Selling Off Old Parts and Supplies

There are a number of parts for the Mustang that I have sitting around that I'm not using.  In order to make space, reclaim some money I've spent, and build funds for other work, I'm going to start selling off old parts.  I'll track what I sell here just to keep track of the value of it all.

Holley Street Avenger 670 - $460.00

Holley Street Avenger 570

Holley Throttle Solenoid 46-74

New Project & Thinking Ahead

The Mustang is a project that I've enjoyed for years.  My enjoyment of it has diminished over time as there are fewer items remaining on the car that I find rewarding to complete.  I've begun to create projects that are not as important as paint in a way to distract me with continued progress just not in the best direction.

I'm left with paint to consider it complete but can't do that myself and don't want to spend the $25k quoted locally for a top notch paint job.  The plan I'm going to move forward with is to address the remainder of the items with the car to make it an exceptional driver.  I'll then address the rust and see about getting paint work performed without completely taking it all apart to restore it fully.  

Instead of spending the money to paint it, I took the money I'd accumulated and purchased a 1993 Mustang.  That car has been attracting more of my time lately but I will ultimately return to get some more work done on the '67.

The 2027 Power Tour is likely to come back close enough to where I live to participate again.  I mentioned it to my son and he suggested he drive the '67 and I drive the '93 which would be pretty awesome.  However, there are a number of things I would want to accomplish on both cars for that to happen.  That said, I've a year to make all of those things happen which is certainly feasible.

What is on the to-do list:

• Front Brakes - Braking power is reduced and I suspect the rubber front lines.
• Parking Brake - The parking brake hasn't worked in years and he would need it.
• Radio Wiring - I placed the Alpine in the '93 for a bit and need to get this back right.
• Trunk Mat - I removed the amplifier and subwoofer and need a new trunk mat.
• Front Fuel Filter Mount - This is a residual project from the Sniper installation.
• Hood Alignment - A hood hinge needs to be adjusted so the hood closes properly.
• Clutch Reservoir - This needs a new mount and a replacement lid - hit by hinge.
• Headlight Wiring - Still remaining from the failure during Power Tour 2023
• New Tires - I expect I'll need new tires at least on the front as they are rather worn.
• Swap Thermostat Housing - Get AutoMeter gauge working again.
• Fix Leaks - I think I now have a leak at the power steering pump.
• Fan Wiring - Switch to Sniper controlled fans
• A/C Vent Tube - Swap to avoid condensation dripping into floorboard
• Battery Clamp - The positive side clamp is broken.
• Shock Tops & Strike Bar - This is clean up and touching up with paint.
• Fix Parking Brake - This never seems to want to work properly.
• EFI Wiring - Clean up the EFI wiring
• Driver Door Rust
• Rear Deck Lid Rust
• Repair Tail Light Panel
• Rear Quarter Panels
• Paint!

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 15 (Driving)

Today, I went on another drive in the Mustang since installing the Sniper system.  The Sniper system has met all of my expectations.  I anticipated some significant challenges as that is what I've always encountered with a carburetor.  It really does seem like you just drive it around and the tune constantly gets better.

Throttle response and power seem far better than before. Today, I left at full throttle from a stop and had nothing but wheel spin until 5,500 rpm.  I quickly shifted to second and had the same thing occur for the first time ever.  I shifted to third and I was off quick.  There are a few areas like 50mph in 4th and 60mph in 5th where I'm reaching 22% learned.  There are others like 3rd gear at around 35mph where it still states low single digits.

I've had it die when stopping on a few occasions.  When I push in the clutch, it doesn't know exactly what to think.  At times, it will immediately cause the AFR to go way lean (22:1) and the engine will die.  I'm still rolling to a stop and it will sometimes start back up.  Chat GPT, my new second hobby, suggested I change the Target Idle RPM from 850 to 900 or 950.  Additionally, it suggested changing the IAC Ramp Decay (from 4 to 5 seconds).  There is another setting I checked for IAC Hold Position which is set to 20% automatically when seems to be accurate.

ChatGPT thinks there is an issue with a setting called Decel Fuel Cut but that isn't anywhere in my settings.  That seems to indicate it was removed.  ChatGPT suggested testing a bit more and if that doesn't work perform a firmware update or adjust the tune on a laptop.

The only items I've changed so far is the Idle RPM to 930 and the IAC Ramp Decay to 5 seconds).  What I need to watch next is what happens to the idle when I push in the clutch.  I know it stops briefly before dropping completely when the engine stalls.  What is it dropping to briefly before the stall occurs?

Current mileage is at 8632 so I'm at about 100 miles since the Sniper was installed.  What is sad is after Power Tour, I did some basic maintenance and the mileage was 8401.  It was at 8535 when I installed the Sniper.  I've drove almost as much since the Sniper was installed as I did in the two years prior.  Damn carburetor problems.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 14 (Start-Up)

This morning, I performed the start-up process as defined in the Sniper manual.  The steps primarily consist of using the Wizard to define some variables, confirming your throttle position sensor is reading properly (0 to 102% in my case), and checking for leaks.  When that is complete, you cycle power and then are ready to start the engine.

This is the point where you always hesitate just a little and start to think over everything that you just checked to make sure you feel good before turning the key.  I turned the key and it took between two and three seconds and the engine started.  It ran rather smooth and with the outside temp so low the coolant temp was at an initial 69 degrees.  The engine would not start to learn until it reached operating temperature of 180.

When the engine first started the idle was close to 1,200 RPM (set to decrease to 850 when warm).  As the engine began to warm up, the RPM increased a little and was closer to 1,600.  The AFR was initially around 12.5 at start up but slowly increased to where it was rather lean.  The average was probably around 15.5 but there were points it would spike much higher.  

The entire time the car was getting to temperature, the CL Status was OpenLP and it doesn't start learning until that states ClosedLP and the temp is above 180.  The temperature ultimately reached 186 but the CL Status didn't change to closed.  The idle also stayed at 1,600.  The AFR stayed rather high too and when I captured a few pictures it showed 16.8, 18.8, 16.6, and 17.1 (it was obviously changing rapidly so I took a few quick pictures in succession).

After letting the vehicle idle for a while at 1,600 RPM and above 180, I decided it wasn't going to switch to learn mode and turned the car off.  After researching it a little, I found that I need to adjust down the idle setting in order to get tuning to begin as my idle was too high for that to start.  I adjusted out the idle screen by a half turn, started the car, and it was still warm enough that it went straight to ClosedLP.  

I drove around a little amount found that the idle was still high (1,100) and didn't drop properly when I came to a stop.  That was because the IAC was better but still not set correctly.  The proper setting is between 2% and 10% and mine still read 0% which meant it was still out of range and the system couldn't then manage the idle RPM for me.  I turned out the idle screw another 3/4 turn or so and the IAC% was 4.  When the fans came on, it went to 9%.  The Sniper then controlled the idle properly at 850.

The car is running smoother at idle than I remember.  It seems to have really good throttle response.  I drove it another 18 miles (starting mileage at installation was 8535).  I'm rather impressed at how quickly it started and has been able to tune itself.  I'm quite glad to have the car running and driving again as it has been a while.  I moved to this new house a little over a year ago and have only really driven it 20 miles since because of the carburetor problems.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 13 (Final Steps Before Start-Up)

The temperature has been in the low 30s or 20s all weekend with quite a bit of ice accumulation.  As a result, we have been mostly locked up in the house.  While the garage is cold, I've used a little Heater Buddy to keep the temperature to the point I can work off and on.

Over the weekend, I wired up a dedicated ground to the fuel sending unit.  I also filled a gas tank with 4 gallons of gas so I can add it to the tank when I'm ready to see the impact on the gauge.  I've not done it to this point as it will smell and probably not the best idea to have the heater going in those conditions.

I created a small mount for the fuel tank vent and ran it out of the old hole in the floor where the sending unit wires were originally routed.  It is mounted using the old exhaust hanger bolts so it is slightly close to the exhaust but not excessive.  I painted the bracket with more of the Kylon Matte Black paint.  The bracket already had holes in it but I figure having something that works for now is better than waiting for perfection in two weeks.  I can go back and make these various brackets perfect later if I choose.

I then worked to fasten the fuel lines along the underside of the car.  I used zip ties at the lower side of the fuel tank, made a couple of brackets around the axle (shown below), and then used some very large zip ties (#UL181B-C) that are super thick and made to hold HVAC ducting to hold the lines to the subframe connectors.

I still need to secure the line as it runs up the back of the transmission.  I also need to make a bracket which holds the fuel filter right behind the throttle body.  

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 12 (Sending Unit Adjustment)

This evening after work, I decided to add a little fuel to the gas tank and confirm the fuel gauge reads properly.  This is one of the few points that you have such a controlled situation you can determine exactly how much you have in the tank when the gauge reads empty or close to it.  I wanted to take advantage and set it up so that I had two gallons or so when it reads empty.

I added probably just under wo gallons to the tank and then checked the gauge but it had hardly moved.  I then added about a third gallon but didn't want to add any more.  At this point, the needle pointed to the lowest point of the E which is far below the empty hash mark.  I checked the sending unit and don't remember the exact ohm reading but it was below 70 so the sender was registering fuel in the tank.  

I pulled the sending unit, which is exceptionally easy since it is now on top of the gas tank.  It was at this point I was exceptionally thankful that I decided to use the rubber gasket on the sending unit instead of the cork gasket with sealant.  What I didn't know the first time I removed it was that I would remove it another 9 times before I decided to leave it alone.

The first adjustment was just to make sure that I had full movement of the arm where it would just touch the bottom of the tank when empty and would just touch the top when full... no change.  I then decided I would move the pivot point down just a little (1/8)" from the recommended setting... almost no impact.  This continued time and time again with little impact.  The sender is working as it reads 52.5 ohms with the three gallons it just doesn't correlate too much on the gauge.

I contemplated it all for a while and decided the gauge should really be set to read empty with three gallons.  Any more and it simply doesn't make sense to call it empty.  This time, I took it apart and confirmed the float would need to be about half under water before it started to move.  This really didn't change my approach much but confirmed that the two inches of fuel in the tank should be enough to move it reasonably.

I ultimately dropped the pivot a total of about 3/8".  I adjusted the arm so it would still just contact the top of the tank when full.  On the low side, it would initially attempt to hang lower than the bottom of the tank.  I adjusted the lower arm stop to match the bottom of the tank.  I then put it back in and the gauge pointed to the middle of the E.

I decided at this point that I was going to put just a bit more gas in thinking that I was perhaps at the tipping point of it moving rather rapidly to the empty hash mark.  I put about another gallon so I expect to have about 3.5 gallons in it.  With this amount added, the sender read 45 ohms and it is now pointing at the E hash mark.  

When the gauge is off or disconnected, you can see in the picture above the needle stop well below the E.  This is the beginning of the needle movement.  I expect that is where it starts when it is at 70 or so ohms.  This makes sense when you consider it but really empty is considered the bare minimum rather than what appears to be a quarter tank below it.  

I think when I actually fill it up, I should put in 4.5 gallons which would put me around 8 total and see what the gauge reads.  While I don't expect it to read a half a tank, that is what I'll have and it will be good to know what it reads.  I'll then do the same at 12 and then 16 gallons.  I'll try to take pictures each time just so I validate the gauge a bit more and know what I'm working with.  

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 11 (Tank Installation)

Today, I installed the new gas tank into the refinished Mustang floor.  Before doing so, I took advantage of the extra space to install the bulkhead fittings, fuel filter, and connected the fuel lines.  I need to fully tighten and secure everything but those initial tasks are far easier done without the tank installed.

 There was some original sealant between the tank and the floor which I emulated using some 3M butyl rubber strips (#08578).  This sealant is probably the best that you could get for this job.  That said, I hesitated a little using it as I know it will be an incredible pain if the gas tank needs to be removed in the future.

I bolted the new tank in place using a set of Scott Drake (C5ZZ-9002-MK) reproduction screws.  I used the replacement rubber filler hose that came with the tank as the original was hard as a rock.  I cut it to fit (3.5") and then installed it with a set of Scott Drake (C5ZZ-8287) clamps.

There are little vertical bumper pieces that can be installed below the rear bumper.  I've not had them in place and don't have interest in them.  I used reproduction bolts I had that matched the originals but used flange nuts on the back of each.  I did this in part to fill those holes but the two going down through the gas tank at the back at the car also serve as the ground for the gas tank and sending unit.  

With everything installed and tightened into place, I connected the sending unit, power to the pump, and a dedicated ground for the pump.  I then secured all the wiring with some 1/4" Tech Flex braided wire covering to help keep is safe.  I now need to find something that will cover the tank and help protect the lines and the wiring as I tend to put things there when going on long road trips.  

The following is what I have left before I could try to start up the car for a test drive:

• Confirm under hood wiring is secure
• Plug all wiring into the Sniper throttle body
• Connect the battery terminals
• Confirm fuel lines are all secure
• Confirm all fuel lines are tight
• Connect the fuel vent
• Connect throttle linkage
• Fill with gasoline

These are the things I'd like to come back to after the test drive is complete:

• Build a bracket for the filter behind the throttle body
• Build brackets to hold the fuel line under the car
• Insulation for the top of the fuel tank
• Rewire and dress up underhood wiring
• Run fans with the Sniper system

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 10 (Trunk Floor & Tank Test Fit)

This weekend, I worked on cleaning up the trunk floor so that I could install the new fuel tank.  I used a few unconventional options but the final product looks good.

I started with a small, sharp chisel to scrape off the original sealant used to seal the gas tank to the trunk floor.  This was rather effective on flat areas but not along contours.  I switched to some degreaser and a Scotch-Brite pad but that had a very small effect.  I considered a wire wheel but thought better of it.  What I ultimately used was the degreaser with pieces of 220 sand paper which removed the sealant but also prepared the surface for paint.

With all the sealant off, I switched to wiping everything down multiple times with mineral spirits.  As you would imagine, no one has cleaned the trunk floor in the Mustang likely since production.  As a result, it was rather dirty.  I essentially wet sanded with some mineral spirits to as it helped smooth the areas of the rough trunk floor where I planed to overlap the new paint.

I used Rust-Oleum Rusty Metal Primer (#7769830) on the areas where there was some rust and generally where I sanded down to metal.  I then coated the mounting surface and a little out on to the trunk floor using Krylon Fusion Matte Black (#2754).  The final product looked rather nice so I went to eat dinner and let it dry overnight.

I set the fuel tank in place the following morning and marked locations for the bulkhead fittings that will be used to run the fuel lines from the trunk back under the car.  The bulkhead fitting holes are .55" so they are rather large but I was able to put them just off the edge of the tank and they were still on a flat surface.  

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 9 (Fuel Line Routing)

Beginning at the new Tanks fuel tank, I'll cover how I'm going to route my fuel lines and the parts used for my benefit and that of anyone else attempting the same upgrade.  

I start from the Tanks fuel pump (GPA-4) with a pair of Summit Racing 1/4" NPT to -6AN adapters (SUM-220647B) for both the fuel supply and return lines.  These then connect to a pair of Allstar coated, braided -6AN fuel lines (ALL48465-12) that are a foot long each.  These attach to some Speedflow bulkhead 90 degree fittings (833-06-BLK) and matching retaining nut (924-06-BLK).  This completes the run of fuel lines from the pump to the bulkhead fittings to switch to running the lines under the vehicle.

Under the vehicle, I'm using a Summit Racing 90 degree 40 micron fuel filter with -6AN fittings on the supply side line.  On the return side, I use a Speedflow 90 degree coupler (143-06-BLK) so both lines are headed over to the driver side of the vehicle.  The rest of the run up to the engine compartment is handled by a pair of 14' Allstar -6AN coated, braided fuel lines (ALL48465-168).  I'd considered many different ways to handle it but this seemed the best and frankly the easiest option.

The return line connects directly to the Holley regulator and fuel crossover kit (534-237).  The supply line connects to a Summit Racing 10 micron fuel filter (230123B) that is held in place with a bracket I made and a Speedflow fuel filter bracket (602-500-BLK).  This fuel filter has a 90 degree Speedflow coupler (133-06-BLK) which connects directly to the Holley regulator as with the return line.  This system has everything I need and is about as simple as I could find.  

I started today installing all of these parts at the throttle body.  I ran them straight from the back of the throttle body down the top of the transmission.  At the parking brake bracket, I started running them toward the side of the car attaching them to that bracket safely out of the way.  I then ran them down the inside of the subframe connectors on the inside edge so they would be safe.  While there are probably better ways, I used some 1/4" thick black zip ties to hold them to the subframe connectors.

I'll need to make a few brackets to hold the lines in place.  I'll attach one to the side of the transmission, another to the frame using the original fuel line bolt just in front of the axle, and the another on one of the old muffler bracket bolts that will hold the lines to the frame right beside the fuel tank.  I have some Russell AN line spacers that I can use for these brackets or I might come up with something else.  I've not decided quite yet.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 8 (Fuel Tank Preparation)

Occasionally, over the last couple of weeks, I've gone to the garage after work to get the fuel tank ready for installation.  As stated before, I purchased a Tanks kit (TNK-MU-HT-KIT) which includes a TNK-GPA-4 fuel pump, TANK-TAN-ORG sending unit, and a few other items.  

The adjustment process starts with measuring the depth of the tank the fuel sock on the pump is 1/8" off the bottom of the tank.  The return line is about an inch of the bottom of the tank.  

After some cutting of the supplied tubing, a few hose clamps, and use of included zip ties, the correct length fuel pump is ready to be installed.  It comes with a cork gasket that I coated in Permatex 85420.  

The process for the sending unit isn't much different.  I somehow neglected to take a picture of the final adjusted piece.  Essentially, the long metal bracket that has the rheostat at the bottom is cut to fit the tank.  The float arm slides into it and is cut off so that the float a full height is 1/8" below the top of the tank.  This piece came with a rubber and a cork gasket so I just used the rubber one as I expected it would seal better.

Lastly, there is the tank side of the filler neck that has a cork gasket.  I coated it with the Permatex too and bolted it into place.  Everything with the tank is now ready to be installed.  I'll just need to do some work with the truck floor before I install it.

Additionally, I took the old fuel filler neck, used paint stripper to remove all the old crusty paint off of it, and painted it matte black using some Krylon Fusion paint (#2754).  

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 7 (Temporary Wiring)

My most recent work with the Mustang has been to complete my temporary wiring of the Holley Sniper system.  This included running a pink wire to the back of the ignition to get consistent ignition power, connected to the negative side of the coil, and then connected the tach input to the Sniper system.  I made not attempt to clean up the wiring but more to set it up in a way that I can temporarily zip tie it so that I'm able to drive the vehicle without risk to any wiring.

Ultimately, the plan is to stop using the Flex-A-Lite 31147 fan controller and operate them using the Sniper system.  This will give me an exact point of activating the fan and to control them separately if I choose.  This is far more accurate than the current solution of watching the gauge until I reach 180 and then turning the knob on the Flex-A-Lite controller until the fans turn on.

Additionally, before going on Power Tour in 2023, I installed a relay setup to provide full 12v power to the headlights when they are on and limiting dependence on routing power through the light switch itself.  However, that relay setup failed almost immediately.  I'd like to remove or at least reconsider how that works.  

With this work and my desire to just keep it clean looking with the additional Sniper wiring, I'll need to reconsider routing and wiring management a bit so that it is done to my satisfaction.  I really want to at least drive it some to confirm it works before pulling it further apart for that work.

The end product really isn't something to take a picture of and share with others.  However, I'm including it to document this point of the install process.  While the main things are wired, not everything is zip tied up in this picture and the wiring isn't plugged into the Sniper throttle body.

With the wiring completed to a testing state, I'm going to turn my attention to the fuel system.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 6 (Throttle Body Feed Lines)

After a little trial and error, I've selected a regulator and braided fuel line for the throttle body that will be perfect for the Mustang

I originally purchased an Aeromotive 13130 regulator and Holley 534-236 braided fuel line.  I selected the Aeromotive regulator due to numerous bad reviews of the stand alone Holley regulators on the Summit website.  The Aeromotive regulator was a well built part but required a completely different fuel line configuration.  This version doesn't regulate in-line before the throttle body but afterwards which wouldn't work with the braided fuel line I purchased and would create a more cluttered appearance.  

When searching for other options, I decided on using Holley part number 534-237.  This is the exact same style braided fuel line I had before but the regulator is integrated in the line which makes for a cleaner installation.  I'd seen this one before but skipped over it due to reviews stating the regulator hit the intake or valve cover on a small block Ford.  After looking at the picture for a bit, I didn't think that would be the case and ordered the part anyway.

The part is actually a series of parts that you assemble.  The regulator bolts to the back carburetor stud to hold it securely in place.  I took a few minutes this morning to put it all together and tighten it up properly.  I think this is going to work as I need.  

I have a fuel filter to install just after the tank (left) and one to install at the throttle body (right).  The one at the tank is a Summit 220170B which has an integrated 90 degree fitting and a 100 micron filter.  The one for behind the throttle body is a Summit 230123B and is a 10 micron filter.  The plan is to put the filter at the throttle body right behind at the back of the intake.  You can see it in the picture above but I've not built a bracket yet to hold it secure.  I'll work on that in the days to come.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 5 (AC Idle-Up Feature)

The Sniper system has the ability to increase RPM when the air conditioning is running so that it does struggle at idle.  This will be a considerable improvement over the former system I was using.

What I had in place was a Holley 46-74 solenoid that was quite expensive ($134).  The solenoid was arranged to push on the throttle linkage at the carb when the AC was running.  However, it was not strong enough to move the throttle linkage if it was presently closed.  It was only strong enough to hold it farther open if it were activated and the throttle was returning closed.  It was hard to align and seemed to have varied results on the RPM, required a relay and wiring, and just wasn't a great solution for me.

The old wiring configuration required a relay.  The compressor provided a 12v output but it wasn't strong enough to operate the solenoid.  I wired in a relay as shown below to use an adequate 12v power supply from a white wire run from inside the cabin to the former location of the voltage regulator.  

This is wired using the orange wire (Input #1) on the 10 pin optional I/O harness.  When there is a ground input to this wire from the compressor, it will increase RPM based on your settings in the Sniper system (under Tuning -> Advanced -> Advanced Idle -> IAC Kick).

I rewired the relay to provide a negative trigger for the Sniper system so that it would know when the system is running rather than the former setup which provided power to the solenoid.  I also changed the trigger wire color to orange so it matches the Sniper system.  I don't intend to leave this as it is for the long term but this was a quick fix to change the wiring, mount the relay back where it was, and have it functional despite it being the middle of winter.

This is the new wiring for the relay.

This is a picture of it during the wiring process.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 4 (Temperature Sending Unit)

The Sniper kit came with a coolant temperature sending unit (232R14A).  Unfortunately, I have only one temperature port in my Edelbrock RPM Air Gap intake and it is being used by my current temperature sender that operates my AutoMeter temp gauge (ATM-3531).  My AutoMeter sending unit (#2258) reads 1123 ohms at 100 degrees and 65 ohms at 250 degrees.  Despite all my research, it seems you must use both sending units.

Using both sending units will certainly clutter the under hood appearance. I would need to either find a new thermostat neck or something that goes into the heater output.  For now, I decided to just use the Sniper sending unit and watch my temp on the Sniper display.  However, at some point, I'm going to want both of them working again.

With that decision made, I drained out a good amount of coolant, removed the AutoMeter sending unit, installed the Sniper sending unit, and then put the coolant back in.  Afterwards, I replaced a little black plug in one of the intake runners as it was leaking.  I had a new plug in my spare parts and used Permatex 85420 which is fuel resistant sealant.  I then swapped out the carb studs for a shorter set since I'm not using the old carb spacer.  Lastly, I took the Trans-Adapt (TRD-2178) air cleaner stud I purchased and but about 1/2" off before installing it with a locking nut.  

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 3 (Starting Slowly)

I started today by removing the AutoMeter Sport Comp AFR gauge (ATM-3370) from under the dash that I've used for years to tune the carburetor.  I'd always planned to use it to tune and then remove it.  I was always questioning if it was right so the gauge stayed in place permanently.

I removed the wiring under the dash that fed power to the current electric fuel pump.  Instead of it running to an ignition source at the circuit panel, I ran it out the firewall to connect to the Sniper system.  I had coiled up all the extra wire from connecting it which made it more than long enough to reach under the hood.  The Sniper system will now tell the pump when to run.

Inside the car, I took apart the RAM mount I used to hold my phone on road trips and expect to use it as a mount for the Sniper display.  I used the 3M adhesive pads they provided and fastened the display mount to the RAM mount.  It holds it just under the radio which will be perfect.  When I don't plan to have it out any longer, I can put the cell phone holder back in place.

The last thing I did was pump all the fuel out of the tank, remove the existing fuel tank, and the fuel pump.  I expected to pump all the fuel out without making a mess of the floor but that didn't happen.  It started perfectly as I filled a 5 gallon gas can.  I left the hose in the can while I went to get a funnel to put the gas into another vehicle.  In the minute I walked away, the fuel line came out of the gas can, fell to the floor, and I suppose the siphon effect caused it to just keep pulling fuel as the entire floor was covered.  I thought I had laid the best plan.

I spent quite a while cleaning up the floor so that it didn't overwhelm me with gas fumes.  I'll be gone for work the next few days so I put the gas tank outside to vent and dry out.  When I return, I'll get back after it.  I might order a few small things between now and then to continue making progress.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 2 (Parts Arrive)

The Holley Sniper Stealth EFI system arrived in the mail today.  I quickly opened it and spread out all the items that came as part of the kit.  I'll need much more to make this work but everything I expected to receive was included in the box.

I placed the throttle body on the intake and it seemed slightly taller.  With some quick measuring, I found the Sniper unit was a 1/4" taller than the Street Avenger carb.  I placed my air cleaner on and found that it now makes contact with the hood.  I've been using a 1/2" phenolic spacer which I can remove.  I added the spacer to address issues with vapor lock.  Since the Sniper doesn't have bowls to store fuel in, the spacer will have much less benefit.

I also noticed that due to the design of the top of the Sniper, the threaded hole for the air cleaner stud is lower.  As a result, my former air cleaner stud is too small.  I need one that has a 1/4"-20 thread pitch and that is hopefully around 3.5" long.  I'll add that to the list of things to purchase.

Before the Holley Stealth kit arrived, I decided to go ahead and purchase the gas tank I'll use with the Stealth EFI system.  I purchased a Tanks brand kit (TNK-MU-HT-KIT) which includes everything that I will need associated with the fuel tank.  The tank is a 16 gallon tank with internal baffles and is powder coated silver (TNK-MU-HT-KIT).  The tank came with the pump (TNK-GPA-4) and a Ford style sending unit (TNK-TAN-ORG).  Despite ordering the tank several days after the Stealth System, it arrived first.

Holley Sniper Stealth EFI - Part 1

After multiple attempts to adjust the carburetor, I ultimately lost motivation.  I adjusted the high idle screw on at least four different occasions with mixed results on the idle RPM.  Strangely, once it would start, it would often just slowly have the idle increase rather than decrease.  If you were to press the pedal to take it off high idle, it would just stay at the RPM you reached when briefly pressing the pedal.

Besides the high idle, I had another instance in which the accelerator pump didn't want to work with the new carburetor.  I can't explain it as the pump cam is unadjusted and seems fine.  The fuel bowls had fuel in them.  I took the pump nozzle off and then it didn't happen again but I can't imagine it was blocked.  It was another oddity that causes you to lose confidence in the plan.  

I've decided this winter that I'm going to work on upgrading the Mustang with a EFI system rather than continue to work through these carburetor troubles.  The money spent on the carburetor is somewhat wasted with this plan but I don't honestly care.  I'd like to work on the car again and want something that will reliably operate.

There are a few additional benefits beyond reliability.  The car has a hard start problem when hot despite fuel line insulation, carb spacers, and more.  The idle doesn't reliability adjust when the AC turns on.  The high idle has never worked causing the Mustang to often want to die for the first five minutes of driving.  Lastly, I'd rather not worry about adjusting the AFR to be right for the car and instead have a system that adjusts it automatically.

It is hard to continue to invest in the Mustang with the condition of the body and the paint.  However, I've about decided I'm going to get someone to restore the body and paint it.  I do want the car running reliability before I do that.  I'll then decide if I take it all apart to have it painted or how I handle the step in the process.

For today, I started by cleaning up the garage a bit to have a nice work area, removed the carburetor, and checked the wiring a little to pre-plan how the new Holley Sniper Stealth (550-870) will wire into the vehicle.  With those few things done, I placed the order for just the sniper unit as I don't expect to reliably place an order for everything I need and will just work through it bit by bit ordering parts as I need them to go get the job done.

I don't plan to rush and actually expect this to increase in scope and might include some rewiring.  I'll be happy if I the job is done around mid-February or early March when it is a good time to start driving around again.  

Returning to Work

Taking the list from when I returned from Power Tour and adding a few new items, I have the following on the list to address:

• Install driver headlight wiring
• Replace transmission fluid
• Front disc brakes squeak
• Rattle behind rear seat back
• Buzz noise from behind dash
• A/C vent tube 
• Hot start issue
• Clutch reservoir
• Throttle return spring
• Fix Broken positive battery clamp

New Holley Street Avenger 670 - Part 3

Tonight, I swapped the primary jets from the original size 65 to 67's.  I also sapped the accelerator pump nozzle from the original 31 to a 35.  I didn't drive the car as it is a little late so I'll need to drive it another time and update with my findings.  

New Holley Street Avenger 670 - Part 2

I decided to do a bit more work on the new carburetor today after work.  I put a vacuum gauge on the engine and planned to set the curb idle and the idle mixture screws.  Unfortunately, the car would not start and in checking under the hood, I found the accelerator pump nozzle wasn't squirting.  It's strange that I have that same problem with a new carb but the front float is full.

I didn't have any gas sitting around to put down the carburetor so I just keep working the gas and it ultimately started.  After it idled a while, I adjusted the curb idle down to 800 RPM.  At that RPM, the AFR was 15:1 and the vacuum was at about 11.5 inches.  I made sure the choke was off and the engine temp was 180 and backed out the idle screws an 1/8 turn.  This raised the vacuum to 12, the RPM increased to 900, and the AFR to 14:1.

I turned the idle screws out another 1/8 turn.  The vacuum went up to 13 and the AFR was 13.5 to 1.  I didn't adjust the RPM before and it was now at 1,000 RPM.  I adjusted the idle screw down to get the idle back to about 850 to continue working on the setup.  With this changed, the vacuum was still 13 inches and the AFR was around 13.7:1.

I backed the idle mixture screws out another 1/8 turn (3/8ths in all).  This dropped the AFR down to about 13:1, raised the vacuum to near 14, and the idle stayed in the 900 RPM range.

I decided to go further and went another 1/8 (1/2 turn in all).  This dropped the AFR down to the 12:1 range.  The vacuum went up to 13 and the RPM was about 950.  I decided to go back to 3/8 turns out from the original setting and go for a drive.

Strangely, when I went for a drive, the engine was really lean.  When cruising, I was at 15-16:1 AFR.  I don't really know what changed since the last time.  The idle mixture is much more rich so if anything that would have helped.  The temperature was about 60 so perhaps that was much different than last time but I can't imagine it having that level of impact.  I was however a little low on gas but I can't imagine that doing it either as the float bowl shows as full.

I decided to stop for the moment and came home.  Since the engine was now off, I checked the idle mixture screws and found that they were not the same at the start.  I adjusted them out 3/8 of a turn.  When I checked them, the passenger side (with the 02 sensor) was a total of a 1/2 turn out (1/8 out as a starting point) and the driver side was 5/8 turn out (1/4 turn out as a starting point).  

I might need to turn them in an 1/8 turn but I'm going to leave them at this point for now.