Friendly Wager: 60 mpg 95 Mercury Tracer

[M_a_t_t]

I had a busy weekend; saturday I changed the gas tank, sunday I did the timing belt and water pump, and yesterday I did the thermostat. Everything was smooth sailing until the thermostat. One of the bolts broke, I welded a nut to the stud and it just broke the stud. Twice. I ended up drilling and tapping it. However, it looks like someone has done that on one of the other bolts and when I went to tighten that one down it didnt get tight . I removed a/c and p/s stuff as well (looped the p/s lines at the rack). I don't have any pictures on my phone, I think I have some on my camera at home.

Lastly I removed the downpipe from the exhaust manifold and welded an o2 sensor bung in. I forgot to test the sensor so I didnt put the downpipe back on yet. I also am going to try and put the coolant heater from my van in. Its 1500w so its a little oversized, but atleast it will warm up quickly .

Pictures of the o2 install:

Checking fitment and marking location


Pipe removed and on the workbench


I'm using a spark plug non fouler as my bung


It was too long to get good reach into the pipe so I cut it at the external threads


I used a flap disc on the outside and a deburring tool on the inside. Helps to get it to sit still while tacking it.


Hole drilled


Pipe reinstalled (loosely) to confirm fitment


Final weld. Not the prettiest, but it should get the job done.

[93Cobra#2771]

That accessory belt is a BEAR to put on. It’s a known issue. It’s literally a two person job.

Helps to get the belt good and warm first. A pan of hot water does the trick.

You may also find it easier if you remove the motor mount on the passenger side and raid the motor up and then down for easier access.

I ended up working mine over the crankshaft sprocket from the bottom, if you can believe that. My son was on top with the idler maxed out using a breaker bar. Not fun.

[M_a_t_t]

Is there a reason not to just get a slightly longer belt? That was my plan.

[93Cobra#2771]

I think the next length is too long but don’t quote me on that. Especially after it’s heated up and used.

[Xist]

I hear legends of parts monkeys willing to go through a bunch of boxes finding custom solutions.

[M_a_t_t]

Tomorrow is one week until the challenge is over. I am behind where I hoped to be. I got sick over the holidays and didn't really feel like working on the car until the Tuesday after christmas. I put the car back together from the maintenance stuff on wednesday. I installed a new speedo cable because the old one was broken (which is why the speedo/odo didn't work). After driving for a bit to make sure everything was working right the vss (vehicle speed sensor) went out and the car wouldn't shift out of first. I fought with it to get it out because it was seized in the transmission. I ended up shortening a drill bit and drilling and tapping the sensor. Then I used a threaded rod (7/16") and a pipe as a puller. Worked flawlessly. Now the speedo and odo work . That brings us up to this morning.

I filled the tank up and went out to home depot and got 3 4*8 sheets of coroplast. I also bought some insight rims WITH potenza re92's for 220 shipped. The tires are in better overall condition then the ones that were on the car. Dropped 8 lbs per wheel. They are missing the center caps though. I only put the fronts on in this picture, I have a full set that are now on.


I did drop a tire size or two though. There was 2 different sizes on there originally: 175/65r14 and 175/70r14 vs the re92's 165/65r14.

The only other things I have done is install the controller for the wideband, still need to wire it into the car but I have found which wires I'm tapping into. I also installed the switch and ID'd the wires for the leanburn switch. Now I need to make a detailed plan for the wheel skirt and nosepiece. I think it will be easier to combine the boat tail/wheel spats on the front into a nosepiece as well as a belly pan.

As an aside, I got featured in the local paper and got a quick reference on one of the Indianapolis news channels. I would post a link to the paper, but I feel like that would give my location away. That was Dec 30th. I've had 2 random people recognize my car out in the wild already.

[Xist]

You have done far more in three weeks than I have!
I was also sick--twice! On Friday I was positive Mom would need to replace her garage door, but I fixed everything!
Everything!
I have an hour to write thirty progress reports before I go to bed and work 11 hours tomorrow. MacGyver help me!

[M_a_t_t]

What was wrong with the door?

So lean burn might be a bust. I got it setup and the afr drops (goes up?)/goes leaner, but then it shoots right back to ~14.7. I was able to sustain a lean idle, but I had to give it gas and brought the rpms up to like 1500-2k. I think that it might be because I didn't try and adjust the circuit for idle and so it was setup to run at ~2k rpm. If I switch it back without moving my foot off the gas the rpms shoots up (of course). I might just need to play with it somemore .

[Xist]

Somehow one of the cables got tangled. You are supposed to close the door so that you can adjust the cable safely, but I could not close the door without fixing the cable. It caused the door to be rather crooked, starting to come off of the track, actually bend the tracks, and a brace bent.

I climbed up, disconnected the cable, rewound it, and was able to close the door, but it took six hours Friday night and all Saturday morning.

Good luck figuring out lean burn!

[M_a_t_t]

I think I got lean burn figured out. I just adjusted it until it stayed between 16.5 and 17:1 (the suggested afr values) while cruising. I am having an issue, and I haven't driven enough to find the cause, where after awhile the car just basically quits trying. It doesn't die, but it loses all power and goes lean past 19:1 (gauge limit). Whats interesting though is if I flip the switch back and go into dfco then give it some gas, like to get back up to speed or even just a little, I can flip it back to lean and it repeats from there. It did increase my instant mileage by about 5 mpg (up to 45) at 55-60. MPGuino isn't calibrated yet though so hopefully that number goes up as I finish calibration. I know the best the MPGuino has shown on my trip to work was just a hair past 36, so hopefully tomorrow I will know if/how much lean burn has helped.

I also had my first problem with the alternator delete. I did a lot (~50 miles) of testing with the lean burn going back and forth down a low traffic road with a high enough speed limit and completely spaced how much range I had. I'm not sure I even had a full charge when I left this morning. Well I pulled over and turned the car off to reset the mpguino and I was going to do a non lean burn and a lean burn run to make sure I was getting useable fuel economy and I went to restart the car and nothing..... Got out and checked and it was at 11v I had to get a jump start and then drove the car home a few miles and plugged it in.