A couple of bugs to work out

[Gary Adams]

Hi Terry

I don't spend too much time on this site anymore, but tripped over this thread and thought I should respond someway. I was aware of the oil leak problem, but not the cut out before I sold the car. I have to say I wanted 377 to be perfect.

I guess my not driving the car enough the last couple years didn't help either. I would have bet money that oil leak was those pentroof valve covers. I still think a set of aluminum covers would seal better.

I do hope you get to the bottom of both problems and they don't hold you back from enjoying your new car.

I have been sorting out my new car ( SFM6S1733 ) and found it to be everything I hoped for. You will never see a more solid 1966 Mustang anywhere, let alone a Shelby. It was a stolen/recovery car with parts stripped and the last two owners replacing the parts for a full resoration. Documented 4,599 MILES!

It will be a while but it will be back on the road with new Sapphire Blue paint. I have the shortblock ready to go with finished hi-po heads, correct intake and carb. Also the T-10 4-speed.

Meantime I am finishing the 347 stroker for 6S2293. Too much to do, with very little time. This real job gets in the way sometimes!

Best of luck Terry. - Gary

[lewismc]

My question is why two fuel pumps plumbed in series? It doesn't seem to make any sense. (To me) I can understand that a mechanical fuel pump may not be able to deliver the required amount of fuel at WOT or approaching WOT. This would be the reason for having an electric fuel pump.
As for both in series. I see the mechanical fuel pump as an added restriction to fuel flow. (My opinion)

Lew

[hoppy]

Hi Gary,
Good to hear from you.
In no way do I think that you held back or misreprsented the car. I truly love it and the minor issues are just that.
I am curious however about the use of two fuel pumps in series. Do you recall if you normally kept the electric pump running all the time and do you have an opinion as to whether bypassing the manual pump is a more efficient way to deliver the fuel? I am kind of thinking that as long as the car is getting enough fuel with the current set up, the "back up" factor in the event of one of them failing is not such a bad thing.
I am going to purchase another Holley electric pump to keep on board (just in case) but as long as the car doesn't seem to starve for fuel running through both, what the heck.
Last night after increasing the fuel pressure, I noticed that there was quite a bit of exhaust smoke at idle. I really don't know if that changed, or was always the case. I am assuming that in order to get enough fuel delivery under wot conditons, a bit of a rich idle is not unusual. If you or anyone else reading this has a different opinion, please let it fly.

I bet your new car is amazing. For some reason I was not able to open the file you sent with the photos. Maybe you can group them in another format and try again as I would love to have a look. I know your definition of good, so I'm sure it's quite a ride.
Hi to all your girls...the ones in your family I mean.

[REDSC400]

Hi Hoppy:
The ERA's brakes do require the same amount of pedal effort as the original 427 S/C... translated... 95 pounds of foot pressure.

Now, consider this... the typical modern daily driver only requires one half that or less to LOCK up the brakes or actuate the ABS.

Translated... the ERA non power assisted raw brakes are acting NORMAL for period correctness. This is the first thing that Peter at ERA and Bob Putnam and others will tell you as a new ERA owner. Now changing over to harder RACING PADS will actually make the situation WORSE. You want soft pads that grab without needed to be heated up this allows the normal pads to be efficient cold vs racing pads which are efficient when hot.

I had a nice long discussion with one of ERA's head mechanics, Doug. He is a wealth of knowledge on this aspect. He informed me that even with the ERA big brake kit, the pedal effort is the same.

So, you need to realize that the car requires more LEG effort on the brake pedal in order to stop.

This leg effort was a GREAT BIG thing to get used to along with the massive power of the Cobra.

Now, I am sure all of this info I am sharing is simultaneously comforting and dissapointing to you. The good news is that over a relativly short period of time your leg will learn via latent knowledge that it needs to put more effort into the brake pedal (and likewise less effort into the gas pedal (ha Ha)).

[Gary Adams]

Hi Terry

When I drove the car, the electric pump was on. I always left the toggle switch on the dash in the up/run position. The only time I used the pump switch was to bring up fuel pressure manualy for whatever reason ( set regulator, carb bowl level) and switch off again. When I was done, it was switch on all the time.-G

[REDSC400]

Hi Gary:
I see you sold your ERA to Terry. I did admire your photos of it when you were selling it... I wonder why?

Looks alot like #375 !!

What are you doing now? Are you restoring a Shelby Mustang out of bits-a's?

I am sure you will do as nice a job on that project.

[hoppy]

Hey Art,
Your bibliography site is great.
I drove the car quite a bit tonight, it's a beautiful evening here. I was trying to practice your driving techniques but I seem to keep reversing the order. I have plenty of leg strength when it's applied to the go pedal but still can't seem to bring it down quickly.

The car only has 2800 miles on it so I'm not inclined to pull the brakes apart (especially the inboard rears). Is ERA's big brake kit applicable to cars with inboard rear discs, or only for the updated rear suspension?

When it's time for pads I'll keep in mind that "soft is better".

Few guys and no women I have known subscribe to that theory however.

Thanks for the contribution.

[Nuke427]

Oil leaks. My FFR had a 302 and after about 1500 miles developed an oil leak at the rear main area. This was a new crate motor from Ford. My BDR had a 306 and developed a leak at the rear main area and was custom built starting with a brand new Ford Racing block. Both of these leaks were very minimal and not worth the effort to try and fix. I hate oil leaks and even I was able to put up with it. I think these small block Fords on occasion just like to leak from the rear seal area. I wouldn't worry too much about it unless you think it's excessive.

[REDSC400]

Terry:
Lets take into consideration that your car is 11 years old and is actually not even broken in yet with the few miles it has on it.

Place a bathroom scale against the wall. Sit down and with your right foot TRY to apply 80-95 pounds of pressure on the dial. You will see that it is quite substantial.

You should call ERA, ask for Peter and let him know you are the new owner of #377. Tell him of your brake concern. He has good diagnostic abilities on this car.

One of the first things I did when I got #375 (at the suggestion of the mechanics/builders at ERA) was to change out every fluid in the car with fresh as well as check every bolt and screw under the car for tightness and visual correctness.

My hydraulic fluid was dark.
My Trannie gear oil and rear end oil were dark.
Do some reading about the climbing gear oil from Moroso with the Amalie slip additive for the rear end.
These facts are pretty much spelled out in the ERA manual that you can download from the ERA site. Bob does a great job on that manual or should I say book.

Also, per David Kee I am not using synthetic oil in the Toploader but 75W-90 Castrol 100% dino juice.

Perhaps you should start with a bleeding of the brake fluid and thus a good visual inspection of the pads.

The ERA big brake option is for the fronts. There is an ERA special rear suspension that places the rear brakes outboard rather than inboard. So a complete big brake ERA setup has (as best I know) the bigger brakes up front and the outboard brakes in the rear.

Are you getting any squeal or pulse in your brakes?

You may want to clean your rotors with some brake cleaning fluid this would not hurt. You could also pull the front pads and scuff them up a bit with a power wire brush or sander. They could have a glaze on them.

[PcarRacr]

I PM'd you. I woul dlike to find out what DMV office you worked with. I live in the Thousand Oaks area and just bought my SPF #1838. I need to get a temp permit and it woudl be helpful to talk with someone who just did it.

Please e-mail me when you get a chacne.

Thanks,
Chad
caarmstrong@epicor.com

[ItBites]

Hoppy,

I too had high brake pedal effort with Vette rotors/calipers and tilton 5/8 bore master cylinders.

I recently put a set of Hawk Blue compound pads on it and the difference is amazing. It now brakes with effort similar to a normal car.

I have noticed quite a bit more rotor wear, but since I don't drive that much, I figure it is better to replace rotors once in a while than have brakes that are not easily modulated due to high pedal force required.

I really like my brakes now and I can buy a lot of rotors down the line before I come close to the cost of a full new large diameter, multi-piston rotor/caliper setup.

Just a thought...

[hoppy]

ItBites,
Thanks for the heads up on the brake pads. I am not sure which brake caliper/rotor set up is original on my ERA so I'll have to check their site. It certainly sounds like a worthwihile change.