What did you do to your Boss 302 or S197 today?

[wdrlaw]

Installed Ford Performance gauge pod and AutoMeter ES water temp, oil temp, and oil pressure gauges, and wired them for power and lights. Waiting on a sandwich plate to plumb the oil gauges and I will wire the H2O sender at the same time. Wondering what is the best way to get the sender wires through the large firewall grommet in front of the clutch pedal, so any advice is welcome.

 

[TMSBOSS]

Wdrlaw

I mounted Auto Meter gauges in the same pod about 10 years ago. Great gauges, until last month. When I installed the sensors I missed the detail where Auto Meter recommends not mounting the sensor where it was subject to vibration. Well… I just screwed the sensor into the oil sandwich plate. Bad move. She died during warm up laps at a three day event. Oops.
Fortunately I was able to add a cheap parts store gauge and run the weekend.
Recommend mounting the sensor to a location away from the engine. I bought fittings, hose and a padded cable clamp and added a rivnut under the inner fender on the drivers side. Hopefully, that eliminated the vibration.
Regarding your question about routing wires fro gauges. I found a hole through the firewall to the outside of the brake master cylinder. Not sure your year will have the same.
Good luck with your install.

 

[Mike_FL]

I used the same hole by the master cylinder for my gauge wires, got a feed from an add a fuse from the fuse box in the passenger footwell.

 

[Mike_FL]

Installed a Sparco QRT-R seat. Went for a quick test drive with it and it feels amazing. Feels so much more connected to the car

 

[wdrlaw]

Wdrlaw

I mounted Auto Meter gauges in the same pod about 10 years ago. Great gauges, until last month. When I installed the sensors I missed the detail where Auto Meter recommends not mounting the sensor where it was subject to vibration. Well… I just screwed the sensor into the oil sandwich plate. Bad move. She died during warm up laps at a three day event. Oops.
Fortunately I was able to add a cheap parts store gauge and run the weekend.
Recommend mounting the sensor to a location away from the engine. I bought fittings, hose and a padded cable clamp and added a rivnut under the inner fender on the drivers side. Hopefully, that eliminated the vibration.
Regarding your question about routing wires fro gauges. I found a hole through the firewall to the outside of the brake master cylinder. Not sure your year will have the same.
Good luck with your install.

I plan to mount the oil pressure sender remotely. I don't recall a recommendation to remote-mount the oil temperature sensor, though. Thanks for the reply!

 

[misterpeanut]

Installed a Sparco QRT-R seat. Went for a quick test drive with it and it feels amazing. Feels so much more connected to the car
View attachment 90515

That looks sweet. I've been wanting to change my seats for a long time. Does this get your butt lower? And can you adjust the seat tilt forward and back during the install with spacers or something?

 

[Mike_FL]

That looks sweet. I've been wanting to change my seats for a long time. Does this get your butt lower? And can you adjust the seat tilt forward and back during the install with spacers or something?

I had to have the seat installed on the lowest position on the side mounts otherwise I felt like I was sitting too high.
The seat, slider, side mounts and seat base were all sparco. I was surprised to see that the side mounts don’t bolt directly to the seat base, you have to use the sliders or drill an extra hole.
I did plan on getting a Sparco Evo L but when sitting in a few different seats at Wine Country Motorsport the Sparco QRT-R fit me the best

 

[Mike_FL]

Installed a MGW shifter over the weekend. Really happy with how it feels, I was losing seconds a lap with the old shifter feeling so vague.
I realize all the modifications I’m doing aren’t anything ground breaking but it’s a tried and tested route and it just works on s197.
I’ve learnt (and spent a lot) from this website

 

[302BOB]

Mike, Anything you do to improve your ride, not matter how small you may think it is, is a step closer to where you want to be.....I applaud you quest to get there!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Bill Pemberton]

Congrats Mike, it is such a small item to some , but the positive shifts and almost virtual lack of misshifts make an MGW system such a wonderful mod. There is a reason most of the time you meet a Ford Engineer with a track car, his shifter has the MGW logo on it, they are that good.

 

[xr7]

That's what I like about this site, tried and true advice. Buy once is cost effective.

 

[302BOB]

Buy once and enjoy forever is priceless...................

 

[GB899]

charged up the battery and fired it up for the first time this year... of course there is snow in the forecast for tomorrow... mother nature can be a real B.... lol

 

[KazarS197]

Past couple days. New rotors installed, EBC pads that I won installed ( RP-1s and Blue Stuff) and full system flush with 600. Ready to see how they perform compared to the Gloc 12 and 10's. I was going to move to 16 and 12s but had these pads so will see how they do. Full tech done. All bolt paint with no movement. Will get out on a country 4 lane to bed the pads within the next week or so and should be ready to go in May.

 

[wdrlaw]

Installed ARP rear wheel studs to match the fronts; replaced right rear caliper (frozen/ gouged piston--cut 1/4" off banjo bolt to make sure it doesn't happen again); installed Gloc street pads in the back to match the fronts; ABS system bleed and manual pressure bleed all four corners.

 

[RodS197]

Installed Girodisc rotors on the front for the beginning of the NASA season here in Utah. Metal artwork! Boy, that brake duct hose is embarrassing... (it's getting replaced as well!)

 

[Mike_FL]

Installed a MGW shifter over the weekend. Really happy with how it feels, I was losing seconds a lap with the old shifter feeling so vague.
I realize all the modifications I’m doing aren’t anything ground breaking but it’s a tried and tested route and it just works on s197.
I’ve learnt (and spent a lot) from this website

View attachment 93320

Its still taking a bit too much effort to get into gear especially at higher revs (basically track driving)

I’m thinking the solution is an Exedy clutch, do I go with the hyper single or hyper double?

I do drive the car on the street a bit and drive to and from the track. Also while I’m there I may as well the get FP aluminum driveshaft installed

 

[steveespo]

Its still taking a bit too much effort to get into gear especially at higher revs (basically track driving)

I’m thinking the solution is an Exedy clutch, do I go with the hyper single or hyper double?

I do drive the car on the street a bit and drive to and from the track. Also while I’m there I may as well the get FP aluminum driveshaft installed

Clutch is always the answer, (before shifter) when the lockouts and tough shifting starts. Get it done if you do track work with a Coyote

 

[EF1]

I agree lock out or hard shifting is usually the clutch. If you don't replace it with the MT82 you will tear up the synchros pretty quickly.

 

[Mike_FL]

I’ve got track night at America at Sebring on Thursday.
I’ll be shifting a little earlier to keep the clutch/gearbox happy. Then I’ll look at getting a clutch installed.
Don’t fancy doing it on jack stand in my garage