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S197 3V Oil separator question for 2012 Boss 302.

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New guy here so please be gentle. I purchased a gorgeous 2012 Boss from a member here. I see a lot of posts on installing a passenger side oil separation can but very little about the drivers side. Is this a function of vacuum? Is it wise to do both sides? I see cans are offered for both sides from various manufacturers. Thanks.
 

TMSBOSS

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Welcome to the site!!

Yes, only one side is needed. There are several quality separators available. I went full hog and added a vent can to the firewall which has lines from both valve covers. If you plan on driving on the street I would advise against the system I run.

if you have time, consider doing a build thread for your car. If we see what has been done so far, it’s easier to make suggestions/recommendations What do you plan on doing with your new to you Boss?
 
Thanks for your response. I saw your tutorial on the separator in the one thread of 20 pages. Looks really amazing. The previous owner activated the track key and did some tasteful aesthetics to the car. I intend to keep the mileage low and take it to a few Mustang shows. From reading here I think I'll add the separate reservoir for the clutch fluid. Perhaps a shifter bracket too. Mostly I have to learn about the car by reading all of the manuals so I understand all of the unique features. Ohio weather is rough still, I've put about 15 miles on it so I'm nowhere near well versed on the car.
 

xr7

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Thanks for your response. I saw your tutorial on the separator in the one thread of 20 pages. Looks really amazing. The previous owner activated the track key and did some tasteful aesthetics to the car. I intend to keep the mileage low and take it to a few Mustang shows. From reading here I think I'll add the separate reservoir for the clutch fluid. Perhaps a shifter bracket too. Mostly I have to learn about the car by reading all of the manuals so I understand all of the unique features. Ohio weather is rough still, I've put about 15 miles on it so I'm nowhere near well versed on the car.
If you do anything for the shifter buy the MGW shifter, anything else is just a waste of money.
 
Thanks for the shifter information. If I do a shifter bracket for street driving, say a Barton, do you recommend a shifter too or will the factory shifter suffice for daily spirited driving? In looking at the MGW shifter it seems it contains an integral bracket correct? I may get bold and try Mid Ohio one time.
 
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The previous owner kept the car quite immaculate, I certainly don't want to trash it but I will drive it while keeping the mileage low. I will preserve it well for the next person when I sell it some years down the road. I'm not young!! Ha.
 

Bill Pemberton

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There is no comparison between the two shifters, go with the MGW one, it is the one used by Shelby American, plenty of Ford Engineers and more. Best option for alleviating some of the issues with the MT-82 transmission. Like TMS noted most folks just do the passenger side for the air/oil separator, but I happened to do both sides on my 2013 Boss 302 Laguna Seca and I was pleased with the results. Either way you will be in good stead, and currently the Ford Performance set up is available at some aftermarket performance companies , whereas the ones for the S550s are on back order. I would check with Capaldi Racing first as they are a Sponsor on this site. If you can not find the system, just call and Sandie will answer and be happy to help you.
 
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If you are having high rpm lockouts, the only thing that cured it on my car was an RST clutch and light flywheel. I tried MGW, Blowfish, stainless clutch line, etc etc etc and none of it fixed the problem. Once my car has the RST, I could make shifts at 7900rpm (AED tune) all day long with no issues.
 

Bill Pemberton

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It doesn't sound like Rbrey is anticipating super high rpm runs or pushing the limits of his Boss quite as hard as you may, so I would recommend an MGW shifter for his cruises, drives , etc. I have never replaced a clutch in any of the Mustangs I have ever had over the years, and I actively campaigned a couple of Boss 302s , a Boss S, with numerous Time Trial wins, track records, and W2W wins ( Boss S ). I think we have a tendency to jump to a clutch replacement after reading some folk's problems. Depending on how one drives, one's capabilities with heel and toe, it is not always a necessary situation in my humble opinion. I do know many folks agree with you and I am not discounting your thoughts, I just don't think it is something one needs to accomplish before a possible problem arises. The MT-82 is universally viewed as problematic and the MGW shifter does alleviate many of the issues with the early models of the tranny ( and that means the Boss 302 ). Working at a Ford store I will note there were plenty of fixes for this transmission, but we seldom saw a clutch concern.
 
Thanks to all for taking the time to reply and share your insights and experience. I'll have her running good this summer. The car is stunning. I need to mitigate paint chips on the front end. Looking at a protective coating for the bumper cover and leading hood edge. The prior owner, Kevin, kept this car so clean I can't stand the thought of stone chips!!!.
 

Bill Pemberton

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I just got done doing 3M Clear bra on my Mach 1 and it is a good idea in my estimation. There are a few areas you might want to consider on the Boss, like the leading edge above the windshield as the area of the roof that drops down to the glass is prone to chips on the track. Just go about 8 inches from that point back on the roof. There are likely some great shops in the Cleveland area that do this process and either 3M or Xpel are equally good products.
 
Great, thanks. I talked to one shop and I'm going to stop in and see a car that they did towards the end of the week. I want to make sure it's basically invisible and doesn't damage the paint long term. Have go for now... appointment with the ole sawbones!! I need some minor fixing. Be back to reading tonight or tomorrow. All the best to all and thank you.
 
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Bill - I know you have more experience than just about anyone with Mustangs and a variety of cars and I respect you 1 million percent. But in my experience in owning two Boss 302s from new (2012 Kona Blue and 2013 black Laguna), neither car allowed consistent shifting above 7k rpm from the factory. After having tried all of the various "fixes" (to include an aluminum flywheel and Spec Stg 1 clutch plus all of the outside of the transmission braces, bushings etc), once I had the RST transmission installed, the car was finally able to shift the way it should have from the factory. The high rpm lockout was gone and the dreaded high rpm 4th to 5th crunch was cured.

Obviously, if the OPs car is not suffering from those types of issues, then definitely I wouldn't recommend spending the money for the clutch and flywheel. But if he is having those problems, I would suggest not wasting time and money on an MGW/Barton/etc and just to go straight to the RST or similar.
 

Bill Pemberton

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No offense taken, and maybe it's years of heel and toe downshifting that has helped, I just have not had any clutch issues, though I know many have. Agreed, it does seem to help a lot of folks and the one other item I always did was refresh/refill the clutch fluid after every event. Most of my friends have done clutches , so I may be in the minority, but I spent a lot of time a high rpm and I often rode with guys who tried to force the transmission into a lower gear........then the problems started.

I will plead the 5th, and note that the general consensus is almost always to replace a clutch, I just love the MGW as it is precise and one does not tend to have to force things in like the stock " El Crappo " shifter.

I will thank an old BMO/TMO member who recently passed away but influenced many one this site, Gary Gaspar, as he told me the minute I showed up at the track with my first Boss 302 that the tranny and clutch were somewhat weak. His advice was to get all the clutch fluid out after every weekend and he suggested I go to the store and get a turkey baster. Used that religiously even after changing the brake fluid ( same stuff ) to make absolutely sure it was very fresh -- sure that was doubling up on essentially the same job, but as noted I always had good luck with my clutches/trannies in my Bosses.
 
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All good points, Bill, although I am really proficient at heel and toe - the instructors at Bondurant told me to stop after a few passes in the Viper because I didn't need any work. Ok, sorry to brag a little!
 

Bill Pemberton

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Champale, after years of driving Vipers that might be where my proficiency comes from also, so no worries about bragging a little! I will even admit that the rev matching on the Mach 1 is driving me a bit nuts, as it is like two Trumpeters in an orchestra trying to vie for first chair, we are conducting down shifts in unison, ha. Of course that drove me nuts too, so I am in practice mode to unlearn heel and toe on the Mach -- getting better as having one less thing to do is a bonus for the 70 and over set!!
 
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Too funny! Rev matching can be a wonderful thing but I disabled it on my Civic Type R because I didn't want to get into bad habits and then jump in my 350R or Evora and forget that they don't have that feature and go crunch grunch!
 

Bill Pemberton

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I drive my Viper so little now as the values seem to climb every day, that she is becoming a " Garage Queen " ,so not worried if I forget how to do the pedal dance of a thousand revs. Heck at my age it is one less thing I have to do, but it is funny that I now have to unlearn a really good habit.
 

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