What have you done to your mustang today?

[GriffX]

Is it possible to get them off and then back on again without destroying them…?

Yes, it is an aluminum core with plastic coating hold by snap fasteners. Pull from front and end and they pop out.

 

[Ret]

Due to my wife's dementia, we are moving into an assisted living facility. Her in memory care and me in independent living; just waiting for a room to open. But my Mustang is moving into the assisted living facility as well so got her a new badge.

 

[JC SSP]

Cars and Coffey yesterday… I didn’t go but a buddy went. Sent me like 100+ pics. Lol

 

[Martin]

Ceracoated shorties went in today.

 

[Martin]

Clearances look fine

 

[rocknrod]

Getting some parts powder-coated - intake, supercharger base, cross-over coolant pipe, alternator halves. These are pics of whats left.

 

[GriffX]

Found a rust spot, interestingly identical rust spot on the other side at the rear window. Put phosphoric acid rust converter on it and will paint it.

 

[GlassTop09]

Posted for those so interested..................

Well, I got her close enough (at 3316 mi vs the 3515 mi so from 178,255 mi to 181,571 mi) for me to go ahead & pull sample for analysis of the Ford MC 5W-30 FS oil that was put in @ 1-8-25 after drain & sample of the Ford MC 5W-20 FS motor oil that was put in by mistake. While in process, I had a sample of the same MC 5W-30 FS motor oil (straight out of the bottle thus a 0 mi sample) also sent in @ 2-15-25 for analysis to have as a reference so that I can use it to evaluate the 5W-30's performance going forward.

Got the results back Thursday...................sample AAB-6040 is the 3316 mi 5W-30 sample, AAB-2227 is the 0 mi 5W-30 reference sample & AAA-6744 is the 3515 mi 5W-20 sample.

As in the prior sample, all checks out good to go (all green), but the evidence also is evident that w\ high mileage 4.6L 3V Modulars it is prudent to step up the oil viscosity from a 20-grade to 30-grade.........the fuel dilution% results along w\ the metal wear results clearly demonstrate this. Both 20 & 30 grade samples had a bottle of GumOut All in One Fuel Treatment ran w\ a full tank of gas as soon as the oil was changed thus, IMHO, this cancels out as fuel system wasn't showing any signs of distress (all STFT+LTFT's were running within 3% across the board prior the start of these tests anyway.........I started using this off Lake's recommendations as a good practice to maintain a clean fuel injection system--especially the injectors themselves--like cheap insurance, due to the use of the chemical PEA which is tested\verified to reduce fuel dilution% in motor oils by maintaining clean fuel injectors........).

The fuel dilution% drop is definitely a function of improved ring sealing from the use of the 30-grade oil vs the 20-grade oil...........the higher viscosity oil improved the now 181,571 mi piston rings sealing in the cyl bores.......which has a direct link to fuel dilution in motor oils.......reduce the ring blow by, you've reduced fuel dilution % in the oil......simple as that.

This is backed up by the reduction in metals ppm wear per 1,000 mi as well.........which reduced from 10 ppm\1,000 mi to 9.3 ppm\1,000 mi........also a result of the higher viscosity oil providing\maintaining better overall lubricity thus reducing overall metals wear.

Car was treated\driven in the same manner during both samples...........got to perform a LOT of drivability tuning on these Hot Rod cams under the 5W-30 oil test period & have discovered a LOT of things that these type cams (other cams as well that use large overlaps w\ cam EVO timing earlier than .006" adv dur 90* BBDC @ VCT 0* that are ground for use w\ VCT....) get blamed for isn't actually due to the cams......but is due to the tuning choices currently being done\not done surrounding them thru the ECU's OS.......a sad but true fact. Issue is that none of this can be recorded on any dyno sheet off a chassis dyno for evidence as all of this is occurring during low RPM, part throttle operations--not WOT operations that chassis dynos are designed to record--from off idle thru 3,000 RPM's........but can be seen\recorded thru my HPTuners VCM Scanner datalog comparisons between tune setting changes then most certainly felt\verified thru the butt dyno afterwards as well during datalogging...........

But I'll digress at this point & get back on topic............

Since I used my sampling pump to pull this last sample thru the dipstick tube, the oil is still in the car, so I plan to continue to run it until I get to 5,000 mi (also is Lake's recommendation to do to see if trends hold up to then determine the optimum mileage changeout intervals......Ford calls for 5,000 mi using their FS oils.........) then pull sample before changing the oil........gonna stay w\ the Ford MC 5W-30 FS oil for obvious reasons.........just the overall better oil to run in this high mileaged Modular...........

In reality though, until I actually start putting more miles on her, most likely I'm just gonna stick to my time schedule (change every 6 months) in the end since the current mileage is falling around the 3,000-3,500 mi range within this 6-month time slot & all is stable & looking good within it.

But the data gained will be of value to have.

Posted for those so interested...............

Have pulled final oil sample of the Ford MC 5W-30 FS oil @ 5,012 mi mark (183,303 engine mi) & had analyzed.
Results showed oil had finally stabilized & finished reestablishing itself since the 3,316 mi analysis (viscosity index stabilized thus oil is not showing any further viscosity degradation & oxidation has slowed down to a very small rate.....) w\ further improvements in reducing fuel dilution rate to practically nothing thus also improving the wear\1,000 mi avg..........further establishing it as the far & away better product to use in this high mileage 4.6L Modular engine.

Note this is the very same MC 5W-30 FS oil that was put in back in 1-8-25..............

Note the red concerning particle counts........this is due to me ordering the premium sample kit this round as opposed to the std sample kit (premium kit includes this test to check the oil filter's ability to trap & hold certain particle types\sizes that are known to accelerate wear......) & seeing that the MC FL820S filter has started to allow some of these certain particles to pass thru the filter by 1.) either getting pushed thru the filter medium or 2.) the filter medium has fully loaded up to the point that the filter's by-pass valve has started allowing oil to flow around the filter medium..........my read is most likely #2. I contacted Lake & asked for the industry threshold numbers for good oil filter capacity performance.......threshold is 18\17\16 thus filter is potentially by-passing 2 of the 3, but from looking at the differences I think this issue had just started occurring within the last 400-500 mi prior sample........indicating that the issue w\ doing extended oil service intervals isn't so much an oil quality issue--it's more tied to an oil filter capacity issue (this oil sample's color was much darker than the sample taken @ 3,316 mi which is validating this issue of the oil filter failing to continue to trap & hold these particles IMHO......).

Unfortunately, I didn't use the premium sample kits w\ the earlier samples thus don't have certified info, but the info shown is enough IMHO to definitely state that the MC FL820S oil filter capacity is suspect when pushing oil change intervals past 3,500-4,000 mi.........not an issue w\ the MC 5W-30 FS oil itself..........this oil looks to be able to go even further (estimate to around 7,500 mi........which is what Ford states for extended service intervals if not operated under extreme conditions..........) but the oil filter capacity is showing to be a potential issue concerning extended longevity service intervals.

Also note in the wear section the increased manganese metal ppm count in this sample vs the other samples........IMHO, this is NOT due to increased valve guide wear at all (both the 5W-20 & 1st 5W-30 3,000+ mi samples show this wasn't happening.......) but IS likely due to me running 1 tank of a different brand E10 91 oct grade fuel (ConocoPhillips supposedly Top Tier grade......the fuel I used to run prior me tuning..........wanted to test to see if this fuel would still cause the same issues I saw back then which prompted me to switch fuels.........yep, still prevalent so burned it out & switched back.......) during this last 1,696 mi vs the same Speedway E10 91 oct fuel I've ran for the entirety of this testing period save this 1 tankful. The COPC fuel octane additive's manganese level is most likely higher than the Speedway fuel's equivalent, based off the prior 2 sample's (1 is from this very same oil in use.........) manganese ppm levels, and when accounted for, the engine's total wear metal ppm is the same as the prior 5W-30 sample results (31 total ppm) but showing a much lower wear\1,000 mi avg thus the MC 5W-30 oil is really taking over here for the better.

Have printed a copy of this & went to the local Ford dealership's mobile service manager to show them these oil analysis results & to request\put in my car's service records that they only use the MC 5W-30 FS oil in my Mustang's engine going forward AND gave them a heads up that this same oil will be getting requested to be used in the wife's 2016 Lincoln MKX AWD Reserve (Colonge 3.7L NA V6 w\ Tri-VCT, approaching 100,000 mi.......) going forward as well.

Oil was changed on 11-10-25......MC 5W-30 FS oil w\ MC FL820S oil filter put in @ 183,606 mi. Gonna change this out between 3,500-4,000 mi going forward.

Ford MC 5W-30 FS oil FTW.......................

 

[Martin]

These UPR mounts arrived yesterday, going in tomorrow. Not that I need them, but they look so Purdy

 

[86GT351]

These UPR mounts arrived yesterday, going in tomorrow. Not that I need them, but they look so Purdy

View attachment 112323

And you did not buy them from me?

 

[Martin]

Well, now you tell me

 

[86GT351]

Well, now you tell me

message me what you paid for them? I ask because I am a longtime UPR dealer

 

[Martin]

$188,83

 

[Forty61]

I drove it. First time in weeks I've driven it but it was a late start for work meaning I dodged a lot of the traffic I would normally sit in.

I had it act up and peg the temperature gauge a while back so I've been watching that intently, it hasn't happened again so I'm wondering if it is a finicky motor for the cluster or maybe something electrical. Also need to do the damn blend door actuator and address the squeaky brakes..

 

[diambo4life]

Yesterday, I tossed the dragpack on the car and drove it an hour to the track. I did a couple passes on wastegate (8-9psi) which is my lowest HP setting. The track was just doing an "open track" session, meaning there was no active tree, no water box, no time or slips so I made these runs on the track but I used my Dragy. I couldn't really do a nice burnout like I wanted to because of no water. I am also thinking I rolled it off the line rather softly. First time launching this car somewhat aggressively. I pedaled it a touch on top of first when the boost came on and a little in second gear too when I could feel it loose grip. I was surprised how consistent the two runs ended up being. First runs with this car on boost. I will return on a TNT night when the track is actually prepped and see what it does. The track ET is usually a tenth or tenth-and-a half quicker so this were most likely 11.1 runs with ass 60 fts. Drove it back home with no issues. Successful first trip.

 

[diambo4life]

Due to my wife's dementia, we are moving into an assisted living facility. Her in memory care and me in independent living; just waiting for a room to open. But my Mustang is moving into the assisted living facility as well so got her a new badge.

View attachment 112130
View attachment 112161

Love the badge and wish you guys the best Sir.

 

[diambo4life]

Went to the track yesterday and got a PB before the track closes for the year. Happy with it.

 

[Martin]

Engine mounts are in. Sooo Purdy! Next step is dry ice blasting of the aluminium components and underbody in general. That would be a summer job. For now we will just hibernate nighty-night

 

[86GT351]

LOoks good. Let me know about the bushings

 

[Martin]

Will do. So far so good no extra NVH. However, that may change in the summer when I start driving it again.