[brad46]

I’ve been working on cleaning up parts and evaluating their condition (making a list of needed parts)..

Got the subframe pulled apart and cleaned. I still have one control arm bolt that won’t come out, I’ll probably need to pull out the torch to heat it up. Going to wire wheel and repaint and install new control arms.

Got the rust stripped off the oil pan and a layer of primer- In the past I’ve had really good results with Rustoleum Rust Reformer as a primer..

Also did a first pass wash of the transmission- turned out decent but will get some more attention.

Here are a few before and after pictures..

 

[brad46]

Looking for the bushings on the shift linkage- Does anyone have a part number?

I think this is the same?

 

[Mazda Carnage]

Those are the right bushings but that is the wrong price, 3$ per bushing is the most they should cost.
Part numbers:
Mazda original: B00146062
Mazda substitution: GA5R46062
Hyundai/Kia: B00146062 (cheapest)
Hyundai/Kia sub: KKY0146062 (cheapest)
Hyundai/Kia sub 2: MB00146062

Search the net by part number or call your local mazda, kia or Hyundai dealer.

Change all four on the shift rod.

 

[brad46]

Got the trans cleaned up and sprayed it with a thin coat of matching aluminum paint- turned out good. Also finished up the oil pan.

Question: Is it easier to install the engine and transmission as one? Or, install the transmission first, and then the engine? In the past when Ive done engine swaps / installs the transmission has always stayed in the car.

 

[matt89glturbo]

I've done it together or separately with the engine first, then load the trans from the bottom. That rear cover on the trans is just held in with rtv of you wanted to pop it off and clean/ paint it too, stand the trans on the bell side and can zip it off pretty quick.

 

[Mazda Carnage]

If you decide to remove the transmission cover, be careful when removing it, there is a spout inside the cap that runs into the primary gear shaft assembly, if the cap isn't pulled straight off it can break off the spout that is used to move fluid through the gears.

I always install the engine and transmission together, it's much easier. Install the front transmission mount. Hook the engine on the crane closer to the cam gear end, you will need to lift the transmission cap over the rad support. then lift the engine from the passenger side so the transmission cap clears the drivers wheel well. Push it towards the drivers side so the pulleys clear the frame on the passenger side and lower it until the front mount is sitting in it's holes...
If your engine crane is good you can get the engine in position and set piston to lower the engine very slowly and while it's lowering on it's own maneuver the engine and trans into place. If the engine crane is twitchy a second person is required to operate the crane.
When installing the engine alone or with someone never grab any point of the cam gear side that would allow your hands to get pinned between the block and frame, the cam gear and engine mount bracket (with 2 studs in it) are the safest grab points.

With all the work and effort you are putting in this project, if you do pull the transmission cap, then you should keep going, pull the transmission apart, swap the shifter change rod seal, remove the differential and go have the differential shaft welded to the differential housing (major fail point on these transmissions), clean the gear assembly's with low odder varsol, spray it into the center passages of the gear shaft assemblys and move the synchros up and down, repeat until the varsol is coming out at all the gears and synchros. Once clean all the gears on the shafts will be loose (have a bit of play in them), this is the way they are supposed to be and means all the metal shavings and caked on oil have been cleaned out of the gears oil passages. The transmission will shift better and have much better gear oil flow.
With better lubrication and the diff shaft welded the transmission will be far more durable and reliable and should only be vulnerable to one wheel burnouts and to much torque on the 3rd gear assembly. Short of spending 1000$ for an upgraded 3gear assembly and installing a limited slip differential, this is the most and best you can do for these transmissions.

 

[Mazda Carnage]

On the subject of floor tar, I am rebuilding the floors on a 1968 charger R/T, all the 54 year old tar is loose, just sitting against the floor and rails. This car has never seen winter but ironically the tar that was installed at the factory to protect the floors is the very thing that rotted them out.

Loose tar will ruin your car.

This car smells like a very old damp basement and dirty feet. I have been lucky wit the F2T's and never had any that smelled, while working in the Charger I was thinking of your biohazard probe and can totally relate to the effort and stress you went through to kill the smell for ever.
Even if 90% of the smell in this charger goes away it will still be unpleasant to drive with 10% of this smell.
But 17+ feet, 4000lbs weight and 54year old suspension does not equal fun to drive, even if it didn't smell like old people and feet.

 

[brad46]

Thanks for the feedback! - I’ll be putting the engine and trans in together. That allows me to assemble everything carefully outside the car.

Great info/recommendation on the transmission- I am going to think that over. I haven’t pulled anything apart yet..

Regarding the stink- after all the cleaning solution smells have worn off, there is still a bit of a stink, kind of like you, still 10% of the smell. I am going to keep repeating the cleaning process. I may also look into renting an ozone generator, from what I am reading it does a good job with stinks.

 

[brad46]

Working on repainting the subframe. I wire wheeled the right side and front cross members and painted. The left side needs to be done (so you can see what the other pieces looked like). Having trouble getting one of the front control arm bolts removed. Need to dig out my oxy ace torch. Lastly you can see I did buy new control arms..

 

[brad46]

Small update- progress has been slow, but it’s been progress. The subframe is ready to go back in this weekend. It’s was wire-wheeled, primed and painted.

Been busy trying to finish up a new garage Ive been building.

 

[brad46]

One more small update- Getting ready to finish putting the engine together and mating up the transmission. Got the valve cover cleaned and painted..

 

[brad46]

Here is where the engine is at..

 

[brad46]

Been busy putting the engine back together- everything came in pieces so it’s a bit of a puzzle going back together. Not too complicate, but taking some time.

Cleaned the injectors and installed new seals, everything got new gasketing.

I have decided to go back together with the stock turbocharger on stock boost. I want to get the car running, driving and then do a thorough shake down on everything. Then I can gradually start increasing HP..

Got the turbo all cleaned up and it feels relatively tight with no evidence the wheel was rubbing on the housing. It’s not very pretty, but should function fine.

Here are a few new pictures..

 

[Mazda Carnage]

Looking good.
I can't tell in the picture but are the head stud threads Helicoiled?
If not I recommend you do them now while it's easy and there is no head stud issues vs. later when there is an issue and the engine is in the car.
Just stuff rags in the exhaust ports and thremostat housing and tape the dipstick and coolant fittings shut to keep aluminum shavings out.

 

[brad46]

Looking good.
I can't tell in the picture but are the head stud threads Helicoiled?
If not I recommend you do them now while it's easy and there is no head stud issues vs. later when there is an issue and the engine is in the car.
Just stuff rags in the exhaust ports and thremostat housing and tape the dipstick and coolant fittings shut to keep aluminum shavings out.

Hey Carnage- Thanks for the reply! Are you referring to the exhaust manifold threads in the head? What size would you suggest going to?

 

[Mazda Carnage]

Yes.
The same size studs (M8 X 1.25) just drill and thread the holes and install the stainless M8 x 1.25 spiral inserts and use the factory studs.

 

[brad46]

Quick update (or lack of update)..winter is here and so not much will be going on with the car for a few months. The engine and trans are in my heated house garage and so I’ll be matting them up soon to get all ready to drop into the car once the weather warms up..

 

[Mazda Carnage]

Quick update (or lack of update)..winter is here and so not much will be going on with the car for a few months. The engine and trans are in my heated house garage and so I’ll be matting them up soon to get all ready to drop into the car once the weather warms up..

Nope that is an unacceptable update.
My disgusting winter advice:
You said heated garage, there are 1001 parts and things you can work on that don't need to be on the car to service, rebuild, detail... use your imagination, what would you like on the car? what would you like done to the car, start with the cheapest one or your favorite choices and do it. Sometimes the one custom tiny thing you do to the car becomes your favorite thing, better than 60 basic things... No one will ever see the work you did on the floors but you will always know. If you want to take a break form working on the car, spend some time learning about cars and modifying them, I would wadger ever hour spent learning can save you 5 hours of working/learning the hard way and the cost of starting again. Try theturboforums.com, look at all types of builds, don't look for whats been done to your model car look for what has been done to all gas engine cars and what you can use. The turbo forum guys apply to same theory's to all gas engines because the all react the same to forced induction. You don't always have to think outside the box, sometimes you just have to make the box bigger. The box is always the limits of you're knowledge and imagination, grow the box.

 

[brad46]

Nope that is an unacceptable update.
My disgusting winter advice:
You said heated garage, there are 1001 parts and things you can work on that don't need to be on the car to service, rebuild, detail... use your imagination, what would you like on the car? what would you like done to the car, start with the cheapest one or your favorite choices and do it. Sometimes the one custom tiny thing you do to the car becomes your favorite thing, better than 60 basic things... No one will ever see the work you did on the floors but you will always know. If you want to take a break form working on the car, spend some time learning about cars and modifying them, I would wadger ever hour spent learning can save you 5 hours of working/learning the hard way and the cost of starting again. Try theturboforums.com, look at all types of builds, don't look for whats been done to your model car look for what has been done to all gas engine cars and what you can use. The turbo forum guys apply to same theory's to all gas engines because the all react the same to forced induction. You don't always have to think outside the box, sometimes you just have to make the box bigger. The box is always the limits of you're knowledge and imagination, grow the box.

Haha! Maybe I should clarify the situation..I am at a point where I was basically ready to drop the engine/trans in the car, but ran out of time (and weather).

The car and parts are in my newly built garage that does not currently have electricity yet (coming in the fall..so not much I can do in there.
That being said over the winter I will be spending time cleaning up small parts/pieces (as you mention above) to get them prepared to install this spring..carry parts back and forth over to the “heated house garage“ to clean and refurbish, such as brackets, seats, interior trim, brake parts, etc..

In the meantime I’ve been reading nearly every thread related to F2T and 89 Probe/MX6 on this site and ProbeForum. I will be checking out theturboforums (edit- looking at your thread over there)..

Your reply has given me some extra motivation !

 

[Mazda Carnage]

The car and parts are in my newly built garage that does not currently have electricity yet (coming in the fall..so not much I can do in there.
That being said over the winter I will be spending time cleaning up small parts/pieces (as you mention above) to get them prepared to install this spring..carry parts back and forth over to the “heated house garage“ to clean and refurbish, such as brackets, seats, interior trim, brake parts, etc..

Well that would be something going on with the car over the next few months.

In the meantime I’ve been reading nearly every thread related to F2T and 89 Probe/MX6 on this site and ProbeForum. I will be checking out theturboforums (edit- looking at your thread over there)..

This is what I mean by grow the box, I bet you can find more information googling "turbocharging my 4 cylinder" than the collective postings internet wide about the 88-92 MX6/626/Probe.
When I first joined MX6.com I read about the HKS intercooler pipe upgrade for the F2T, I searched and searched and for years and my intercooler pipes stayed factory, do you know whats better than the 2.25" HKS bolt on intercooler pipe kit. Any 2.5" intercooler kit pieced together out of any kind of pipe that doesn't leak or come apart.

Really the only member I can think of on this forum we can all learn something from is 99blkzx2, here is the thread he posted: Billet Compressor Wheel for T-bird/VJ11
The thread itself has no information useful to F2T modifiers, his car and what he did is useful to us all. He took a ford 2.0l non turbo charge 4cylinder got a junk yard F2T turbo and made everything custom and turbo charge his non turbo car.
And that is the same recipe we need to use for the F2T, but we already have oil and coolant supply/return fitting, low compression pistons, an oil cooler and a manifold a T3 flange can easily be welded to. Yes that is the extent of advantages or head starts F2T's have over non turbo cars. The transmission and axles can handle lots of power and the factory rad set - up can handle engine heat when making lots of power, although the F2T does come with a larger transmission and axles and rad because it's turbo charged, for some makes and models n/a tune parts will be able to handle turbo charging and making lots of power and for some others factory turbo parts won't be able to handle much upgrading...

How to make more power and upgrade the F2T:
1- Get rid of these factory parts.
All intercooler and air piping, the intercooler, the turbo, turbine housing, downpipe and exhaust.
2- Pick a turbo that will deliver enough air efficiently to make you power goals without to much lag.
3- Gap your rings, custom install the turbo, custom make a downpipe, exhaust, custom intercooler and air pipes, custom install a larger intercooler, install wastegate, BOV or BPV, reliable accurate boost control.
4- Add fuel, pull timing.
5- Add water / meth injection.

And don't bother with my threads on the turbo forum, I joined to ask them question and learn stuff, never got complete answer to my question but still got some info and at times their suggestions helped towards finding a solution, when I wanted to find what I can coat the plastic steering wheel insert and wood shift know with that will never peel or wear, someone suggested caliper paint and said it's pretty durable and I always say (since I learned it) Cerakote if the best caliper paint so I mosied over to the Cerakote website to see if plastic and other stuff can be coated with it. I would never have though of Cerakote if no one said caliper paint.

You should look at, everyone should the Garrett G25-660 Turbo, can flow enough air for 660 BHP, with a .82 A/R housing will still probably boost at or below 3000rpm on a stock F2T block and it's size is no bigger than the factory VJ-11 turbo (area it takes up, not turbo wheels...).
So a turbo capable of making 600 hp, that doesn't require all the space between the block and rad with no room for the cooling fan and doesn't take 4300 rpm to spool. Wow.