'01 Lightning
 

Well, I figured I would start a thread on the L since I've already ordered some stuff for it. The first mod I've installed so far is the oil seperator from LFP....
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0337.jpg

And some of the other stuff I haven't had time to put on yet.

Drilled and slotted rotors with Hawk ceramic pads....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...1/DSCN0317.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...1/DSCN0319.jpg

New tails...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...1/DSCN0321.jpg

...I wanted to keep the factory look on the tails, but on the toned down side. Not pictured is the Energy Suspension front and rear swaybar kits (bushings and endlinks). Other mods that were already on the truck from the previous owner was a full Belltech suspension drop, full header back exhaust, and new interior with black carpet. I'll keep the thread updated as I install and/or mod everything.

Port the Blower NOW!!!!!!!!!

:nice: Very nice there Eric! Those brakes will help the whoa factor a bit.

:chug:

I have a billetflow puller if you decide to get ready with the boost

Nice :nice:

Looks good..

me to! he needs to buy my pulley, and idler too!

I agree! Porting the blower is a must. Easy and cheap horsepower.

I also have a Metco Idler pulley from my HD and I am still a Metco dealer if you need any parts.

............

Thanks guys! The blower will be getting ported eventually, but after I get some money saved back, and find a set of Cobra rotors.

Really!? What can you get me an Idler relocation kit for?

Are you talking about the Aux Idler pulley? Do you want single or double bearing?

It's the blower pulley idler relocation kit. It comes with two pulleys and a relocation bracket.

sweet :nice:

nice:

Looks good man. I have always liked those trucks. :D

We can get it in the low 12s with ease Eric!!! Let's do work!!!!

I am waiting for Kristi at Metco to call me back, I can not find a relocation kit by Metco. I will let you know as soon as I know something.

Thanks again everybody. I got the Energy Suspension front swaybar bushings and endlinks on earlier this week. I would've gotten the rear done, but I had to replace a tierod end, on top of being sick. While I was working on it, I got a pleasant surprise on the suspension. I had assumed it was a Belltech suspension kit because of the shocks. It appears he either put together his own kit, or sourced a custom kit from somewhere by the looks of the springs....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0352.jpg

.....Yep, it has Eibach springs on the front, and from what I've read on Lightningrodder, Hotchkis (2 leafs) springs on the rear. With just the front swaybar kit on, there is a noticable improvement in the handling and steering response. One bit of advice though, if you ever do this upgrade, wear some rubber gloves when applying the lube. It's like trying to wipe wet RTV silicone off of your hands.
Ok, thanks!:nice:

QJP, I'm going to have to build some funds back up, and get some other home projects done before I dive into the engine. But when I get some $ put back, I'll take you up on the offer.:D

Rotors and Hawk pads installed...

Front
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0384.jpg

Rear

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0386.jpg

...even while bedding the pads, I could tell a MASSIVE improvement in the stopping power. Even more so after allowing the rotors to cool and stopping normally.:nice:

And they look good too! :eek: Wow! :metal:

:yup: They're the ones I got from Rotorpros.net over on Lightningrodder. Of course they have the normal discoloration now after I bedded them.

Don't lie....you had to stop real hard on the way home today when your favorite sheep ran in front of you!!!!

:rofl:

Well, I didn't want to run over you too in the process. :jester:

New tails are on...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0439.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0450.jpg

Now it looks just like mine! Copy cat!!!!! :D

My wheels look better. :D

Mines faster!!!!!

next question is who's bigger? lol

Much mo better

Might have been the donkey....
















:jester:

Well, I restored the headlights using the 3M kit. They weren't real bad, but were starting to get a slight haze across the middle, and were a bit on the sandblasted side. Before...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0624.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0625.jpg

During :eek: ....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0626.jpg

Finished product....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0627.jpg

Although they weren't as bad as typical Fox headlights (or my '95 F-150, which was the guinea pig for this kit before I tried it on the Lightning) there is a noticeable improvement in light transmission. I need to get a 'refill' for the kit to do the fogs next. In the not too distant future, it's getting the DDM Tuning HID conversion on the heads and fogs, like RTUSNAKE did on his tree fiddy. The pics in his thread don't do those things justice after seeing them in person. I also gave the engine a good detailing a couple of weeks ago...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...n/DSCN0622.jpg

If you want the hids in the near future, you better order them now so they will be in on time :jester:

:rofl:

:metal:

:ohsnap:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0636.jpg

:D

Looks good EJ!

looks great that bolt is not so great

Yeah, I'm going to try and locate a stainless one for it.

I just put a black plastic push in clip in mine

Update: Intercooler cleaning
 

Ok, some of you guys that have/had have L's and 03-04 Cobras (although not as bad as the Lightnings) know about the tendency they have to pull oil into the intake tract via the PCV valve. This problem is fixed with an oil seperator or catch can. Some of you remember where I put the LFP oil seperator on mine as SOON as I got home from the sandbox. The truck had 114k miles on it at the time, which equates to a lot of miles/years worth of Mobil 1 cooked into the intercooler. So yesterday, I finally dove into tearing the top of my engine apart to clean the I/C. I have to give my wife credit though, she didn't bat an eye when I told her I would be taking apart a large portion of the engine on "her" truck ;). I finished it up at 11 pm last night, and the cleaning portion was more time consuming than the actual wrench time. Oh, I also took the opportunity to fill in the silencer holes on the Eaton while I had it off. That bitch REALLY wails now! I also picked up over 1 lb of boost doing this. On to the pics...
Before...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0063.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0064.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0065.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0066.jpg
After. And a HUGE difference...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0068.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0069.jpg
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0070.jpg

Also cleaned out the lower intake...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0067.jpg
....This wasn't JUST a performance related procedure, but also a gas mileage improvement one. It obviously increases gas mileage by creating more airflow, but also lets me get my money's worth out of the 93 octane (it requires 91 or higher) in the tank, by not decreasing the octane from the oil in the intake tract. I'll get an in cockpit video up shortly, but be forewarned, I don't have a damn Go-Pro hero, so it may be a bit shaky. But the sound will be noticeable.

:metal:

That's an understatement! :huh: Nice work.

:nice: Thanks! Here's a little video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lPpM5...re=context-gau

Funny how they have US speed limit signs down there in Mexico. :jester:

:hiding:

:rofl:

Shame on you for not smoothing out that casting flash on the plate to get a smooth transition into the intercooler....and for not porting the blower too

That's forthcoming. There's a method to my madness here. ;)

he has to sell the idea to tonya, LOL!

Pfffffffffft.

Need to put it on the dyno saturday

okay!

Fuel Mileage Update.
 

Cleaning the I/C picked up the gas mileage a bit, to the tune of 2 more mpg's :metal:. It already had a K&N drop in when I bought it, which also helps out. These trucks were rated at 13/17 from the factory, which is about what I've been getting (or less depending on how heavy footed I get). I logged my mileage on the highway going to Gadsden last night, and got 19 mpg, with no A/C running, at 70 mph. Logged it tonight going back up to Atalla. I got 14+ mpg, A/C on, and mixed city/highway driving. :nice:

Well, I picked up a stock throttle body from EZ Speed (Thanks again Eric!) to port and polish. Here's a pic of before and after..

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...dy1971/025.jpg

And a few close ups of the port and polish job...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0132.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0134.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0136.jpg

Here's an untouched stocker for comparison..

http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4122/4...49a6e2c3_b.jpg

Oh yeah, I put a tune on it too :D. I'll get some pics up of the before and after of the EGR delete when I get a few minutes to do it. :nice:

Your welcome.....and Good Job !!! :nice:

Very nice work, Eric! :nice:

Thanks guys! :roses: It took a couple of hours with my die grinder, carbide rotary file (to knock down the casting nub) 80 and 180 grit flap wheels, and finally the buffing wheel and compound on my DeWalt drill. The throttle response is noticeably better.

Have you ported the blower yet?

That's next on the agenda. I know I can do it, but I'm a little apprehensive about it. Also, I'd really like to find a Cobra rotor pack and buy a snout kit (new coupler, oil, etc) and do it all at once. You know anybody with an Eaton out of a Terminator laying around they'd let go for cheap?

I dont right now. Dont be nervous about the porting of it. Its pretty straightforward once you get it apart and get started. Porting the blower and inlet along with tb was an awesome improvement on mine.

Yeah, I've got the tools and know how. I'll just have to take my time with it like I did the TB, and pay attention to detail. I'm not throwing $400-$600 to somebody else to do, when I can do it myself on a rainy weekend. You have any pics of your port job?

eric sell me your extra throttle body..

I dont have any pics right now. The laptop they were on crashed and i havent fixed it yet.

Btw i think i have an sct chip somewhere that has a tune or two for a pullied L.

Blasted and painted headers.
 

I've been wanting to pull the headers since I bought this thing, sandblast and paint them. I didn't get any before pics, but you guys know what rusty headers look like. I've used the Dupli-color and Plastikote header paint before on the Mustang's headers, and it's decent. But this time I chose to use VHT's header primer and paint (flat aluminum), and can already tell the difference in how much better their stuff is. The other two brands would rub off on your hands before you cured them. VHT, not even a little.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0142.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0143.jpg

I did the EGR delete about a month ago, but didn't get around to updating. BUT, I can kill two birds with one stone, and show it with the new CAI at once. For reference, here's the engine bay before....

http://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphoto...75772769_n.jpg

.....and now.:bling:

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0010.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0009.jpg

A little better pic of the EGR delete before the CAI install..

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0147.jpg

And some more goodies for it. :D

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0011.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...g/DSCN0012.jpg

the 4# lower will put me up to around 15#'s of boost, but I have to wait until I can order an SCT BA 2400/2600 for it to put the lower on, or risk pegging out the MAF and leaning it out. And we all know what happens when THAT occurs. :chip:

sweet

Egr's are gay. Wish ford never had used em

What intake is that? I like it

AEM Brute Force. The tube is 98mm where the stock MAF is 90mm. Sport Truck Magazine did an article and dyno test on it on a stock H-D like yours, and picked up 20.7 HP at the rear wheels and 1.5 lbs of boost.


http://www.sporttruck.com/techarticl...ged_ford_f150/

still slow.......

Updated underhood pic with some more bling added...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...s/DSCN0045.jpg

And my newest addition to it. Aeroforce interceptor scan gauge. These things are the shit! It monitors up to 300 different parameters (8 at a time though, while cycling through four screens with two parameters each). It also reads and clears CEL codes. I still have to order a boost sensor and wideband sensor & controller for it...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...1/DSCN0124.jpg

I spent an extra $20 for the polished bezel and white SVT face :D....

In action (sorry for the blurry pic)

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...1/DSCN0125.jpg

It's already paid for itself too. I thought I was going to be pegging the MAF with the increased boost, but a hunch I had was right. The increased diameter of the CAI (98mm VS stock 90mm) slowed the intake air down enough to keep it from pegging at 5 v, Max voltage I've seen, in cold air, has been 4.2 v.

Looks nice! $$$$

nice...

:bling:

Looks great !!!

Thanks guys! It's coming along slowly but surely! :nice:

And thanks for the help Eric, and the hookup on some of the stuff you had laying around! :chug:

Got new meats for it yesterday, as well as a new intercooler pump (the old one is toast) now it's time for a massive burnout pic on what's left of the old tires ;)......

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...psaf1be47e.jpg

2 each 295/45-18 Nitto 555's (stock size for the front) and 305/45-18 555R DR's for the back. :snatch:

Nice, waiting on that burn out pic :jester:

Love some Nittos ..and of course who doesnt love burnout pics !!

I know who I'm stealing my new back tires from :D:jester::jester::brick:

:rofl: Burnout pic and GoPro vid are coming. ;)

Finally got the new tires mounted, and WOW, what an improvement! Not only in ride quality and the fact that she'll actually hook now, but they fill up the wheel wells better. Especially on the back...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...psuojm1yyz.jpg

305/45-18 Nitto DR's
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...pspdsq8q6o.jpg

Ass shot...
http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...psjt7fzqny.jpg

I know I promised a massive burn out pic on the old tires, but couldn't for two reasons; one, it's been constantly raining, and two, the old ones were dry rotted and looked like the tread wanted to seperate and beat the shit out of my truck.

Lookin good E.

Thanks Matt!

Looks real good!😊

looks great :nice: .. i saw you on quintard the other week..i was in my diesel so you might not have seen me

Should've honked. :D

Here's the newest mod from LFP; the "Deuce" idler relocation bracket kit, which should take care of my belt slip.

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...psmtw8b8wf.jpg

looking good :nice:

:nice: ..

Thanks guys!

You know... a turbocharger would've also taken care of the slipping belt issue.

For years I heard Matt say this and I ignored it....then I bought a turbo...should have done it years ago.

:lol: true.

New fog lights....
 

I ordered and installed a new pair of fog lights last week, seeing how the originals were cracked and sandblasted beyond help.

Drastic improvement not only in looks, but in light transmission as well.

The one on the left is the factory one AFTER I polished it. But polishing doesn't take out the cracks....

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...ps3temlmxr.jpg

Installed...

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...psxgcd0yfk.jpg

http://i273.photobucket.com/albums/j...psmhlsqibt.jpg

I'm also in the process of going all LED. I've changed out everything that can be changed right now except for the fog and headlights. That's coming soon though, since LRS (formerly known as 50Resto, and who I ordered my new fogs from) has the LED conversion kits at a decent price. 😀