Skip to main content ↑ ↓
Topic: BM's 88 Cougar build (Read 42976 times) previous topic - next topic

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #135 –
Hey, I'll do all I can to help you. I'm easy to find. The 3.45's are what I had in my other Bird with the 7.5 rear. never had an issue with them, and great gears. I couldn't tell a difference between them and the 3.55's I had with the replacement rear. Good all around gearing. Now that I have my replacement hood, I'm getting motivated to do something. Now if the heat would just stop.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #136 –
Hey Vinnie you had an Explorer TB on your car didnt you? I can get a 65mm explorer TB for $20. What is involved in swaping it to the cougar. I think all I need to do is grind off the peened shaft and change the lever. But how is the lever held on? With a screw?
88 Cougar LS 5.0 .030 over, ported E7s with GT40 valves & trickflow springs, Proform roller rockers, HO cam, removed air silencer, K&N filter, smog pump delete, 2.25" dual flowmasters, Pacestter H-pipe & headers, HO computer, 65mm TB, Explorer intake, 19# injecters, 3.45s, rebuilt posi, and TCI shift kit.

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #137 –
You grind off the little pressed metal that hold the lever on. Once you grind it down enough and give the lever a pull (carefully), it'll pull right off, then replace it with your stock Fox lever, then tack weld it. Done. Watch how the lever installes and how the spring is located. Also, when doing the tack weld, be really careful not to melt the plastic insert with the spring. It takes the smallest weld to hold it...not much at all. Takes about ten minutes to do if you take your time.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #138 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;364535
You grind off the little pressed metal that hold the lever on. Once you grind it down enough and give the lever a pull (carefully), it'll pull right off, then replace it with your stock Fox lever, then tack weld it. Done. Watch how the lever installes and how the spring is located. Also, when doing the tack weld, be really careful not to melt the plastic insert with the spring. It takes the smallest weld to hold it...not much at all. Takes about ten minutes to do if you take your time.

Thanks!
88 Cougar LS 5.0 .030 over, ported E7s with GT40 valves & trickflow springs, Proform roller rockers, HO cam, removed air silencer, K&N filter, smog pump delete, 2.25" dual flowmasters, Pacestter H-pipe & headers, HO computer, 65mm TB, Explorer intake, 19# injecters, 3.45s, rebuilt posi, and TCI shift kit.

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #139 –
Glad to hear you got her running Bruce. Keep us posted on the popping issue.

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #140 –
Im starting to think its a dist. problem. It doesnt do it all the time but its has NO guts at low RPM, which is weird because I advanced the cam 2*. I got cleaner in the dist. when I was cleaning it so hopefully its not screwed up. My brother is bringing a timing light home tonight so Im going to play with the timing. All of the oldtimers I hang out with are saying that I need more timing but I set it at 12* when I got it running.
88 Cougar LS 5.0 .030 over, ported E7s with GT40 valves & trickflow springs, Proform roller rockers, HO cam, removed air silencer, K&N filter, smog pump delete, 2.25" dual flowmasters, Pacestter H-pipe & headers, HO computer, 65mm TB, Explorer intake, 19# injecters, 3.45s, rebuilt posi, and TCI shift kit.

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #141 –
Its fixed!!!! My freinds timing must be off. I set it at 12* with his Snap on light and it was only at 7*. I advanced it with my brothers Matco light to 14*, WOW! What a improvement and no popping.
88 Cougar LS 5.0 .030 over, ported E7s with GT40 valves & trickflow springs, Proform roller rockers, HO cam, removed air silencer, K&N filter, smog pump delete, 2.25" dual flowmasters, Pacestter H-pipe & headers, HO computer, 65mm TB, Explorer intake, 19# injecters, 3.45s, rebuilt posi, and TCI shift kit.

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #142 –
Clean the distributor and see what happens. It'll be fine if you got some cleaner in there.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #143 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;364582
Clean the distributor and see what happens. It'll be fine if you got some cleaner in there.
Its fixed, it was just a timing issue. My freinds timing light is off 5* ( I set it at 12* and it was only 7*). I used my brothers light and now it runs great! I SO glad I didnt get rid of my car. Now I need headers, 2.5" exhaust, gears, and I shift kit.
88 Cougar LS 5.0 .030 over, ported E7s with GT40 valves & trickflow springs, Proform roller rockers, HO cam, removed air silencer, K&N filter, smog pump delete, 2.25" dual flowmasters, Pacestter H-pipe & headers, HO computer, 65mm TB, Explorer intake, 19# injecters, 3.45s, rebuilt posi, and TCI shift kit.

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #144 –
i went through a company called WIT for my wife's shift kit to put in her Maxima. Great people to deal with and I had the package in less than 24 hours. I like that. Check the Corral forum for headers. They can be found really cheap over there quite often. I got mine, brand new a couple of months ago for about $10.00 less than I sold my used ones for. Also there are all kinds of exhaust parts. Check them out. Depending on your budget, it can be done really cheap if you shop around. Good to hear it was the timing. Simple fix. Now the fun starts.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #145 –
The car is running great. I think I had a bad o2 sensor before I changed the engine. With the new engine and new o2 sensors its getting about 19-20 mpg, thats 3-4 mpg better and I have about 75-100 more horses. I like having more power and gas mileage.
88 Cougar LS 5.0 .030 over, ported E7s with GT40 valves & trickflow springs, Proform roller rockers, HO cam, removed air silencer, K&N filter, smog pump delete, 2.25" dual flowmasters, Pacestter H-pipe & headers, HO computer, 65mm TB, Explorer intake, 19# injecters, 3.45s, rebuilt posi, and TCI shift kit.

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #146 –
I'd think your gas mileage should be better. I get a little better than that with my combo. Should improve a little more when I re-time the engine. Glad to hear yours is running great though. Get the gears in. What gears are in it now?
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #147 –
Quote from: vinnietbird;364856
I'd think your gas mileage should be better. I get a little better than that with my combo. Should improve a little more when I re-time the engine. Glad to hear yours is running great though. Get the gears in. What gears are in it now?

 I had 3.45s in it for awhile but I started to get noise in the rear so I put the 2.73 back. The pinion was rubbing the carrier. When I have the money for a install kit, bearings, and rear control arm bushings Im going to pull the rearend and reinstall the 3.45s and bushings. I already have a rebuild lit for the posi. It might get better MPG, thats just what the dash says. The gauge might still be wrong, with the old motor the dash said 14 mpg and after doing the math it was about 16 or 17 mpg.
88 Cougar LS 5.0 .030 over, ported E7s with GT40 valves & trickflow springs, Proform roller rockers, HO cam, removed air silencer, K&N filter, smog pump delete, 2.25" dual flowmasters, Pacestter H-pipe & headers, HO computer, 65mm TB, Explorer intake, 19# injecters, 3.45s, rebuilt posi, and TCI shift kit.
 

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #148 –
Sweet. Sounds like you are really enjoying the car again. :D

BM's 88 Cougar build

Reply #149 –
The 3.45's will probably make the mileage go down a little bit. No big deal from what you'll get out of them, though.
'88 Sport--T-5,MGW shifter,Trick Flow R intake,Ed Curtis cam,Trick Flow heads,Scorpion rockers,75mm Accufab t-body,3G,mini starter,Taurus fan,BBK long tube headers,O/R H-Pipe, Flowamaster Super 44's, deep and deeper Cobra R wheels, Mass Air and 24's,8.8 with 3.73's,140 mph speedo,Mach 1 chin spoiler,SN-95 springs,CHE control arms,aluminum drive shaft and a lot more..