What have you done to your mustang today?

[GriffX]

Looks like ford racing valve covers. What paint color is that?

It is AK231-50 from Mipa, ultramarine blue RAL 5002, I think it is a little bit darker or more red inside than Ford Performance.

https://www.mipa-paints.com/en/prod...ts/industry/product/prodinfo/produkt3228.html

 

[GriffX]

was a lot of work, definitively not done in one day


it transforms the whole engine bay,

 

[Midlife Crises]

It is a lot of work but it sure looks good.

 

[StoneTheCrow]

I replaced the output speed sensor on the transmission. Easy job, getting the car high enough safely was the hardest part.

 

[GriffX]

It is a lot of work but it sure looks good.

If I had a Tornador for cleaning, sanding star for sanding, paint gun for paint, I guess I could have done one side in 2.5h instead of 5. They never show on YT videos how long it takes to do it, so winter storage it is a good time.

 

[cavero]

Finally, did a 3M headlight/foglight restoration. 16 y.o. plastic needed some love. Yup, worked great. $12 on Amazon and some $$$ well spent.

View attachment 102031

What did you use to protect it? I just did the same on mine, and on my 07 Tacoma's fogs. Decided to test out the 2-part clear I had, and it started eating the Taco's plastic!

This was before/after polishing


This was what the clear did





BTW, this is how the mustangs turned out (have not cleared it yet)

 

[Blue03Cobra]

What did you use to protect it?

The 3M kit I used had plastic UV protectant wipes, as the last step.

Meguires also sells a stand-alone product, as well. It also got good reviews and buying the sandpaper and protectant on your own, probably saves a bit. The 3M kit recommended using a protectant, annually, to prevent future fading...

 

[cavero]

The 3M kit I used had plastic UV protectant wipes, as the last step.

Maguire also sells a stand-alone product, as well. It also got good reviews and buying the sandpaper and protectant on your own, probably saves a bit. The 3M kit recommended using a protectant, annually, to prevent future fading...

Thanks I'll check out the meguiars product. My leftover 3M kit definitely didn't have that but its pretty old, maybe 6-7 years.

 

[ShelbySteve]

What did you use to protect it? I just did the same on mine, and on my 07 Tacoma's fogs. Decided to test out the 2-part clear I had, and it started eating the Taco's plastic!

This was before/after polishing
View attachment 103411

This was what the clear did

View attachment 103412



BTW, this is how the mustangs turned out (have not cleared it yet)
View attachment 103413

I’ve seen guys on the headlight junkies fb page talking about using 2k clear. You could also apply ppf over the lenses.

 

[cavero]

I’ve seen guys on the headlight junkies fb page talking about using 2k clear. You could also apply ppf over the lenses.

https://a.co/d/esR7GaI

Yeah that's what I was using, granted the can was a little old. I'm also wondering if it was the plastic that the Tacoma's lights are made out of too. When I was sanding with a 220 disc, if I held it in one spot too long, it'd start melting. Didn't have that problem on the mustang.


BTW, finally got the ceramic coating on the front of the car:

 

[Laga]

I finally finished replacing the electrical connectors for the COPs and injectors on my 05. Over the past 20 years, I have had one of each connector break. I spliced, soldered, and covered with a double layer of glue filled heat to shrink wrap. Not a bad job, just time consuming. #8 cylinder was a bitch. Short wire sticking out of harness and no room to work.

 

[GlassTop09]

But this 5W-20 run to 5W-30 changeout did confirm other things......confirmed twice that the 5W-30 oil is noticeably better for VCT operations & for operational EOP curves--VCT operations are noticeably more stable & responsive under 5W-30 than 5W-20, which translates into more accurate VCT cam timing movement\positioning thus a slight advantage in avg HP\TQ outputs at the only expense of some potential MPG loss (will be testing this out soon on the 5W-30 oil.........have already done this on the 5W-20 oil back in October..........to get a comparison result for knowledge\records) but no measurable emissions degradation at all to date (have pulled several IM Readiness Self-Check Test results from ECU since last oil changeout........all showing to remain within prior established normal Cat CE Ratio operating ranges between .035-.071 on both banks, depending on how the car was being driven......

For those so interested.................

Just got done earlier today running my 2nd fuel mileage test on my Stang running MC 5W-30 FS oil (ran 1st test back in 10-24 on MC 5W-20 FS oil) keeping the test as apples-to-apples as I could (same route in same direction of travel, under same sunny skies using the same E10 91 oct fuel from same pump at same station.......during 2nd test I had to stop at the house to pee before going to station to top back off, thus the 1 mi difference......also didn't have my laptop in car during today's 2nd test & didn't feel like pulling it out just to capture this data from today so the 2nd Forscan Mode 6 Component Self-Check data file is from 2-3-25 DC but compares very closely w\ the 1st Forscan Mode 6 data pulled right after end of 1st mileage test thus within the Cat CE operational range I posted in earlier posting.......) except for environmental conditions (density altitude, humidity & IAT) which are out of my control but my ECU's MAF IAT\AAT temp correction are set at Ford OEM 08-09 Bullitt tune settings (have a Ford OEM 08-09 Bullitt CAI installed), MAF Adaption enabled, all SD settings set at Ford OEM '09 GT tune settings w\ CMCV's installed\enabled (which are all identical to Ford OEM 08-09 Bullitt tune) along w\ correctly calibrated FP 62mm TB's actual PTA\EA mapped in ETC control's TB PTA\EA mapping @ 9.37 in2 max @ 82* TBA at WOT (thus all preemptive SD airmass modeling calcs are matching up very closely to the MAF airmass modeling calcs.......datalogged ECU's IPC Wheel TQ Error PID backs this up w\ error tracking around\at 0 TQ errors thus didn't need to touch the OEM Ford-set IPC WTE max setting of 25,000 at all in tune.....thus no Limp Mode triggers\ETC errors as ECU is in full control of this FP 62mm TB thus engine RPM at all times across the full 82* of TBA operational range.....) thus the ECU is actually accounting for any environmental differences in its airmass modeling calcs while in CL between the 2 test runs..........thus in essence, apples-to-apples.

You don't lie to the ECU, the ECU won't lie to you.....................no garbage in, no garbage out........thus can trust what the ECU tells\shows you.

Results show all is stable thus repeatable tune-wise across the board.............in my case, the viscosity difference between MC 5W-20 FS vs MC 5W-30 FS doesn't matter (friction-wise) concerning MPG........if anything is to be made out of this, MPG under 5W-30 is slightly better than under 5W-20 (roughly 1.5% MPG gain......) which discredits any claims of lower oil viscosity improving MPG (main point of EPA CAFE stds........thinner oil viscosity imparts lower friction coeff against moving internal components due to smaller oil molecular structure thus less drag on engine internals thus less engine load thus higher MPG.....)........at least between a 5W-20 vs a 5W-30 oil that meets the same API specs IMHO & from this result.......the better choice IMHO is 5W-30 for the improved wear protection since actual fuel mileage is not negatively impacted at all.......thus is another validation of my choice to run the MC 5W-30 FS oil (I went w\ it over MC 5W-20 after the 1st oil change post car purchase strictly due to accumulated engine mileage thus perceived engine internal clearance wear to increase wear protection.......MPG wasn't & still isn't my main concern........but it's very nice to have your cake & eat it too.......).

Enjoy!

 

[GriffX]

AFAIK 5w30 for Ford means lower hths viscosity than normal 5w30, almost as thin as 5w20.

 

[Iceman62]

Me, I sadly tapped the cover saying "see you soon, my sweet" while yanking the snowblower out to clear driveway.

 

[rocknrod]

Bought some parts for when I get home to play.

 

[Forty61]

Drove it to work! First time in months I've driven it more than up and down the street. After driving the WRX for a few months the difference in shifter and clutch feel was dramatic. Still need to get rid of the stupid wheel shake, at this point it's gotta be in the balance of the wheels and tires so I'm hoping with this year's tax return I can find a nice cheap used set of aftermarket wheels and finally replace the stock ones

 

[86GT351]

View attachment 103376
was a lot of work, definitively not done in one day

View attachment 103381
it transforms the whole engine bay,
View attachment 103382

Looks good. Personally I would find a way to add some additional blue accents.

 

[GriffX]

Looks good. Personally I would find a way to add some additional blue accents.

I think about that also, but don't know where/what.

 

[86GT351]

I think about that also, but don't know where/what.

That is all your imagination.

 

[86GT351]

Aftermarket coolant tank maybe