Today was supposed to be the day. The rotors came, so I installed the TC brakes. I was pleasantly surprised by the fact that neither of the front brake lines broke when I removed them from the old soft lines (I was expecting it, so I had all the fittings, my flaring tool and some line handy), so I installed an adapter on the left side to fit the TC soft line, installed everything, bled the brakes and was good to go. I got under the car and double checked everything to make sure it was tight, then started the car up.
Immediately I heard a g sound so shut it down. The rack was leaking from the crack in it (the AAARRRGGHH!!!!! I mentioned in my "suspension finished" thread). Fine, I thought - I had the TC rack sitting on the bench, fully expecting this. I started to remove the rack and there's where the trouble began - the P.S. lines were BOTH ed near twisted off. I imagine this was from when the rack was replaced by the previous owner (it was fairly new when I bought the car). Not a problem, I thought - into the Volvo and over to the cottage to recover the lines from the TC. I figured they would be different than my 5.0 lines (and later discovered that it didn't matter, because the guy I sold the engine to cut the hoses anyway:mad:), but I also figured I could make a line by cutting them both and putting a flare union in the steel part of the line and using the top part of the 5.0 line with the bottom part of the TC line. To my delight, the low pressure hard line was identical.
So while on the way home from retrieving the TC lines I stopped in to the hardware store and bought a 3/8" flare union (based on the size of the TC line in my hand). Back home I go with the union and a plan. The plan was derailed when I discovered that the line on the car (the 5.0 line) was only 5/16". !!!!!!!! Back to the hardware store to see if I can find any adapters to make a 5/16 line mate up to a 3/8 line. No soap.
So now I've gotta order a powr steering line. Another delay. At this rate I may get to road test this Goded thing by next spring...
Hopefully the rear swap (gonna happen within a few weeks) won't be as bad. I can't see it, since there aren't as many parts and most of them will be replaced with shiny new ones, but knowing my luck...
Wow, sounds like my kind of luck. And dont worry, what should've been a 2 month project on dads Chevelle isn't finished yet; it was taken apart in February.
I hear ya brother. I've been at that since CJ when I've started to replace my lower intake. Seems like the more I do, the more things get f'd up and the more $ i have to sink into it. I love how the car thats costing me the most money is the one I'm not driving.
Good Luck with your projects. I'm taking a break on mine, tomorrow is another day.
That really sucks you are having such problems. But have you checked to see if the T/c rack is the quick ratio version? If so you better use the T/c PS pump. I've read that you don't want to mix and match the two. Just like if you put on hyroboost brakes you need to use the PS setup from the hydroboost cars. Just trying to help don't want you to find out tomorrow that there is a reason that the lines are different for a reason.
I know the TC rack is a 15:1, and I know the rack that came off was a 15:1 (had it stamped on it). Now, whether the original rack was 15:1 I dunno, but it worked fine for the three years I've had it...
The TC pump is gone with the engine anyway, so it's moot. I don't think the TC pump would fit the 5.0 anyway...
I'd considering burning my mustang but the interior is too nice, otherwise it'd so be ashes right now. You'd think that for fords flag ship car of which theres thpusands if not millions around there would be more people to help fix it, NOOO three mustang message boards (maybe 4?) and the only help I got was from here, a thunderbird/cougar site!
Anyway just wanted to let you know that its not just your car thats trying to screw you over but my car and probabally many other cars are conspiring against their owners as we speak.
just noticed the sprint has sprung a coolant leak since I parked it, one more thing to fix :rolleyes:
I'm not sure where this arose from, but the stock rack in my '87 LS went out on me and I replaced it with a 15:1 rack and have had zero problems out of it since then.
Old cars always have problems. That's what makes owning a old/classic car fun;) . When you're done you'll have a really nice car. Just keep telling yourself that while you're reaching for the matches:giggle: