Hot*Mk8
Dedicated LVC Member
What started out as a 'simple' valve cover gasket change turned into this. The more my little pea brain got involved, the worse it got. I found a spare entire intake manifold on eBay in California for $90 and sent it in advance to the coating place because cerma-chrome takes seven business days.
And, unlike the 98, the 97 misbehaved badly when we tried to remove the driver's side valve cover. We had to go the book route and loosen the brake booster, remove the wiper assembly and the hood. I was a basket case by then.
Other than that, and a parts run to LA in the 98 because the post office broke one of the hard intake gasket sets in half, the putting back together process went pretty smoothly. Oh, and I also found a spare coolant crossover on eBay so I didn't have to mess with my stuck one. I did have to do alot of grinding on the powder coat, though, because it was too thick to allow the tube to properly seat. Finally got to redo all of the wire looms with new cloth tape, new heater hoses, new fuel line, new water temp sender, gaskets, o-rings, ignition coils, etc. What I have left to do is install the LMS MAF, which I had to find a huge piece of rubber to adapt to the Gen II intake, and reset the idle set screw as it was a crap shoot bringing it over from the other throttle body so the idle is currently too high. Not much room for error as the travel on the orginal one to properly set was only about 60 degrees from closed. Hopefully I'm a good guesser.
Anyway, this is one SEXY creature. Well worth the intense effort, but I'm really glad it's over.
New 200 amp alternator cover with my coil covers and the replacement intake to the powder coaters:
Shined up the butterflies:
Was able to remove the crossover myself in about five minutes. This made me VERY happy:
I know Alejandro was thinking, "Pinche Lincoln," right about now:
My station for all the prep work:
Beautiful throttle body reassembled:
Schparkly valve cover:
More schparkly valve cover:
Run to LA for gaskets:
Demonstrate to Mr. Stromberg that our winter isn't *quite* as harsh as Minnesota's:
More sparkle:
On the downside:
Nearly there:
Candy:
Complete:
And the MAF:
Different light:
One more:
Oh yes, Fabulous Fords Forever used us as one of their promo cars for the Knott's show in April. KEWL!!!!!
And, unlike the 98, the 97 misbehaved badly when we tried to remove the driver's side valve cover. We had to go the book route and loosen the brake booster, remove the wiper assembly and the hood. I was a basket case by then.
Other than that, and a parts run to LA in the 98 because the post office broke one of the hard intake gasket sets in half, the putting back together process went pretty smoothly. Oh, and I also found a spare coolant crossover on eBay so I didn't have to mess with my stuck one. I did have to do alot of grinding on the powder coat, though, because it was too thick to allow the tube to properly seat. Finally got to redo all of the wire looms with new cloth tape, new heater hoses, new fuel line, new water temp sender, gaskets, o-rings, ignition coils, etc. What I have left to do is install the LMS MAF, which I had to find a huge piece of rubber to adapt to the Gen II intake, and reset the idle set screw as it was a crap shoot bringing it over from the other throttle body so the idle is currently too high. Not much room for error as the travel on the orginal one to properly set was only about 60 degrees from closed. Hopefully I'm a good guesser.
Anyway, this is one SEXY creature. Well worth the intense effort, but I'm really glad it's over.
New 200 amp alternator cover with my coil covers and the replacement intake to the powder coaters:
Shined up the butterflies:
Was able to remove the crossover myself in about five minutes. This made me VERY happy:
I know Alejandro was thinking, "Pinche Lincoln," right about now:
My station for all the prep work:
Beautiful throttle body reassembled:
Schparkly valve cover:
More schparkly valve cover:
Run to LA for gaskets:
Demonstrate to Mr. Stromberg that our winter isn't *quite* as harsh as Minnesota's:
More sparkle:
On the downside:
Nearly there:
Candy:
Complete:
And the MAF:
Different light:
One more:
Oh yes, Fabulous Fords Forever used us as one of their promo cars for the Knott's show in April. KEWL!!!!!
