Low$$$ Tips And Tricks!

I'd like to start a thread on some low dollar tips and tricks for the mavricks!
first off Ididn't build my mav as a show car it was built on a tight budget just for fun!!!
I don't dispise show cars but some of the tricks might make you sick if you want a unmolested show car.
examples like this:
1) how many have removed there gas tank? instead of sitting there spining the nut off a 2" long rusted tank strap bolt,when you reinstall it,put a 1" spacer,made from a small piece of pipe& a flat washer,next time you have just a few turns of the nut and its off!!
2) my cars hood hinges were rusted tight ,like an idiot when I went to open the hood the first time I jerked it up and tore the hinges right out of the fender wells, I bead blasted the hinges, straighted out the fenderwells, tried too reinstall them but they would bind alot, so I eliminated them got another set of hood pins drilled a few holes and now I have a lift of hood!
much easier to work on the back side of the engine bay, and maverick hoods are not that heavy, I take mine off and on myself all the time
3) mine was a factory a/c car, but I removed the sys. along with all the duct work and the complete bottom 1/2 of my dash,the vents in the middle of my dash now house my triple gauge pod,and fit pretty nicely there!( I cut up an a/c car..start the bashing!!)
4) I wanted to eliminate engine torque twist, so I went to a hardware storeand bought an elcheapo turnbuckle mounted it from the front of my cylinder head to my shock tower, cost me about $2.00 tighten it up a little and presto ,no more twisting!!

SORRY SO LONG,just a few of the many mods I have done,feel free to add to this ,and or criticise or bash my doings!!

 

more tips

I can't beleive I'm the only one here that has any tricks ,or dosen't believe in following anybody else??

.....heres more.. If your running "slapper bar" traction bars and you want to preload your suspension at the strip try running an exhaust clamp around the bars and your spring and snug them up tight to your spring mount.

.... painting the engine compartment with out removing everything its amazing how well "tin foil" works for covering things you don't want paint on!

 

I got one for racer!

Always make sure, before you climb in the car and put your 5 point harness on and strap you helmet on your melon, that you have turned you battery switch that is mounted on the outside of the car.... ON!!!

 

Sounds like the voice of experience. Seems like if someone on the board has the time and inclination, to gather up some of the things the members have posted, and put them into a post or file for us to view. If I have the time, I will work on it. BTW, to whoever put the trick up about the brighter bulbs for the dash, great tip. Works well.

Earl

 

If you swap heads or intakes often, stud the motor.

 

Yes, studs are great. We even went to using studs in the heads for the intake manifold--makes installing the intake oh-so-much easier. Also holds the gasket better. Studs in the oil pan are a good idea too. Makes in-car pan removal/installation a breeze. The studs even hold the gasket to the block. Another quick, cheap performance tip is to make sure the carb is actually going wide open. Sometimes the spring on the factory throttle cable is a bit long and it'll bind up and keep the carb (or throttle body for you injection guys) from going all the way. Sounds crazy, but on the bracket car, it was worth .4 second and about 8 mph.

 

more tips!!

heres more!!!........the gas cap on my mav looked pretty sad, so I sanded it down painted it purple(if you saw my car you would see it has purple on it)....then I bought a set of stick on ford logo wheel center cap decals, it fit perfect in the middle of my cap, it looks pretty sweet,and original!,and being as they come in a set of 4, I took another and stuck it to the metal horn cap of my Grant steering wheel, as for the other 2, ones made into a keychain ,and the others stuck on my tool box, I picked'm up for like $4 at a local shop.

 

All you really need to know is that superglue and duct tape fix EVERYTHING!

 

If you have an old motor with a lot of blow-by, enough so that oil vapor and oil come out of your breather cap, you can create an oil trap and drain back using a modified oil filler cap, and a large gas filter pointing straight up.

Most of the oil vapor collects in the filter and drains back into the motor, rather than running down the valve cover or into the air filter housing.

 

index your plugs

Its a old trick, but it still works!

 

Please expand on the 'indexing' of plugs (ie., how does one index them and what are the benefits?)

Thx,

R

 

plug indexing

I'll take a stab at this,if I'm wrong I hope someone sets me straight!!!

1) first take a black marker and mark your spark plug on the side where the ground electrode conects to the plug housing.

2) spin your plug into the head ,check where the mark iswhen tight you want it so the mark is towards the exhaust side/outside of engine.

what that does is put the opening of the electrode towards the valves, so it ignites the fuel mixture faster,with a bigger spark as aposed to having the ground electrode shrouding the spark kernel.

I hope this is not to difficult to follow,and makes sense.

 

madmav74 you are correct. Basically putting the gap down, between 3 & 9 o'clock. If you are running the "big plugs" they do not make index washers, but you "can" buy some washers to fit. If you run the small plugs, they sell index washers for them. What that does is if you are a little off ( not between 3 & 9) you can put a small washer on the plug to get it between 3 & 9. Or you can do like I used to do and by 16 plugs (big plugs) in hopes of getting 8 of them to index.

 

Ya could always just get surface gap plugs!

 

I belong to a Car Club called "PoMoFo Racing" here in Houston. Our local 1/8th mile track has monthly events with a points system. About 10 clubs compete for the yearly trophy (and a little money - nothing much- just icing on the cake). It's really an excuse for the guys to get together, eat some BBQ and benchrace. There's the competition factor also (between clubs). I'ts a blast.

The home page reads:

"PoMoFoRacing is a website geared towards any auto performance enthusiast whose right foot is heavier than their wallet. No matter the make or model, if you like to do your own wrenching, this is the place for you. Here you will find everything from tech articles to forums to tech day and track event listings."

It's mostly Mustang 5.0's but they also have some good tech articles on saving bucks (DIY type stuff) in general.