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All the freebies
Here I'll try to clear up some the performance freebies for the 5.0 EFI motor and Fox body cars
First of all, I'm no genius. Everything here has been heard or read elsewhere. The subframe drawings are modelled after those in William Mathis' 'Mustang Performance Handbook Vol 1 and 2'. At fifteen dollars each they are about manditory for the do it yourself guy. Like everything else, do this at your own risk and be safe. Play with the tune up settings to see what works best with your set up.
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Subframe Reinforcement How To Tips
SUBFRAME CONNECTORS
1. Set the car in the air level on the tires. I used a couple of old rims to get the car in the air.
2. Put the bars in place before you cut them. This will give you an idea how they go on.
3. To bend the bars just make a cut half way through the metal on the inside of the bend. Check the fit on the car and then weld the cuts closed.
4. Clean the undercoating off the car down to bare metal. Don't grind it off, the metal is thin.
5. Use a jack to press the subframe into the frame. If you want, fit a brace between the rear seat bolts now. Use some extra angle stock.
6. Weld completely around the joint wherever there is metal to metal contact.
7. Fit the cap plates and weld completely around the. They will reduce the chance of the initial weld stress cracking.
8. Clean up the welds and repaint/undercoat the are.
INNER ROCKER REINFORCEMENT
1. Remove the seats, kick panels, door seals and rool the carpet up on the console. Remove the sound deadener around the rocker
2. Place the rocker plates on the rocker and mark the rear cross frame notch and seatbelt hole.
3. Check the fit, then sand the paint down.
4. Skip weld the brace in, then go back and comepletely weld the first foot of each end.
5. Clean up the welds and paint the bare metal.
6. Put the interior back together
LOWER ROCKER PANEL SEAM REINFORCEMENT
1. Loosen the front inner fender plastic and get it out of the way.
2. Measure from the front wheel opening to the rear. Cut the 1" angle to that length
3. Loosen any hard lines and E brake cables that are next to the seam.
4. From the inside of the car, drill a series of 1/4" holes every 4" through the floor 1/2" from the rocker panel from the front of the car to the rear.
5. Drill several 3/8" holes through the rocker panel seam in the first and last 6" near the wheel openings.
6. Place a piece of 1" angle next to the rocker seam and C clamp it to the seam.
7. Once snug use a hammer to drive it up tight to the floor.
8. Puddle weld the floor to the 1" angle. Keep the floor as tight to the angle as possible, it'll be stronger.
9. Weld the rocker panel seam to the angle every for 1" every other inch.
10. Repeat 6-9 in 6" increments. Remember to keep it tight as you wled it together.
G-LOAD BRACE
1. Measure between the rear of the K frame where a brace can be installed without running into the exhaust or bellhousing.
2. Using a piece of scrap 1" x 2", mark the end cuts to fit it under the K member.
3. Drill two 3/8" holes in the lower lip of the K member where the brace will bolt to. Be carfull, it's a tight fit.
4. Transfer the holes onto the brace and drill them out.
5. Bolt the brace in using grade eight hardware.
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Painless Subframe Connectors and Inner Rocker Panel Reinforcement
The difference is incredible with these mods, TRUST ME HERE
The subfame connector is a easy starter project for the Fox body enthusiast. These connectors are just the same if not better than what you can buy out of the magazines. As you can see these are designed to be welded in. The trick to welding them is have a clean surface. Remove the undercoating until you see metal. If you can't weld, some exhasut shops will do it at time and material, or check speed shops. I don't recomend arc welding because the sheetmetal is thin and will burn through easily. I use a Lincoln Electric 115vac Mig welder and I absolutely love it. It'll weld from 20ga sheetmetal to 1/4" steel.
While you are fitting the subs, you can use a piece of scrap and tie the rear bolts of the front seats together and into the connector, just like the ones in the mags. A little ingenuity and you can copy the Kenny Brown extreme matrix subs.
The rocker panel reinforcement add structural integrety and anti twist into the floor just like the subframe connectors do. I also welded in soem 1" angle to the lower rocker panel seam from the front wheel opening to the rear. It gives me a strong poin to put the jack stands and add to the chassis stregnth.
The G-load brace is designed to hold the frame rails apart so they won't flex inward under hard cornering loads. It bolts to the rear of the K member.
So what is it all worth? Last night 02/18/00 I jacked up the rear of the car by the rear of the drivers side subfame connector. When I went to set the jackstand I noticed that the passenger side was JUST AS HIGH as the drivers. There was no body twist at all. On the road the car feel so tight and in control, not the normal floppy way the foxes act.
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Engine Freebies For The 5.0 EFI
1. Remove the air intake silencer. It's the conch shell looking thing lurking in the fenderwell area behind the air cleaner box. Remove the air cleaner and undo the four retainer bolts and it will fall out. You have to fish it out behind the bumper.
2. Bump the timing up to 14-16 degrees BTDC. Play with this until the car pulls hardest. My Ranchero wouldn't detonate but did slow down with too much advance.
3. Adjust the TPS sensor. Turn the idle screw until just before the throttle plates stick shut. Then check between the green signal wire and the black ground wire with a digital multimeter. I use a Fluke 77 and it'll read milivolts. You want the voltage to be .98VDC with the key on but engine off. Adjust it and lock the TPS down. Check it after it's tight, they change. You may have to file the screw slots a little. Now remove the battery negative cable to clear the computer memory. After 15 minute hook it back up and start the car. Let the computer adjust to the new idle setting for a few minutes and then take a run. Now the computer will go into wide open throttle mode qucker and you'll get more power earlier.
4. Sand the throttle body opening to allow for a smoother transition into the intake. I'm talking about the first inch of the throttle body. Try to get rid of the blunt entrance. Then file off the crimped screw heads. I used a Dremel and thinned the shaft down too. I had about four hours of a rainy Saturday in this and it really did make a difference.
5. Install a 160 degree thermostat on a speed density car and a 180 on a mass air car. This keeps the mixture a little richer on the naturally lean SD car as well as help cool the car quicker.
6. This is a tip, spray some silicone lube into the idle air bypass. It helps to keep it from binding up and giving the car idle problems. It sounds strange, but it works.
7. Synthetic lubricants. Engine oil, trans fluid and axle lubs. The synthetic stuff is worth the extra money.
Check back, I'm still scanning pictures.
If you have any other freebies or can think of anything else I can add, or something to help clear up the instructions, E mail me.
Thanks, Jamie
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This is how the stock throttle body should have come from the factory
Notice, no more flat bump for the air to hit. What you can't see are the short screws and thinner throttle shaft.
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If you can imagine it, this is how the subframes turned out.
My camera has taken a big crap on me. You can barely see the subframe connector in there. You will be able to notice the lower rocker panel support. A piece of 1" angle 48" long thats welded to the rocker panel and floor. Just drill 1/4" holes in the floor about every four inches and puddle weld the floor and subframe together.
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