Fan
2003 Cobra - New restoration/project
- Thread starter hatchke
- Start date
Interesting, I hadn't considered that at all. That totally tracks though - thanks for the logical thinking.
Yup, check the fan. They are known for coming apart. My stock one only made the noise with the high speed engaged. Like with the a/c on. The outer lip comes off the blades. So check it carefully.
Well, the garage is still underway and needed to do some wrenching so here we are lol.
- Replacement fan (ring around the OEM one split)
- AFCO h/e
- VMP high-flow intercooler pump
- Lethal intercooler tank
- Metco overflow tank
- Edelbrock high-flow water pump
- New inner accessory belt
- New OEM tensioner for accessory belt
- Reische 170deg thermo
h/e painted
Installed
Water pump comparison
VMP brushless pump
Tanks in the bay
So far so good - took it out in a 1k mile roadtrip and didn't miss a beat. Averaged a little more than 21mpg which doesn't seem too bad for a bolt-on car w/ 3.73's.
Burping the coolant system was definitely not my favorite but Reische has really good instructions for it that I followed. Was a little low on coolant so it ran a touch hotter than desired but once I topped it off perfectly it sits pretty comfortably in the 175-195 range with the a/c going and cruising. Sitting in traffic it'll get pretty close to 200 but it's also insanely humid and hot here. I also just ran 50/50 mix in the cooling system as well as the intercooler. I'm contemplating diluting the mixture a bit to be more 60/40 since it doesn't get that cold here.
The replacement fan doesn't sit perfectly against the radiator so I may go back and add some sort of backing/foam to the fan to have it more 'sealed' against the radiator. There's a good bit of space all the way around and that just can't be efficient
Next project that i'm starting in the next couple days:
- BBK long tubes w/ x-pipe
- MM front coilovers w/ new Koni SA
- MM camber plates
- MM tubular control arms
- OEM motor mounts
- Bushings - endlink, swaybar and steering rack
After this it'll be time to do the fuel system (which i've already thought about changing and doing bigger fuel pumps lol) and the Whipple
- Replacement fan (ring around the OEM one split)
- AFCO h/e
- VMP high-flow intercooler pump
- Lethal intercooler tank
- Metco overflow tank
- Edelbrock high-flow water pump
- New inner accessory belt
- New OEM tensioner for accessory belt
- Reische 170deg thermo
h/e painted
Installed
Water pump comparison
VMP brushless pump
Tanks in the bay
So far so good - took it out in a 1k mile roadtrip and didn't miss a beat. Averaged a little more than 21mpg which doesn't seem too bad for a bolt-on car w/ 3.73's.
Burping the coolant system was definitely not my favorite but Reische has really good instructions for it that I followed. Was a little low on coolant so it ran a touch hotter than desired but once I topped it off perfectly it sits pretty comfortably in the 175-195 range with the a/c going and cruising. Sitting in traffic it'll get pretty close to 200 but it's also insanely humid and hot here. I also just ran 50/50 mix in the cooling system as well as the intercooler. I'm contemplating diluting the mixture a bit to be more 60/40 since it doesn't get that cold here.
The replacement fan doesn't sit perfectly against the radiator so I may go back and add some sort of backing/foam to the fan to have it more 'sealed' against the radiator. There's a good bit of space all the way around and that just can't be efficient
Next project that i'm starting in the next couple days:
- BBK long tubes w/ x-pipe
- MM front coilovers w/ new Koni SA
- MM camber plates
- MM tubular control arms
- OEM motor mounts
- Bushings - endlink, swaybar and steering rack
After this it'll be time to do the fuel system (which i've already thought about changing and doing bigger fuel pumps lol) and the Whipple
Haha yeah, my basement is totally packed with boxes right now. Nice to see the number of them dwindling a little bit as I keep moving through.
I'm thankfully upgrading my wrenching spot to the carport for a while so I can do the next phase haha. Looks like I'll probably end up getting the fuel system and whipple installed before the garage is finished. I imagine it'll be another month or two before it's all wired and I get the floor done.
It's been a while since i've updated! Still here and tinkering and in the midst of a pretty healthy install of some longtubes, MM tubular control arms, MM coilovers and MM camber plates (along with a bunch of odds and ends like fresh motor mounts, bushings, endlinks, etc)
The headers were essentially just as tough of a project as everyone says they are. Space is sooo limited on the passenger side and had a hell of a time even getting them bolted up, but I just the first start the other day and all seems good to go.
Have one corner bolted up with the coilovers, so on to the driver's side this morning and probably just a few leisurely hours left until I can drop it down and dial in the height.
The headers were essentially just as tough of a project as everyone says they are. Space is sooo limited on the passenger side and had a hell of a time even getting them bolted up, but I just the first start the other day and all seems good to go.
Have one corner bolted up with the coilovers, so on to the driver's side this morning and probably just a few leisurely hours left until I can drop it down and dial in the height.
You've certainly been busy. You're going to have one solid and reliable '03 Cobra when you're finished. I've enjoyed following your progress.
Looking good. Always making progress. Keep it up!!It's been a while since i've updated! Still here and tinkering and in the midst of a pretty healthy install of some longtubes, MM tubular control arms, MM coilovers and MM camber plates (along with a bunch of odds and ends like fresh motor mounts, bushings, endlinks, etc)
The headers were essentially just as tough of a project as everyone says they are. Space is sooo limited on the passenger side and had a hell of a time even getting them bolted up, but I just the first start the other day and all seems good to go.
Have one corner bolted up with the coilovers, so on to the driver's side this morning and probably just a few leisurely hours left until I can drop it down and dial in the height.
Lowering the engine just an inch or 2 helps a lot with getting to the header bolts too. So if you run into clearance issues try that.
Thanks! Yeah lowering the engine made the job possible imo, without dropping it I don't see how it would even be possible to hit that top back bolt on the headers. All went in fairly smoothly and got it all back on the ground.
I tried dialing in the height but ended up being a touch too low imo. I'm probably going to crank it back up a bit in the front and then remove the spacers on the rears.
I will say the clearance between the coilover body and front wheels is VERY tight, I'm going to add a little spacer to give it a little breathing room. I drove it around a little this weekend and very pleased with how the front suspension feels and handles bumps. The rear UPR/Viking setup though.. very bouncy. I'l have to try to adjust the compression/rebound a little bit. I assume that with it feeling bouncy that the rebound is up too high.
Otherwise things are all moving along well. Plan is to drive it around a bit, get it aligned and then go back under the knife in a few weeks time for the fueling and Whipple once I feel like it's good to go.
My heart literally sank when I got to your post showing the fire damage. Really sorry to see that happen to you, but I'm glad everything seems to be working out for you, and you definitely didn't let it slow you down any. Nice car! Nice work! Also wanted to ask if you found any info on the Bosch brushless intercooler pump that you bought? Just curious if you researched it or read some good reports about it, etc. I'm really excited about that pump because it's brushless.
Thanks I really appreciate that. Car is still moving along pretty alright, just need to tighten up some odds and ends from the coilover install. Lots of pops and creaks haha.
I didn't find a TON of info about the pump and kind of bought it on a whim. I wanted to address all weak points I could while I was doing maintenance and figured i'd go ahead and do the high-flow pump vs. buying another factory. I can say for certain the it flows a lot - if you open the reservoir when it's running it doesn't look like the slow churn of the factory unit. It's like a white water rapid looking situation haha.
May be not needed for my setup, but i'm all set if I decide to do a rear trunk reservoir or something of the sort.
Quickly popping by for an update:
Raised the front of the car up a bit, tightened everything up and it's riding pretty decent actually. I'm still scraping the mid-pipe a decent bit but I'll give it another look here later today and see what I can do about it.
Quick test of vinyl wrapping the windshield frame gloss black. Actually really like the look
Also waiting on a set of wheels to get in. I ordered some Forgestar CF5's in 18x9 and 18x11 and they'll be wrapped in some Azenis RT615's. Not a lot of tire options for 18's anymore honestly and I don't really like the look of 19's on this car.
Fitment should be somewhere around here, with just mine sitting just a little more flush all the way around. I made my offsets a little more aggressive and anecdotally they should be in here in a few more weeks.
Then I'll dial in the "final" ride height, get it aligned finally and get ready to go back under for the fuel system and whipple. Car is feeling pretty solid as it sits and I've addressed a lot of things along the way.
Raised the front of the car up a bit, tightened everything up and it's riding pretty decent actually. I'm still scraping the mid-pipe a decent bit but I'll give it another look here later today and see what I can do about it.
Quick test of vinyl wrapping the windshield frame gloss black. Actually really like the look
Also waiting on a set of wheels to get in. I ordered some Forgestar CF5's in 18x9 and 18x11 and they'll be wrapped in some Azenis RT615's. Not a lot of tire options for 18's anymore honestly and I don't really like the look of 19's on this car.
Fitment should be somewhere around here, with just mine sitting just a little more flush all the way around. I made my offsets a little more aggressive and anecdotally they should be in here in a few more weeks.
Then I'll dial in the "final" ride height, get it aligned finally and get ready to go back under for the fuel system and whipple. Car is feeling pretty solid as it sits and I've addressed a lot of things along the way.
This is partially a placeholder post so I can come back and update it later with pics lol. So I ordered custom wheels from Forgestar and they came in today.
They. were. 100%. wrong.
I'm so mad about it too haha. Literally from the MODEL to the color, they're not what I discussed during the ordering process nor what I wanted at all. I ordered 18x9 and 18x11 CF5's in gunmetal with custom offsets to adjust for my SRA and how aggressive I wanted them to be.
I received gloss piano black F14's. During the ordering process we had some disagreements over the offsets and they ended up pushing me into an offset for the rear that I knew wouldn't fit. Despite having the wrong wheels I still test fit them... and wouldn't you know it... they were off by .5in and stick outside the rear fenders.
That being said, i've requested my money back and i'll ship these paperweights back to them. Already on the ball for ordering some BC Forged like I should have done the first time
My gunmetal CF5's lol.
They. were. 100%. wrong.
I'm so mad about it too haha. Literally from the MODEL to the color, they're not what I discussed during the ordering process nor what I wanted at all. I ordered 18x9 and 18x11 CF5's in gunmetal with custom offsets to adjust for my SRA and how aggressive I wanted them to be.
I received gloss piano black F14's. During the ordering process we had some disagreements over the offsets and they ended up pushing me into an offset for the rear that I knew wouldn't fit. Despite having the wrong wheels I still test fit them... and wouldn't you know it... they were off by .5in and stick outside the rear fenders.
That being said, i've requested my money back and i'll ship these paperweights back to them. Already on the ball for ordering some BC Forged like I should have done the first time
My gunmetal CF5's lol.
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Wow smh
Ignorance is bliss brother. People like that always think they know best.
Lol right? I was seriously dumbfounded to open the box and find the wrong wheels. Their loss I guess, as that's the last time I try to give them money for anything.
Talked to Forgestar and they're going to take them back and we'll work on a refund when the wheels are returned.
In the meantime i'm working with Wheel Lab on some BC Forged TD02 in brushed grey. Trying to figure out the right balance of concavity and the size of the lips.
Talked to Forgestar and they're going to take them back and we'll work on a refund when the wheels are returned.
In the meantime i'm working with Wheel Lab on some BC Forged TD02 in brushed grey. Trying to figure out the right balance of concavity and the size of the lips.
Never been a fan of Forgestar wheels. Now some BC forged wheels I can get behind.
These were the Forgestar F14 drag pack I was looking at getting. Only Forgestars I’d get. I support the BC.
BC all day man @LS WUT
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