The one and only GABE's '13 GT Build Thread!

[Gabe]

^ Yeah, like THAT'S not going to be making any noise in 2 years. Looks nice though.

Lol, hope not.
A buddy has these on the back of his '12, he's had them installed (the wrong way, with that shoulder downward like I first had them) for about 2 years with no issues.
We'll see ... by then I'll probably have a different set of wheels on the car anyway, and maybe I won't need these perches anymore.
I am, after all, a wheel whore.

 

[Gabe]

Today I installed the brake fluid reservoir from the auto cars, the GTO clutch fluid reservoir, and topped off the fluids with Amsoil DOT4 brake fluid.
Brake and clutch fluids are now "divorced", no longer heating each other up.
McLeod clutch line to be installed within the next few days.
The new set-up:

 

[Gabe]

Not a lot done to the car until a couple of days ago when I finally installed the Kenne Bell BAP I bought October of last year, then got re-tuned by a local shop.

The car also has the fuel pump wiring upgrade installed, and now the KB BAP:

The re-tune brought me numbers of 562rwhp and 470 rwtq

That will have to do until I get a smaller pulley on there

A video from a different run where the car put out 562 rwhp and 472 rwtq:



Mods: stock (for the kit) twin-60mm TB, ID1000 injectors, 3.25" pulley, JLT 123mm CAI, JBA 3" H-pipe, Lethat Perf 2.75" over-axle pipes, '11-'12 GT500 mufflers, Kenne Bell boost-a-pump. Tuned by Alex @ Granite State Dyno & Tune




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[Gabe]

Lately I've been dealing with a weird-wearing idler pulley and blower belt.
Also, just ordered a new smaller blower pulley, going to the 3.125" pulley, which should be good for 10-11 psi.

The new idler pulley is from Thump Racing, one of their 76mm double-bearing smooth pulleys. Here it is next to the stock unit:

Bought it from Lethal Performance, drop-shipped direct from Thump Racing, and they were nice enough to not include the stepped bushing and new mounting bolt that were supposed to come with the new pulley:

Received them after calling Lethal and asking for them, they had Thump ship them out direct.

New pulley looks great, but has lots of drag, doesn't spin freely.
Called up Lethal, they're washing their hands of it, told me to deal with Thump directly. A bit surprised at that since I bought it from Lethal, not Thump.
E-mailed Thump, included a link to the video below, 3 days later no reply, I called and spoke with Peter there, he told me he'd replace it but should be OK.
I prefer a freer-spinning pulley, so I'm sending it back to them for a replacement.
The video:

 

[Gabe]

This morning I changed the MT82's trans fluid.
Car has about 36700 miles on it, the factory fluid was changed out at 10k miles.
The fluid that I dumped out today was a custom blend from BND Automotive, part of their Quantum Blue line of fluids.
It helped a lot, immediately offering smoother/cushier engagements, but it's due for replacement at 30-40k intervals, so I was getting close.
New fluid that went in today, a mix of fluids from Amsoil.
2 quarts of their Synchomesh fluid and 1 qt of their gear lube fluid:

I mixed the 2 different fluids in a gallon jug:

And I used a cheap Harbor Freight transfer pump to pump it into the trans from that jug.
The 2 plugs on the side of the transmission were a pain to remove since there's not much room on the side of the trans, but I loosened them with a 12mm Allen socket, then used a pair of pliers to back them out until I could undo them by hand.
Reverse procedure to get them back in.

The drain plug is an 8mm Allen plug on the bottom of the trans:

The old fluid didn't look terrible when it was coming out, although it was pretty dark once in the catch pan:

Once I drained it out of the catch pan, it left behind quite a bit of metallic residue:

So I'm quite happy that I changed it out, and I took a sample of the fluid that I will be sending out to Blackstone Labs for analysis, to see what they say.
Planning on the next change around 60k miles.


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[StangPhD]

That is a lot of metal. I would be interested in the lab report when you get it.

 

[Gabe]

That is a lot of metal. I would be interested in the lab report when you get it.

Me too, can't wait to see what it says.



Yesterday I finally installed the BMR adjustable upper control arm and mount that I've had for about 7 months.
It replaced the factory mount and a Steeda upper control arm that I was never quite impressed with.
The Steeda was the solid "for lowered cars" unit, but measuring it against the factory arm it had the same length between the bolt holes, so not sure how it was supposed to change anything, other than add a bunch of NVH, which it certainly did.
I was also shocked at the size difference in the bolts between the Steeda and the beefy new BMR bolt connecting the arm to the mount (even the factory bolt was thicker than the Steeda):

These are the 3 arms and 2 mounts: blue Steeda arm, stamped steel factory arm & mount, and the BEEFY BMR stuff on the right:

The BMR arm and mount together:

And installed:

 

[Gabe]

Yesterday I finally installed the BMR Watts Link that I've had sitting around for almost 8 months

Opened it up and marveled at the awesomeness that is BEEFY BMR stuff:

I used some rubber rod-end boots for the rod-end ends of the links, after spraying them with Amsoil HD Metal Protector:

The pivot and linkages assembled:

I had to cut the little years off the rubber boots so I could get them inside the pivot assembly, this is one cut next to one the way they come:

And the whole shebang installed:

I had to add some 1-2mm thick washers to the long thing bolts going toward the diff cover since they looked like they would've contacted the diff cover during up/down diff movement, so I effectively shortened them using the washers to provide more clearance:

Some close-ups:

I was somewhat unhappy that the center section of the large Watts member is kinda touching the spare tire well:

Driver-side exhaust clamp clearance:

Passenger side exhaust clamp clearance, after I rotated the clamp since it was close enough that it would hit when I jostled the pipe around:

And my work area:

Brief test drive after, I love it.
Can't wait to drive the car some more, throw it into some more corners!!!!



Edit:
Remembered today that the panhard bar bolt and nut from the driver side didn't get re-installed, which wasn't a bad thing for the bolt since I knew exactly where it was, sitting on my toolbox, but the nut/bracket assembly ... well, it had fallen inside the LCA relocation bracket when the bolt got removed, and that's where I apparently had forgotten it.
Happy to still find it there even after I drove the car a couple of miles yesterday after the install.
I then remembered that there was an extra spacer that wasn't mentioned anywhere in the instructions, and kinda figured that maybe it's supposed to go where the panhard bar used to be mounted.
Low and behold, it sure as hell did:

 

[TGR96]

And installed:

Gabe, how did you determine what length to set your UCA to before the install? I am about to install the same BMR UCA and mount on my car, and I'm wondering what length to set it to maintain the right pinion angle. I know that both your car and mine are lowered pretty good, so i bet the measurement will be similar.

Also, am I safe to assume that I'd better get ready for some increase in NVH over the stock pieces?

 

[BMR Tech 2]

Yesterday I finally installed the BMR Watts Link that I've had sitting around for almost 8 months

Opened it up and marveled at the awesomeness that is BEEFY BMR stuff:

I used some rubber rod-end boots for the rod-end ends of the links, after spraying them with Amsoil HD Metal Protector:

The pivot and linkages assembled:

I had to cut the little years off the rubber boots so I could get them inside the pivot assembly, this is one cut next to one the way they come:

And the whole shebang installed:

I had to add some 1-2mm thick washers to the long thing bolts going toward the diff cover since they looked like they would've contacted the diff cover during up/down diff movement, so I effectively shortened them using the washers to provide more clearance:

Some close-ups:

I was somewhat unhappy that the center section of the large Watts member is kinda touching the spare tire well:

Driver-side exhaust clamp clearance:

Passenger side exhaust clamp clearance, after I rotated the clamp since it was close enough that it would hit when I jostled the pipe around:

And my work area:

Brief test drive after, I love it.
Can't wait to drive the car some more, throw it into some more corners!!!!



Edit:
Remembered today that the panhard bar bolt and nut from the driver side didn't get re-installed, which wasn't a bad thing for the bolt since I knew exactly where it was, sitting on my toolbox, but the nut/bracket assembly ... well, it had fallen inside the LCA relocation bracket when the bolt got removed, and that's where I apparently had forgotten it.
Happy to still find it there even after I drove the car a couple of miles yesterday after the install.
I then remembered that there was an extra spacer that wasn't mentioned anywhere in the instructions, and kinda figured that maybe it's supposed to go where the panhard bar used to be mounted.
Low and behold, it sure as hell did:

Looks good, Gabe! The Watts touching the floor pan shouldn't be an issue, since that part doesn't move at all. It's a very, very tight fit on most peoples cars. I think I'd be able to *MAYBE* slide a credit card between mine and the pan. Just flip your pivot bolts around so the head is facing the diff, and you won't have clearance issues.

Gabe, how did you determine what length to set your UCA to before the install? I am about to install the same BMR UCA and mount on my car, and I'm wondering what length to set it to maintain the right pinion angle. I know that both your car and mine are lowered pretty good, so i bet the measurement will be similar.

Also, am I safe to assume that I'd better get ready for some increase in NVH over the stock pieces?

Set it to the same length as OEM, then adjust your pinion angle as necessary. You will get some increase in NVH with the poly over the stock rubber.

 

[Gabe]

Gabe, how did you determine what length to set your UCA to before the install? I am about to install the same BMR UCA and mount on my car, and I'm wondering what length to set it to maintain the right pinion angle. I know that both your car and mine are lowered pretty good, so i bet the measurement will be similar.

Also, am I safe to assume that I'd better get ready for some increase in NVH over the stock pieces?

I set it as close to stock arm's length (hole-to-hole measurements) as I could.
My car sits pretty high up in the back these days, since that's my temporary fix to deal with the rubbing I was getting from my tires (bad offset/huge tires = bad combo for lowered Stang)

Looks good, Gabe! The Watts touching the floor pan shouldn't be an issue, since that part doesn't move at all. It's a very, very tight fit on most peoples cars. I think I'd be able to *MAYBE* slide a credit card between mine and the pan. Just flip your pivot bolts around so the head is facing the diff, and you won't have clearance issues.



Set it to the same length as OEM, then adjust your pinion angle as necessary. You will get some increase in NVH with the poly over the stock rubber.

Good to know about that clearance against the spare tire well ... I figured it's not a piece that moves so it should be fine.
The bolts not being flipped doesn't change durability, right?
Cuz I kinda want to be done with it for now and not get back under there right away ...

 

[BMR Tech 2]

Good to know about that clearance against the spare tire well ... I figured it's not a piece that moves so it should be fine.
The bolts not being flipped doesn't change durability, right?
Cuz I kinda want to be done with it for now and not get back under there right away ...

As long as the nylon is engaged on the nuts, I don't see it being an issue.

 

[BMR Tech]

Looks awesome Gabe!

Enjoy sir!

 

[Gabe]

As long as the nylon is engaged on the nuts, I don't see it being an issue.

My nuts are engaged alright!

Looks awesome Gabe!

Enjoy sir!

Thanks Kelly!

 

[BMR Tech]

#engagedNuts

 

[Gabe]

Well, a couple hundred miles and an autocross event later, I love the Watts Link.
It added traction when cornering/turning, even when accelerating from a stop and turning.
And it seems to have reduced body roll somewhat.
It also seems to have changed the rear-end feel of the car a bit over bumps, it's a bit cushier but firm.



Updates on the car:

During the autocross event my fiancee and I did last Saturday, I overheated my brake fluid, my blower belt decided to start melting onto the pulleys, and that made me forego doing the last run of the day.
So new belts were ordered, I have new DOT4 Amsoil brake fluid waiting to be flushed-in, and yesterday I started working on the car.
Got the blower belt replaced (a fun project since a large aluminum bracket has to be removed), and this was made much easier by the fact that I was replacing the coolant tanks with newly hydro-dipped ones.
Also got the thermostat replaced with the 170-degree Reische unit that I've had for over a year.
Stopped about half-done since the shipment with the new main serpentine belt, its tensioner, and a new idler pulley, didn't show up yesterday like it was supposed to.
But got the new engine coolant tank installed, and today will hopefully button it up, top off the coolant systems, and re-start it.
Still need to flush the brake fluid, and I might actually order some new DOT 5.1 fluid for that service.

The new hydro-dipped coolant tanks I picked up yesterday from the dipper:

Pictures from yesterday's work:

The alternator/front serpentine belt, original OEM part at the current 37k miles, being replaced mostly because it has to be removed anyway for the blower belt to be replaced:

The old and the new blower belts. The old blower belt was starting to show a really odd wear on half of it, and it was sticky, this was the half that was leaving gummy residue onto the pulleys:

The belts removed, the top silver idler pulley clearly shows the belt residue that the blower belt was leaving on it:

Pulleys cleaned and new blower belt routed, aluminum tensioner bracket reinstalled and torqued to 25 Nm (approx 222 in-lbs):

Thermostat-replacement. This caused a bunch of fluid to leak out, almost no way to have it not do that because of where the t-stat is located. I had a pan under the car that caught most of it.

The factory 180-degree thermostat:

And the factory t-stat next to the new 170-degree Reische t-stat:

The way it looked at the end of the day yesterday, with the engine coolant tank installed and connected, but not re-filled yet, just in case I have to take it apart again for some reason:

 

[Gabe]

Got it all buttoned up this morning.
Quick trip to the local O'Reilly Auto Parts, got a new main belt (water pump and alternator belt), and a new idler pulley to replace the Thump Racing idler that I was never happy with.
$18 Gates pulley spins much better than the $140 Thump pulley:






And she's now running and looking great:




Gates idler pulley info, next to original Whipple kit's pulley:

Gates idler installed:

New Gates main-belt, replacing the Ford BR3Z-8620-D belt:

New Ford idler and tensioner installed:

Old and new tensioners, part # BR3Z-6B209-H:

And all done:

 

[BMR Tech]

Great to hear you are liking the Watts Gabe! Thanks for your continual support of our products and operation, it is very much appreciated my friend!

 

[Gabe]

Great to hear you are liking the Watts Gabe! Thanks for your continual support of our products and operation, it is very much appreciated my friend!

You're welcome, and thank you Kelly, and thank Dylan for both your guys' help recently.




Today I flushed out the brake fluid in my car, got rid of the 4-year-old crap and put in some fresh Motul RBF600.

Quite surprised how cloudy and somewhat dark the old stuff was.

New fluid in the reservoir:

New fluid in the brake reservoir, old fluid in the clutch reservoir:

Also, using an old turkey baster I sucked out whatever I could out of the clutch fluid reservoir and re-filled with the same new Motul RBF600 stuff.
I will do the suck/refill procedure a few more times until I can consider that flushed.
The difference between the old and new clutch fluid, as it looked/looks in the reservoir:

 

[Gabe]

Today I installed the next-smaller Whipple pulley, a 3.125" unit.

Pictures from the pulley swap: