Automotive

1987 Shelby CSX #694 of 750

This is my 1987 Shelby CSX that I've owned since 1998.  It is number 694 out of 750 that were modified at Shelby Automobiles in Whittier, California.  You can read the back story here.  The car has somehow survived a move and a number of life change events, however I have not really done any serious work on it for about two decades.  That has recently started to change....

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The CSX: September 22, 1999

Posted on September 22, 1999.

Well, the weekly strife with this car continues.  Monday it barfed out the block core plug behind starter...it had rusted out from the inside.  I replaced it with a expanding rubber core plug (Expand-Tite), which seems to be holding.  The next plug down has some evidence of a very slow leak.  Looks like that one is next.

The piston slap is slowly getting worse.  I think I should start thinking seriously about building-up a new, solid bottom end for this thing.  No screwing around this time....  *sigh*

The CSX: September 17, 1999

Posted on September 17, 1999.

Still no leaks, trans fluid, coolant, or otherwise.  The tires are severely out of balance or out of round.  I will try to get them balanced.  That metal-to-metal squeak turned out to be my 2.5" exhaust rubbing on the rear axle cross members.  That Dynomax muffler is very heavy and it has stretched the stock mount.

Other than that, the car needs new ball joints and outer tie rod ends (boots are gone).  A new set of bushings will probably be good too.  I may just try to find a '89+ K-frame and put the new ball joints and polyurethane bushings right on it.

The CSX: September 15, 1999

Posted on September 15, 1999.

Well, I wanted to get started pulling the trans last night.  This is the first time I got near it since I discovered the left side of the trans, axle, and engine bay covered in trans fluid on Saturday.  I jacked up the car and grabbed the axle.  It was not sloppy at all, compared to how it was before I installed the stabilizer bearing.  Then from the topside, I noticed trans fluid all over the TOP of the trans as well.  It appeared to be coming from the top of the shifter plane (slider) selector lever.  There is a plastic cap on the shaft, which I assume is the gear case vent (it's not on the bearing retainer plate like on the A525/A520/A555).  I am in the habit of overfilling my trannies by about 1/2 quart.  It works fine on the A520s.  On the A568, it seems to puke the extra oil out.  The oil would run into a webbed area of the top of the trans, fill it up with oil, then it would run down the side, right over the left-side axle.  It appears that this is where the oil is coming from.  I cleaned the whole thing up with acetone so that it is dry and drained the excess fluid from the case (it was still very high).  I then proceeded to address a coolant leak from that stupid head (helicoils).  I may just have lucked out.

I fixed the coolant leaks at the thermostat housing by using the solvent-safe PFTE thread tape with Master #2 Gasketmaker (not RTV, this stuff stays soft).  It appears to be holding up just fine.

I have no doubt that this tranny needs to at least have the diff re-shimmed.  Perhaps even new spiders.  But, it looks like it may be salvageable otherwise.  The stabilizer bearing appears to be doing its job.

The CSX: September 13, 1999

Posted on September 13, 1999.

It appears that the stabilizer bearing has self-destructed.  On the way home from the SDACCL meeting on Saturday, I started to notice a sort of vibrating metal-to-metal squeak that was getting louder and louder.  When I got home I found the entire left side of the tranny covered in oil.  I guess the bearing just can't handle it.  So, it appears that I will be looking for a replacement differential.

Before the meeting I was able to install the new "Jessie Buhr" 2-1/2" aluminized exhaust system (thanks Mark!).  The fit was mediocre at best and some bending and cutting/rewelding was required.  It's still a bit off, so I will have to make some tweaks to it.  Aside from that, it is a nice system.  The original 2 1/4" exhaust with no muffler droned way too much when cruising.  So, I opted for a Dynomax Super Turbo muffler (part# 17710).  It's a nice unit and is the perfect length to fit in a P, J, or G-body.  It's a 7" round, 18" long unit.  It has a nice sounding idle and seems to be quite good at the top end.  Not as good as an open pipe, but good enough for me.

The CSX: September 10, 1999

Posted on September 10, 1999.

I believe that I have found a "patch" for my current transmission problems.  Thanks to Joe Dzwil, I was able to install a Techpak-Fitzall Chrysler Axle Stabilizer Bearing (part# 32125LRB).  It's a neat little unit that installs in place of the stock seal and oil slinger in the trans.  It has an integral roller bearing and seal that rides on the sealing surface of the axle.  A good axle with a smooth and clean sealing surface is required because the roller bearing uses the old sealing surface and the new seal uses the very outer edge of the sealing surface, which will be rusty and dirty on a new axle.  The extra axle I have was in good shape.  Some sandpaper and some rubbing compound later, I had a nice bearing ans sealing surface.  The bearing also has some gripping splines to keep it from spinning and an oiling hole that matches the oil feed hole on the trans.

Before installing the bearing, I fully drained the transmission so that I could clean the surfaces properly.  I did an "Ed Peters" to it by drilling out the hole in the square-shaped boss on the bottom of the differential housing, and tapping it with a 3/8" NPT tap.  Once it was drained, I plugged the hole with a brass pipe plug using solvent-safe PFTE thread tape (the yellow stuff).  Getting good threads in the boss is tricky because it is slightly too large for the first 1/8" or so.  Use a slightly smaller drill bit than is required by the tap.  Now I can change the fluid completely without pulling axles or removing the side cover.

Looks like the CSX will be at the SDAC Chicagoland meeting after all!