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06-08-2019, 04:28 PM
#201
Senior Member
Wirings Continues
Life has really been beating me down recently and I haven't had much time to dedicate to the build. Things have been moving slow around here, but I've made a little bit of progress and inching closer to First Start.
I've managed to get the dash wired up (hopefully correctly).
I do have a few questions for the forum.
1st) Do these headers appear to be installed correctly?
There is a Fel-Pro gasket between the header and block. No sealant was used.
Next, I might just be having a brain fart, but I'm not seeing where these wires are supposed to connect. They are: Front Lights (Left and Right), Rear Light (Left and Right) and I think the Horn. I can't tell where these are supposed to go? I thought the wires for the front and rear lights were already laid out in the front and rear harness, so I'm a bit confused about what to do with these.
.
Last, I got a battery today. I went with the Optima Red Top. It kinda fits with the red and black color scheme, which is really the only reason I chose it over the yellow. I'm utterly clueless about batteries, etc, so I just went with what looked good.
I'm not sure about the final location of the battery yet, but it's way heavier than I imagined, so I'm leaning towards the rear of the car.
Last, this is a picture of my dash. It's not completely done, but I think it'll shape up to look pretty good once it's installed.
Other than that, I tried to get my driveshaft to slip into the transmission and I failed miserably. I cannot get that thing to slide in. Any tips?
Any help is always appreciated.
Patrick
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06-08-2019, 04:45 PM
#202
David aka Ducky2009
Headers look good. Verify the bolt size = what torque.
Wires are the connect points to the dash switches. NOTE: RT turn signals has their own instructions.
Did you remove the inner plug from the trans? The TKO instructions defines how. Don't damage the tail shaft seal while removing the inner plug. Hope this helps.
Edited: As you review the Chassis Wiring Harness instructions book, take note... the Hazard Switch (emergency flashers) are not listed in the instructions (at least in mine, dated Feb 2017). Look at page 29, Dash Harness wiring diagram. It calls for a DPST (double post, single throw) switch, supplied with the kit. The other switches (head lights, horn, wipers, etc) are covered in the back of the book. Additional items to consider: Heater or seat heaters
Wiring diagram for Hazard switch.
http://www.factoryfiveparts.com/cont...ng-diagram.pdf
All online instruction links can be found of the FFR home page, parts, instructions.
Last edited by Ducky2009; 06-09-2019 at 11:32 AM.
MK4 Build #9035 Delivered 2/17/17, First Start & Go-Kart 6/2/17, Licensed 9/1/17
Paint - Lightning Blue Metallic, No Hood Scoop, No Stripes
Gen 2 Coyote Engine & TKO-600. Solid Axle, 8.8-3.55, Power Steering, Power Brakes, Dual Roll Bars
Heater and Glove Box, Drop Trunk, Wipers, Radio, FFR Vintage Gauges, Custom Dash
Build Thread:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/showt...MK4-Build-9035
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06-09-2019, 04:17 PM
#203
Senior Member
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06-09-2019, 05:45 PM
#204
Senior Member
Ducky,
Thank you for the info, I appreciate this very much. Although, looking at that diagram gives me a little bit of the deer-in-the-headlight feeling. Hopefully, it'll start to make sense when I get to that part of the wiring.
Pat
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06-09-2019, 07:36 PM
#205
Radiator orientation is good. Top inlet is on the passenger side and bottom is on the drivers side. With the Breeze upper mount, per the instructions, you only need to remove those 3/4” bars if you need the additional clearance at the bottom. I tried both ways with the Breeze bottom radiator support and ended up cutting them off.
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06-11-2019, 08:35 AM
#206
Senior Member
First Start....Fail
So I tried to start my engine for the first time last night and I failed miserably.
Basically, when I turned the key, nothing happened. Nothing. The fuel pump didn't make any noise, the dash gauges didn't light up or move, the little computer that controls the EFI didn't turn on. Nada. It was like nothing had any power.
So, I looked over the RF schematic a little closer and found some issues that I was hoping the forum could provide some clarity.
This first picture is of the schematic, zoomed in on the solenoid. The schematic shows there to be 5 wires attached directly to the solenoid. I cannot locate 3 of these wires. Currently, the only wire I have attached to my solenoid is the red (+) battery cable. I cannot find the other 3.
Does anyone know where the wires called Red-Battery Feed and Red-IGN SW->SOL are found? Because I can't find them anywhere and it appears they are supposed to be connected directly to the (+) terminal of the solenoid.
Also, I cannot locate the light blue wire called LT BLU-NS SW-->Starter SOL.
I'm assuming the wire called Red-Alternator FD is this wire:
Any help is appreciated,
Pat
Last edited by Pat427; 06-11-2019 at 08:40 AM.
MK4-IRS, 427w, TKO-600
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06-11-2019, 09:30 AM
#207
Senior Member
You're not going to get very far without those wires accounted for. Easy one first, yes that's the alternator wire. The other wires you're not finding are one of the main branches coming out of the main harness. The three red wires (alternator, battery, ign switch) are large gauge. The blue starter solenoid is a smaller one. First order of business is to find them. They're bundled together and should be marked like the others with individual wire marking plus a paper tag that says (I think) starter solenoid or something similar.
Now for the maybe confusing part. It's not necessary to drag those wires all the way down to the physical starter motor solenoid. Some do, but you may find they're not long enough plus it's a little messy. I suspect the term "starter solenoid" is a leftover from the days when there was a firewall solenoid. Those were common on Ford (and other) vehicles before the now common Permanent Magnet Gear Reduction (PMGR) starters with an integral solenoid. You can still use a firewall solenoid if you want, but it's not needed and basically is just a gathering point for the wires. I haven't had a firewall solenoid in any of my builds. Personally, I use a master disconnect to gather the wires at the firewall. But many also just use a binding post.
Here's what I recommend you end up with: Large battery cable from +12 terminal on the battery to the firewall area. If using a binding post, attach (1) Cable from battery, (2) Large cable back to the big terminal on the starter, (3) Those three wires from the RF harness (alternator, battery, ign switch). That connection will power your starter and also the RF harness. If you use a master disconnect, cable from battery on one side, all the other wires on the other side.
The blue starter solenoid wire does need to physically go to the starter and is attached to the small terminal on the starter solenoid. This wire has +12V when you turn the ignition key to start and closes the solenoid to spin the starter. Note this wire goes through a clutch safety switch, which is designed to be closed when you push the clutch down, completing the circuit. If you don't have that (or make some other arrangements for the safety function) the +12V won't make it to the starter and you'll have another no start.
I'm assuming you have the ignition switch wired per the RF instructions. Hope that helps and good luck.
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.
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06-11-2019, 01:46 PM
#208
Senior Member
So I was able to locate the missing bundle of wires. They had fallen under my transmission, but I ended up finding them. In this bundle were three red wires and one light blue wire.
Two of the red wires were labeled and the third one was not. The two that were labeled were: Red Battery Feed and Red IGN SW-> SOL. I'm not sure what the third red wire is because it was not labeled. I'm assuming its the Red-Alternator-FD?
The light blue wire was the missing LT BLUE NS-SW-->Starter SOL
I went ahead and connected all of them to the solenoid. The red wires were a tight fit, as previously discussed.
I then tried to start the engine. The engine turned over, but it did not start.
The concern was I didn't hear the fuel pump whenever I turned the key to the ON position.
I was concerned that the fuel pump wasn't getting power, so I disconnected the plug from the fuel pump and then used a multimeter to test the fuel pump wire, which read a little over 12v.
I then took some extra unused wire I had laying around and connected the fuel pump directly to the battery (and a ground wire to the frame). As soon as I touched the wire to the battery...bam..the fuel pump started humming. (Granted, there was a leak of fuel from where the sender hose attaches ) so I only held that connection to the battery for a second or two, but I was encouraged that the pump worked.
But now I'm stumped. According to Papa, I must have a grounding problem somewhere? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Patrick
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06-11-2019, 07:36 PM
#209
Patrick,
When you moved the inertia switch to the fuel pump control side of the circuit, did you connect the two wires together that used to come in and out of the inertia switch? That should only affect the RF fuel pump relay that you aren't using now, but just wanted to check that box.
Next question is are you certain you connected the Sniper fuel pump control wire to the correct tan wire in the harness? Pull the RF fuel pump relay and see if you still have power at the fuel pump when you turn the key on. If no, you may have tapped into the wrong wire. If yes, you should have power at the pump for about 10 seconds and then it should drop to 0 or nearly 0 volts. That would tell me the Sniper is providing the power as it should.
Dave
Last edited by Papa; 06-11-2019 at 07:44 PM.
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06-14-2019, 10:17 AM
#210
Senior Member
First Start
I was able to start my engine this morning!
I think the issue was the red plastic plug that connected the wires to the top of the fuel pump sending unit was not tight enough. I ended up resting a 3lb sledge hammer on top of the plug to ensure a solid connection and I tried turning the key to the ON position. Bam.. the fuel pump clicked on, which it had not done previously, and a few seconds later I cranked the key and the engine came roaring to life!
I'll be honest with you, I wasn't fully prepared for it to actually fire up, so when it did, it scared the living crap out of me. I may have suffered a small cardiac event, but I think I'm gonna be okay.
I didn't run it for very long, maybe 15-20 seconds and then shut it off.
I noticed a small leak from where the Holley Sniper fuel line attached to the engine, so I tightened that up.
Next step, getting the clutch and fuel cable connected and finish up the radiator. Plus I still have to get the driveshaft into the transmission. Still struggling with that...
Last edited by Pat427; 06-14-2019 at 02:29 PM.
MK4-IRS, 427w, TKO-600
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06-14-2019, 01:25 PM
#211
I snapped the locking tab off three of those plugs during my build. If the tab is in tact, just be sure that the plug fully seats and the tab locks it in place. I'd also put a bit of dielectric grease on the contacts.
Last edited by Papa; 06-14-2019 at 02:48 PM.
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06-15-2019, 10:12 AM
#212
Senior Member
Power Steering
My excitement from starting my engine has faded in the face of hooking up my power steering lines. I'm a bit confused and once again, I'm turning to the forum for help.
These are the lines that came with the kit.
I'm pretty sure the longer one (on the bottom of the picture, the one with metal fittings on both ends) is the supply line. However, my pump doesn't have a threaded fitting for this hose to screw into. I'm assuming the red arrow is pointing to the location in which the pressure line is supposed to attach, but it is not a threaded hole, instead it is a flared ending.
Am I supposed to cut one of the metal ends off the hose and just push it on to this fitting?
On the other hand, there is a threaded fitting on the back of the pump. Is this where the return line is supposed to attach or am I missing something here?
Last edited by Pat427; 06-15-2019 at 12:04 PM.
MK4-IRS, 427w, TKO-600
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06-15-2019, 11:16 AM
#213
Steve >> aka: GoDadGo
The side with the hose barb I believe is the low pressure (Return) side.
Also, if that is a Saginaw (GM) style pump, then I'm pretty sure it will need to be either regulated down or at least restricted to work with the Mustang style rack.
https://www.jegs.com/i/JEGS/555/60791/10002/-1
Last edited by GoDadGo; 06-15-2019 at 11:19 AM.
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06-15-2019, 03:28 PM
#214
Senior Member
Power Steering Hoses
I'm having a heck of time with my power steering hoses.
First, the Pressure Line is not long enough to reach its attachment point on the back of the pump. I don't have a picture of that.
Secondly, I cannot get the return line fitting to seat where it's supposed to on the rack. There is interference between the metal neck of the hose and the X member of the frame. You can see this better in the second picture. There is contact where the red arrow is pointing.
Any ideas? I'm open to any suggestions, but based on what I'm seeing, I see an aftermarket purchase in my future of hoses in which there is not such a prominent metal neck.
Thanks,
Patrick
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06-15-2019, 03:47 PM
#215
Pat,
Save yourself the hassle and get a set of lines from Breeze. Tell Mark what you have and he'll get you set up with what you need. Also ask about a pressure regulator. You'll blow your rack seals out if that pump is putting out 1200 PSI to the Mustang rack expecting 700 PSI.
Dave
Last edited by Papa; 06-15-2019 at 03:51 PM.
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06-15-2019, 04:03 PM
#216
Senior Member
Originally Posted by
Papa
Pat,
Save yourself the hassle and get a set of lines from Breeze. Tell Mark what you have and he'll get you set up with what you need. Also ask about a pressure regulator. You'll blow your rack seals out if that pump is putting out 1200 PSI to the Mustang rack expecting 700 PSI.
Dave
Dave,
Thanks for the recommendation. After wasting most of the day messing with these hoses, I think I'm going to take your advice and call Mark. I think I'll spend the rest if the day trying to get my driveshaft into the transmission.
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06-16-2019, 07:30 PM
#217
Senior Member
Driveshaft debacle
So I've been struggling with getting my driveshaft to slide into the transmission. I heard it was a little tricky, but I fought with this thing for nearly two days and I could not get it to slide in. After almost going insane, I think I discovered the issue. I think when I was trimming the metal flange off of the bottom of the transmission, I don't think I trimmed enough. Because of this, the transmission was resting on the 4in crossmember, which was causing the end of the transmission to point upwards just a little bit. However, because it was pointed up, I could not get the driveshaft to get level and therefore it wouldn't go in.
The solution...I took my engine and transmission out. (Palm-to-forehead)
I got the engine out and inserted the driveshaft into the transmission, which went in easily.
I then dropped the engine in again with the driveshaft still in the transmission. Luckily for me, my neighbor, who is a huge gearhead, just happened to walk by the garage and helped me get the engine back in.
We were able to get it back in with very little trouble.
BadAsp427 stopped by for a bit on his way home from what sounded like a looong roadtrip, but couldn't stay very long.
That's all I had in me today. I feel pretty wiped out at the moment. Now just for fun, I get to go to work for a nice little 8pm-8am shift.
Tomorrow, I'm going to re-do everything I had to take apart today. Hopefully things go together a little easier the second time around.
Happy Fathers Day to all you dads out there.
Pat
Last edited by Pat427; 06-16-2019 at 07:32 PM.
MK4-IRS, 427w, TKO-600
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06-17-2019, 07:32 PM
#218
Originally Posted by
MechanicalKnowledgeNone
Driveshaft debacle
So I've been struggling with getting my driveshaft to slide into the transmission. I heard it was a little tricky, but I fought with this thing for nearly two days and I could not get it to slide in. After almost going insane, I think I discovered the issue. I think when I was trimming the metal flange off of the bottom of the transmission, I don't think I trimmed enough. Because of this, the transmission was resting on the 4in crossmember, which was causing the end of the transmission to point upwards just a little bit. However, because it was pointed up, I could not get the driveshaft to get level and therefore it wouldn't go in.
The solution...I took my engine and transmission out. (Palm-to-forehead)
I got the engine out and inserted the driveshaft into the transmission, which went in easily.
I then dropped the engine in again with the driveshaft still in the transmission. Luckily for me, my neighbor, who is a huge gearhead, just happened to walk by the garage and helped me get the engine back in.
We were able to get it back in with very little trouble.
BadAsp427 stopped by for a bit on his way home from what sounded like a looong roadtrip, but couldn't stay very long.
That's all I had in me today. I feel pretty wiped out at the moment. Now just for fun, I get to go to work for a nice little 8pm-8am shift.
Tomorrow, I'm going to re-do everything I had to take apart today. Hopefully things go together a little easier the second time around.
Happy Fathers Day to all you dads out there.
Pat
Man, having to take the engine back out is never fun... but good job that you figured it out!
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06-17-2019, 07:53 PM
#219
Senior Member
Driveshaft Bolts?
Can anyone tell me if either one of these are the bolts that attach the driveshaft to the adapter plate?
The picture in the manual looks different.
Thanks,
Patrick
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06-17-2019, 08:01 PM
#220
Originally Posted by
MechanicalKnowledgeNone
Driveshaft Bolts?
Can anyone tell me if either one of these are the bolts that attach the driveshaft to the adapter plate?
The picture in the manual looks different.
Thanks,
Patrick
Check out my build thread. Post #177
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06-17-2019, 08:17 PM
#221
Senior Member
Originally Posted by
cv2065
Check out my build thread. Post #177
Thanks CV!
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06-19-2019, 09:39 AM
#222
Senior Member
Clutch and Steering Rack Questions
Ok, so I've had a rough couple days in the garage, but hopefully I'm getting back on track. I won't bore the forum with details, but life is really beating me down at the moment and I could use some good news, so I'm hoping someone can provide me with some glimmer of hope as I'm fearful I've hit a couple big walls with my build.
First issue has to do with the clutch.
I installed my clutch cable today. I currently have the standard clutch cable that came with the complete MKIV kit. I feel like the cable is installed correctly. When I push on the clutch pedal, everything feels like it should (pics below) The clutch fork moves how I believe it should, however, when I try to move the gear shifter through the gears, it will not move. It'll move side to side like it does when a transmission is in neutral, but it won't go into the gear positions. In this normal, or is there some issue with the transmission/clutch?
This is a picture without the clutch pedal depressed:
This is a picture with the clutch is depressed. I know its hard to tell, but the fork moved about 1.5-2 inches. You can sorta tell how much it moved by looking at the bend in the string next to the fork.
Next has to do with my steering rack.
I had my car off the ground a few days ago and was trying to move the wheels left and right with the steering wheel, however, they would only turn maybe 5-10 degrees before locking up. I looked closely at the suspension and the wheels were not hitting anything. The steering shaft was also not hitting anything when it turned, but those wheels wouldn't turn left or right very much at all. Is this normal, because it seems like they should be free to fully move left and right when off the ground.
I'm hoping the forum comes through with good news.
Thanks,
Patrick
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06-19-2019, 09:56 AM
#223
Senior Member
I originally installed my cable the same way you did with the tapered nut on the back side of the throw out arm. I then deduced that it should go on the front side and the regular nut on the back side. Reason being, in my mind anyway, was that the taper of the nut fits into the concave of throw out arm. This allows it to rotate just a tiny bit too. This also gave it more threads on the bolt to work with, as it had been all the way to the end like the one in your picture. I would suggest swapping those two nuts (not a very difficult job) and you'll get more travel and that's what you need as the clutch is not disengaging. I hope someone else can verify this for me as I didn't get it from an official source.
Last edited by GTBradley; 06-19-2019 at 10:06 AM.
Bradley
Build thread - Mk4, Coyote, IRS, Wilwood brakes, old-style soft top and accessories.
The distance between "finished" and finished is literally infinite.
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06-19-2019, 10:05 AM
#224
Senior Member
Also, you might think about what size pivot stud you used. I had two in my eng/trans kit and had to call Forte's to find out which one to use. I ended up using the shorter one, but you may have needed a longer one for more travel.
pivot stud.JPG
Bradley
Build thread - Mk4, Coyote, IRS, Wilwood brakes, old-style soft top and accessories.
The distance between "finished" and finished is literally infinite.
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06-19-2019, 12:39 PM
#225
Senior Member
Originally Posted by
GTBradley
Also, you might think about what size pivot stud you used. I had two in my eng/trans kit and had to call Forte's to find out which one to use. I ended up using the shorter one, but you may have needed a longer one for more travel.
pivot stud.JPG
I reversed those nuts, but still no luck. The gear shifter will not go into gear.
I called Mike Forte who was nice enough to talk to me even though I had not bought anything from him. He suggested I take off the mid-shifter plate to ensure the pistons were aligned.
I did that and I've attached a picture. I have no idea what I'm looking at to know if it looks ok.
On another note, I can get the shifter to go into what I think is the Reverse gear. If I move the shifter handle all the way to the right and backwards it feels as though it slips into gear. It will do this with or without the clutch pedal pushed in.
My fear is there is something wrong inside the bell housing, which would mean taking the engine out again and troubleshooting. Not exactly easy for a solo builder with no knowledge. I'm starting to feel pretty pessimistic about my chances of successfully completing this build. I'm considering stopping the project and hiring a traveling builder named Mark Doughtery to come rescue me. I just feel like I'm in over my head at this point.
Anyone with any advice?
Thanks,
Pat
Last edited by Pat427; 06-19-2019 at 01:18 PM.
MK4-IRS, 427w, TKO-600
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06-19-2019, 01:20 PM
#226
So you ran your engine without the clutch cable and I assume in neutral when you started it?
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06-19-2019, 01:31 PM
#227
Senior Member
Yes, to the best of my knowledge it was in neutral when I started it. The gear shifter would wiggle left and right as it does when you have it in neutral when driving. And when I started the engine, I had the clutch pedal pressed in, but that was only so the clutch safety switch circuit would be complete. I didn't have the clutch cable installed when I started it up.
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06-19-2019, 01:35 PM
#228
Is the tranny filled with gear lube?
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06-19-2019, 02:02 PM
#229
I know my TKO-600 definitely needed to be filled to get it to cycle through the gears. Before actually starting the car and testing forward and reverse output to the wheels.
You may just need to get the rear tires off the ground and rotate them as someone tries to get the trans to go into gear.
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06-19-2019, 02:41 PM
#230
Senior Member
Originally Posted by
MechanicalKnowledgeNone
My fear is there is something wrong inside the bell housing, which would mean taking the engine out again and troubleshooting. Not exactly easy for a solo builder with no knowledge. I'm starting to feel pretty pessimistic about my chances of successfully completing this build. I'm considering stopping the project and hiring a traveling builder named Mark Doughtery to come rescue me. I just feel like I'm in over my head at this point.
Anyone with any advice?
Thanks,
Pat
You're at a difficult stage and things do get better after you get through it. And don't forget what you've accomplished already...
Bradley
Build thread - Mk4, Coyote, IRS, Wilwood brakes, old-style soft top and accessories.
The distance between "finished" and finished is literally infinite.
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06-19-2019, 02:48 PM
#231
Senior Member
Pat, is there resistance when you push the clutch pedal down? Mine is heavy and probably the heaviest clutch I've ever owned. I know you said the fork moves, but I'm wondering if it's moving far enough to disengage the clutch from the fly wheel. Does the pedal move to nearly the cross bar in the foot box or stop well before that and is there resistance the whole way?
Last edited by GTBradley; 06-19-2019 at 02:55 PM.
Bradley
Build thread - Mk4, Coyote, IRS, Wilwood brakes, old-style soft top and accessories.
The distance between "finished" and finished is literally infinite.
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06-19-2019, 03:12 PM
#232
Senior Member
Originally Posted by
GTBradley
Pat, is there resistance when you push the clutch pedal down? Mine is heavy and probably the heaviest clutch I've ever owned. I know you said the fork moves, but I'm wondering if it's moving far enough to disengage the clutch from the fly wheel. Does the pedal move to nearly the cross bar in the foot box or stop well before that and is there resistance the whole way?
There was definitely some heavy resistance when I push the clutch pedal. I'm not sure how far the pedal travels in relation to the cross bar because I'm now at work and don't know the answer off hand.
I'm just worried there is some issue with the clutch or fly wheel that causing this.
I'm guessing I need to maybe add more transmission fluid to really get things slippery and then lift the back wheels off the ground and see if that gets the gears working. Also, I guess I need to figure out a way to get the fork to travel further when I push the pedal. Any thoughts on how I can do that?
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06-19-2019, 04:27 PM
#233
Pat,
I do not think there is any problem with your clutch or flywheel. Many time you can shift the transmission even without disengaging the clutch. You had removed the shifter from the transmission. Are you 100% sure you reinstalled it correctly? Ie, did you ensure that the parts all lined back up as you put it back on and did you put it back on in the same configuration that it came off? I would just about bet that this is where your problem is.
And as for the clutch cable, the nut that has the conical shape head needs to be sitting into the bowl shape portion of your clutch fork arm and the 2nd nut is a locking nut that you will tighten up against it to hold it in place.
Dude, you were in over your head when you started, but not now... you have learned so much and completed so much, you got this.... one step at a time. Just do you best to be sure that what you do and complete is done correctly the first time. Check, double check and then check again.
Call me if you need....
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06-20-2019, 09:41 AM
#234
Senior Member
Clutch Issue Continues
I tried to troubleshoot my clutch issue today and my confidence is at an all-time low at this point.
I lifted the rear of the car and put the transmission into reverse (which is the only gear I can get it into at the moment). I tried to spin the rear wheels and they would not spin.
I then pressed the clutch pedal all the way in, and the rear wheels still would not spin. Therefore, I feel the issue is with my clutch not working properly.
I'm assuming the only way to correct this issue is going to be removing the engine again and taking the transmission out of the engine, taking the bell housing off and go from there.
Anyone with any thoughts?
And of course, to add insult to injury, I'm fairly certain my steering shaft is not working properly.
When I detach the lower steering shaft from the upper steering shaft (see pic). The lower steering shaft spins normally and the tires turn fully side-to-side. Additionally, the upper steering shaft also spins normally.
However, as soon as I attach the upper to lower steering shaft (see pic), the steering shaft will not turn more than a few millimeters.
I have no idea what's going on.
My only saving grace in this whole mess, is that BadAsp427 is planning on coming back to my garage this weekend, so hopefully he can once again save my a**.
Thanks,
Pat
Last edited by Pat427; 06-20-2019 at 12:39 PM.
MK4-IRS, 427w, TKO-600
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06-20-2019, 07:38 PM
#235
Don't give up! You're an inspiration to other 'mechanical knowledge nones' out here, like me, trying to make this happen! And you've come so far. You can do it!!
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06-20-2019, 08:18 PM
#236
Originally Posted by
MechanicalKnowledgeNone
Clutch Issue Continues
I tried to troubleshoot my clutch issue today and my confidence is at an all-time low at this point.
I lifted the rear of the car and put the transmission into reverse (which is the only gear I can get it into at the moment). I tried to spin the rear wheels and they would not spin.
I then pressed the clutch pedal all the way in, and the rear wheels still would not spin. Therefore, I feel the issue is with my clutch not working properly.
I'm assuming the only way to correct this issue is going to be removing the engine again and taking the transmission out of the engine, taking the bell housing off and go from there.
Anyone with any thoughts?
And of course, to add insult to injury, I'm fairly certain my steering shaft is not working properly.
When I detach the lower steering shaft from the upper steering shaft (see pic). The lower steering shaft spins normally and the tires turn fully side-to-side. Additionally, the upper steering shaft also spins normally.
However, as soon as I attach the upper to lower steering shaft (see pic), the steering shaft will not turn more than a few millimeters.
I have no idea what's going on.
My only saving grace in this whole mess, is that BadAsp427 is planning on coming back to my garage this weekend, so hopefully he can once again save my a**.
Thanks,
Pat
Pat,
Check to see if the upper shaft is hitting the frame where it mounts just behind the dash. You may need to add a couple of washers to raise the pillow block up and allow the shaft to move freely.
Dave
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06-20-2019, 10:13 PM
#237
Originally Posted by
Papa
Pat,
Check to see if the upper shaft is hitting the frame where it mounts just behind the dash. You may need to add a couple of washers to raise the pillow block up and allow the shaft to move freely.
Dave
+1. I found it odd that this was a part of FFR's new design. FFR's recommendation, as Dave says, is to add some washers. Not sure if you have the RT turn signal system. If you do, then once that is installed, RT takes care of the washer thing with his design, so nothing else is required.
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06-20-2019, 10:48 PM
#238
Senior Member
I think your problem is your steering shaft is into the U-joint too deep causing interference, see below your picture and I took one of mine installed. It should be flush with the edge.
Hang in there you’ve already done so much, if it were easy it wouldn’t be rewarding.
I’m currently on approximately set number 4 of bending brake lines so I feel your pain.
Last edited by MSumners; 06-20-2019 at 10:53 PM.
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06-21-2019, 08:09 AM
#239
I think MSummers nailed it. I didn't catch that when I looked at the pictures, but the shaft does appear to be too far into the joint. You may need the pull the upper shaft a bit more toward the driver to get it to fit, so loosen the attachment at the pillow block as you rework that joint.
Hang in there, Pat! You'll be fine. Keep asking questions, and you have my cell phone number. Call me any time. Did I tell you how this electrical engineer thought he fried his gauges at one point during his build? Most of us have never taken on a project of this magnitude, but stay the course and you'll get there. It's like the saying goes, "How do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time."
Dave
Last edited by Papa; 06-22-2019 at 05:03 PM.
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06-22-2019, 04:49 PM
#240
Senior Member
Back on Track!
So today was a good day in the garage!
Carl (BadAsp427) agreed to visit my build today and help me for a few hours. Before he showed up, I decided to go into the garage and tinker with my transmission. Well, wouldn't you know it...the gear shifter went into the gears without any fuss. I guess the Tremac Gods smiled on me! I'm really not sure what changed, but the transmission appears to be working just fine! I was very excited about this.
Once Carl showed up we tackled the steering shaft issue. Papa had mentioned this in a previous post, but it appears the upper steering shaft was hitting the frame right in front of the mounting bracket near the dash. We solved this by adding some washers underneath the mounting bracket. We also took the advice of the forum and pulled the lower steering shaft out of the U-joint a little bit. These two changes have now allowed the steering shaft to turn like normal. Another win.
Another issue that popped up, but I did not share on the forum had to do with the lower steering shaft being too close to the engine. The lower shaft was literally about a 1/2 millimeter from hitting the engine, and when the shaft turned, it would actually hit the mounting bracket of the power steering pump. It was also hitting one of the pulleys of the power steering pump. Carl was able to come up with a plan of moving the pump and pulley about a centimeter towards the passenger side. This was actually much easier than it sounded. Now, the lower steering shaft clears the pulley. I am going to have to grind off some of the bracket that holds the power steering pump in order for the shaft to clear, but that will be an easy fix.
You can see the shaft can now clear the pulley, but I still need to grind off a little of that pointy part of the bracket for the shaft to clear.
Next, we lifted the rear of the car to see if the clutch would disengage properly. It did. Another win.
Last, we corrected the spacing on the upper control arms that were not properly spaced. I also learned a little about the alignment of a car, which was cool.
Throughout the morning, Carl gave me some really good advice that I'll be listening to as I move forward with the rest of my build. I cannot begin to tell you how appreciative I am for all of his help. He's been a lifesaver. I am also very appreciative of all the help the forum has provided me up to this point. You guys are awesome.
Hopefully, I can start buttoning up some things that I left undone and continue this adventure. I'm feeling much better about things.
Thanks for everyone's help and encouragement.
Patrick
Last edited by Pat427; 06-22-2019 at 04:53 PM.
MK4-IRS, 427w, TKO-600
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