How to: ecoboost_xsport consolidated build/maintenance thread

[ecoboost_xsport]

Removal And Installation Of The Intake Manifold

Original Post: How to: - Removal And Installation Of 2015 Sport Intake Manifold

I ended up doing this for multiple reasons. Installation of XDI +30% fuel injectors, installation of the X35Designs phenolic spacer, installation of the BBK 70mm throttle body, some heat management of the coolant passage underneath the manifold and finally, installation of my new port injection methanol intake manifold.

It isn't necessarily hard, just tedious and time consuming. I won't cover the injector install in this thread as that will get covered in another one, just the basic removal, prep and install of the intake manifold. I also performed the port matching of the phenolic spacer during this, but it is also covered in another thread.

Phenolic spacer thread: HOW-TO: X35Designs Phenolic Spacer Improvement..

Getting her ready:

Removal of the hood made it easier to access everything and wasn't hard at all. It only weighs about 20lbs:

Here's part 01, removal video:


How it looks right after removal:

Here's part 02, preparation video:


All prepped:

At this point, I completed the swap-over of the components off the stock throttle body onto the BBK one. There's a spring in there and some clocking that is necessary...


Ready for the intake manifold:

Here's part 03, installation video:


Got it going in:

Before Shot:

After Shot:

And a side-by-side comparison:

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Trim Intake Manifold Foam Insulator

ONLY REQUIRED WHEN USING A PHENOLIC INTAKE MANIFOLD SPACER.

Doing this was needed in order to be able to use the foam heat insulator that sits beneath the intake manifold when using the X35Designs intake manifold phenolic spacer. This foam insulator rests snugly on the tops of the injectors as well as the high pressure fuel lines. However, there is a "lip" around the edge of the foam that holds it under the intake manifold. Without trimming that "lip", the insulator will hover above the lines and injectors about 3/8" and not make contact.

I couldn't help but felt this allows for heat to soak into the fuel system as well as not "supporting" those components, keeping them firmly in place. Doing this also happened to help since I added an additional 1/2" thickness around the coolant pipe, so a bit more room was needed to accommodate this.

Some may simply throw this insulator out as I am not 100% sure how effective it is at what it was intended to do, but why not re-use it if possible?

At first, I attempted to use a regular razor blade. Though it was sharp enough and cut well, it failed to be able to navigate the contours I was hoping to achieve. So I found that my right-angle air grinder with a sanding attachment normally meant for porting/polishing worked great! It was so easy and was like sculpting through butter.

Here's a photo of the insulator (Ford PN: AA5Z-6P013-A). I had already started shaving one half of the "lip" (bottom portion in this photo), so you can see the difference:

Here's how it looks shaved:

The sanding attachment cuts through like butter and is very easy to shape.

Finished trimming:

Mocked up underneath the intake manifold:

I ended up having to trim these chamfers on the ends as it kept the foam that was around the coolant pipe from wrinkling too much as it was pressed tightly against it.

Mocked up on engine:

Finished install:

One change I would make would be to somehow secure the drill into a vise or put this sanding attachment onto a drill press. It might be a bit easier to sculpt when holding the foam with both hands and having the sanding be stationary. It cuts so well that it can quickly get away from you if you are not careful.

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

XDI +30% Fuel Injector Installation

So this is a subsection of the larger modification section I was doing with the intake manifold, phenolic spacer and throttle body. I broke it out separately in order to highlight some of the things I learned along the way.

XDI has some awesome products and really does a lot to support our platform. Uwe over there is a great resource and can be extremely helpful even if you have a custom build. He sent me an early version of his SHO injectors, so these are technically his Gen1 version and have a +30% capability, but his latest SHO injectors are true +50%. Check them out at Xtreme DI.

Here's a short intro video on the upcoming tasks:


I took my time on this install as I wanted to make sure I got everything right and not forget any steps. I'm sure in the video set, some of you may find some things I could've done better. Let me know, as I'm always open for criticism.

Here's the beginning, removal of everything:


And here is the preparation of the heads before the installation:


This is the tool I was talking about in that video:

Might be able to solve the issue using other methods, but figured I'd just get the right tool for the job. It's way too expensive for what it is though, tbh. Not to mention, the bristles definitely have a lifespan, so if this was something you had to do often, you'd be having to purchase another tool over time. Anyway, it worked well and gave me peace-of-mind so that's worth something, right?

Here's the preparation of the actual rails with the injectors, before installation into the heads:


If you find some injectors sticking into the rail itself, I used this to tool (Craftsman Lock Ring Pliers #47386) to pop it out easily:

Used the caps and plugs Uwe provided with the new injectors for storing the old ones:

Rails getting ready for the injectors:

Since it was off the engine, trimmed that hook bracket off the new HP fuel line. Just give you a bit more room to adjust it as it's not used anyway.

Before:

After:

Also shaved down the head of that bolt it normally connects to.

Actual installation:


After this, just gotta proceed with installation of the rest...phenolic spacer and intake manifold (covered in a different thread). Although I've heard you can at least start the vehicle up and maybe idle it, I wasn't going to risk it. Luckily it's not a daily driver for me, so it wasn't a big deal to wait for Brad at AJP to get me an updated tune.

Here's the injector calibration sheet I needed to provide Brad for tuning:

Got the new preliminary tune in, did a full coolant flush and took it out for a small romp around town and man, this thing is beastly. I am doing datalogging with Brad currently so we'll see when this iteration is finalized, but I'm impressed so far.

Thanks Uwe!!!

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Changing And Trying Out Brisk Spark Plugs

Original Post: How to: - Change plugs / Trying out Brisk spark plugs

This is sort of a how-to on how I do my plug changes as well as getting away from the FoMoCo SP-542 and trying out a different plug. It remains to be seen how well it will work out for me, but I will definitely keep you guys updated.

So on the advice of a pretty good local tuner, I decide to try out some Brisk spark plugs (Brisk Racing). There wasn't necessarily anything wrong with the 542s I was running, but with the power goals and modifications I am shooting for, I wanted to attempt one additional step colder of a plug (OEM was 534s, heat range 6, 542s are range 7) by going heat range 8 to see if I can squeeze some timing out of her. Although I have limited personal experience with Brisk, a lot of top shops and tuners use these things. I did some research and on the advice of that local tuner, decided on trying out the Silver Racing plugs (hey, it has Racing in the name, so it MUST be good, lol). They are heat range 8, which is 2 steps colder than OEM and it remains to be seen if I can get a bit more timing out of these or if they will just foul out. Oh, and they are Made in the USA so that's a plus, right?

First thing is getting those connectors off the coils. Slide back the red clip on the coil connector, it's easy enough with a small flat head screwdriver:

Then just press the clip retainer and slide off the connector. After disconnecting that, use an 8mm socket to remove the coil retaining bolt, then pull out the coil. Even though I only complete one cylinder at a time so as not to confuse things, I still typically mark the coil with a sharpie identifying which cylinder it came from.

Before you take out the old plug, it is important to use some air to blow out any debris that may be residing in that spark plug well so that it doesn't fall into the cylinder. You'd be surprised how much junk gets blown out of there, despite them being "sealed".

After pulling the old spark plug, I look at the condition of it, mark it with a sharpie as well and I personally keep my old plugs for at least until the next plug change to compare them to the previous set. So they go in a zip lock and stored away.

Here's the new plugs:

Side-by-side comparison:

Tip/electrode difference:

I had the SP-542s gapped to 0.26 and went with the same on the Brisk plugs.

I use an old piece of rubber hose to put onto the end of the new plug as it makes it a bit easier to install by hand into the well. But before I install it, I give it a good thin coating of some anti-seize. You will thank yourself later if you do this, trust me.

Factory service manual says torque to 133 in-lbs, not much, I know.

If you convert the in-lbs to ft-lbs you get 11.1. Comparing to the recommendation provided by Brisk, it falls right in line (the plugs are conical seat, 14mm thread diameter going into an aluminum head).

After installing the plug, make sure to use a small amount of dielectric grease (I like to use Dow Corning #4) inside the coil boot to help keep moisture out as well as ensuring it doesn't adhere to the plug and become a nightmare to remove for the next plug change. In the photo showing how much is coming out of the tube is the amount I usually use.

After that, installation is the opposite of removal.

Some tips to be mindful of:

1) If you have the composite valve covers like I do, be very careful when torquing the coil retaining bolt. The threaded hole is just a metal insert that can spin on you if over-torqued. If you spin it too badly, that's it...I don't really know of a fix other than getting a whole new valve cover, maybe some sort of epoxy. The book says 62 in-lbs, then another 50 degrees, but TBH, I did that spec on one of my retaining bolts the last time I changed the plugs and it began to spin (yes, I checked to make sure I was in-lbs and not ft-lbs). So before I let it get too bad, I just left it. Luckily it was in pretty tight and didn't have any issues the entire time I had those 542s in. This time around I was just very careful to do it by hand and get them as tight as I felt comfortable. That seemed to work pretty well as they are all solidly in there.

2) If you have an XDI HPFP, you're going to have to remove the low and high side fuel lines as well as the top 2 bolts to spin it a bit to access the coil on cylinder 4. I think I heard XDI had a redesign, but can't confirm that.

Anyway, as mentioned, I'll keep you folks updated once I get her back on the road. After doing some research on the Brisk product line, I gotta say, I'm fairly impressed so far. Now the proof will be when I get some miles on 'em.

EDIT: It's been brought to my attention that there is an easier way to get to the #4 coil if you have an XDI HPFP. Simply remove the low side fuel line AND remove the low side -6AN fitting out of the HPFP body (there is just an o-ring behind it) and that will give you enough clearance to remove the coil. No need to remove the high side, 2 top bolts, or spin it. I have not done this method yet, but will the next time I do a plug change.

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Extend And Move Hood Anti-Theft Switch

So this modification is being done because I have some plans for the AirAid CAI...I'm going to have a cover made for it in order to make it truly separated from the hot engine air. It's location makes it more difficult to make the cover, so moving it to the other side was necessary.

Looking straight down on the airbox, you can see how the bottom right where the switch is at would get in the way, or at least not leave much room, of a cover for the airbox:

Another angle:

The box sitting inside the airbox is my battery tender...disregard.

Close up:

On the other side is a good location, very similar to where it is on the original side:

Just used a step drill to achieve the proper size. Ensure you measure the original hole to accurately get the new hole dimensions:

Installed:

Ready for testing to ensure it switches appropriately:

Conducting testing, and all is well. Switch changes appropriately when hood is opened and closed:

Now it's time to get rid of that extra material:

I just used a dremel with a cut-off wheel attachment to get the major part of it out, then changed to the dremel sanding wheel attachment to finalize the shape and smooth it out a bit.

Finished product. You can see how much more room that gave me:

Now, moving onto the wiring and actually extending the connector. I didn't like how the wire was coming around this portion of the radiator core support, so I drilled a hole through it to make it a bit more of a straight shot. Not a necessary step, though:

In order to fit the wire through that hole, had to cut the connector off. We will be splicing it longer anyway, so no biggie. I gave myself a little bit of extra wire in order to have room for the splice:

Fed the loose end of the wire through that hole previously made:

Close up of the splice connector:

And made a video of the complete wiring process:

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Upgrade From Sync2 To Sync3

Easiest mod ever. Took me all of 20 minutes to install...gorgeous and I'm in love with my interior again, lol...

Got all my stuff from Jason at FLVP Mods

Sure I could've hunted the individual parts down myself, but it was an easy one-stop shop with everything I need done for me...makes it easier:

Just have to pop off the 2 side strips, remove the control console, remove the screen/APIM and the old USB hub.

Here's an excellent video detailing the process:


It came pre-loaded from FLVP Mods with the Explorer splash screen but those can be changed in FORSCAN:

I really, really hated Sync2...

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Changeover To E85 Pump Fuel

So after contemplating when I really wanted to make the switch over to ethanol and also getting some inspiration from Brad over at AJPTurbo, I decided to finally make that switch. I still have a few things I'm working on to get even more fuel to the engine, but I think it's time to get started down that path. Many thanks to @p_coatsofboise, the current 1/4-mile world record holder of this gen Explorer, for continuing to motivate me to push this platform further.

So after getting a starter tune for e85 from Brad, I went to one of our local Shell stations that has some Propel e85 to fuel up a gas can worth (note the sticker that says "MINIMUM 70% ETHANOL"...it will be important shortly):

After getting back to the house, draining the remaining 100 octane I had left in the tank (it will be put to good use in the motorcycle), I filled up with the 5 gallons of e85, loaded the tune and started her up.

All is well as I saw the ethanol content gauge slowly climb from 7% that was in the 100 octane. After about 30 minutes of idling and driving slowly around the neighborhood to get that fuel through the system, the highest I saw my meter was this:

I thought to myself, this meter has to be wrong! I know there is a range that pump e85 is truly at, but at least I was expecting a little over the minimum 70% as it was stated. Well, I decided to test the fuel to verify independent of the gauge:

...and to my dismay, after doing the calculations like 20 times to verify the results, the ethanol content came to measured 66%, not too far off the gauge, so I knew that thing was correct.

That means the station has some poor quality e85. Not sure how to take this as it doesn't even meet the State-mandated minimum. And not sure where to go from here. I can drive around town to find a better station, which is what I will likely do. Or I can go full-on Simple Jack and just get a hold of some Ignite fuel as it's accessible where I am and would deliver more consistency...but not sure how I really feel about doing this just yet. I think I will do some searching for some better quality pump e85 around town first.

I went ahead and did some hard pulls just to see how it feels (the starting tune is dialed back so we can ease into the power), and it feels quite a bit different. I'm interested to see where this road takes me...

...and so the adventure continues...

TEST YOUR FUEL PEOPLE!!!

Good resource if you want to do this at home or if you don't have one of those pocket testers:
http://iqlearningsystems.com/ethanol/downloads/E85test.pdf

I personally like knowing the science behind the calculations, so I prefer this over one of those $15 Amazon test kits...but those work too, I'm sure...

UPDATE: 23OCT2020
Went to fill at a different station and got way better quality ethanol. Looks like I may have found the station to fill at. I took a sample as well and will test it. I think it's even better than the gauge states as it is being mixed with the poor quality stuff I already had in the tank:

EDIT: Tested it and it came back at 83%...really good stuff! Too bad I had about 5 gallons of crappy stuff in there bringing it down to 75%

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Oh **** Moment - Incident 01

Ummm, so yeah....this happened today:

Was out around doing some "spirited" driving as I was trying to get some miles on the e85 in order to stabilize the OAR before I get heavy into some datalogging. I floored it and heard a loud 'POP'. and lost all power. Scared the crap outta me as I thought I really broke something, but when I slowly eased into the throttle I saw I wasn't building any boost at all. Figured I blew a hose or cracked a pipe or something. Luckily I was about 2 miles from the house. Limped it home to find that hose had popped off. It was on there tight, too, so I must've hit a boost spike (currently mildly set to 15psi for initial tuning).

Anyway, easy fix and I'm back on the road...I'm seeing Wiggins Clamps in my future...

 

[Fasterdamnit!]

Awesome stuff! A road map I will follow. Almost wish I were back in N CA! My ceramic coated PPE downpipes are delayed until December. Maybe by that time I can swing the new intercooler. Maybe a fuel pump, too...

 

[Garrett_david1]

Thats a lot of work!!!! Looks good, keep the updates coming. I dont know if you have tried, but I use Hikari led headlights, they are the brightest I've used

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Thats a lot of work!!!! Looks good, keep the updates coming. I dont know if you have tried, but I use Hikari led headlights, they are the brightest I've used

I'll check em our for sure!

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

HVAC Directional Door Actuator Replacement

Ugh...so this was one of those annoying things to fail that you just KNOW is going to be a pain in the ass. Guess what? It is!

Anyway, the actuator was stuck on defrost and I could never get it out of that position. Did some internet research and found that they actually fail quite often. Ford uses these in various places as well as in pretty much all their platforms. It's the newest version of Ford's actuator and you can see in this video why it may not necessarily be the best improvement. Yeah, it's smaller...but made cheaper (welcome to the new way of doing business):



There are a number of actuators in the HVAC system in this vehicle. One is located on the passenger side and it controls the blend of hot/cold temperature. So if you're having that issue, it's likely you'll want to check out these videos for some help:







Anyway, the one that failed in my case was probably one of the worst ones to go as far as labor needed to replace it. If you are having issues with the HVAC sticking between DEFROST, DASH or FLOOR setting, this is the one you need to replace. This is something that, if taken to Ford will cost you $$$$$$$$$. Apparently, Ford needs to remove the ENTIRE dash to get to it...so yeah, lotta dough.

Anyway, did some online research and found this video:



I won't re-hash much of what I found in this video except give you a parts list and some tips I found to make it even easier, but I will say this video saved me A TON of time and work. Thank you so much to the video creator!

This is one of those jobs where having the right tools will make or break your sanity. As with all things mechanical, there is more than one way to skin the cat, but man, I tell you what, if you have the tools below, you will thank me later.

Anyway, some of the parts and tools needed for this job:

• Actuator: Ford PN AA5Z-19E616-A
• DeWalt Right Angle Attachment, Flex Shaft, 12-Inch (DWARAFS)
• Magnetic Nut Driver Socket Set
• 1/4" Cordless Impact Wrench
• Long-reach upholstery removal tool

As for removing that red tab on the connector, it DOES NOT need to come all the way out as mentioned in the video, just pull it back a bit and it'll click out into place. Then you just remove it as you would any connector by depressing the lock tab:

So, in the video, he removes the top 2 screws with that 90deg flex shaft and the bottom screw with a 3" extension on a ratchet. I found that you can reach that bottom screw with the flex shaft very easy and it's so much easier than using a ratchet:

The reason you want to use those nut driver sockets is because they are slightly shorter than a socket adapter and socket. There is not much room in there and you need all the space you can get. It's great to have the magnetic ones as the screws just stick to it and you don't need tape or gum like the video posted suggested:

This pic is difficult to see what I'm talking about, but if you have everything removed as required, from underneath, look up toward where the actuator is and it's clear as day and a straight shot with the flex 90. In this pic it's about dead-center in the photo:

Now, with everything removed, it'll still be kind of stuck in there. There is hardly NO room to get that thing out as there is a large wire harness right up against it. That's where the long-reach upholstery removal tool came in handy:

I wedged it between and basically twisted the tool 90 degrees and it popped right out and fell straight to the floorboard:

In this pic, you see the end of the tool and the white slot the actuator inserts into. The actuator had already popped off in this photo, but you can get an idea of where to insert it:

Here's the bad actuator and the arrows are not matching up:

Here's the new one with the arrows lined up:

The video creator had a great idea with taking the old one apart and using that plastic gear to get the slot to line up properly before inserting the new actuator. Just break the tabs off the outer shell since you will throw it away and it will come right out:

However, I found an easier solution than marking and finding where it needs to be clocked. Just insert that plastic gear back into the slot and turn it all the way clockwise (if you were to be looking at the gear from the exposed end and not the end inserted into the slot)gently until it stops. It cannot go any further than the position it needs to be at. I did that, inserted the actuator and the bolt holes lined up perfectly.

It will require finger acrobatics to get that thing up in there, so don't think this will be super easy. You will likely scream at the wiring harness that's in the way a few times. Stick with it, you'll get it.

As for putting the screws back in, this is where the magnetic sockets really shone. For tightening though, I didn't use an impact wrench, I used a 1/4" hex socket handle and tightened it by hand:

And finally...getting that connector back into the socket. Wow, that was, for some reason, the most difficult part of this job (it was ALL difficult, btw). You can only fit one hand up there, so it all has to be done single handed. AND you can't see what you're doing. It's all done blind, LOL.

Anyway, got it connected, put everything back together and tested it out. It all worked perfectly!

Whew! the job took about 1.5hours start to finish. Had I not watched that video, nor had the right tools, it could easily have been a 5 or 6 hour job trying to figure all this out.

Some extra photos for you.

The opened actuator if you're interested:

The new actuator, I can't believe this $25 part costs so much to get changed out. I think I heard it's upward of $1000 because Ford will remove the dash, smh:

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Built Long Block Part 01

So this has been a long time in the making and I finally received ti the other day. Although I have brought it up in passing and sometimes eluded to it, this project I've generally held close to the chest...for a number of reasons. Some of you may already know as I've shared this on other platforms so it isn't the biggest surprise, but it's for sure the biggest step for this journey I on right now.

Although I'm totally capable of building an engine myself, I decided to go with an outside builder for a number of reasons. The main one is time...it's just a premium for me and a project like this would've taken me quite a while. Likely even longer than the 6 months it took to get it to this point.

I started talking with Ryan over at RMB Motorworks about a year ago. Trust me, I've read all the stuff on the internet about some people's experiences, both good and bad. Most of what I got was pretty positive and I always take negative press with a grain of salt. Got to know him pretty well before I decided to pull the trigger on this and I'm glad I went with his him on this. Anyway, here's some photo's of the build process as it progressed:

Heads off a 2016 SHO that had virtually no miles on it. As you can see, they were in great shape before they were even touched with any head work:

They were sent off to Headgames Motorworks to get some love. Namely their Pocket Port-R. What is that you ask? Well, here's a quick blurb on it:



Should be able to get a bit more timing out of this thing now:

Stock cams. Didn't have anything done to them. A custom grind was outta my budget, lol:

Brand new block, before it got sent out for the closed deck process:

Back from CSS with the deck closed off:

Just some nice hone work:

JE pistons before getting some Calico Coating love:

Skirt coating:

Thermal top coating:

These conrods are sexy AF! A set of Boostline conrods to push those pistons around:

Some ring gap measuring:

The centerpiece of all this...a Ford F-150 Raptor crankshaft:

Main bearing seats:

And some more lovely cross-hatch machining:

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Built Long Block Part 02

The King main bearings installed:

Checking end play:

And more clearance checking:

Completed short block:

Oil Pan, pickup tube and oil pump housing installed. Can't forget the WPC treated Boundary oil pump gear installed inside that housing:

Ans some relentless engine assembly ****:

And finally, arrival day!:

So, next step will be an engine stand sometime this week. Then it will sit for a bit until I tackle the intercooler dilemma on the current engine. I want to work all the bugs out on the engine I have sitting in the car now, so I'll be mostly dialed in when the new motor goes in!

Stay tuned...

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Weight Reduction: Roof Rack Delete

I wanted to get rid of the roof rack for awhile now as I never use it and feel like it might be another few pounds that can be shaved. I was thinking it would look a bit more clean and give it an even lower visual appearance by bringing the overall height down a bit.

The majority of Explorers come with the roof rack rails as a standard option with "slick top" variants normally being the PIU versions. I used a lot of the information contained within this post:

Roof Rack / Rail Removal

...and it was an awesome resource. Thank you to those that posted information on ways to make this happen. I won't rehash much of what was covered in it except for some things I may have done a bit differently.

Here's the before photo (it was dirty, don't judge me! LOL):

First step is popping off the end covers to access the bolts that hold down the rails.

Front/Rear:

And once those are off, it's pretty much self-explanatory from that point. Here's the entire roof rack system removed from the vehicle and weighed it on the scale:

I saved a whopping additional ~19lbs!

Starting with the rear portion, here's the bolt holes with all the dirt and grime cleaned up and ready for some new hardware to block the water:

I made a personal decision that I didn't really care to add the length of channel stripping as I wasn't really that concerned about it. I did want it to look good, but wasn't too worried about the top portion, so I decided just to block of the holes with straight hardware. What I did decide to do was go with some pretty good quality (translation: expensive) 316 stainless steel hardware and some weather-resistant rubber sealing washers, along with RTV for good measure. Here's a parts list that I ordered from McMaster-Carr:

Yes, those low profile bolts are pricey, but they will work great. The OEM ones will work fine as well, this is just a bit extra. Here's the hardware in action:

I doubled-up on the rubber washers to ensure it sealed against the contours of the bolt hole area. And also used some of this RTV for the extra measure:

And the RTV applied:

And the final installation for the rear area:

I will concede that it looks much better with the weather stripping that is used to install in that channel. I just opted not for simplicity's sake. It's not all that noticeable and I still used the front short rail sections anyway.

Now, onto the front area. Here's the parts needed:

I got everything from Sewell Ford as pricing (to include shipping) was the best I could find:

• DB5Z-7851728-AA Molding, Roof Side Trim $47.77 Qty: 1
• DB5Z-7851729-AA Molding, Roof Side Trim $47.51 Qty: 1
• FB5Z-7850002-A Retainer $6.80 Qty: 1
• FB5Z-7850002-B Retainer $6.80 Qty: 1

I made some changes with the sealing foam that came on all the pieces. I decided I didn't like it so I removed it all as I was going to use RTV and those rubber sealing washers for a more positive seal. I've seen that foam stuff go bad over time, so felt my option would last longer. Only time will tell...

Foam removed. Side not: For those that don't know, WD-40 is the most perfect chemical to get rid of adhesive "boogers" and residue...it practically wipes off. It's great when removing decals and weather-stripping as well.

Also removed the foam from the retaining clip:

Difference between a standard socket cap screw and the low profile ones I went with:

Here's why:

Bolts, washers and RTV on the cover:

Installed:

After look:

Comparison shot:

And there ya go. What you guys think?

Weight Reduction Running Tally: ~280.0 lbs

 

[TuxSport]

Hey man great stuff here. I'd love to know more about what you did with the intake side of all the turbo pipes. Or where you picked up after market stuff. Ive wanted to do an aftermarket BoV for awhile now but haven't been able to find anything

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Hey man great stuff here. I'd love to know more about what you did with the intake side of all the turbo pipes. Or where you picked up after market stuff. Ive wanted to do an aftermarket BoV for awhile now but haven't been able to find anything

Check out www.ecopowerparts.com, Mike's got some off-the-shelf hot pipes. That's what I currently have. I'll likely be selling my kit when I eventually get to my intercooler installation, btw...wish I had more time in the day, LOL...

 

[TuxSport]

Check out www.ecopowerparts.com, Mike's got some off-the-shelf hot pipes. That's what I currently have. I'll likely be selling my kit when I eventually get to my intercooler installation, btw...wish I had more time in the day, LOL...

Did you have to do anything special to the factory bov electrical when going to the aftermarket BoV.
Also are you running 2 BoVs like the factory configuration? Or just a single one on the intercooler to TB pipe?

 

[ecoboost_xsport]

Did you have to do anything special to the factory bov electrical when going to the aftermarket BoV.
Also are you running 2 BoVs like the factory configuration? Or just a single one on the intercooler to TB pipe?

Nope, just disconnected them and zip-tied the connector out of the way.

Single Tial Sport 50mm BOV.

He also has those hot-pipes available for the stock BOVs if you'd like to keep them.

 

[TuxSport]

Nope, just disconnected them and zip-tied the connector out of the way.

Single Tial Sport 50mm BOV.

He also has those hot-pipes available for the stock BOVs if you'd like to keep them.

How much of a different sound do you get with your tial?