** JD,
**
** I'm curious about what you replaced the Tri-Ax shifter with. I run a
** Pro 5.0 and while I get noise I purposely have the stop bolts set that
** way to make sure I don't bend the shift forks. I've never tried to
** adjust all the noise out.
I went with a stock unit out of a '99. According to the parts guy, some subtle changes were made to the design that year, and I'm pretty happy with it. The Tri-Ax's noise drove me nuckin' futs; the stops were adjusted to .005" beyond the fork limit; I tried installing rubber parts to quiet things down, to no avail. The noise just got to the point where it was like nails on a chalkboard, so out it came. Fork damage isn't a problem for me (I shift with fingertips and don't manhandle it) and I don't race it or anything, so to me, it was a solution in search of a problem. Sold it for $170 plus shipping, so I'm not unhappy about the whole thing.
** Interesting. Anyone else have problems passing smog tests with
** aftermarket cats?
I passed a while back, but was borderline. Here in CA, the limits are really tight, and unless everything is in perfect tune, it won't even come close. They put it on a dyno and test it at 15 and 25 mph with the a load on the rollers.
** > Lessee. Hmmm. FMS 5300-C springs beat you bloody on city streets;
**
** Are these springs specific rate or progressive rate? I HIGHLY
** recommend progressive rate springs and to ALWAYS replace the rubber
** spring isolators during the install.
They are linear, 650 front, 275 rear. Linear springs handle better, but can offer a much harsher ride. The Bullitt setup uses linears as well, but the matched shocks/struts/swaybars eliminate all of the harshness, giving you a very civilized ride and outstanding handling.
I found that poly isolators increased NVH. (noise/vibration/harshness) They also tended to raise the ride height 1/2" above that of rubber isolators.
** > and installing one of those nice rear differential girdles also results in a > huge dent in the spare tire well after you hit one tiny pothole.
**
** That's wild. Before or after you put in the lowering springs?
After. It looked okay when I installed it, but space is very tight back there, and when you hit a bump at speed with a lowered suspension, the girdle smashes into the spare tire well, making a big-ass dent in it.
** Bracing and using factory parts is always a good idea.
This is true. The bracing was the best thing I've ever done. Immediate results, low cost, and everything else builds on it. Too bad it doesn't raise the resale value or lower insurance costs.
** My worst. A ram air kit. What a total waste of money! With a R/A
** kit it's like your car is vacuuming the road surface... you'll have
** more shit in your air box/air filter that you can believe. I sold it
** to a guy I knew for less than half of what I paid for it. I told him
** it was junk, but he wouldn't listen and insisted on paying something
** for it. Within two months he had taken it off his car and had throw
** it away. I tried to tell him...
Yeah, it's funny how many of these things are sold, even though the buyer knows about the bad product reputation.
Hell, I even reinstalled the original air intake snorkel. I found that it was quieter over the 'bobbed' version (of course), but more importantly, low-end torque seemed much stronger. Check the dyno figures on these newer cold-air kits; they show a slight HP increase on the top end, but compare the numbers on the low end, and you'll find a tremendous decrease in torque and HP below
3,000 rpm.
Same goes for 'racing intake manifolds' with short runners. You can't get something for nothing, I guess. I suspect that the shape of the original snorkel was designed to shape the airflow direction in such a way that the MAF tube would be hit just right without turbulence. Stock paper air filters are also likely part of this design, and using aftermarket filters may negatively affect performance.
You just don't get something for nothing these days, but you'd never believe this was true after looking at all the marketing bullshit in hot-rod magazines or hanging from the ceilings at the local parts store.
-JD
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