I have succeeded in making modifications to my 5.0 but came up with both good and bad results!

BIGGER IS BETTER WITHOUT RESTRICTION!!!

My first great success that worked the best and I believe was worth every penny was the exhaust modifications I made.  I installed a Mac 2 1/2 Off-Road H-Pipe and complemented it with a 2 1/2 exhaust system from Walker Dynomax.  The H-Pipe was $130.00 and the Walker kit was $196.00.  They both took my quarter times from 15.40's To 14.60's easily.

UNDERDRIVE!! WELL?? HMM!!

I also tried the underdrive pulley's on my car. I bought the pulley's from a local Mustang Shop in Longview, Tx for $85.00.  There was a noticeable improvement in low end torque and I liked it, but I didn't like paying for a new battery every few months.  I replaced 6 batteries over a 2 year period.  Motorcraft, Interstate, Wal-Mart, it didn't make any difference.  The pulleys pulled down the battery so much it just burned it up.  I yanked them and sold them to my buddy for $80.00 so he could put them on his 79 Mustang.  He likes them and his battery doesn't suffer because he doesn't have the electrical drag like I do.

Part Number: M-4209-G355

GEAR IT AND IT WILL GO??

This one took time and a few wrenches thrown through the dry wall in the garage.  I decided I wanted to tackle the great gear change that all the magazines always talked about.  I bought some Ford Motorsport SVO 3:55's from Dallas Mustang Parts for $190.00 and the bearings for the swap too.  I got really tired of the 2.73's Ford had given me not to mention the bog off the line they had.  Also, the outer pinion bearing had somehow wore out the pinion shaft causing a loud shreek during acceleration.  I yanked the 2.73's and went to install the 3.55's but I had no way to tell which shim to use for the proper pinion depth.  I went to Ford with this problem and they said to buy a Pinion Depth Gauge.  That was fine and dandy till I found out what it cost.  $750.00 and only available to a Ford dealership from the Rotunda division of Ford Motor Company.  This SUCKED BAD!!!!  I could have bought a complete Ford 9 inch for that much money.  I thought for a while about how I could set this up without screwing up but I couldn't come up with anything.  So, I then went to find my Ford mechanic buddys scattered all around the area in local shops.  They told me that usually you can re-use the old shim and have no further problems.  I did it and it worked!!  The only problem I had before I was done was that the new outer pinion bearing didn't want to cooperate.  When you tried to tighten the pinion nut to set the crush sleeve, the bearing would cock a little bit.  No matter how long a breakover bar you have you won't budge it so DON'T TRY!!!!  I pulled the nut back off and situated the bearing on the shaft correctly.  I had to hold the assembly tight till I could get the nut close enough that the bearing wouldn't shift.  After all that hard work, cussing at the car, chunking my tools, getting the smelly gear fluid all over me, and all the frustration I had, the swap gained me 2 tenths of a second in the quarter and totally wiped out my top end.  BOY WAS I TICKED OFF!!!!!!!!!! I was running 14.50's occasionally anyway.

WIDER IS BETTER AND YOU GET TRACTION TOO!!!!

After the great gear change, I found that traction was almost nonexistent.  I wanted more beef but didn't want to get rid of my turbines for some crappy aftermarket wheels and I only had so much room to improve.  So, I went to the local tire dealership and talked with my bud Rob.  We compared tire after tire to find which was closest to the highth of the original 225/60/15's.  We finally came across a set of 265/50/15's that were almost a perfect match and they were about 3 inches wider than the originals.  This particular size tire works wonders with cornering and traction in my opinion.

Here are a few of the most asked questions I have been asked other than "Is Your Car Fast?".  "How Did You Get Those Wide Tires On Those Factory Rims?"  "Do They Affect The Speedometer?"  "Does It Corner Better?"  Well, the answers are simple.  They go on the same way as the factory tires do with no fuss.  They do not affect the speedometer or give false speed readings.  They seem to improve cornering ability and give outstanding traction and don't rub the ground effects any more than the factory ones did.

AIR = FUEL IN A RUSH? RAM AIR!!

I got tired of trying to modify the old air box supplied by Ford for Ram Air so I purchased the March Ram Air Kit from Summit Racing. The install was easy and without a fuss. I killed two birds with one stone with this one. It came with a K&N air filter and I was going to get one anyway so why not. I paid $158.00 for the kit and got it three days later. Another reason I wanted the kit was to get some cool air to the motor. The crappy gas around here seems to make the engine clatter a bit when it is hot. I saw a noticeable difference at cruise speeds and high speed driving. The knock disappeared and the engine had more power over 80 MPH. This was, for me, money well spent!!!  Too bad I got rid of my 2.73's because Ram Air works best at high speeds (over 90 MPH).

UPDATE!!!

I have noticed a major drawback to one item of this kit. The K&N air filter.  The actual filter flowing properties are not what is wrong and is probably the only thing keeping the filter from choking the engine too much.  The small outlet hole where the air goes to the MAF sensor/air tube on non MAF cars is the problem.  IT'S TOO SMALL!!  The diameter of the inside of the opening is only 2.75" and needs to be bigger.  Below are the dimensions I have worked out for the filter  as it is and what it needs to be for it to be totally effective and make full use of the ram-air capabilities.  NOTE:  Specs reflect requirements for MAF car.  Speed density cars can use original NECK HIGHTH but must be adapted for bigger FILTER OUTLET OUTER NECK DIAMETER.

Part Numbers: M-9926-A302 (Throttle Body) M-9474-A50 (EGR Spacer)

THE BIGGER THE HOLE THE MORE CAN GO!!!

I was having problems with over fueling of the engine and my EGR to throttle body gasket started to seep coolant.  What I think happened was the 3.55's made the computer enrichen the Air/Fuel mixture to compensate for something that changed when I installed the gears.  So, I purchased a Ford SVO 65mm throttle body for $145.00 and a 67mm EGR spacer for $49.00.  The removal of the factory throttle body was the hardest part of the swap.  Coolant had corroded the 4 studs that attached the throttle body and it was very difficult to remove.  To install the 67mm EGR spacer you must grind the heck out of the upper intake for the bigger air port.  I used a die grinder with a triangle chewing bit.  Worked great!!!  I then went back and polished it with a grinding stone.  I have seen a little performance gain, but the rich fuel problem is gone.

Part Number: M-6564-B351

LESS FRICTION IS MORE POWER!!! LETS ROCK!!!

During the rebuild, I noticed the rocker arms were getting worn.  I called up Summit and ordered some Ford Motorsport SVO roller rocker arms for $305.00.  They are 1.6 rockers for pedestal mounts so they will work with no modifications to the head.  I installed them and they work fine.  I didn't see any improvement in power, they make noise, and I don't think they are worth the money when you can get Crane for $170.00.  I just had to have the Motorsport label at the time or I wouldn't have bought them.

3...2...1.... IGNITION!!!! WE HAVE SPARK!!!!!

Hey, here is a very simple modification that almost anyone can do!  It only cost me $161.00 and the great part is... IT WORKS!!!!  It took my buddy Jason and I approximately an hour and a half to install this box.  Along with my knack for getting the perfect install and the piddling I did wrapping the wires with tape and sleeving them up, I think that the amount of time it took was fairly reasonable.  I can feel a distinct difference in take off and improvement on cruise speeds.  I have one suggestion though, REMOVE THE BATTERY FOR THE INSTALL!!!!  This will help keep you from frying the box by accidentally touching the + post on the battery with a wire or the box.  Also it will give the necessary room for mounting the box on inner fender, just behind the battery.  One final point, if NASCAR uses them on their race cars then it can't be bad.  You don't see Mallory or Accel on them?  HMMMM?????

Part Number: RP 5707

AXLE BLUES!!!

Sure, you might think im nuts for paying $35.00 for an axle bearing but I had one on the blink for no apparent reason and I could not afford a new axle.  It made an awful roar at cruise speeds and it was driving me nuts.  From my experience I knew this probably called for a new bearing and axle.  I finally yanked the axles and inspected them for wear and found there was heavy pitting on the bearing contact surface of one of the axles.  To get a replacement from the local Ford house it would take $208.00 for one axle and at least 2 weeks to get it.  This was not satisfactory!!!  I called around the local parts houses and found nothing.  I knew I could get a pair of axles from a mail order outfit for the price of one from Ford but I didn't have the cash or the time to wait.  I talked with my buddy Jason who was a parts man at the local BIG A parts house and he recommended a repair bearing from FEDERAL MOGUL.  I had never seen or heard of a repair bearing for an axle so I was a bit slow to agree.  He brought the bearing out and compared it to an original replacement bearing.  The repair bearing was offset so it would ride on a different part of the axle than a normal bearing would.  It also incorporated a seal in the bearing cage that eliminates the need to install a normal seal after the installation of a normal bearing.  I completed the install and found I once again had a quiet ride and I could talk with my passenger without YELLING!!!!  I would recommend this one for everyone!!!

STOP OR DIE!!!

I was reading my bud's book he loaned me on performance setups for the Mustang.  It seems to have all the answers to all the questions about Fox chassie handling.  I was reading the section about brakes and came to the ultimate conclusion that 5.0 brakes really suck.  The best that Ford offers in brakes (without going all out and spending tons of money on a setup that requires a set of $80 brake pads per side) is the 86 SVO Mustang brakes or the 87-88 Lincoln Mark VII setup.  The front calipers swap over to the 87-93 Mustang and will provide better grip in the way of a 73mm piston instead of a 60mm one.  I went to Autozone and bought two calipers for an 88 Lincoln Mark VII for $12.99 a piece and they are Lifetime parts.  The brake pads are the same but I ran into a problem installing mine.  The 3 prongs that fit into the piston hole to locate the pads in the caliper were too long thus it wouldn't fit.  I went back to Autozone and they of course didn't know why.  I traded in the old pads and got some new ones that did fit.  I think this is a great swap and im glad I did it, but you might think its too much if you have the factory tires.  I replaced the stock 225/60/15's with monstrous 265/50/15's.  The difference is obvious both in traction and cornering.

WHAT WE HAD HERE WAS..... FAILURE TO COMMUNICATE!!!!

I Have Been Frustrated A LONG Time With The Pros And Cons Of This Particular Mod And The Lack Of Money To Do It. The 90 GT Was A Mass Air Car But I Was Not Too Impressed With The Problems That Occurred With It. I Wanted To Be Able To Make Major Changes To My Engine Like A Cam Or Heads But I Was Not Able To That With A Speed Density System Or So I Was Told. I Also Knew That If One Thing Went Wrong I Was Out Of A Few Hundred Dollars Too. This One Was Not Simple But Was Not Too Hard Either. The Kit I Bought From TEXAS MUSTANG PARTS Came With A Harness For The Meter And A Motorsport Kit With The ECM, MAF Meter, Hoses, And Bracket. This One Cost Me $390.00. Far Better Than Ford's $516.00 For Their Kit. This Mod Involves Some Careful Rewiring Of The ECM 60 Pin Harness And Also Requires Adding Wires For The Vehicle Speed Sensor And Fuel Pump Relay. The Kit Comes With Complete Instructions That Are Easy To Understand If You Know What You Are Working With. There Were 2 Drawbacks That I Found With This Swap. Removal Of The Drivers Seat And Carpet Under It To Get To The Fuel Pump Relay And VSS Wires Was A Pain And I Got A Small 60mm MAF Meter In The Kit When I Have A 65mm Throttle Body. All In All, The Swap Went Well. The Crappy Throttle Response I Had And The Slight Surge Are Gone. I Can Now Add Valuable Performance Parts And Modify My Engine Without Worrying About It Chugging Or The Idle Surging Up And Down Wildly. I Like This One So Far!

STEERING DELIMA

I've Wanted A GRANT Steering Wheel Ever Since I Got My GT.  They Look Cool, Give Some Style To The Inside, And Cost Very Little.  The Problem Is, Most All Mustang GT's Came With Cruise Control.  The Grant Wheel Cost Me About $70.00 But The Cruise Control Kit Runs About $300.00.  That Is Outrageous!!  

To Deal With The Problem, I Rewired The Cruise Control Pin Bracket So That The Horn Would Work With My Wheel. Since I Broke My Cruise Control Bracket At The Throttle Body When Installing My 5.0, I Effectively Screwd Cruise Anyway So No Loss There From The Rewire.

To Do This, You Must Have The Regular Wheel Kit That Goes With A Normal Non-Cruise Mustang.  Remove The Factory Wheel And You Will See A Plastic Pin Holder That Has 3 Pins That Make Contact With The Back Of The Factory Wheel.  Ground Out Each Pin To A Metal Surface To Locate The Horn Pin.  Find The 3 Wires To The Back Of The Pin Cluster And Trace The One To The Horn Pin And Take Note Of Its Color.  CUT ALL 3 WIRES TO THE CLUSTER.  Wrap The Two That Are Not To The Horn With Tape And Tuck Them Away In A Save Spot.  Grab The Wheel Kit And Find The Part That Mounts To The Steering Shaft.  Notice The Brass Circles That Make Contact With The Pins.  I Believe The Outermost Circle Is The Biggest So That Is The One To Use. (CHECK AND MAKE SURE IT MAKES GOOD CONTACT WITH THE OUTER PIN!  IF NOT THEN USE THE INNER  COPPER CIRCLE AND ADJUST THE REST OF THE FOLLOWING INSTRUCTIONS!)  Remove The Wire From The Opposite Copper Circle (Circle Not Used) So you Can Use The wire For A Ground Later.  Splice The Horn Button Wire To The Outer Pin Wire Securely.  Assemble The Kit And Install The Wheel According To The Instructions.  Finally, You Must Use One Of The 3 Bolts That Connects The Wheel To The Copper Contact Mount As A Ground.  Crimp A Round Ground Connector To It Then Bolt It Down.  Connect The 2 Wires To The Horn Button Supplied And Test The Horn.  Now You Have A GRANT Wheel!  

(Note, You May Hear A Popping Sound Or Feel A Spot Where The Wheel Tries To Hang When Turning.  Do Not Worry!!!!  This Is The Solder On The Copper Disk Holding The Wire To The Disk.  If It Doesn't Wear Down After A Little While, Drill A New Hole Out Of The Way And Resolder The Wire.)

TOO HOT TO TROT!!!

My AOD transmission suffered from the same drawback as all other AOD's and I wish I had done this sooner but I lacked the cash.  When it was hot outside or when I raced the transmission would get VERY hot.  So hot that you could actually feel the heat radiate through the floorboard and through the shifter.  If you have one of these transmissions you know what im talking about.  I shopped around and found this excellent cooler at AUTOZONE that was small enough to fit in front of the radiator but had the cooling specifications needed to keep the transmission cool enough it would not burn the fluid or destroy the seals.  It installs very easily and takes only about 30 minutes to install.  Now the heat is long gone and my fluid no longer gets burned.  This is especially good since seals like to harden and crack from heat.

Part Number: M-20201-A50

BRACE YO' SELF!!!!

Yea, my GT is 10 years old now and will be 11 soon.  All those creaks and pops that come with an older vehicle have caught up with me and have been driving me up the wall.  I have been skeptical about most all these subframe connectors and strut braces and you would be too if you have seen some of the junk these so called aftermarket Mustang part companies are pushing.   I asked around and looked around for advice at Stangnet just to see what everyone used and said about installing these components.  I finally narrowed my choices down to the Ford Motorsport and Steeda braces and chose this one for price, material, and fitment.  Don't get me wrong, the Steeda product is probably equal to this one  or better but I decided to order this one from Summit Racing since I had a shipment of other parts I needed coming also.

The install was very easy and took a minimal of time.  Two things I would suggest are to read the instructions and check fitment before drilling.  It wouldn't hurt to have some help for an easier install also since the bolts are a bit difficult to tighten with nothing holding them from turning.

GET CONTROL!!!

I purchased the BBK rear control arm kit from Summit Racing  for $269.95 to replace my old worn stock pieces that had the rubber bushings half pulled out on one side.   My main concern was getting the car to track up better and to stop some of the bumping and grinding I had been hearing.  I do not think there are better control arms on the market after seeing these.  They come with Energy Suspension bushings that are GREASABLE and are ready to install right out of the box.  Mine came with a metallic grey paint job instead of the blue you see in the picture above.

During the install, I also swapped in another 8.8 rear end with 3.08 gears I had purchased for a fellow Stanger here in Texas.  This rear end was out of a 93 LX and he said it had only 39,000 miles on them.  The rear end looked brand new and the gears and axles were in excellent condition.

The swap was more time consuming than it was difficult.  The hardest part was actually getting the upper control arms in after I greased one of them before installing it.  BIG MISTAKE!  After letting some of the grease out through the grease nipple they went in with a little force.

Now that its all done, it rides like a new car or at least the back does.  To be fixed soon!  It tracks up straight as an arrow and doesn't do the rear wiggle under hard acceleration.  This is one of the best swaps I have done for the money and the best results next to the exhaust modifications.  I would recommend this one for sure.

MAXIMUM AIR FLOW

I upgraded to a SVO 65mm throttle body previously then added a Mass Air Flow conversion kit soon after so I could get more air and the control needed for a stable idle.  The biggest drawback to the whole deal was this tiny little bitty hole in the stock MAF sensor that amounts to a 55mm hole or a hole the size of a golf ball.  Try pushing a banana into a straw and you'll understand better why I did this.

I purchased a Vortech Force Power 73mm MAF sensor from Summit Racing calibrated for 19lb injectors for only $188.99.  This particular design reuses the old MAF meter box and saves you money on wasted parts.  The housing itself has a removable sampling tube that can be replaced at any time and converted for a higher rated injector for future modifications.  There is no hole in the middle of the housing like the stock meter but a straight through opening with no restriction.   

BRAKE OR BREAK!!!

I bought these stainless steel lines for my GT because the stock ones were worn out.  The rubber surrounding the line had already busted and started to peel and I had feared one might fail in the greatest time of need.  The install went ok but I was disappointed in the design compared to the OEM lines.  The connector that mates to the brake line from the master cylinder was totally different from the OEM one and did not install tightly or as secure as the original.  The only thing holding the line in the bracket is a thin push nut.  The opposite end of the line that bolts to the caliper was inadequate in my opinion also.  The OEM line at least had compression rings around the bolt hole and had a block on one side to align it with the caliper.  The Steeda unit did not have any of this.  Steeda uses the Russell company to manufacture their lines and until I run across a better design ill use them.

LETS GET IT STRAIGHT!!!

With the lines, I also ordered the stainless steel brake caliper bushings from Steeda.  I was much happier with the quality and ease of installation with these units.  Unless your caliper holes are not the correct size or if you happen to cock the bushing sideways and bend the bushing going in, expect an easy installation with only a hammer and block of wood or brass punch.  I am very happy with the performance of the bushings and suggest these for everyone.

REGULATION!!!

I figured it was time for an adjustable fuel regulator since I had added a MAF kit and larger MAF sensor not to mention a larger throttle body.  With the regulator I also purchased an Accel fuel pressure gauge to properly set fuel pressure since guessing would be a waste of time and performance.  The regulator installation was the biggest problem of course since the upper intake must be removed along with the fuel lines.  Other than that the install is easy and is an upgrade at that.  The gauge was the simplest of course and it came with the necessary adaptor that fits the fuel port stem.  The only problem I had with the gauge and adaptor is the way the adaptor goes on.  You must remove the valve stem schrader valve in order to use it.  This could be a potential fire hazard if the adaptor happened to break effectively turning it into a mini flame thrower with nothing to shut it off.  All in all I think this upgrade will be useful eventually.  The problem is that there is currently no way for me to intelligently adjust the regulator without going too far or not enough.  The best way is to adjust it on a dyno but no luck here.  Also, it could help if I get a A/F mixture meter for dual exhaust and I plan to do that here pretty soon.

ADJUST IT!!!

If your like me and your tired of breaking out the timing light every time you want to use 87 octane gas or when you want to add a little power then you need to do this upgrade.  Along with the MSD-6AL, you will have better spark and the much needed flexibility required for a street/strip vehicle.  The only problem I ran into was finding a suitable place to mount the timing box.  I have had this unit sitting on the floor in my bedroom for over 3 months and just couldn't find a suitable place for it.  If you recall, I mounted the 6-AL directly behind the battery for protection from both heat and water.  I was going to do the same with this box be when I went to install it I was unable to reach far enough in to even hold the box in place.  Eventually it dawned on me that I could remove the drivers side wheel well and have complete access to the area I needed.  I proceed to do this and mounted it right next to the 6-AL where it too would be protected from water and heat.  My only suggestion to make the install less mentally challenging is to purchase the adaptor for installing the 6-AL using the OEM wiring harnesses and plug-ins.   Otherwise, you will have to sort through each wire and individually wire them in in certain key places.

This upgrade has proven itself quite handy in the last week or two.  I have been able to adjust for bad gas, cold weather, and hot weather days with nothing more that a twist of the fingers.  With a range of 15 degrees the unit allows base timing to be set anywhere so the possibilities are left up to you.  I set base a 0 degrees and the knob at 0 also so now I am able to adjust from 0 to 15 degrees of base timing.  Anything over 15 is usually too much and starts to pound on the main bearings which is not good.

TUBES OF EQUALIZATION

Ok, the factory headers are crap.  I know it, you know it, Ford knows it.  I have wanted to replace them for years now but really was too afraid of not having the clearances needed since I have an AOD.  I purchased the BBK 1 5/8 equal length headers from Summit for a bit over $200 and installed them the day after they arrived.

According to the "bottle neck" theory, open all the restrictive points in a given engine, and power will soon follow.  With these headers along with my Dynomax exhaust, I don't  think I have any problems with restriction on the exhaust side.  Port matching the heads helps the transfer since the OEM ports are smaller than the original header flange ports.  I was upgrading to 1 5/8 which is considerably bigger than the crimped hole that was supposed to be 1 1/2 so restriction was cut there.  I was lucky enough that I had port matched the heads way back when I rebuilt the engine so I didn't have to go that much further to accomplish my goal.  The only and the biggest error I made in the porting is that I did not grind out the air injection humps.

Installation was not near as painful as I first believed.  What took the most time was removing the strut brace, emissions garbage, H-pipe, and wires then reinstalling it all back after the headers were on.  Basically, the hardest part of installing the headers was having to jack up the passenger side of the engine and wedging it up using a split wedge piece of 2X4 between the chassie and motor mount so the header would clear going in.  The rest is a breeze.  

Of course with most all things I have a complaint or two.  One of the complaints I have is my fault since I bought straight boot plug wires a few months ago and I really needed the stock like angled boots to clear the headers.  I had to buy another set of Autolite 8.5 wires so the others would not burn in two.  The next complaint I have is the length of the header bolts you get.  They are just long enough to use.  No lock washer will fit and still have enough usable thread to safely attach the headers.  The final complaint I have is directed towards the instructions sheet.  They are completely USELESS!  No torque specs, no diagram to show you how to modify the air injection lines, no really useful data to ease installation.

I really have no idea if these headers worked or not.  At first it seemed if the car ran the same.  No change.  Now I am of the opinion that the computer straightened out and there is more power there.  I plan to go to the track in the next few weeks and see how much I have gained or lost with all these mods.  The last time I ran at the track, all I had was exhaust mods,  the March ram Air kit, and the 3.55 gears.  If you remember from earlier reading, I told you I ran in the 14.50 range at 98 MPH with only exhaust mods in the beginning.  I stepped up or shall we say down with the 3.55's and could only obtain 14.70's in the quarter at 94-95 MPH with a really crappy top end on the open road.  Now I have all these other mods so I will see if I should have saved my cash instead of further modifying my GT.  If I run better, the same or really crappy, I think ill save up for an Edelbrock Performer 5.0 intake or better yet for a 5.8 swap.  At least the intake works on my brothers 88 GT.

Got Fuel?

How many times have you thought to yourself, "Am I getting enough fuel?" or "Do I need larger injectors?" or you just sit there trying to figure out how to get maximum output from what you have and wonder if you are even close to obtaining it?  You ponder the questions then take a long look at that set screw on your newly purchased adjustable fuel pressure regulator wondering if you should turn the pressure up or if you already have too much and need to back it off.  During the entire process of contemplation your evil side is thinking "Free horsepower!" but your good side is screaming "Fuel economy!".  Well...  here is a good way to find out.

I ran across this air/fuel meter while searching the web one night.  Unlike the K&N and Edelbrock units this one measures the left and right banks of the engine utilizing both of the O2 sensors that came on your 5.0 Mustang.  Whats really great about this unit is its almost half the price of the previous two.

Installation takes a bit of courage.  If you feel uncomfortable with pulling out your ECM and having to deal with splicing into the O2 sensor wires in that twisted bundle called a wiring harness then you might not want to take on this task.  If you feel up to the task then by all means do it.

Wiring is pretty simple.  You have four wires on the meter.  A RED, BLACK, WHITE, and GREEN.  The RED and BLACK are positive and negative wires.  Remove the NEGATIVE battery post so you won't accidentally arc something.  Hook the negative wire from the meter to a good ground source under the dash and the positive to the fuse panel.  Make absolute sure the fuse slot you tap into is powered by the ignition switch where if you turn the car off the meter goes off.  The WHITE and GREEN wires are the right and left O2 sensor signal wires.  You will have to remove the passenger side kick panel to gain access to the ECM.  Remove the EMC bracket's screw and slide the ECM out.  Take a look at the ECM's wiring harness plug in and you will see a 1 on one end of it and a 20 on the other.  This denotes the pin numbers in the harness.  There are 60 pins in all but some are empty.  Basically it goes like this...

60  OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO  41

    40  OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO   21

      OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

        20                                                       1

You are looking for pin #29 for the right HEGO sensor and pin #43 for the left HEGO sensor.  Splice the white wire to #29 and the green to the #43 wires with the connectors included with the meter.  Put the ECM back in its place and reinstall the kick panel and you should be ready to go.

RED ALERT!!!!

Tired of that radar detector wire always getting in the way?  Rewire it!  Here is how I have my radar detector wired up. The picture shows TWO leads for TWO detectors. The second I wrap around the map light when not in use.

To do this get a harness that goes to your particular radar detector. Find which part of the pin is the positive and which is the negative and locate the correct wire for each in the harness.  Remove your map light assy by removing both of its phillips screws and sliding it towards the rear of the car.  You will see there are no actual wires that go to the light. Just a pos + wire connector that the left screw goes through and makes contact with and a grounding hole that the right screw goes through and grounds out the assy.  Take the harness and cut it to the length you desire. Now strip both wires ends about 3/4" back to expose the metal wiring. With both mounting screws back into the map light assy, take the positive side wire and wrap it around the positive screw. Take the negative side and wrap it around the negative screw.  Reinstall the map light while holding the harness where you want it to come out. Run both screws up and test by hooking up your detector.  You now have painless wiring to your radar detector.

SAY WHAT?

Cruising the highway on long trips and even short ones to the parts house gets very boring very quick.  The solution many times is having some tunes to jam too or just something to focus attention too so the road goes by faster when in reality it is not.  I really have not covered anything on my 5.0's sound system on any of my sites.  So since I just bought a kick ass CD player to replace my old, worn out, POS Sony player I am going to cover the audio portion of my mods also.

I have upgraded the puny factory sound system in my GT gradually over the years.  Many times it came down to high performance parts vs stereo equipment.  Of course, the performance parts won out most of the time.  I am currently on my third CD player of which the first two were Sony's and the third is a Pioneer.  My first CD player lasted for about a year then gave up totally.  I used my 5 year warranty and swapped for another Sony player and have had it since my Sophomore year of high school.

I never really liked Pioneer products.  The only really good product I had seen from them was a set of 6X9 speakers that pounded like 8's.  My buddy Jason bought his Pioneer CD player at Circuit City and I installed it for him that night.  I was amazed with the sound of the unit and all the adjustments it had.  Since my Sony couldn't operate without skipping and the tuner wouldn't pick up anything, I decided I was going to go ahead and spend the cash and get me one.  For $229.00, this Pioneer DEH-P4000 CD player was the best buy in town.  For $29.95, I bought the 2 year extended warranty and I have extend it to 4 years with another $29.95 a few days later.

In addition to my CD player, I have a Sony equalizer that I use mainly for the subwoofer control.  I run my  75 X 2 Precision Power amplifier off of it along with a Sedona XO2 electronic crossover in between to further reduce the highs for a much heavier, cleaner bass response.

For highs, I found some really great deals at Radio Shack.  I know, I know, Radio Shack's stuff is junk.  I agree for the most part.  They have two sizes of dome tweeters that are outstanding in performance.  I have 4 of the 1.5 inch tweeters, 2 on the dash and 2 on the rear speaker panels.  I have 2 of the 2 inch tweeters mounted next to the 1.5 's also on the rear speaker panels.  

For midrange, I have Sony 2-way 5 1/2 speakers in the door which will be replaced soon.  In the rear, I am using some Clarion 2-way 5X7's.

The bass is supplied most of the time by 2 MTX Road Thunder 8's in two truck boxes that fit neatly in the hatchback.  For $40.00 each, these hit like 12's and were a very good buy.  When its time to shake the walls, I break out the MTX Road Thunder 15's.  I bought these both amazingly for $99 during a mid year sale.

More to come.....  Pictures I hope!