The Mustang Forum for Track & Racing Enthusiasts

Taking your Mustang to an open track/HPDE event for the first time? Do you race competitively? This forum is for you! Log in to remove most ads.

  • Welcome to the Ford Mustang forum built for owners of the Mustang GT350, BOSS 302, GT500, and all other S550, S197, SN95, Fox Body and older Mustangs set up for open track days, road racing, and/or autocross. Join our forum, interact with others, share your build, and help us strengthen this community!

S197 Team Old Goats Build Thread Profile - S197 Mustangs

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.

Ok. One side done. I will make sure I have all 8 electrodes in my hands. These look like the ground strap breaks from pushing the porcelain down OR a piece of the ground strap ( small piece ) broke off from each. One was missing a piece of porcelain. I will go borrow a borescope to see what’s laying on piston tops. If I have each electrode do I really need to worry though?
 
Extract what is left of the plug first, did you see my link?
Yes , thanks. I have extracted 4. Blown out the holes. I think one small piece of porcelain is in one cylinder and maybe a little material from the ground strap. Other than that I have plugs out as expected. Just not sure how critical it is to get every bit out from piston tops. I’ve seen posts that say it will blow out. I’m not sure I like hoping for that to do the trick. About to tackle the other four :(
 
Last edited:
6,361
8,183
Run a magnet down there on the end of a stick of some sort to try and get the metal chunks out. As for the porcelain and bits of crud, we'll it's like the kid that swallowed the toy soldier..
That too shall pass
 
Please stand buy as I wait for another extraction tool. The threads on the pusher body failed on plug 5. I ordered a second tool. One for me and one to replace the broken one I borrowed. Why did I think I could slap a car together in a reasonable amount of time :(
 
6,361
8,183
Please stand buy as I wait for another extraction tool. The threads on the pusher body failed on plug 5. I ordered a second tool. One for me and one to replace the broken one I borrowed. Why did I think I could slap a car together in a reasonable amount of time :(
The NAPA version uses a threaded puller, I think it's more reliable than the Lisle which is self tapping. That also, is covered in my link and might give you some options. My Lisle only lasted 4 plugs, so you're ahead of my game. Just make sure you replace those plugs with 1 piece units.
 
6,361
8,183
YOu ARE HERE

"
Ok so here we go..
A couple of caveats, if the top of the electrode stays with the porcelin in the plug bore, break it off. Or try to extract it
( good luck with that one) the electrode has corroded to the porcelin and it wont pop out and go into the combustion chamber. If it does, you can still fish it out with a small magnet. The reason is that you need EVERY bit of metal there for the tool to grab.
As it was, the Lisle tool worked spectacularly until plug 4. It was tired on plug 3, but plug 4 was a no go and it pulled out of the metal.. so..
Because I'm a realist, I purchased both a Lisle and a NAPA version. The lisle is by far the better piece IMO.
The difference is that the NAPA version actually uses a tap to make the threads, and the puller threads on those. In real life, this puller pulled out as well, but upon further review I noticed the tap was a standard tap, it should be a bottom tap, so a trip to the grinder created a bottom tap. I ran it in, it grabbed and #4 was exctracted.. done deal.
These things make all sorts of snaps and pops and its pretty unnerving, but it's just the way the tool works.
Now " Onward! into the fog."
 
Plugs changed. That was a chore.
so seat base that bolts to floor is 14 inch and seat is 16.5. I also want to slide seat more towards center of car. So out comes the plasma cutter ! I will make a flat plate to bolt to sliders and then bolt the seat to that plate. The seat bolster is touching the ebrake handle so I will have to massage that.

10AD96D1-B74C-4AB5-B0B6-8ACA6B5C4C24.jpeg

604EFAF3-9642-44B0-BCC6-F32CE5666B18.jpeg

2F9079CB-B5FF-43E3-BC53-A53BC80D6759.jpeg

D3D30502-9ABB-43DC-B47C-0949DB5DC506.jpeg
 
Last edited:
Not sure I want the roll bar mirror or if I will use factory mirror. It’s installed as I want to make sure that a helmet hanger and steering wheel hanger don’t interfere. I’m tired of my helmet rolling on floor. And I plan a cool shirt box in the passenger seat.

96A0D6EC-A38E-49C0-9596-1DCF695269F5.jpeg
 
My big wang(S) arrived. One is for the s197. Got all 3 wicker bill sizes so if I need to tune things I have options. Fake wing comes off this weekend so my car cover fits. Friend will be making me a custom car cover soon. Phase 3 is weight reduction and the windows will come out when I get to that. Phase 2 is aero and paint. Getting closer.

000E51D7-BE35-416E-8E06-C2CA6D296C5F.jpeg
 
Lost a seat bolt. After 20 minutes of searching and fishing with a magnet I give up. Off to the nut and bolt store tomorrow, need some hardware for the dash anyways.
seat is in, window net is done. First time I used a spring loaded window net, I sure like it. Might convert one of my other cars to it, I have sliced my head on the buckle clip in that car a few times.

EA4D836C-0541-40A7-8404-343786B6D380.jpeg
 
All fun and games unless something vibrates loose. Onto the lower dash. ( kill switch, switch panel, tablet tied into race capture pro ). Oil press/temp, water temp/volt, fuel pressure, wideband. And a nice flat spot for sponsor logo at the glove box location, that will show on video like I am a pro team or something, haha.

16AFE24A-A9EE-4965-9FA0-8F94259C2757.jpeg

50658F08-0A4A-4B92-B0FB-58F3058B94FD.jpeg
 
My Kenny Brown parts finally showed! 4 months. Waiting for rear wheel studs, fire system, that’s it!

Made a little progress on aero, on dash, on kill switch wiring. My tig machine blew up and I just got it back. Tonight is welding aluminum for fender/hood vents. This weekend is bolting on the KB stuff. Next week is more wiring ( guages ).

The bumper from duraflex really sucks, going to be a lot of body work to fit it, need to make new mounting flanges from fiberglass and cut the old ones off.

2A057DF9-33A4-4C80-AA6E-D8DF0BE46577.jpeg

1043220A-8650-4C1F-BE98-270A89893F4E.jpeg
 

TMO Supporting Vendors

Top