Hello,
I just picked up a '88 TC hood for my '87 Cougar for $80 in excellent shape. Is this a good price? I read in the tech section that you have to grind down the A/C bracket, how much do you have to remove?
You don't have to take off too much.Just close the hood slowly and check out the clearance,or,use Mustang brackets.Mine is A/C delete,so,no issues.
By the way,$80.00 isn't a bad price.
I rounded it down to where you just have about a 1/4 " of the top left (that bolt if I remember correctly has a washer connected to it so I didn't go past that area so the bolt would rest against whats left of the top of the mount) Someone said years ago that a worn driver side motor mount could really be the cause of the interference so this may or maynot be needed.
I just slammed mine closed. The left scoop popped up a bit but it wasn't bad :hick:
Yeah...if you loosen the scoop first. If not you may crack it or put a hole in hit where it hits the a/c bracket. Those scoops are fiberglass...gotta be careful. Unless you enjoy water pouring in on your a/c wiring. ;)
Is it a 5.0 car? On my '88 Sport I just took that bracket off because its already got 4 bolts holding the compressor on the bottom. Now I have less to move the next time I need to replace the water pump......
The TC hood is good and bad.Good becuase it's cool,it's a factory part.Bad,if you don't plug the holes in the scoops,or at least install baffles behind them, gets sucked in and sprayed all over your engine.I am making bafles for mine.I have a lot of polished aluminum on my engine and it all looks like due to rain and all.No need cleaning the engine until the scoop problem is fixed.I wanted to make the scoops functional for my 5.0,but there's just no room for ducting with the distributor in the way.
Yes, it is a 5.0. I agree that the scoops should be closed. I have a fiberglass "mach 1" hood on my '89 Mustang and it has been a problem with rain and getting on the engine because they are open as well. Do you think I should totally close them off, or would some wire mesh looking screens be enough?
wire mesh would eliminate , but not water.
I thought about screen,but just don't see how that's going to stop water at 60 miles per hour from spraying the engine.I'm making baffles to place just behind the scoop.If water hits them,it'll be directed straight down through a very small gap.Not onto my engine,plus,with the baffles,water will be able to drain straight down,and not pool up during any rain while the car is sitting,and,any misc.leaves or whatever can escape when I spray it with the hose.
The best is when your drive-side motor mount is bad and everytime you go WOT the scope on the left comes up like 2-3 inches. Years ago my buddy was amazed I told him I hooked it up to do that and it worked off of vacuum LOL :hick:
Mine scoops aren't blocked, never seen a little water hurt anything(course it stays inside 99% of the time)... No clearance issue either, used new insulators from a local parts supply, when the 5.0 went in... I did trim the support bracket a little after I read about clearance problems as it is close... I believe it can be seen in my engine bay picture in link under sig..
Water doesnt hurt anything, and mine is a weekend cruiser not a Daily Driver. I have an 84 Cougar with CFI with the round air cleaner. If I took that metal "tube'' that hooks up to the fender well intake and make two that are pointed towards the scoops would that work anybetter or in any way like a ram air.
I don't think there's enough room to make a functional ram air with those scoops if you have a V-8.The space is really cramped between the scoops and the distributor.It may work.I had thought about getting some heavy posterboard and tape and mocking up a plenum just to see,but got to thinking,they would just suck water into my air filter,so,no deal.I agree that water wont hurt anything dripping all over,but,since I polished my intake,valve covers,steering bracket,and alternator,I hate cleaning the water spots all the time.In the dry weather,no biggie (that period will be here very soon),but the wet weather sucks right now for my shiny stuff.Nobody sees it but me,but I like it.