thick neoprene on the F-panel. It's self-adhesive, but didn't seem to want to stick all that well, so used some 3M Weatherstrip Adhesive. The end of the air cleaner sits firmly in the neoprene. Dampens the movement quite a bit, and should also help prevent from sliding apart. Have put a couple hundred miles on the car since this was installed and seems OK. But then it took several thousand for it to come apart with nothing.
Last edited by edwardb; 08-15-2018 at 08:44 PM.
Build 1: Mk3 Roadster #5125. Sold 11/08/2014. Build 2: Mk4 Roadster #7750. Sold 04/10/2017. Build Thread Build 3: Mk4 Roadster 20th Anniversary #8674. Sold 09/07/2020. Build Thread and Video. Build 4: Gen 3 Type 65 Coupe #59. Gen 3 Coyote. Legal 03/04/2020. Build Thread and Video Build 5: 35 Hot Rod Truck #138. LS3 and 4L65E auto. Rcvd 01/05/2021. Legal 04/20/2023. Build Thread. Sold 11/9/2023.
Now that we are into war stories.....In 1980 I got ahold of a 67 Rancharo with a 390. A couple months in it would starve for gas and die....Had the carb rebuilt, NOPE, Put in an electric fuel pump (because the mech was so hard to get to)NOPE, first pump died so replaced it, second pump NOPE died so spent 6 hrs replacing the mech pump (I was 20 doing it on the ground with screwdriver pliers and hammer) NOPE !!! Finally , my older brother walks by, kicks my foot as i'm laying under car and says "ja check the fuel line" I yelled "YES I DID, DO YOU THINK I'M STUPID !!! Sooooo, as soon as he was gone I check the line front to back. When I got back to the tank there was a 2in piece of rubber hose connecting the hardline to the tank.....IT HAD A SPLIT IN IT ! (MOTHADUTRA$$"";;??..:"><>?,.<m)(8&^%$#@) Down to Pep Boys I go. Same parts guy had been with me the whole saga....he throws the piece of hose on the counter and says "no charge" THE HELL YOU SAY !!! I just spent 5 days and $950 Dollars trying to fix my car and you are charging me for that hose. Couldn't stand the thought , after all that mess, to fix my car for free.....valuable lesson at 20, diagnose, diagnose, diagnose...da Bat
Reminds me of my first day working at the Jag shop, although that was 2002 at age 18.
Got handed an '85 XJ6 with a no start condition. Spent all day checking to see if the injectors were all firing, spark to all cylinders, etc. etc. etc. repeat repeat repeat.
At the end of the day I finally took a fuel sample - fuel tank was filled with water. Car had been sitting for years and that was a common problem when sitting due to the upward facing gas caps.
Also, don't worry too much about the "Ride of shame" - my truck has travelled more miles on a wrecker than under its own power the last two years. It is my "daily driver" lol