TomTom GO 600 Battery Replacement

After some twelve plus years I now have an issue with my most trusted TomTom Go 600, the battery has died. You may be asking why am I bothered as Google Maps is available phones, updated regularly and works, some consider it better than many dedicated SatNavs, TomTom or Garmin to name just a couple. Even my daily driver has an up-to-date SatNav which I use, a lot. This TomTom Go 600 is used in my Mustang and sits on the centre console in a weighted mount setup. I need guidance to virtually any location where I can’t see my own house. I honestly get lost anywhere, even somewhere that I’ve been before, often a standing joke with friends and family. I prefer to use the TomTom instead of the phone with google maps and the smart watch on my wrist for turn by turn notifications which is great, but the phones battery gets drained before I even get to the location. At car shows most of the phones battery is used up with the camera usage and then a little bit of reading while sitting in my chair. I often take a backup charger with me just in case I need to charge the phone, but it’s a pain. It’s often easier to plonk the SatNav on the console, plug it in so there is no battery worry on the phone. Besides, the screen is bigger on the TomTom and the sound is louder for directions.

On this device the battery lasts about one hour when not plugged in, or I can’t be bothered to plug into the cigarette lighter for the shorter trips. The battery no longer holds a charge of any sort, often to the point that even with power from the cigarette lighter, it can’t hold the power so the unit has shut off on me a few of times. Without external power, the device hardly has enough power to show the empty battery symbol and just dies, not even a proper shut down.

After a quick bit of research I found video on YouTube as a tutorial on how to change the battery, it was worth a go. Why go to the bother, just get an up-to-date model? I certainly could upgrade, however this model has free map updates for life! After twelve years, every few months I get a map update. This device owes me nothing, so a replacement battery and some cheap tools from Amazon £20 all in, would be worth a go. The battery arrived the next day along with the tools needed to take these sort of devices apart. I also needed a pen knife, a blunt one which is sometimes used to open packages etc.

Disclaimer: If you attempt this repair, it’s of your own choice and I won’t be held responsible for any damage or loss.

My experience of the practical wasn’t so easy as the video suggested, so I thought I would document what I did to fix it. I don’t know if the models are designed differently after a while, but my internals were a little different to the YouTube video even though it was the same model designation.

The first step was to separate the two halves of the device, this is where the plastic tools came in, well to start with anyway.

Close-up of a person's hand holding a TomTom Go 600 device with a plastic opening tool inserted, revealing the ports and button layout on the back.

The two parts we so well together I had to get the penknife to get between the two halves and lever them apart. As I worked my way round I used triangular picks in various place to stop the device snapping back together again. There are no screws that hold the two halves together. As the device separated I heard a couple of little snaps where the plastic catches has snapped below right. I was not brutal in fact rather careful, perhaps the plastic is getting brittle with age. The face has a little piece of tape which holds the screen ribbon in place just before the connector itself to the main motherboard.

With the screen out of the way the plastic flat ribbon needs to be eased out of the connector by moving the white clamp towards the ribbon which will release the pressure on the clamp and allow the cable to be pulled out.

The two halves are now fully separated, put the screen to one side out of harms way. The below image shows one of the additional sprung connections at the tip of the screw driver. These are delicate and transfer the touch inputs of the screen to the main board. Hence the flat metal plate that is on the back of the screen.

A close-up of a screwdriver being used on the internal circuit board of a TomTom Go 600 GPS device.

Next we need to disconnect the speaker and the battery connections, using the plastic tools separate the two plugs.

Get yourself a nice set of screw drivers to remove the five flat cross head screws holding the circuit board to the back case.

With the screws removed lift the top of the board, the opposite to the connections at the bottom. With the board elevated you can then slide the bottom half of the board out of the case. With the board also put out of harms way the battery is exposed at the bottom. The battery will need to be prized away from the case as it’s stuck in place with double sided tape. As with all Li-ion batteries be very very careful.

A close-up view of a new battery for a TomTom Go 600 GPS device, showing its black casing and attached wires against a wooden surface.

The old battery and the new one side by side. The new battery on the left has a slightly higher capacity which should retain a little longer life. the original battery is on the right.

Image showing two replacement batteries for the TomTom Go 600, one labeled 'CELLONIC' and the other labeled 'TOMTOM', side by side on a wooden surface.

In the box supplied with my battery was fresh double sided tape, which needs to stuck on the back to hold the battery in place. The new battery is slightly smaller but still sits neatly in the area. Make sure that the wires are near the speaker and not the opposite end or they wont be long enough to connect.

Interior view of a TomTom Go 600 device showing the battery and speaker components.

Take the circuit board and align the bottom of the board to openings. Gently lay the fish the two sets of wires through the hole in the circuit board and then lower the board down into place. Align the screw holes and lightly screw into place. This will allow you to pick the device up and make sure the connections are fully located correctly. Once you are happy with the alignment fully tighten the five screws, do not over tighten. Next re-insert the battery and the speaker cables to the back of the board.

Close-up of the internal circuit board of a TomTom Go 600 GPS device, showing components like connectors, a speaker, and metal shielding.

Hold the screen near the main circuit board that will allow the flat cable to fall above the ribbon connection. I couldn’t take pictures at this point as I needed both hands. While holding the screen still gently guide the flat ribbon into the opening evenly. Do not force the ribbon or it will kink, the ribbon should just slot into place. Once the ribbon is fully inserted in place, slide the white clamp away from the ribbon to clamp the ribbon in place. Both the screen and the ribbon should now be connected. Very lightly pull the screen to make sure the ribbon does not pull out.

Lay the screen onto the case to align the two halves again. Make sure that the sprung connectors are not damaged be fully lowering the screen down. Starting at the bottom snap into place and work up the sides to the top. As you snap the case together make sure the connections at the bottom are stay correctly aligned. The broken clips were at opposite ends of the device so it didn’t prevent re-assembly of the unit.

Close-up view of the bottom side of a TomTom Go 600 GPS device, highlighting the various ports, buttons, and connectors. A hand is holding the device against a wooden surface with tools visible in the background.

Now turn the device on.

Now check that the screen is still touch responsive once the unit has fully started.

A close-up view of a TomTom Go 600 GPS device displaying its main menu with navigation options, held in a person's hand.

Once everything was working I was able to give everything a clean and full charge. The difficult part was separating the two halves without damage. The YouTube video showed it almost falling apart which wasn’t the case. The plastic tools weren’t quite man enough to separate the halves, hence the use of the pen knife for a little more robust leverage. Once apart it was pretty simple to remove the board, replace the battery and re-assemble.

Total time taken: 40 mins

Difficulty Level: 4 out 10

Conclusion: the only real difficulty was taking apart without damage and re-aligning the motherboard ports to the bottom of the case.

Share my Content

Reasons why the Mustang is still popular

There are only a handful of cars that carry the same recognition and emotional pull as the Ford Mustang. Since its debut 17^thApril 1964 at the New York World Trade Fair, the Mustang has remained one of the most iconic cars on American roads. Its mix of performance, style and heritage has helped the brand survive changing automotive trends within a competitive market. Even today, collectors, enthusiasts, and casual drivers find reasons to admire and own these classic cars. For some, searching for a wrecked Mustang for sale or browsing junk cars for sale is a way to restore a piece of history and connect with the legend. Dry states in America as we refer to them here in the UK, still contain a treasure trove of cars that are worth restoring or even buying them just for those hard to find original parts.

A row of vintage Ford Mustangs in various states of disrepair, lined up in a grassy area near a building.

A Strong Legacy

The Mustang was introduced in 1964 it quickly gained a loyal following, the demand far outweighed the supply and Ford couldn’t make them fast enough. The Mustang sales had set records that still haven’t been matched to this day. The Mustang represented freedom and individuality during a period of cultural changes taking place in America. With its long hood, endless options of engines and gearbox, short rear deck and the sporty stance, it established a design that influenced decades of vehicles or ‘Pony’ cars. Generations of drivers grew up with the Mustang, making it more than just a car, it became a cultural touchstone tied to movies, music, and motorsports.

Timeless Design

One of the key reasons for the Mustang’s enduring appeal is its design. While the car has evolved over the years, each version retains that unmistakable Mustang character. The bold grille, aggressive body lines, and muscular stance are instantly recognizable. Owners and fans often mention that the later modern Mustangs capture the essence of the originals, we won’t mention a couple of designs during the oil crisis, where styling went slightly off the rails. The blend of nostalgia, performance and modern engineering makes the car attractive to both young buyers and long-time collectors.

Performance Options

Performance has always been at the heart of the Mustang. From affordable base models to high-powered GTs, the much sought after Shelby variations and even tuners like Saleen, the Mustang offers a wide spectrum of driving experiences. V8 engines, roaring exhaust notes, track ready with the thrilling acceleration keep enthusiasts coming back for more. Even with recent moves toward more efficient engines like the Eco Boost or the controversial ‘Mustang’ Mach-E, Ford ensures that the Mustang still delivers an exciting ride while keeping the soul of the Pony car alive. This fine line balancing act between tradition and innovation strengthens its ongoing popularity for each generation of car and the generations of owners to come.

An Affordable Entry Point

Unlike some sports cars that remain out of reach for most drivers, the Mustang has always provided a good performance for your buck. Even today, buyers can get into a Mustang without the steep price tag of European competitors. Saying you own a Mustang has element of coolness to it. The affordability for base models makes it appealing to first-time sports car buyers, young drivers, and collectors alike. Many enthusiasts also find older models to restore or customize, often through salvage markets and the vast aftermarket parts available. I know of a couple of owners who have new Mustangs and maintain or are restoring a classic Mustang as well.

A collection of abandoned and partially restored Ford Mustang cars in a grassy area surrounded by trees.

Strong Enthusiast Community

The Mustang community is one of the largest and most active car groups worldwide. Car clubs, forums, and events bring together owners and fans to share their passion. Annual Mustang meets and local shows showcase restored classics, modified builds, and brand-new models. This sense of belonging and shared enthusiasm helps keep the Mustang relevant across generations. Even belonging to a Mustang Owners club of some sort can get you cheaper insurance.

Pop Culture Presence

From the Mustang’s role in Bullitt, Gone in 60 Seconds (both films) to appearances in modern film and television, the Mustang has long been tied to American pop culture. Its on-screen presence reinforces the car’s image as powerful, stylish, and dare we say rebellious brand. The car’s constant visibility helps introduce the Mustang to new audiences who may not have even considered one otherwise.

Conclusion

The Ford Mustang remains popular because it is more than just a vehicle. It represents history, identity, and performance at a price that appeals to a wide range of buyers. With its strong heritage, ongoing legacy, timeless design coupled with a vibrant community, the Mustang continues to inspire. For enthusiasts, owners and daily drivers, even a potential project car from salvage lot (scrap yard this side of the pond), the car still holds a value, proving that the Mustang’s appeal will not fade anytime soon as the legacy is already in the history books and still going strong.

When I get asked at car shows (which I frequently do), why do I like the Mustang or why did I chose a Mustang? Those are just a few good reasons I can think of!

Share my Content

Fill Her Up

Many classic cars of the bygone era of the ’60s & ’70s, not just Mustangs were fitted with a fuel filler pipe that was quite big diameter. The fuel back then was Leaded or Four Star fuels to be pumped through a larger nozzle which filled more of the filler pipe, which makes perfect sense. When pumping was complete, the pump would click off and it was job done. However, with the move to the dreaded ethanol based fuels the filler pipe holes were made smaller along with the pump heads themselves. Fuel pumps from today have the much smaller hole which ensure a snug fit and allow the pump to shut off as you would expect. The problem with classic cars owners now have since this change is that the the large diameter filler pipes still take the smaller pumps which fill at similar rates, but at higher pressure. In turn that when the filling is complete, the fuel should stop the nozzle to avoid over filling, but it more often than not doesn’t. The reason is that pumped gas under pressure can splash back around the smaller nozzles, down sides of the filler pipes and out the top. This invariably results with some splash back out of the filler pipe over the paint job, bumper and if I’m unlucky, me if I happened to be standing in the wrong place. With this in mind I tend to go through some performance of getting a microfibre cloth, laying it over the bumper ready to clean up quickly when I top the tank up. I sometimes get strange looks as to what I’m doing before filling up.

This waste of fuel, smell on your clothes and potential damage to the paint work over time has always been an annoyance to me, but it’s part of the ‘joys’ of owning a classic car. I know many other Mustang owners as well as other manufacturers in fact that suffer from this issue. I just happened to be browsing through a Mustang forum where I spotted a link where somebody had modified the 64 – 70 Mustang filler pipes, a totally random link lead me to a discussion. The filler pipe size was exactly the same as the original, but inside is a simple fitted anti splashback valve. The valve is designed for the unleaded fuel pump nozzles sizes of today 13/16″ and should stop the splashback problem.

After a bit more research I got in touch with the guy and ordered one. A couple of weeks later it arrived and got round to fitting it as the sun came out over the weekend. Below shows the inside of the filler pipe with the anti splash back valve.

I have created a full step by step fitting guide for the filler neck here, but I have shown the basics steps of fitting it below.

This is an exact replacement for the standard filler pipe. The only minor difference is the bottom of the filler pipe has a slightly ribbed bottom which should aid in sealing of the hose to the pipe.

The only difference as i mentioned is the internal fuel valve. The definition of fuel ‘valve’ is a piece of sprung metal behind the reduced filler neck size opening. There are a couple of breather holes as well, two at the top and one where the bottom of the flap finishes almost at the bottom of the filler opening. The inner valve is held in place with a few dimples and a bit of JB Weld.

Roll the trunk mat out of the way to expose the top of the fuel tank. I have a a sound deadening mat on top of my polished tank which is semi stuck down. Remove the fuel cap, if you have the security version like mine there is a threaded bolt that goes through the filler panel and held in place by a nylon nut. Undo the nut and remove the security wire and the cap.

There will be four bolts around the outside of the flange which will need to be removed.

Inside the trunk there is a rubber hose clamped in place by two wire fittings. It’s easier to undo both the top and bottom clamps. Either the fuel pipe needs to come out of the rubber hose. Or pull the rubber hose up of the neck of the fuel tank itself. Either way is fine, you just need to remove the pipe from the hose.

In my case the hose came off the tank first. With the fuel pipe now free, remove the hose from the pipe otherwise the filler will not go through the panel as the opening is fairly snug.

Fully remove the pipe along with the cork gasket from the rear panel. Be careful not to let anything full into the open top of the fuel tank, I placed my fuel cap over the opening to prevent anything falling in it.

With the pipe removed I cleaned and applied a long lasting wax to the paint before i added the cork gaskets back on. You only need one gasket, but I like two, as it helps with the alignment of the filler pipe and also gives a little more protection of metal filler pipe flange to the paint.

Add the gasket(s) on the pipe before before feeding the pipe through the rear panel.

With the pipe through the panel it’s easier to fit the hose to the pipe by turning it ninety degrees. Then turn the pipe back round to the correct position and then you can simply press down the hose to the fuel tank opening neck.

With the hose now in place we can add the screws to hold the pipe’s flange to the panel. I started by adding the anti theft bolt through the gaskets and the panel. Add the washer to the front side of the flange, then the second washer inside and finally the nylon lock nut on the inside. Don’t tighten anything up just yet.

Next arrange the clamps how they should be on the rubber hose. When I first fitted the filler pipe and the hose I had the clamps on the inside of the trunk, this mean that things like cloths would catch the bolts. See below right hand photo. I never changed their position until now. The clamps should be between filler pipe and the rear panel so they are out of the way. Left and middle photos below. Lightly tighten the clamps just to hold them in place for now.

Align the gasket(s) up to the holes and add the rest of the screws to the flange and gently tighten up to allow for final adjustments.

With the screws in place start to tighten them up and the bolt for the security wire. Ensure the security wire is aligned with the outer part of the flange, or you won’t be able to fit the cap back back on. Tightening of the bolts or screws will pull the pipe into position on the panel. Now go back to the hose clamps and fully tighten them both up as the rubber will take the difference of alignment up. Recheck all bolts are tight.

The filler pipe was a like for like swap, but now I have little more bling under the trunk with the nickel plating looking great.

From the outside there is no difference to see. But, on the inside there is something (in theory) to stop me getting my regular splashback on fill up. Once I have taken the car for the next fill up I will give the results if the splashback is cured with this little project. It can’t be any worse no matter what happens.

I’m now intrigued to know if any other classic car owners have the same problem, or have hacks that they can share with us.

Share my Content

Beaten To It

For quite a while I have been thinking to myself, wouldn’t it be good to have a nice reference guide for collectible Mustang memorabilia or for the rarer items from the past. I even thought to myself perhaps I should start looking into it and undertake the monumental task of trying to collate one. I perched myself in a comfy chair and started to look around the internet. Then up popped a book up on one of my searches which was published over twenty years earlier, already covering what I had in mind. I was gutted, but at the same time relieved. The book was authored by Bill Coulter and called Mustang Collectibles which looked to cover more or less what I had in mind. My search on eBay found it for a ridiculous price three times the price of the original publication. I tried to find a new copy, but couldn’t, in the end I settled for a second hand copy found in a USA book store, all for the reasonable and almost original published price of $25 plus shipping of course to the UK.

I reviewed the book here which I thought I should share on my Blogsite. The only downside is that it’s now well out of date by a couple of decades, but that didn’t effect my review score which is based on the time it would have been published. There are over 200 items covered, but it does miss things like third party manufacturers like Avon aftershave bottles way back in the day. Things that are now highly collectible are items related to the 1964 World Trade Fair for the Mustang launch. Throw away items such as entry tickets, leaflets, magazines, sales brochures (I’m still looking for an original 1964 version), original owners manuals, or even the boxes for the items that they came in originally can command strong money. Autographs are obviously are still highly desirable now days, sadly for people today they take selfies instead. It’s not quite the same as somebody taking their time out to sign something for you. I do own verified autographs from Carrol Shelby and Lee Iacocca which are some of my more prized possessions. (All these pics below are from my own collection.)

If anybody knows of another resource which is more up to date, then please do let me know. Realistically I don’t think I could have created the book, as I’m not in the USA and there is just so much memorabilia out there, I wouldn’t know where to start or have the time, maybe it’s a job for retirement. I’m also pretty sure that the people who would know about all these things will have moved up to the great car lot or sales offices in the sky.

During the winter I spend time looking for little upgrades, this year is no different. When I or any of these classic cars, not just Mustangs with large filler necks fill up, the fuel pump doesn’t shut of in time when full and more often than not the car gives a gulp of fuel splosh back out the filler pipe. I did get wise to this fairly common issue pretty quickly though. Now whenever I fill up I always put a cloth over the rear bumper ready to catch any spillage and ready to mop it up, especially off the paint job. While I was looking through some Mustang forums I found a random thread talking about an anti splashback modification which fits within the original filler neck. After checking it was all legit, I ordered one and it came a week or so later, in fact the same day as the collectible book I talk about above.

I will be doing a review and a fitting guide for this mod part soon, only when the weather is nicer of course. It should be a simple fitting but really effective upgrade. It’s an out of sight mod that could make a big difference to my Mustang driving experience, mainly because I now won’t stink of Shell V-Power petrol after a fill up!

Share my Content

Avoid Relocation Woes

Moving Your Prized Mustang: A Complete Guide to Auto Transport and Relocation

Wanting to travel with your prized Mustang everywhere is natural. Once you’ve driven one, it’s hard to go back to any other vehicle.

But what do you do in scenarios where you can’t take a week to travel across the USA and need your vehicle on the other coast?

Or what if you’re going to move internationally?

In today’s article, we’ll dive into how to relocate your prized Mustang so you not only get your vehicle to your new destination ASAP but you get it there safe and sound.

Read on below.

1. Plan Your Move Ahead of Time

Transport companies are like airlines: the closer you are to the shipping date, the higher the price is going to be. If possible, always plan far ahead of time so that you can get a better discount on transporting your Mustang.

You can also consider leaving your vehicle in storage until you’re prepared to arrive at your final destination. If you’re moving countries, then having it stay in storage can be a good idea so you can have your Mustang ready to roll. Remember, overseas vehicle transportation can take months depending on the time of year and type of shipping you decide on.

2. Find a Suitable Transport Company

Not all transport companies are the same, and not all vehicles are shipped in the same fashion. When it comes to shipping Mustangs, ideally you’d like to go with someone who has experience shipping classics, like A1 Auto Transport classic car transportation services.

What’s important is that you find a transport company that has a footprint online, so you know that you aren’t handing off your vehicle to some random company. You can get free quotes beforehand, so there is never any commitment until you find a price that you’re happy with.

Always ask for a total quote so that you can know ahead of time what it’s going to be. Shadier companies will often do bait-and-switch pricing, causing the price to be increased by 25% or even more on arrival. It’s important to verify the amount of insurance coverage you’ll have, as some Mustangs can cost quite a bit and you do NOT want to risk insurance that doesn’t fully cover the vehicle.

3. Decide on the Type of Shipping

When shipping your Mustang domestically, you have two options: open and closed trailers. An open trailer is one that you likely have seen many times driving up and down the interstates. They can haul up to 12 vehicles at once and are economical as they can load many vehicles simultaneously.

Closed or “enclosed” trailers are best for protecting your expensive Mustangs during longer journeys. No one will know what is inside, which will prevent any damage or theft from eager onlookers. If you’re shipping a vehicle that doesn’t work, then you’ll have to go with an enclosed trailer rather than an open trailer, as the vehicles have to be driven on and off the trailer.

4. Prepare the Mustang for Transport

Once you’ve decided on your transport company and the type of shipping, you’ll want to prepare your Mustang. The first step is to clean the outside and the inside. You may ask, “Why do I need to clean it before?” The reason is that you want to take photos of the vehicle before you hand it off.

Ideally, you’d like to have these photos signed by the transport company so that if a claim is needed later on, you’ll have definitive proof that the vehicle was in good shape. It protects you from receiving the vehicle damaged and dealing with an unwilling insurance company that claims the Mustang was damaged before transport.

Remove any loose objects from the inside, and if your Mustang is a convertible, put up the cover so the interior doesn’t get wet. Do NOT leave any valuable objects inside the vehicle as these items will not be covered by insurance.

Transport companies require you to have the gas tank lowered to a certain amount, typically around 1/4 of the capacity. If you don’t know how to remove the gas from the gas tank, you can ask your transport company for guidance.

5. Pick Up Your Mustang

Once you and the transport company have done a final check on the vehicle, all that’s left is to pick up your Mustang on arrival. You typically will have to meet the driver at a designated location, but you can have it delivered right to your door for an additional cost.

Before you sign off that everything is OK, do a walk-around and double- and triple-check all is OK before signing any documents. Once everything is signed off, all that’s left to do is enjoy your Mustang in all its glory.

Conclusion

Transporting a Mustang is like transporting any other vehicle, but considering how expensive some classics can be, it’s always best to have it transported as safely and securely as possible. Always go with vetted transport companies and ensure that you’re not handing off your vehicle to a random fly-by-night entity.

As long as you’re doing your homework beforehand, you’ll have your Mustang at your final destination, ready to go. Consider even leaving it in storage if necessary ahead of time, so it’ll be in your target location once you’re ready to go.

Share my Content

Unexpected Find

I have been asked a few times how do I tune my carb up. The simple answer is try not to. It’s a dark art that I have mentioned many times before in past posts. Over the course of last weekend I was looking for something that I have lost, last seen in the garage. It’s highly unusual for me to loose anything in the garage I must say. Through my rummaging and looking around I found a printed copy of the Holley ‘Classic’ series carb manual. This print out originally came from a PDF file that I had downloaded years ago and forgot all about when i got my Holley 600CFM carb. My first thought was this would make a good page for some official help with these carbs. Although I didn’t find what I was looking for, I did find something I wasn’t looking for. When I got back inside I scanned all my back up files on my PC and it wasn’t there. I delved deeper into archived drives and searched the back ups of my old mobile phones before they were wiped and traded in. There it was sitting in a download folder from about four devices ago with some other random stuff. I copied the file back to the blog storage and decided to convert the PDF into a page to be viewed on my blog here, or copy and paste this link below into your browser:

Holley Carb Classic Series Manual (onemanandhismustang.com)

The page article is quite long with lots of pictures and a step by step process to follow. It covers the initial installation, removal, adjustments, fine tuning and repairs should you need it. Here are a few screen dumps of the page itself. The original is about sixteen pages of PDF and these few small clips gives you an insight.

There are diagrams and how to install the ‘Classic’ series 600CFM on different makes of cars and setup. There is a wealth of information within the manual regardless of make and model. The Holley 600CFM carb is not proprietary to Mustangs, it can be fitted many makes and models and the variations are covered within the manual itself.

There are clear and easy to use diagrams which help with trouble shooting as well.

To make things easier I have also uploaded the the original PDF file that have re-found and downloaded at the time I got my carb. This can also be downloaded from the button below.

Holley Carb 2 Download

Not all carbs are the same as they have different adjustments, chambers fittings and mountings. However the principle is the same, the fuel and air need to be mixed at idle, normal driving and heavy load or acceleration. The Holley manual gives a good overview of how they work. For basic carbs there are single, two barrel or twin valves and perform the mixing of the fuel and air for for the engine to work. Mostly this style of carbs either two or four barrels are common in standard older road cars, before the introduction of fuel injection processes that are considered to be more economical. What is the difference between the two and four barrels and do we really need another two barrels?

The primary differences between a Holley two barrel and a four barrel carburettor is their design, functionality and application, which will affect the air-fuel mixture delivery to the engine making it more efficient and delivering more fuel and air mix, in turn more power and or torque.

Holley Two Barrel Carburettor

Number of Barrels: As the name suggests, a two barrel carburettor has two venturi or barrels through which air and fuel are mixed and delivered to the engine.
Air-Fuel Flow: It has a simpler design with fewer moving parts and typically provides a lower volume of air and fuel mixture. This makes it suitable for engines that do not require high levels of fuel flow, like those in everyday street vehicles.
Fuel Efficiency: Generally, two barrel carburettors are more fuel-efficient, as they deliver a steady and controlled amount of fuel suitable for normal driving conditions without excessive fuel consumption.
Performance: They offer adequate performance for smaller or less powerful engines and are not designed for high-performance applications. They are often found in standard passenger vehicles, where fuel efficiency and drivability are prioritized.

Holley Four Barrel Carburettor

Number of Barrels: A four barrel carburettor has four venturi, essentially doubling the potential air and fuel flow compared to a two barrel carburettor. This configuration includes two primary and two secondary barrels.
Air-Fuel Flow: This type of carburettor can provide significantly more air and fuel to the engine, which is beneficial for high-performance applications where more power is required, such as in racing or muscle cars.
Fuel Efficiency and Performance: While they can deliver more fuel, four barrel carburettors can also be more fuel-efficient under normal driving conditions because the secondary barrels only open when additional power is needed. This allows the engine to run on the primary barrels during light load conditions, conserving fuel.
Application: Four barrel carburettors are designed for performance-oriented vehicles that require greater fuel flow to achieve higher power outputs. They are more complex, with additional components to manage the secondary barrels’ opening.

In summary, a single or two barrel carburettor is typically used in standard vehicles for everyday use, offering simplicity and fuel efficiency. In contrast, a four barrel carburettor is used in high-performance applications, providing the capability for greater power output and higher fuel flow when needed.

Drag racing cars use high CFM (Cubic Feet per Minute) carbs by default as they deliver more power due to the higher amounts of fuel that can be produced and mixed with more air. Various configurations of carbs on spacers or types of opening in the manifold will produce more low down torque or higher top speed. Drag racing crews often state that carbs use less fuel than EFI (Electronic Fuel Injection). During drag racing the carb valves are held wide open to give the maximum intake of fuel and air for combustion to give power and torque, the racing crews are not particularly worried about idle or general driving. The carb can also be paired with super chargers to compress even more fuel air mix into the engine giving even more power. That is whole nother story for another day.

Carb manufacturers often use similar terminology such as these:

Primary Valves

Function: The primary valves are the main components for regular engine operation, handling most of the air-fuel mixture delivery during idle, cruising, and light acceleration.
Components: They include throttle plates (butterflies) that open as the driver presses the accelerator, allowing more air to enter the engine. The fuel is mixed with this air in the venturi, a narrow section that increases the velocity of the air and helps atomize the fuel.
Operation: These valves open gradually in response to the throttle position, providing a smooth and controlled fuel delivery for efficient engine performance.
When a carb fitted car starts up they are usually running a ‘choke’ to give even more fuel (rich) mixture while the car warms up. This process is normally a mechanical or electrical plate that closes or partially closes the air intake on the primary valves

Secondary Valves

Function: Secondary valves provide additional air-fuel mixture during heavy acceleration or when extra power is needed, such as during rapid acceleration or high-speed driving.
Components: Like the primary side, the secondary side also has throttle plates, but these are typically larger to allow a greater volume of air and fuel mixture when open. Some carburettors use mechanical linkage, while others use a vacuum mechanism to control the opening of the secondary valves.
Operation: The secondary valves open either mechanically (linked to the primary throttle plates via a cam) or via a vacuum system that senses engine load and demand for additional air and fuel. They remain closed during normal driving to conserve fuel.
Secondary cams can be custom adjusted to come on earlier or later as required for the type of power delivery required.

Differences of primary and secondary valves

Size and Flow: Secondary valves are usually larger than primary valves, allowing for increased air and fuel flow during high-demand situations.
Control Mechanism: The primary valves are directly controlled by the accelerator pedal, while the secondary valves may use a mechanical linkage or vacuum actuation to open. This setup allows for a more progressive and efficient increase in power.
Fuel Delivery: The primary circuit handles most of the fuel delivery, ensuring efficient operation under normal conditions, while the secondary circuit kicks in for performance situations, providing an extra boost of power.
Under snap or sharp acceleration there are additional jets that squirt the primary and secondary valves to boost the initial fuel mixture. If this wasn’t the case when the valves open, the initial suck in of air would run to lean and not give enough power to the cylinders.

Manufacturers of Carbs

Holley and Edelbrock are two of the most popular brands of carburettors, especially in the aftermarket performance market. While both companies produce high-quality carburettors, there are distinct differences in their design, tuning, and performance characteristics. I will concentrate on these two manufacturers for now. There are many other specialist manufacturers of carbs for specific types of applications out there as well, but they tend to be much more specialised.

Holley Carburettors

Design and Features:

Modular Design: Holley carburettors are known for their modular design, which allows for extensive customization. They typically feature replaceable jets, power valves, and accelerator pumps, making them highly tunable.
Mechanical or Vacuum Secondaries: Holley offers models with both mechanical secondaries, which are linked directly to the throttle, and vacuum secondaries, which open based on engine demand.
Double Pumper Options: Holley’s double pumper models use dual accelerator pumps, providing an extra fuel shot for aggressive throttle applications.

Pros:

Customization: Highly customizable due to the wide range of interchangeable parts, making them suitable for fine-tuning specific performance needs.
Performance Focused: Holley carburettors are often favoured in racing and high-performance applications due to their tunability and ability to support significant horsepower.
Availability of Parts: Extensive availability of aftermarket parts and tuning accessories.

Cons:

Complexity: The high level of tunability can make them more complex to set up and adjust, which can be daunting for beginners.
Maintenance: Requires more frequent maintenance and tuning to keep them running optimally, especially in high-performance environments.

Edelbrock Carburettors

Design and Features:

Simple Design: Edelbrock carburettors feature a simpler design with fewer parts compared to Holley, which can be advantageous for ease of use and reliability.
Mechanical Secondaries: Typically, Edelbrock carburettors use mechanical secondaries that are linked to the throttle position, providing a more straightforward operation.
Electric Choke: Many Edelbrock models come with an electric choke, which simplifies cold starts and improves drivability in various conditions.

Pros:

Ease of Use: Generally easier to install and tune, making them more user-friendly, especially for less experienced users.
Consistency: Known for their reliability and consistency in performance, with less frequent tuning needed.
Fuel Efficiency: Often more fuel-efficient than Holley carburettors, making them a good choice for street-driven vehicles.

Cons:

Limited Customization: Less tunable than Holley carburettors, which might limit their performance potential in highly customized or extreme performance applications.
Parts Availability: While parts are available, there is a less extensive aftermarket for tuning components compared to Holley.

Summary

Holley carburettors are ideal for those seeking maximum performance and customization. They are well-suited for racing and high-performance applications but require more knowledge and maintenance.
Edelbrock carburettors are user-friendly and reliable, making them a good choice for enthusiasts looking for a straightforward installation and consistent performance, especially in daily drivers and lightly modified vehicles.
There is are parameters to the carb sizing. A to big a CFM will cause ‘bore wash’ where fuel is unburnt in the cylinders and washes the oil lubrications for the cylinders walls. This will also be wasteful of fuel as it’s just being unburnt. This could also cause the engine to flood and some very poor running.
If the carb is to small not enough fuel air mix is provided and will cause poor running even running hot.

I have found some videos of a carb working under loads. These videos show, start up, revving, initial fuel shot under revving, and full throttle. The second video has a whining sound in the background, this is probably due to a super charger. Regardless of the make, the principles of how they work are exactly the same.

Sound On!

Carb Calculations

To fit a carb you can replace the like for like of course, but to get more power you don’t just slap the biggest carb on the engine you can. To big a carb will cause very poor running and give you the exact opposite you wanted and make the car worse. To small a carb will starve the engine of the full power potential. There are various online calculators to work out the optimal CFM carb size you need for a particular engine size, speed and efficiency.

That formula can seem complicated for calculating the correct CFM for carb on a particular engine. Broken down with an example looks like this:

CFM (optimal) = Cubic Inches x RPM x Volumetric Efficiency ÷ 3456.

Any ordinary stock engine will have a volumetric efficiency of about 80%. Most rebuilt street engines with the usual average bolt-ons have a volumetric efficiency of about 85%, while race engines can range from 95% up to 110% efficiency.

Example: Using a 355 CID engine x 5,500 max rpm = 1,952,500

Take 1,952,500 x .85 = 1,659,625

Then 1,659,625 ÷ 3456 = 480 CFM

Even with about a 10% cushion, a 500 CFM carburettor will handle this engine great. If you try this formula yourself, be honest with how much rpm the engine will see. You’d be better off with a carb smaller than needed rather than something oversized that can lead to poor drivability and performance.

Higher Tuning

There are various ways to improve, or fine tune a carb to the exact requirements. This will be changing of ‘jets’ or ‘cams’ as required.

Pilot Jet: Located in the float bowl, the pilot jet provides fuel for starting, idling, and the initial 20% of throttle range. It draws fuel through small holes as air flows through the carburetor.
Main Jet: Larger and usually screwed into the needle jet, the main jet controls the air/fuel mixture from around 75% throttle to full open throttle (100%).
Needle Jet: This critical component controls fuel flow between 20% and 75% throttle. It consists of the hollow needle jet and the jet needle, which adjusts fuel flow as you open or close the throttle.
Air Screw: A small brass adjustment screw near the carburettor inlet, the air screw works with the pilot jet for starting, idling, and initial power delivery (up to 20%). It allows slight adjustments based on atmospheric conditions.

Cams: are a mechanical parts that will determine when (usually) the secondary valves open and close. The cams can be made to bring on the deployment of valves earlier, later, wider or smaller openings.

Float bowls: will determine when the idle reserves of fuel or secondary valves reserves of fuel, again critical for smooth running.

Tip:

More often than not, when playing with carb settings do little bits at a time to see what happens. Ask your self why do i need to adjust the carb, is it running poorly because of poor fuel? Then adjusting the carb to sort it out will all need undoing again when you put good fuel back in.

Don’t change everything in one go as you will be in for a whole heap of hurt chasing your tail finding out what is wrong. Adjusting mixtures can have a similar effect of changing jets. Different cams or adding spacers and altering timings, you won’t know if one item has had a negative effect or a combination of things if the car runs badly.

I have gone into the depths of carbs and how they work, pro’s and cons of spacers, four hole or open hole, EFI controlled versions all in this page here, or copy and paste the link to your browser below.

How A Carburettor Works

There is just so much you can talk about and to be honest, and it’s a bit of a dying art to tune these carbs up, screwdrivers, spanners, vacuum gauges, experience, feel of the response in the car and probably most importantly – by ear. Take a look at the page above to see the intricacies of a carburettor.

Share my Content

Magnum 500 Centre Caps

There are numerous types of hub caps for wheels these days. My Magnum 500s are no exception, mine are 1969 15″ x 7″ version. They aren’t period correct for the car, as my car had steel wheels originally and full faced hub caps, the original wheel I still have in my trunk. I always wanted chrome wheels with a classic five spoke in each corner, for me the only option was the Magnum 500s. Not a cheap hobby, but for me they are worth every single penny.

The centre of the Magnums can be 2″ or 2 1/8″ centre hole. You would need to make sure what hole you have in order for the centre hub caps to fit properly. I happen to have the 2″ opening on my wheels.

The Scott Drake centres I have look great and haven’t been a problem, that is until a couple of weeks ago. I was driving to a show and I could hear a new metallic clattering from the left front of the car. It was driving me mad to thinking what and where it was coming from on the way there. I parked up at the show and spend a little while under the front to see if I could see anything out of place, I couldn’t see anything. I spent all day thinking about what it was, I checked under the car again before I left, nothing out of place. I drove home with my window fully open driving on the back roads even slower than I normally drive. My head was hanging out the car window like a dog sniffing the air, listening for the pesky noise. It was still there, but not getting worse. When I got home and pulled the car into the garage, got changed into some old garage clothes and had another look to see anything was wrong, nothing. I jacked the car up and banged the tyre – there it was, the noise. I tapped the centre hub cap and it was loose. It was the last thing I was expecting to be honest, but relieved.

I gave the cap a little pull to see just how loose it was, in case it would fly off driving along. I was not impressed, it had a lot of play and I suspected it would come off sooner or later. There is no way I could go to car show with a centre cap missing either. The wheel would need to come off to remove the cap and backing plate. It wouldn’t have looked that bad without the cap at a show as my wheel bearing cap is clean anyway, but my OCD just wouldn’t allow it. I was also worried about it flying up and damaging my car. These centre caps are fairly substantial in weight as they are metal and not plastic.

With the wheel off and I undone the very loose screws which confirmed that it wouldn’t have been long before it came off. I turned over the cap there are six studs that are lightly soldered to the backing plate, this is then in turn secured via four screw holes in the inner plate to the wheel.

I had a bright idea to try and resolder the plate back in place, being mindful of the plastic centre on the other side. I tried and failed miserably, the heat transferred around the backing plate quicker than I expected and the other solders popped open as well. I marked up with arrows the two studs I tried to repair. You can see the others now under the the distorted backing plate. It was worth a shot.

With the plate now completely loose (broken) the actual centre could be lifted out. The problem started with a broken post (circled below) which had weekend the fitting and thus worked it loose with the wheel’s vibrations from our pot hole riddled roads, or should I say circular road trenches? Not only had the heat travelled around the backing plate to pop the other solders, in bottom right pic below you can also see the plastic had started to melt, craze and discolour too. I messed it up good and proper.

So I couldn’t go to a car show like that. I went to Mustang Maniac instead to get a replacement one, link here for the hub cap if you want them.

Refitting the centre cap is literally a five minute job, but there is a little technique to it.

To fit or change them the wheel needs to be removed, I’m not going to tell how to do that, apart from, loosen the lug nuts on the ground before jacking up. Once jacked fully remove the lug nuts and wheel. The cap itself is in two main parts; the outer facing pretty bit, and the retaining inner plate held in place by four screws and locking washers.

Align the hub cap to the centre hole and put the retaining plate on the inside of the wheel. I aligned my ‘Pony’ to sit the right way up under the “B F Goodrich” white letters, Yes my OCD again rearing its ugly head again.

A magnetic screw driver is your best friend for this step. place the inner plate to the outer cap and lightly hold in place with two screws.

Once it held roughly in place add a drop of thread locker screw onto the two spare screws. Leave enough play to align the cap up properly, making the final adjustments before fully tightening up.

Once you have those two screws in place remove the first two and again add thread locker to the remaining two screws and replace.

Make any final adjustments and then tighten the screws firmly. Mount the wheel back onto the spindle or axle (depending where the wheel came from).

Replace the lug nuts by hand first and spin on with fingers to make sure they are not cross threaded. Tighten up to a snug fit on the studs with enough force to pull the wheel into place. Lower the car back down and tighten fully with a torque wrench in a star pattern. My lugs are tightened to 80ft/lb for these wheels and nuts combination.

Difference? None as it was a like for like swap out. It only took a total of half an hour to remove the wheel, replace the cap, align it (optional) and refit the wheel.

That’s it, dead simple. There are many designs out there for centres caps depending on your taste for colour or design. There are specific caps for Shelby, Cobra, or GT350 of course. My car is none of the later sort after models, so I wouldn’t try and pretend that it’s something it’s not.

As much as like the black Tri-Bar Mustang logo (above left), I just wanted something a bit more subtle that doesn’t distract the eyes from the chrome and the white letters on the tyres. The blue caps also looked nice, but it wasn’t the right shade of my car’s blue and may have looked a little out of place. The chrome and black theme just works for me. I also cleaned the white letters on that wheel after fitting it and realised that the wheel now made the other wheels look dirty. So I then spent another half hour on each wheel cleaning those white letters too, it’s all part of the joy of chrome and white letters or white wall tyres.

I could now go to the car show which was the Enfield Pageant of Motoring with Mustang Maniac. That was a large show and I will be splitting the write up over a couple of posts to save your scroll fatigue through all the photos I took on the day.

Share my Content

No Going Back

There has always been a little bit of niggle with my car but never really an issue, but nice to sort out. The issue was that my car has always needed a few cranks to turn over before it fires up after standing for a while (weeks). I have spoken to the guys at Mustang Maniac who suggested a non return valve to stop the fuel draining away could be a quick fix. The long term would be a fuel pump and return line, a little bit of overkill what I was describing as an issue. They don’t actively sell the valves, but they gave me one of theirs that they sometimes fit for certain cars with my ‘issue’. This particular design is subtle and and not a big hulking beast in the middle of a fuel line which can look rather cumbersome and out of place. In fact the outside of the valve is just about the same size as the outside diameter of the fuel pipe. I now had a mini project to complete and was looking forward to this one, even though it was fuel related.

While I was at it fitting the valve I decided to clean out the inline fuel filter which was looking a bit grubby after sitting in the garage over the winter months. Where the hard line fuel pipe comes through the inner fender apron there is a rubber pipe that goes to the inlet of the mechanical fuel pump. My fuel filter sits on that line. Most filters are plastic, or more factory correct would be the large metal cylinder design. Mine is a glass (quite thick) and unscrews at each end to allow easy access for removing the filter itself.

I removed the jubilee clips at each end and removed the whole fuel line, to be safe I also capped of the hard fuel line as it comes through the inner apron (circled below right).

Important: When removing the fuel line, if you suspected that there is fuel in the pipe, be well prepared to catch it and temporarily block it off. You don’t want a gravity spewing the fuel all over the floor leaving you in a dangerous situation.

With the complete length removed, the old clips on the pipe and fuel filter were removed in order to start the cleaning and refit. The old pipe had lemon clips holding the filter in place and needed to be cut off. These clips would be replaced with new reusable low profile clips.

I had also gotten a new length of E10 fuel resistant hose, just for the sake of replacing it with a fresh piece of pipe. I only ever used E10 fuel once very early on in by restoration, and I won’t ever use it again. The reason was that the E10 fuel caused me issues, 1) the car ran like an asthmatic 7 cylinder with very rough running and idle, 2) it’s nasty and has a devastating toll for all the fuel components which the devils blood itself comes into contact with, nothing is spared; plastic, rubber or metal.

Fuel filters are of a single flow direction, make sure you get it right when fitting back to the car.

With the filter in bits I cleaned the filter itself with 99% isopropanol alcohol. The filter wasn’t that dirty to be fair, but there was a fuel particles which were removed with a small soft nylon brush. Once the filter was cleaned it dried very quickly and was ready for reassembly and fitting.

The glass case and end fittings were also cleaned with an isopropanol soaked non lint cloth. I also took the time to polish the metal end fittings as they clean up nicely. (Notice the big bold ‘IN’ and ‘OUT’ on each end.)

The total length of the original fuel line was measured, (the rubber either side of the filter, to the fuel pump and the apron). I made a the calculations to incorporate the non return valve, there now needed to be three lengths cut to the correct lengths instead of the two previous lengths. (Fuel pump to filter, filter to valve, valve to apron hard line.)

The picture here below, shows the filter ‘IN’ (notice the ‘N’ is back to front), and the direction flow of the non-return valve. This flow direction is critical to get the fuel filtered correctly and allow the fuel to flow to the carb.

The hose fasteners are of a new design being trialled from Mustang Maniac which are simply clipped into place. The clips just slip over the pipe and are pinched closed over a raised retaining ridge in the centre. Once they have been pinched closed enough the clip will just click and lock into place. To remove the clips you can use an awl or small screw driver to lever the clip back up from under the larger of the two raised ridges. The fastener will then just spring open again allowing removal.

You will need a very good pair of pliers to hold and grip the clip in order to close it enough without slipping. These fittings are a very, very tight fitting. They look the part, but I’m not sure I would use them again in a confined space. They are fine for connecting fittings like this fuel line when you have plenty of space to work and accessibility. Cut the lengths of hose allowing enough flexibility between each of the component parts.

I started measuring from the fuel pump and worked backwards towards the apron. The non return valve should be placed before the fuel filter, this would keep a reservoir of fuel within the filter.

The completed fuel line is completed. For each end of the new fuel line configuration I will used standard jubilee clips. This then allows for an easier fitting with a screw driver and easier access. More importantly it will allow me to loosen the the complete line without disturbing the clips. Once the line is loosened at each end I will be able to unscrew the filter and clean with the rest of the fuel line configuration in place.

With the new fuel line configuration in place it looks neat and now serves a dual purpose for filtering and non return.

The fuel flows and retains the fuel up to the carb allowing easier starting. The actual design of the non return valve is slightly irrelevant, but its functionality is the important thing. This slimline design is subtle and neat and doesn’t look to out of place for a stock looking engine bay. The whole thing took around an hour or so to complete. The hardest part was to cut the lemon clips off with damaging the fuel filter. The upgrade has been in place for a couple of months now and it has made a significant difference to the starting of the car in scenarios both cold and hot. This was well worth the effort in my opinion. However, with my naturally suspicious nature it determines that I always carry a spare length of new E10 fuel line just in case of emergencies, or maybe if the valve decides to play up. That way it’s a very simple quick and easy temporary fix for a replacement on the roadside if you need to, then sort it out properly when you get home.

I’m really pleased with the look of the part and the improved functionality that I now have.

Share my Content

Taking Charge

Over the course of the winter my pride and joy is tucked up in the garage with the dehumidifier and temperature controlled garage, which is vitally important. To supplement the car’s cosy environment is the next most important thing, the trickle charge to the battery. Couple of reasons being it keeps the battery at an optimum level and prolongs the life of the battery. I use the CTEK mxs5 which has served me well for the last eight years 24/7 and I haven’t had any problems, until now. The wall mounted charger showed that all was good and the unit was on the maintenance cycle as expected when I popped into the garage to check up and have a day messing around in there.

A couple of months or so ago I went to the garage and noticed that the unit’s quick connection (which has a traffic light set of LEDs) was flashing red, this is a visual sign of low power in the car’s battery. I just put it down to a recent power cut during a storm which had messed up the maintenance charge process. I reset the charger and the process started up again, and I thought no more of it. I went back in a couple of weeks ago and all looked OK. Something told me to check the battery level, I got in the car turned the ignition on and the volt meter was showing just over 11 volts not the 12.5 volts that should have been available. Those that know these old cars are aware that there is an ‘Ammeter’ not a volt meter in the instrument cluster. I didn’t like the idea of a direct battery feed going to the dash, it didn’t tell you a great deal either as they either didn’t work or just in the middle of the gauge. Safety in mind I swapped out the Ammeter for a volt meter which I made on my own. (If you want to know how I swapped the stock Ammeter to a modern voltmeter that also still looks stock, click here.)

I tried to turn the car over which was rather slow, but eventually she fired up before what seemed like an eternity of ever slowing turn overs until I reckon the last but one revolution of the starter motor managed to fire the car into life.

I ran the car for a few minutes to get a little power charge into the battery while I finished up what I was doing in the garage. After shutting the car down and reconnecting the charger back up, I closed up the garage and wandered back into the house where I assumed the horizontal position on the sofa to start researching the issue. I found a forum where it seems there is a generic failure where these units show the maintenance cycle, but it’s not actually trickle charging the battery, so the battery runs low. I got into some heavy reading looking for the replacement, and to see if anything new was on the market since I bought that last one. I have previously given the CTEK unit 10 out of 10 and after (nearly) nine years it’s still a deserved score, and they still make them. With that in mind I was certain that I was going to do a like for like CTEK swap out, but another brand ‘NOCO’ caught my eye. I did the usual comparison, review readings and there was virtually nothing in it between the two manufacturers for the price and functions. So I ordered the NOCO for one reason only. I have also reviewed the NOCO Genius 5 here or cut and paste this link to read it:

NOCO Genius % battery charger (onemanandhismustang.com)

That one reason? Taken from the NOCO website;

“Thermal Comparison: the new integrated thermal sensor automatically monitors and adjusts the charging cycle based on fluctuations of ambient temperature, limiting the chance of under-charging or over-charging, providing a more accurate and fully charged battery. Avoids under-charging in cold weather down to -4F and avoids over-charging in hot weather up to 104F.”

My garage can get hot sometimes in the summer, so this ‘Thermal Comparison’ for me was the winning function, just pipping the CTEK. To replace the CTEX with the same model would have been literally five minutes, going to another supplier was something I knew would take a little bit of time to get it nice and neat under the hood, back to how I wanted it, out of sight out of mind.

The NOCO doesn’t look as fancy as the CTEK, but it’s function for me at the end of the day, I don’t have to look at it all the time, so it’s not really an issue or is it?

Once unpacked there is a rubbish bracket that clips to the NOCO and is held in place by a rather tacky looking velcro strap. You have to thread the strap under the unit into the bracket’s loop all of which is a bit cumbersome. Perhaps it’s a quick release, but it would have been nice to have a wall mount without the velcro. For £80 I would have wanted something a little nicer looking to be honest. When I walk into the garage and see it, it just bugs me. Surely it would have been cheaper for a slightly longer bit of plastic for the all mount, than to make and brand a bit of velcro.

The cable length under the hood wasn’t long enough, so I had to cut the wires and splice a longer cable in (same amp rating), so that I could route the cable where I wanted it to be out of sight but also easy access at the front of the car once in the garage. This supposedly half hour swap of charger took me about three hours by the time I took the car battery out, remade the cable, re-routed the cable, cleaned the area thoroughly, reinstalled the car battery and clamp, mounted the unit on the wall and cleaned up.

So far the new unit looks to be doing it’s thing as I would expect. However, I did notice that the maintenance cycle (slow green pulse LED) took a while to initiate as I suspect the charger was stabilising the battery from what it had been left with from the CTEK.

The one function I’m missing though is the LED lights on the CTEK connector. This was a simple traffic light idea for the status of the battery charge.

It’s not the end of the world of course, but a rather nice to have which I think NOCO should investigate for an option accessory purchase, I’m happy to test and review the item if you are reading this NOCO. I’m yet to decide on the final position of the new charger, so it’s not the neatest of fittings I have done. But for now it will serve a purpose until I can fully trust the new charger.

It wont be long now before the first car show is ready, so I will need to get the car out, fill it up with fuel and give it the de-winterising of the products I applied for protection. That usually takes me about a day all in. Hopefully I will be a little more regular with the posts again once the car shows start.

I have more reviews to add so look out for those too. I can’t wait to get my car out and go for a drive.

Share my Content

Take A Deep Breath

The first post of the new year and it regards a little project that kept me busy over the holidays which is detailed below. But first, over the last couple of weeks I am yet again having issues with Facebook – my Nemesis. I created a second business page which is a couple of years old now, as my original page was hacked. That page is still up, but I can’t access it because they have blocked ME from it. The replacement page has NOTHING on it that differs from the original, apart from the heading picture and email address. The one man and his mustang Facebook page is only there for an exposure on Social Media – that’s it.

I have challenged Facebook about their decision and I’m waiting to see what utter garbage they come back with.

If they decide to uphold their ‘decision’ then they can go and do one. I will remove myself from Facebook as an individual as well. When I actually think about it – what does the platform do for me? Honestly, nothing. I just shows me what other people are posting. I hardly get any referrals to this website as a result, so I don’t need to be on it. Besides, I’m not that interested in seeing what people are eating, where they just checked into or what they just liked by somebody else. It would be nice to keep it running, but I’m certainly not going to miss it.

Rant over and apologies, but Facebook really does wind me up.

Back to sensible stuff now, what I got up to wasn’t much so I decided to pad it out a little with some hopefully useful information.

The key to an engines performance is the air fuel mixture. To much fuel and the engine runs ‘rich’. Not enough fuel and the engine runs ‘lean’. There are various things that can cause these problems, so I will try to highlight the symptoms of each. There are many sensors on new cars that can become faulty all of which will give the same symptoms. I will focus on the classic car scenario of a carburettor, as you don’t need a degree in computer science to tune an engine with a laptop on these cars. Instead you need to understand the dark art of engine tuning with a carburettor, screw driver, a good ear and how the car feels when driving. Of the two scenarios a rich running engine better than a lean running engine.

A ‘Rich’ running engine.

Possible causes; a clogged air filter will not allow sufficient air to get through to the carb. this will result in poor engine performance and leaving extra unburnt fuel behind. As the air filter can become clogged over time, the subtle loss of power may not be noticeable at first. Mixture levels on the carburettor need adjusting. Quality of fuel not burning correctly. The carb jets becoming clogged due to debris in the fuel or maybe the choke not opening fully.

The symptoms of a rich engine:

Smell: One of the common symptoms of a rich engine is a strong smell of fuel as the unburn gas is left lingering in the exhaust pipe(s).

Poor engine performance: this could be a series of problems which could be lean vs rich spark plug, ineffective combustion chamber, or inappropriate air-fuel mixture. If the compression and spark plugs are fine, then the problem is surely an inadequate air-fuel mixture.

Engine rough idling: improper air-fuel mixture could be responsible for engine stalling and vibrations. Rough idling indicates the engine running rich.

Less mileage: if you keep getting less fuel mileage on your vehicle regularly, it shows your engine is running rich and burning a higher amount of fuel.

Fouled spark plugs: when your engine is running rich, there will be black carbon deposits on the lower edge of the spark plugs, leading to low engine performance. It is an indication of unburnt fuel in the exhaust pipe.

Dangers of a rich fuel mixture.

Running excessive fuel into the cylinders is ‘bore wash’. This is where the fuel washes the lubrication from the chambers. You will notice increase use of oil. This can cause excessive wear on the pistons and cylinder walls.

This is bore wash is more common where an oversized carb is pumping in two much fuel to burn efficiently. The calculation for the correct sized carburettor to be used is as follows:

Carburettor size = engine size¹ × max rpm² × efficiency³ ÷ 3456

The engine size is the displacement in cubic inches.
The max RPM is the maximum speed of the engine in revolutions per minute.
The efficiency is the volumetric efficiency of the motor. Most engines have a volumetric efficiency of about 85%, or .85. It’s common to see standard engine efficiency values of 70-80%. Race engines can be 95-110% efficient.

So for a good engine you can use this calculation for this example:

Calculation = 302 × 7,500 × .8 ÷ 3456
Carburettor size = 524.31 CFM (Cubic Feet Minute)

A ‘Lean’ Running Engine.

The symptoms of a lean running engine.

Heat: the engine will tend to run hotter as not much fuel in the chambers. An overheating engine can cause all sorts of problems.

Clogged Fuel filter: Your fuel filter handles all the dirty particles within the fuel. Over time, all the deposits and dirt start building up and preventing adequate fuel passage to the engine. This can be a real issue in classic cars and E10 fuel attacking parts of the fuel delivery system.

Inefficient fuel pump or clogged strainer: lean vs rich engine issues starts from the fuel pump. Not enough fuel is getting into the chambers to be burnt.

Leaking fuel lines: Obviously this cause the engine to run lean as the fuel pump, mechanical or electric can provide enough fuel. Highly dangerous as it could cause a fire that could result loss of vehicle or in the loss of lives.

Vacuum leak: One of the problems happens when unaccounted air enters the system, creating an unbalanced air-fuel mixture.

Trouble starting your car: Many factors can cause your engine not to start as a result of little or no fuel getting into the combustion chamber. That’s why one of the most common symptoms of a lean engine is hard starting.

Poor performance and low power out: If you manage to start your car, you will have low power output and poor performance. Less fuel in the chamber means poor detonation of the mixture which is unable to push the pistons down on the power stroke.

White or Clean spark plugs: when everything is working at the optimum operating level, things get dirty. If you pull out your spark plugs and notice it looks brand new or white, you probably have a problem. there should be an element of dirt on the spark plugs as they are burning a fuel.

Stalling Engine: One of the common symptoms of an engine running lean is keeping it running. In some cases, it’ll continuously cough and splutter until the engine stops. When you’re exporting more gas into the system by accelerating the car, it should keep running easily but with reduced power output.

Dangers of lean fuel mixture.

Heat: As I mentioned before the overheating can cause all sorts of issues like, fluid leaks, burning smells, unexpected engine sounds, cracked engine block, warped cylinder heads, blown head gasket, exhaust damage to name just a few.

Hard seizure: This is where the chambers and pistons have heated up more than the engine can cope with. The Pistons may typically grind against the cylinder walls if you fail to fix the cause. The connecting rod can bend, or the crankshaft arm can snap or bend. The effect is a catastrophic engine failure and will require you to either replace or rebuild the engine.

Soft seize: Similar to the hard seizure which causes a dry spot between the cylinder wall and piston and excessive wear. Even with a correct air-fuel mixture the cylinder and pistons will work fine, but the damages will still be there.

With this in mind I noticed that I was getting a little uneven idling, especially after a sudden stop, which I try and avoid at all costs. I have been noticing the air filter was dirty and decided that perhaps it was time for a new one. I has been on the car for a few years but only done six thousand odd miles, but it was time for new one regardless.

There are arguments that my style of air filter is a restriction to airflow. Many of the higher performance filters are the large round styles, often with a top opening as well. Having a clogged or dirty air filter will make fuel mixtures matters worse. I was speaking to Mustang Maniac and they said to try their ‘Tall’ filters made by S&B. The height is now 2 1/4″ compared to the 1 3/4″ that I previously had. These tall filters are just like the K&N brand which are reusable and washable filters. So the initial outlay is quite a bit more expensive, but in the long run it will be cheaper. Saying that you will need air filter cleaning kit which consists of a cleaner which is flushed out with water. Then once the air filter is fully dried, a spray of air filter oil which will give the filter its ‘redness’ back.

The ‘tall’ filter on the right side by side with the original doesn’t look a like a lot of difference, but the extra half an inch will increase air filters potential air intake.

The material of the S&B filter is a much better quality and again this improve the airflow through the filter itself. A double advantage of more air flow capacity and better air flow throughput. That in turn means a few more horses let out to play when I want them. I may need to slightly tweak the air fuel mixtures but i would need to run the car for a while to find out.

As this is a tall filter you will need to make sure there is room under the hood. If you don’t you will have an air filter knocking the paint and causing a racket. I measured the gap clearance and made sure all was clear. The filter was a tight fit in the air filter casing itself which was a good thing.

Once fitted I really like the look of the filter as a contrast to everything else under the hood.

I hope that helps explain in very simple terms what goes on with air fuel mixtures, and that’s why you need to change your air filters on a regular basis.