HrdAngln Posted December 5, 2020 Share Posted December 5, 2020 My only deviation from stock, and in a way it still is stock, is running plugs for the '96 4.9, BSF44c Motorcraft plugs in my 1981 F150 300/4.9 ci engine. I know mine is a different engine but my point is in running the stock type plugs for your engine. What I run was stock for the last year my engine was offered by Ford and must have been an improvement in the eyes of the engineers at Ford, and I would trust Ford over the after market advertising. I tried the fine wire Bosch platinum back in 1996 in a 1979 Couger XR7 with a 302. The manager at Autozone talked me in to trying them and I agreed as long as I could return them if I wasn't satisfied with their performance. After I put them in, it had a misfire at idle that was not there previously and although I could not feel it going down the road, it just did not seem to run as well as it did before. I put the old plugs back in, which turned out to be in very good condition, and my smooth idle returned as well as better on road driveability. I then returned them to the parts store and they reurned my money. Your engine may re-act differently but I won't run the fine wire platinum. Now my 5.0 in my 1990 Lincoln I am running the Motorcraft platinum due to the longer use-ability that platinum plugs deliver because of the passenger side plugs being so difficult to replace for me. The Motorcraft's seem to perform pretty well in that engine, which it is the TFI ignition so it's not really an apples to apples comparison though. I meant distributor cap, not the whole thing Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86 12 Brutus Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 I meant distributor cap, not the whole thing Brutus got his final tune up. I wanted to wait until everything was almost done before i attempted the dreaded stripped screw distributor cap removal. Nick ended up cutting a notch in the top of the screw with the dremel and was able to get a screwdriver in. he's been on the raod now for over a month and doing good. Yesterday we racked up some high speed highway miles after the tune up. He did run hot, then would cool down, hot, then cool down , i think the thermostat is sticking. I cant believei i forgot to change it being everything else is new. I forget the thermostat. Go figure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rusty_S85 Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Brutus got his final tune up. I wanted to wait until everything was almost done before i attempted the dreaded stripped screw distributor cap removal. Nick ended up cutting a notch in the top of the screw with the dremel and was able to get a screwdriver in. he's been on the raod now for over a month and doing good. Yesterday we racked up some high speed highway miles after the tune up. He did run hot, then would cool down, hot, then cool down , i think the thermostat is sticking. I cant believei i forgot to change it being everything else is new. I forget the thermostat. Go figure Nothing lately nor today. Been focused on doing reading and trying to make sure my plans are the correct way to reduce headaches during assembly of my engine and installation. Actually been thinking about an electric exhaust cutout before the muffler but 10+ inches after the O2 sensor so there will be no issues. I think I could repurpose one of the triggers for my fuel injection so it would open the cut out via a relay at wide open throttle. I like the idea of that but then it removes the ability to open the cut out at idle so I dont know on that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old55pete Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Nothing lately nor today. Been focused on doing reading and trying to make sure my plans are the correct way to reduce headaches during assembly of my engine and installation. Actually been thinking about an electric exhaust cutout before the muffler but 10+ inches after the O2 sensor so there will be no issues. I think I could repurpose one of the triggers for my fuel injection so it would open the cut out via a relay at wide open throttle. I like the idea of that but then it removes the ability to open the cut out at idle so I dont know on that. Finish rebuilding the steering coloum and putting it back in. Started off as a ignition switch going bad and a bad actauter rod, ended up pulling the whole thing and rebuilding the whole coloum Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
86 12 Brutus Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 Finish rebuilding the steering coloum and putting it back in. Started off as a ignition switch going bad and a bad actauter rod, ended up pulling the whole thing and rebuilding the whole coloum I need to have one of mine rebuilt, they are in pretty bad shape Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
old55pete Posted December 6, 2020 Share Posted December 6, 2020 I need to have one of mine rebuilt, they are in pretty bad shape Mine really dident need to be rebuilt. I figured that beings I was gonna have to take out the turn signal switch to get to the ignition actuator and the rod, I might as well replace it. Same with the upper bearings, lower bearings, bushings and seals,ect,ect,ect. I know I dident do it the first time I replaced the actuator in 2000 or 2001 so all of that stuff is 35 plus years old. It is better to do it now then to put it all back together and three months later have to take it all apart again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkThomas Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 I removed the rodent nest in the air cleaner housing, cleaned it up, replaced the paper gasket and air filter. I refurbished the coolant/washer reservoir with a thorough cleaning, new washer pump, and replaced the washer hose with holes in it. I also changed the diff oil and engine oil. I'm having some engine misfires so I'm going after ignition by replacing plugs and wires. I'm investigating the coil and distributor as all my ignition stuff looks really old, worn and wires frayed. Any suggestions for parts replacement upgrades for 400M ignition? THANKS I did, but you don't have to. About driving the ring in place - I used a rubber hammer and brass punch on the ring. Brass won't spark and neither will rubber. CAN NOT be too careful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1986F150Six Posted December 8, 2020 Share Posted December 8, 2020 Brutus got his final tune up. I wanted to wait until everything was almost done before i attempted the dreaded stripped screw distributor cap removal. Nick ended up cutting a notch in the top of the screw with the dremel and was able to get a screwdriver in. he's been on the raod now for over a month and doing good. Yesterday we racked up some high speed highway miles after the tune up. He did run hot, then would cool down, hot, then cool down , i think the thermostat is sticking. I cant believei i forgot to change it being everything else is new. I forget the thermostat. Go figure http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n81255/DSCN1016.jpg George, since "everything else is new", I assume the lower radiator hose was replaced? If so, did the replacement hose have a coiled spring in it? The original did and sometimes, the lower hose has been reported to collapse. Just thinking... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Wyatt Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 Brutus got his final tune up. I wanted to wait until everything was almost done before i attempted the dreaded stripped screw distributor cap removal. Nick ended up cutting a notch in the top of the screw with the dremel and was able to get a screwdriver in. he's been on the raod now for over a month and doing good. Yesterday we racked up some high speed highway miles after the tune up. He did run hot, then would cool down, hot, then cool down , i think the thermostat is sticking. I cant believei i forgot to change it being everything else is new. I forget the thermostat. Go figure http://forum.garysgaragemahal.com/file/n81255/DSCN1016.jpg George, since "everything else is new", I assume the lower radiator hose was replaced? If so, did the replacement hose have a coiled spring in it? The original did and sometimes, the lower hose has been reported to collapse. Just thinking... I haven't been exactly pleased in my gas mileage dropping here lately and there has been loss of my smooth idle so did some inspecting today. I was checking my choke and put my hand on top of the carb to steady myself and my smooth as a Singer sewing machine idle returned, a loose carb! The throttle assembly to carb body screws were loose. All five screws took almost one and a quarter turns to tighten. I also replaced the carb base gasket with one that I got from U-haul on Ebay a while back. Hopefully I'll see a big improvement in my gas mileage now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArdWrknTrk Posted December 10, 2020 Share Posted December 10, 2020 I haven't been exactly pleased in my gas mileage dropping here lately and there has been loss of my smooth idle so did some inspecting today. I was checking my choke and put my hand on top of the carb to steady myself and my smooth as a Singer sewing machine idle returned, a loose carb! The throttle assembly to carb body screws were loose. All five screws took almost one and a quarter turns to tighten. I also replaced the carb base gasket with one that I got from U-haul on Ebay a while back. Hopefully I'll see a big improvement in my gas mileage now. What a stroke of luck, Frank! That's great that it ended up so easy to solve. Hope you put a dab of Loctite on those screws now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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