Someone Else's Problem: 1000lbs. Lighter! 1987 Mercury Colony Park

[CraigB]

U-joints and balance?

 

[93Flareside]

U-joints and balance?

I did u joints about a year or two ago, but I doubt myself as I had to buy a second u joint after letting some needle bearings fall out of one... I’m grasping at straws because I’m not sure I want to take it to another shop right now and have the same “we couldn’t feel it” bullshit. I am planning to take it to a shop I know that does driveshaft tests and balancing. On Thursday, I will stop by the mechanics i first used and will drop the springs on their counter and ask why I got rear springs that not only weren’t right, aren’t noted on my invoice.

 

[93Flareside]

For some reason the iOS youtube app doesn't allow you to upload videos...

I don't know if this is right or wrong. Speaking with @CraigB last night, he says it's normal as the yoke centers it. I plan to drop off the driveshaft today while hoping my dog doesn't pee in the house, I have to go the opposite direction to drop the driveshaft off at a reputable* place that's about 15-20 minutes in the opposite direction after work. If this doesn't fix the issue, I may be looking at another shop to look at servicing the differential. Being a clutch style limited slip, I am not touching that.

 

[CraigB]

The 8.8" is easy peasy. I can show you a trick involving hose clamps to put the S-spring back in.

 

[93Flareside]

Heard back from the driveshaft shop. It seems the driveshaft is bent by 400 thousand (It means something in the machining world) on both ends and the solution is a new driveshaft, ok. So this afternoon they’re expecting to be finished. Yay!

I went to the shop who put both front and rear springs in that only said they did the front. Apparently, they bought both at the time with the intention to to both if needed, but didn’t mean to do that. They said I wasn’t charged for the rears, but now they’ve got a set of rear springs. They took them back and apologized. Ok, fine. This doesn’t fill me with confidence for shop #1 because they claim that since they could not feel the shake, that there might be something in the transmission sighting rebuild. I am not trusting that.

 

[CraigB]

Shops are just guessing most of the time. They won't take the time to actually diagnose a problem, just throw parts at it until the problem or the customer goes away.

I'll bet the driveshaft shop said it was four hundred thousandths out or .400" (~10 mm for those playing at home, in the rest of the world), which as we've discussed already is nearly half an inch.

 

[thomas]

400 thousands off, as said 10mm, that sounds like a "how can you NOT noticed it" level of imbalance!?! That should be visible to the naked eye when putting it on jacks and putting it in drive..

 

[93Flareside]

400 thousands off, as said 10mm, that sounds like a "how can you NOT noticed it" level of imbalance!?! That should be visible to the naked eye when putting it on jacks and putting it in drive..

Maybe to others, but when I’m laying under a car looking backwards or sideways screws with my view of things. All I know is, I always had to use a hammer to get the driveshaft off after removing bolts. I’ve only taken it off now 2 times and am not try to smash it, so I doubt that my hammer was the problem.

I didn’t test it on jack stands because I thought the LSD would cause something funny and break more stuff. I don’t know why I thought that.

 

[GRtak]

I am just going to post this here...


https://www.autoblog.com/2020/07/01/ford-performance-godzilla-v8-crate-engine/

Ford 7.3-liter 'Godzilla' V8 is now available as a crate engine

The aftermarket is already creating performance parts for the big engine, too. Whipple has a supercharger setup that will boost it to 700 horsepower.

 

[loose_unit]

I am just going to post this here...


https://www.autoblog.com/2020/07/01/ford-performance-godzilla-v8-crate-engine/

Ford 7.3-liter 'Godzilla' V8 is now available as a crate engine

I love where this is going!

 

[GRtak]

@93Flareside 's bankruptcy? lol

 

[loose_unit]

@93Flareside 's bankruptcy? lol

Naaaah, it'll be fiiiiine!

 

[93Flareside]

I am just going to post this here...


https://www.autoblog.com/2020/07/01/ford-performance-godzilla-v8-crate-engine/

Ford 7.3-liter 'Godzilla' V8 is now available as a crate engine

lol, I've thought about doing a 3.5L ecoboost for shits and gigs. *old car guys* "nooooooo, you're supposed to put a V8 in it!" *me* "haha, wagon go brrrrrr shhoooo phutututu."

Back then, an ECU from Ford wasn't possible with the ecoboost's crate engine kit, I think they fixed that. I would have otherwise needed to resort to aftermarket which probably would have been fine if I had like 30,000.


***

I still haven't heard back from the driveshaft shop, I assume they got busy and frankly, while it would have been cool to get it back so I can drive the wagon, I'm not in a rush and don't want to be pain in the ass. Actually, when I had time to call earlier today, I had trouble getting their phone number because Duck Duck Go decided it didn't know how to post phone numbers in search results like The Google does. Yes, I could've checked Recent Calls on my phone, I didn't think of that at the time.

 

[gaasc]

lol, I've thought about doing a 3.5L ecoboost for shits and gigs. *old car guys* "nooooooo, you're supposed to put a V8 in it!" *me* "haha, wagon go brrrrrr shhoooo phutututu."

 

[GRtak]

lol, I've thought about doing a 3.5L ecoboost for shits and gigs. *old car guys* "nooooooo, you're supposed to put a V8 in it!" *me* "haha, wagon go brrrrrr shhoooo phutututu."

Back then, an ECU from Ford wasn't possible with the ecoboost's crate engine kit, I think they fixed that. I would have otherwise needed to resort to aftermarket which probably would have been fine if I had like 30,000.

Put whatever engine you want into it. Not sure what it will sound like, but you keep making sounds...

I thought it would be funny to put a dual charged Ecotec in a Camaro.


The aftermarket is catching up on bits for those engines.

 

[93Flareside]

Put whatever engine you want into it. Not sure what it will sound like, but you keep making sounds...

I thought it would be funny to put a dual charged Ecotec in a Camaro.


The aftermarket is catching up on bits for those engines.

I'm fine with what's in it now. It runs, doesn't leak or burn fluids... It's a 34 year old car, how would I want it to perform?

 

[93Flareside]

Ok, driveshaft back, looks like they did something, did it help?

Yes! The Parkinson’s is what I would consider mostly gone. I think now it’s down to either old body mount bushings or something in the diff. I would like to correct my errors though. I added a digit and it was actually .040 thousand off, not 400. That said, only .040 is noticeable and I wasn’t as crazy and I had originally thought. So for a little over $300, I pretty much have a brand new driveshaft. Worth the wait and cost. I think next year I’ll try and get the diff checked out. We’re at $1400 in repairs for this year, no need to go overboard for a not daily.

 

[Matt2000]

Do they not bother to paint it? Why is it not carbon fibre? Regardless, I like long shafts and that's a rather long shaft. Drive shafts!

 

[GRtak]

Do they not bother to paint it? Why is it not carbon fibre? Regardless, I like long shafts and that's a rather long shaft. Drive shafts!

They charged you $300 and did not paint it. Cheapskates!

And, that's what she said.

 

[93Flareside]

Do they not bother to paint it? Why is it not carbon fibre? Regardless, I like long shafts and that's a rather long shaft. Drive shafts!

If it was carbon fiber, "Feels like I'm wearing nothin' at all!"

They charged you $300 and did not paint it. Cheapskates!

Paint would be nice, but it's fine.