Finally got my V8 SHO !!!

[kvm101]

Hey check out this pic. That might be a good idea ! They S&K keep sending the right tooth count 38 driven sprocket but apparently there 4 differant widths ! The two they sent wont wrap around the chain completely. My original in the very front has scores just below the splines. The bushing is fine that it rides on but I figured based on advice to change it. My trans guy was like the plastic washer it sits on probably has metal embedded in it. Not ! This was a remaned unit. So it could have been rough itnernally before the build.
I did read how guys with gen II were changing sprockets to get better off the line.
I bit the bullet, more like blew the budget. Had the trans back together but still on the stand. Figuered I'm never going to have this out again, (hopefully)it would be ashame to put it back in with the stock clutch set up! Called the machine shop up friday morning, ripped the case cvr off, fed the 3 yr old and got the call to come up with the parts. Machining .040 off the forward pressure plate .010 per clutch to get 4 modified frictions in, (meaning instead of 4 now 6) .020 on the 2 intermediate presure plates to add 2 modified frictions (meaning not 5 but 6 frictions). A parts guy were I get the oem stuff was like yeah you'll probably blow the diff. Hope not, dont plan to. Yah never know.
Waiting on the machine shop:tumbleweed: Guy's a retired engineer from Lucent, formerly Att. At the looks of his shop he's not hurting for money.http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232fp733;5>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=337863;356344nu0mrj

 

[L!s4L0s3r]

I am still hunting for a gen 3 sho but for now i still love my duratech.

 

[SHOZ123]

I have a set of the 3.98 gears and chain if someone is looking for them.

 

[kvm101]

About time you weighed in, you started this whole thing. I stumbled on your dyno post about 4 yrs ago when I was seriously looking for a Gen III and it was like music . The vid showing the front end, listening to it role through the gears then the passing gear. Nices !!!
I can't belive you still have parts. Now if I had your electronics knowledge, I'd really no what I was doing apart from the wrenching!
Dont think anyones matched that kind of exhaust note (bullet mufflers?)
I'm to threw collecting Driven sprockets. Probably make led lamps out off the 2 wrong ones.

 

[SHOZ123]

In the dyno vid those were Bullet turbo muffs. It is very hard to make the V8 sound bad exhaust wise.

In the end I had a 3" straight through single exhaust but kept the factory bent part around the gas tank. Magnaflow 3" muffler.

 

[kvm101]

Update, tues 4/4 got the call 8am parts ready a @ machine shop. Had to finish my report for 1,048 cars I inventoried and send it off. Got the parts and played around, mind you tax season (wifes busssyy) I got my son with, so during his nap. I went out figuering .010 per friction. Mocked it up on the intermediate -.020 add two modified frictions right Wrong !!!. No clearance once the top rings on. Called the trans shop who builds race trans, out for the after. Searched the web, combo, so move a steel plate thinner from the foward. Got it but it was quiet intense you defenitly need a micrometer or dial caliper. I got feeler gauges. (slow)
Anyway my frustration level was quite high when I realized -.040 off the foward pressure plate would not allow 4 frictions (2 plates). Mind you -.040 was not even half the thickness of the fwrd press plate. Slept on it, wed. lost a big job for my shop, Replace evap & htr core $$$ gave the quote last year. He called me a week ago ready for the work. Guy traded it in.:laugh_ti: Thurs busy got a break at 3pm got to a friends shop pulled out the torches and heated within reason the wave spring and compressed it. Owners dads was there, use to weld trains for Conrail etc. Gave me a lesson on temperd steel. Cool with oil.
Any way what cant go up (clutches in fwrd) must come down without removing the wave spring. I flexed it like they did mine at Lee Myles fine. Even compressed it between to rotors, springs back up. Will it last in the trans we'll seeeee.
I'll post pics tonight.
I feel like Doug L when he put the Nos on his Gen I SHO and took it to the Ford race in florida, he'd get pulled by a stang and catch them at half track and beat them. Of course burnt exhaust valve cylinder 5 everytime. He figuered it out. I think Ive been hanging around SHO forums a little to long .
So when you get deep and I'm not deep but there is a steep learning curve when you want to play beyond the parameters.

 

[kvm101]

Here's the wave spring the one on the left is the original sitting on top of a steel plate. The one on the right is the compressed one. It has clearance space between the steel plate so it will absord when the car goes into drive how much I'm not sure but I'm sure not as harsh without it.
http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232fp733;6>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=3379687568344nu0mrj
Forward with 5 frictions with clearance.
http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232fp733;:>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=3379687569344nu0mrj
Heres 1 of 3 machined pressure plates, leaning against the intermediate drum. Foward clutch pack together on left.
I had to soak 2 frictions in trans fluid before finishing. Today I used a 3rd tranny shop for advice and parts, my main guy is closed on fridays. Lee myles is to busy, this guy I used 6 yrs ago when I had my genII atx out. He's in the country so he's done to earth.
http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232fp733:6>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=337968756:344nu0mrj

 

[kvm101]

Here's the intermediate drum. The one that the foward sits on top. It now has 6 frictions. The underside I could only get 5.5 in with descent clearance. Remeber if you try this no clearance will burn a unit up quick! You will also loose a steel plate with this combo, but gain more grip at the wheels. (learned that yesterday at the 3rd trans guy). In fact he never built one like that but knows it's done to make up for clearance issues.
You must have clearance on this drum because its off and on. (learned that yesterday to)
The foward can be as tight as turning the frictions very little gap between the pressure plate and top ring.
I was hoping for that but my combo allowed about 1mm clearance yet with 5 frictions.
Things also will heat up so trans cooler is defenitly a good fail safe. http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232fp733:;>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=33797237:4344nu0mrj

 

[kvm101]

Always the little things that slow down a complete job. 3rd cat delete process in itself let alone chasing a 2bolt 3'' ****** gasket. The guys @ lee myles pressed the left cntrl arm ball joint in.
Lastly put 10 quarts in but the SHO's battery is in wife Windstar. Charged her's awhile ago and should have switched it right away.
Besides it raining. My next post will be if it bangs into gear from the modified wave spring, how aggressive the extra friction works with throttle application.
http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232fp733;9>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=337:3463:7344nu0mrj
http://images3a.snapfish.com/232323232fp733;9>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=337:3463:6344nu0mrj

 

[1998v8sho]

Nice work man.

 

[kvm101]

:woo-hoo:Finally got to drive the SHO!!! You guys spurned me on with just the response to the thread. I had the trans together like 2wks ago and it would've been up and running. But the extra frictions do make a differance. I didnt feel it at wot. Really you need a pressure gauge to the port by the valve body cover to watch the line pressure at shift points.
I do admit though it doesn't require as much pedal to move it. Another wards it moves along 20 -30 mph (in town) with ease of throttle. Occasionally at light throttle it it bangs into 2nd like a shift kit. Of course at wot I was expecting a chirp into 2nd:cry: .
Now that the internals are done. If I get time which I wont I'd like to massage the valve body! I dont know valve bodies and line pressures and no time to study it.
Stay tuned for my Cowl hood thread ! Around late June

 

[kvm101]

Here's the differance the extra frictions make (along with tighter clearances in the clutch pac) 60 mph 2100rpms, (just above the 2mark) 65 mph 2250 and 73mph
at 2500 rpm all on flat Hghwy @ 56 degrees. Sunday traffic kept me from really watching for more numbers and a vibration in the steering wheel at 85 caused me to go hmmmm. Hopefully wheel balance.
I checked an old thread under Hghwy RPM and I posted 2500 rpm @65mph with it jumping up to 3k up a slight grade. So I'll defenitly live with what I got ! Now I'm back to
my 1st post lack of $$$$ or in need of $$$$ cant get along without $$$$. Of course you can get along without $ just park your SHO and hang the keys up.

Waiting for a trans cooler to fall from the sky.
12/2/11 update
With new used tires fusions front sumuto rear as of 11/28 it's smooth @ 85 and smoother @ a buck10

 

[kvm101]

I lost a 800 $ job last month (march) so that slowed things down alot! Got a deposit coming on mon for a job 3rd week of May. So paying my shop rent late (hope this guy doesnt back out) and like a true SHO guy used the money to get a trans cooler and ordering tran temp gauge other misc stuff for the fam.
1st pic is a oil trans pressure gauge. I got this 3 yrs ago when we blew our 98Windstar trans. Stuck a used trans in lasted 6 wks. So gauge was used to see what was wrong. Same trans guys walked me through that fiasco !
I wanted to check my pressure in drive, 2nd, and low. I believe and will check you can turn in the screw on the EPC to give you more crisp shifts. I have to verify whats the pressure range at idle.
2nd pic is the trans cooler. Its pretty big ( fits the width of the bumper opening) and 1 inch thick. Thats why I verified my pressure to make sure it doesnt drop when I put this in. Doubt it but I never changed my EPC it has a micro screen in it that was clean but acts as a magnet. So I was told to change it. I still have the used one. So at least I know the pressure on my original to compare.
Hey in searching the threads 1st stackable vrs tube cooler is better, and why install a trans cooler without trans gauge ! The search engine is great on this forum.
When I'm done I'll need to slap a SHOforum decal across the windscreen.
http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232fp539;5>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=338292<;82344nu0mrj
http://images2.snapfish.com/232323232fp539;;>nu=3;56>779>253>WSNRCG=338292<;7;344nu0mrj

 

[newshofan]

I've got my shoforum decal on by rear window in silver I love it. It looks great

 

[SHOZ123]

EPC is electronically controlled. The cooler loop is very low pressure.

 

[kvm101]

I thought of you today when I was hooking the gauge up! I knew to look for pressure but forgot the range and Lee Myles is closed till mon. The EPC looked like they stamped it in place. The used one was marked at like 2 o'clock vrs my SHO' mark on the EPC. Thats why I didnt switch as Lee myles suggested. In fact it looks like you couldnt turn it if you tried (I'll check the used one) I dont think they (ford) want you moving it. Mechanically I have no problem but from the threads I've read Paul knows the SHOs electronics.
The info is good to know I'll start making brackets to install cooler.

 

[SHOZ123]

I drove 250 miles with the hose clamp very loose on the cooler before it blew off one time......

 

[NebraskaSHO]

My cooler was riveted to the steel bumper, and corroded off. That blew the hose off...

 

[kvm101]

Wow ! in that case maybe I'll just drive it early spring an fall, and leave the trans cooler off.

 

[stephen newberg]

No reason to go overboard. Zero problems with mine. The original corroded through perhaps 2 years ago now, so I took the situation as a clue to get an after market one, and it has worked flawlessly since. Keeping an eye on the trans fluid temp, I think in summer it is keeping it a reasonable amount cooler during strain sections of trips, like over the Malahat peak, but otherwise it really seems all to be running about the same as on the OEM one, though mine was never subject to serious overheating in the first place.

pax, smn