V8MiataMike

Yes, I noticed the same tilt! But the trans mount ears surface is parallel with the trans cross member and the engine is flat as well. Its all good!

MX-Brad

Yesterday I finally got the engine and tranny lined up and looking good, and I cut the hood bracing...just the rear one. To me it looks like the only interference in the front I might get is from the alternator. Tossed on the upper intake tried the hood......almost fits.
I had shaved the lower 1/4". I also put 2 washers on each block mount bolt. Martin said I wouldn't need them, but to leave them on since I'd already installed the motor...I could easily take them back out. So I will hopefully have time to test that out tonight. I had to take the engine out to remove those washers as I couldn't get the bolts to line back up once they were out. Then of course the tranny wouldn't line back up easily and I ran out of time this morning to mess with it.
So my contact area was the tube coming out of the EGR spacer. I thought I would have issue with the top of the intake but I have a bit of room there. And the alt was fine for clearance. Oh, and lots of room at the rack (manual). Hopefully with the washers out
everything will clear...otherwise I'll have to shim the subframe (last resort).

tbone heller

Throw the EGR stuff in the trash & get one of these: http://www.summitracing.com/search/b...rder=Ascending
Use a breather-style oil fill cap http://www.jegs.com/i/K%26amp%3BN/599/62-1495/10002/-1 . Remove the vent tube from the top of the throttle body & tap & thread it for a pipe plug.

MX-Brad

Looks like the engine may be tilted back too far. How many washers do you typically use on the tranny brace?

V8MiataMike

I've got one inch spacers between the trans rear housing mounting ears and the trans rubber mount assembly. The top surface of the shifter ring (pro 5.0 shifter) is almost flush with the top of the tunnel. Look at your engine mount rubbers too. You may see the rear portion getting crushed and the front section getting stretched due to the tilt of the motor. Once I had the engine/trans the way I wanted, I wound up having slightly taller engine mount shims for the front bolts due to the slight tilt of the motor.

Mike

V8MiataMike

I agree with the trashing of the EGR stuff. tbone, you've got specific tuning to mitigate things like EGR, and obviously everything else for the engine to run at its optimum. Without a tune though I would not eliminate the vent tube from the valve cover riser tube. The PCV circuit is actually pulling air into the intake and that air comes into the engine from that vent tube which is "metered" air. If the air comes in from the open breather cap, the EEC knows nothing about it and you may get things like idle surge, etc. Its sort of like having a vacuum leak. Of course, a tune can mitigate most anything...

Mike

MX-Brad

Bought some play doh and rechecked hood clearance tonight. Boy, so close I'm actually only snagging on the air tube off the TB. I think I csn bend it down a bit, but think I'll resign myself to having to shim the subframe. Hopefully everything comes out for the last time this weekend, then it can all go back in for keeps next week.

MX-Brad

Driveshaft questions:
First off, Jason has a pretty good deal on an aluminum DS for anyone looking. I should buy it and be done with it, but it's just not in my budget and I'm in Canada which makes everything 20- 25% more expensive right now with our shitty dollar. Glad I got my stuff from Martin when I did at 10%.
When I talk to my local driveshaft guy today I want to be informed to make sure I'm getting the right thing. So far I gather I need a 28 spline slip yoke (goes in the tranny), and it will have a u joint on it?....on the rear I need a pinion flange yoke for a 7.5 Ford diff. Are there different ones available. Is it the same flange yoke used on a 8.8? And from Martins instructions I need the shaft to be 30.5" center to center of u joints.
Is this right and/or anything else I'll need to know?

Had a good weekend, Got my drivetrain back out, did some more clearancing, and shimmed the subframe 3/16". Everything goes back in for keeps this week. First start not too far off.

charchri4

I got mine done at a local driveline shop for 150 bucks. That included a new tube, ujoints, welding and balance. I brought them the 2 yokes and a measurement of how long from the center of each end cap.

V8MiataMike

I took my Fox body steel drive shaft (Ford 7.5 and 8.8 rear flanges are the same) to be shortened and balanced to my local drive shaft shop. They had an "old" aluminum drive shaft that they wound up using to make it for me instead of staying with the steel one. $200 and they kept the old steel one. My rear flange needed to be replaced too as it was bad and included in price.

Also, the drive shaft shop should know exactly what yoke is correct for a Fox body T5 trans and the proper rear flange, U joints, etc. You need to give them the exact measurement is what your responsibility is! Keep in mind that where you actually set the engine (how far back against the firewall - different from Martin's instructions so to speak) can change his specs for the drive shaft length. I put the yoke in the trans where I wanted it, put the flange on the diff, and measured it from there.

Mike

tbone heller

My kit included a drive shaft, but it had to be shortened 1". If you want an aluminum shaft, get a Ford Aerostar unit from the junkyard & have it shortened & new u-joints installed.

charchri4

No kidding the flanges are right on both ends of an areostar? That tidbit should go in the in Jasons General Swap info for Fords thread.

tbone heller

If you want a steel one, a Crown Victoria/Grand Marquis/Town Car shaft would be a good start.

MX-Brad

Got the drivetrain back in, measured for driveshaft, installed starter and wired it up, benchbled clutch master but having a little trouble bleeding the slave.
Does the piston in the slave retract on it's own when you release the pedal or does it require pressure from the fork to push it back in? Right now the slave rod sticks out so far it hits the pressure plate but will go back in further if I push it in by hand. I know I need to keep bleeding it. And the fork is adjusted by turning the nyloc on the slave rod.....do you just grab the rod with pliers to keep it from spinning while adjusting?

V8MiataMike

I think there is a flat area ground onto the end of the push rod bolt. I used pliers to hold it and turn the nut. Was not too tricky.

I don't remember any issues bleeding the slave cylinder. didn't do a bench bleed on the master either. With no fluid in the clutch system, the slave would seat easily in the full retract mode (you can open the bleeder to make that happen now if needed) and I made my initial setting - just a touch of pre-load on the throw out bearing. Then I filled the system leaving the bleeder cracked to gravity bleed. Pressed the clutch pedal lightly a few times (with a hose on the slave bleeder in a jar) and then let it drip a bit and tightened the bleeder. No air, still works great.

That slave definitely will not retract with a closed up system and no pressure. The pressure plate/fork is definitely pushing it back.

Mike

MX-Brad

Just what I needed to know. Thanks Mike.
Brad

MX-Brad

Picked up my new driveshaft this morning. All I have left to do is a bit of wiring and plumbing the coolant lines, fluids, etc.
What are you Fords guys doing about engine grounds? I meant to sort that out before the engine went in. I noticed a stud on one of the WP bolts. Can I use that, or should I do more than one, and where?
I believe Martin says to ground the rear wire off the battery to the right rear brake line block.

charchri4

Don't have a Ford build (yet) but I do have 10 miserable years as an electrical systems specialist in a dealership and have seen a lot of weird stuff happen from bad grounds. So the word for today is don't skimp on the grounds!

I ran an eye to eye battery ground cable from the block to the frame on one of the sway bar support bracket bolts, a mesh ground strap from the opposite corner head to the fire wall and one from the transmission tail housing to the trans mount.

The battery should already have a ground to it from Mazda that would be fine but I also ran a 2nd ground of it inside the car to one of the roll bar bolts.

Overkill? No question but there is also no question I have good grounds if there is an electrical issue to chase down!

Gator Bait

I'll second Jim's ground comments. Its not so much as multiple paths are needed when the connections are fresh and new, but over time resistance builds and having the multiple paths reduces the chances of a problem showing up.

MRM331

I ran a heavy guage starter cable from the Miata rear battery cable (that bolted to the ppf) directly to the starter lower bolt. I figured this electronicly replaced the ppf's grounding in the original design. I also run another heavy gauge cable from each head to the sides of the engine bay.
If you fail to ground the engine properly the stainless clutch line becomes the mail ground. This in not a good thing.
-Jason

MX-Brad

Driveshaft in, intake manifold mostly on...had to shorten the bolts 1/4" because of shaving the lower, and had to chase down screws for the TPS and IAC. Rad in, fans in, wiring 95% done, vacuum lines run.
Coolant hoses on except for the upper rad hose. This is giving me a rough time. I have the shorter SM95 accessory setup and the alternator is major in the way. Are these flexible coolant hoses OK to use?

Also, the fuel lines have to be connected. Is it OK to use fuel injection hose to go from the Miata hardlines on the passenger side and go directly to the fuel rail? I have the Mustang hard lines but they will require some serious bending to maneuver around that damn alternator.

V8MiataMike

I used the upper Fox body hose for the upper hose with the SN95 setup. I cut the larger diameter end off and used it to attach the fill neck to the thermostat housing. Used the rest to go from fill neck to radiator. May have trimmed either end a bit for overall fitment, but works well. I looks like it is sitting on the Alternator but it is not (and the angle of the upper radiator tube keeps it from drooping down).

I personally just don't like the look of the flex hoses but other than that they seem to work fine! Sounds like thing are getting close to "start" mode!

V8MiataMike

Forgot... as long as you use that (really expensive!!!) high pressure "fuel injection" hose you should be good with that short of a run.

Mike

MX-Brad

Hi Mike,
I saw your routing and tried the same with my hose. For some reason I couldn't get it to work. I'll monkey with it tonight for a bit and see. I saw a few others route it around the back of the alt, but I think their rads must be further back as it doesn't look like my hose is long enough to do that. Oh, and I already cut the little corner off at the fill neck end of the hose so I probably screwed up being able to route it in front like yours. Oh well, minor speedbump.
If all goes well this week, first start attempt should be next weekend sometime.

tbone heller

I don't like the flex-style hoses due to the force that they put on the radiator neck. I would only use one in an emergency situation.