Planning a Ford Racing “Aluminator” Build with associated mods over the winter

[tigerhonaker]

Starting to second guess the wisdom of my hip surgery today! Saw the Surgeon, had x-rays and the staples removed. He showed me the x-rays and said everything looks fantastic! During surgery I made note of the fact with the spinal I knew he screwed in 2 screws; sure enough the x-rays confirmed. He was also pleased with my mobility (down to one cane). I asked him if the replacement parts were Titanium and he said yes; $3000+ worth. This is when I started to second guess the surgery, if only there would have been a way to apply the funds to my build! Lol

Still six weeks to go before I am approved to drive.

Placed an order February 3rd for an Air Lift Performance Digital Combo Kit so I will be joining the “Lower than you…” club in the spring!

Scott,

Take care and good luck on a Fast recovery.

My wife had her complete right hip replaced last year.
She is 100% in all respects so all should go well with you also.


Terry

 

[Scott]

Just read up on this.. Glad the surgery went without a hitch! You are now made with titanium! Who does not like titanium?.. hope recovery goes smooth just don't push it. Recovery is a important part of the process

Thanks Jim! First race motor I built was a 1970 Boss 302 back in the early 70's at that time I recall the Titanium intake valves were something like $17 a piece. Motor seemed to last forever and I sold it with the car. Next Boss 302 I started to build I gave up on as the Titanium valves were close to $100 each only about 9 or 10 years later. So at only $3000 and change I got a good deal on the new hip! lol

Scott,

Take care and good luck on a Fast recovery.

My wife had her complete right hip replaced last year.
She is 100% in all respects so all should go well with you also.


Terry

Thanks Terry! I am keeping up on my exercises and feel stronger every day!

 

[crownaviation]

Thanks Jim! First race motor I built was a 1970 Boss 302 back in the early 70's at that time I recall the Titanium intake valves were something like $17 a piece. Motor seemed to last forever and I sold it with the car. Next Boss 302 I started to build I gave up on as the Titanium valves were close to $100 each only about 9 or 10 years later. So at only $3000 and change I got a good deal on the new hip! lol

Good deal indeed, not to mention the improvement in quality of life... PRICELESS!

 

[Scott]

AFCO HE Install - Vortech HE Removal

Got out in the garage for a bit today (first time since my surgery) and started on the AFCO HE install. Don’t tell my wife or garage time will quickly turn into house work or odd jobs.

Last thing I did before my surgery was to remove the front bumper cover to expose the foam bumper core.



Removed the upper foam piece of the bumper core.



Removed the foam bumper core by very carefully freeing the four plastic pin-type retainers and pulling the core straight out.





Firstly drained the coolant from the HE by removing the lower hose and removing the Moroso coolant tank cap, then removed the remaining hose on the HE.



Removed the 4 bolts (2 on each side) securing the Vortech HE with a 13mm deep socket and 13mm ratchet wrench.



Lowered the Vortech HE from the car and drained any remaining coolant.



Snapped the four mounting grommets, washer side towards rear of vehicle, into the mounting holes on the heat exchanger brackets and pushed an aluminum bushing into each grommet.





Comparison of the AFCO and Vortech HE’s



Installed the four supplied 8mm x 50mm bolts into the bumper holes where the Vortech HE was removed. Let the bolts protrude about 1/4” on the HE side.



In my next venture into the garage I will Install the AFCO HE and remove the Vortech Pump and coolant hoses to make way for the Meziere Pump.

 

[one eyed willy]

Lookin good

 

[Timmbo]

Nothing like getting back into the garage for some fun! Great to see you up and at it again. Your going to love that AFCO. I wound up putting the two large relays hidden behind the passenger headlamp assy. I also put a switch in the lower panel below the steering column so I can switch the fans on or off when needed.

 

[Scott]

Lookin good

Thanks Paul!

Nothing like getting back into the garage for some fun! Great to see you up and at it again. Your going to love that AFCO. I wound up putting the two large relays hidden behind the passenger headlamp assy. I also put a switch in the lower panel below the steering column so I can switch the fans on or off when needed.

Tim thanks! Still another month or so before I can get onto my hands and knees and up from the floor. Means the tasks I tackle need to be pretty simple. Not sure if I will be able to lift the AFCO into place to get the bolts started while sitting on a chair. But we shall see. lol

It is still pretty cold in the garage as well, season normal should be +2C today, but our high is only expected to be -10C. Means I will be taking a few extra coffee breaks to warm up.

Do you also control the coolant pump motor with the same switch? Would you mind sharing how you wired the switch in for the fans?

 

[Timmbo]

Do you also control the coolant pump motor with the same switch? Would you mind sharing how you wired the switch in for the fans?

No. It runs whenever the key is in the "on" position. I have mine hooked up to a wire in the harness connector that is right by the 3 connectors for the PCM. Roush provided the empty available pin in the instructions for my old M90 kit but I don't recall which one. You could tap into your noise suppressor wire for the 12v to your pump. Kenne Bell recommends that location.

For the fans the two large relays are connected by a fuse that you install on the junction box hot post. The other power wire is the key on power to those relays. I ran that wire to my switch under the steering column. Then from the switch to key on power at the fusebox in the passenger kick panel.

 

[Scott]

Thanks Tim. My existing pump uses the noise suppressor wire for key on source. I will use it for the fans as well. Still considering adding a switch to run the fans independently from the ignition.

 

[Scott]

AFCO HE Install - Continued

Snipped the wire ties securing the coolant hose from the pump to the power steering tubes and removed the pump hose to the Vortech HE. Released the hose clamps to the pump and cut the wire ties securing the pump cable.



Removed the Vortech pump from the mounting bracket with a 10mm wrench and socket. Will see if I can utilize the Vortech bracket in some way to mount the Meziere Pump.



With absolutely everything out of the way including the horns carefully slide the AFCO HE up from bottom to catch the bolts.



Fully seated the bolts and installed the 4 Nylock nuts and flat washers and tightened them enough to crush the blue grommets by approximately 1/16”.



Fastened the AFCO relays to the bottom bolts on the passenger side head lights using a 10mm socket and long extension.



Next up on the HE install is continuing the wiring.

 

[Scott]

Raxiom 2010 Style Head Light Install

Already had the bumper cover off for the AFCO HE install.

Removed the 10mm bolt on the top of each OEM head light and released the push pins. Passenger side illustrated.



Removed the two 10mm bolts on the bottom of both OEM head lights. Passenger side illustrated.



OEM Head light removed and connector released.

Passenger side



I don’t know how because I have absolutely no strength in my hands I broke the locking tab on the head light connector. The Raxiom lights have a pig tail so I could have put electrical tape around the connection if it wasn’t so cold in the garage. The connection seemed pretty tight without the tape. At least if I have any issues with that light in future I will know what to check. Drivers Side.



Raxiom 2010 Style Halo Head Light in place.

Passenger side



Drivers side



Next to do is to wire the Head Light Halos and Fog Light Halos into the parking lights.

 

[Scott]

Back to the AFCO HE Wiring and Mounting the Meziere Pump

Routed the AFCO harness from under the passenger head light through the radiator support and up to the fuse box. Fastened the AFCO Fuse folders one each to the two bolts that secure the fuse box. A little hard to see the fuse holders through the wiring bundles. Clearly time for a wire tuck, but let’s save that for another day!



Attached both red wires from the AFCO harness to the to the main power distribution point on the fuse box (far right).



Routed the AFCO black and grey ground wires from the harness through the radiator support to a factory ground location (right). Soldered a ring terminal end onto the Meziere black ground wire and also routed it through the radiator support to a factory ground location (left center).



My Meziere pump came assembled with the inlet to the left and outlet to the right. This was the opposite of what I needed for the AFCO.



Removed the bottom plate and rotated the plate so when the pump was mounted the outlet would be towards the AFCO HE.

Took a NAPA ¾” hose part number 11605 (top picture), trimmed both ends (bottom picture) and cut down the original Vortech hose by 3” to work with the new Meziere pump location.





Determined that the Vortech mount for the original Bosch pump was not going to work for the Meziere pump. Fabricated a 1/8” thick aluminum plate with the dimensions of 3 ¾’ wide by 5 ¼” long to mount the Meziere pump using the mounting location of the Vortech bracket.

Trail fitted the new mount, inlet hose and pump. Still need to round the corners and clean the bracket up a little.

 

[one eyed willy]

Hell ya!

 

[99horsey]

Scott, that's a great idea for mounting the Meziere. I'm using the same pump and HE in my DOB build. Thanks to crownaviation pointing this thread out to me I think I'm going to steal your idea for the pump mount. I love that it doesn't require any holes to be drilled and it gets it over in about the perfect location to pump into the bottom of the HE.

 

[Timmbo]

Nice mounting job of the pump Scott!

 

[Scott]

Hell ya!

Thanks Paul. Trying to keep at the "light" stuff for the time being. I see the surgeon again tomorrow, March 18th will be 2 months from my surgery. I am hoping I will get the ok to drive by the 18th and then be able to get into the Air Lift install.

Scott, that's a great idea for mounting the Meziere. I'm using the same pump and HE in my DOB build. Thanks to crownaviation pointing this thread out to me I think I'm going to steal your idea for the pump mount. I love that it doesn't require any holes to be drilled and it gets it over in about the perfect location to pump into the bottom of the HE.

I can't take credit for the idea, Todd (tmcolegr) was the pioneer here. Check out this thread for more specifics.

http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59350&highlight=afco

Have you started a thread yet on your DOB build?

Nice mounting job of the pump Scott!

Tim, thanks! I still need to come up with hose routing from the pump output to the AFCO input.

I have these hoses so far, and while I could cut them down to work, I am clearly not happy with the very tight bends.



I was hoping to locate 3/4" hoses similar to what Todd used in this picture, but am having trouble locating them. Any thoughts?

http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy127/tmcolegr/100_1810.jpg

 

[99horsey]

I can't take credit for the idea, Todd (tmcolegr) was the pioneer here. Check out this thread for more specifics.

http://www.s197forum.com/forum/showthread.php?t=59350&highlight=afco

Have you started a thread yet on your DOB build?

Nice - thanks for the link. I don't know how I never came across that thread in my searching. I haven't started a thread. I've mostly been cannibalizing threads over on the DOB forum to work through my issues. I may start a thread when I get done.

Tim, thanks! I still need to come up with hose routing from the pump output to the AFCO input.

I have these hoses so far, and while I could cut them down to work, I am clearly not happy with the very tight bends.



I was hoping to locate 3/4" hoses similar to what Todd used in this picture, but am having trouble locating them. Any thoughts?

http://i784.photobucket.com/albums/yy127/tmcolegr/100_1810.jpg

Two of the ones in Todd's picture look like they could actually be straight hose that was bent rather than preformed bends. The corners actually look pinched a tad compared to the ones you posted. I think you'll be just as well off with the ones in your picture. Now that I think this is the way I'll be going for my pump mounting I'll be looking over the next day or so for fittings to set up the plumbing with the lowest head loss. If I find anything good I'll definitely post back.

 

[Scott]

A little more AFCO Plumbing and Electrical Today

Spliced together a top hose using the hoses provided by AFCO. Fabricated a little aluminum plate to hasten to where the GT500 pump would normally go. I am using the plate with some wire ties to hold the hose and especially the hose clamps away from the A/C condenser.



Fastened the AFCO wire loom from the Spal fans across the top of the hose with wire ties.

 

[99horsey]

I posted this morning but I think since it was only my 2nd post on this forum and I quoted a post with links it was held up for moderators or something. Anyway, I haven't posted a thread on my DOB build because so far I have been cannibalizing other threads on the DOB forum to get questions answered. I'll probably start a thread with pics when my build is done. Right now half of what should be in my engine compartment is in my basement...

Anyway, looking at the photos from Todd I think that a couple of those bends may just be non pre-bent hoses. If you look at the corners some of them appear to be a little squished. The ones you posted may be as good or better hydraulically.

I bought some 1/8" thick aluminum plate today to mount my Meziere in the same place as you guys did. I just need to get some longer bolts to mount the plate on and I should be in business. Thanks so much for the great pictures and info.

 

[99horsey]

I posted this morning but I think since it was only my 2nd post on this forum and I quoted a post with links it was held up for moderators or something. Anyway, I haven't posted a thread on my DOB build because so far I have been cannibalizing other threads on the DOB forum to get questions answered. I'll probably start a thread with pics when my build is done. Right now half of what should be in my engine compartment is in my basement...

Anyway, looking at the photos from Todd I think that a couple of those bends may just be non pre-bent hoses. If you look at the corners some of them appear to be a little squished. The ones you posted may be as good or better hydraulically.

I bought some 1/8" thick aluminum plate today to mount my Meziere in the same place as you guys did. I just need to get some longer bolts to mount the plate on and I should be in business. Thanks so much for the great pictures and info.

Ok... and now my reply from this morning showed up... Sorry about any confusion!