Primary Light off catalyst the X shell and 20th century Fox

[xctasy]

Pre Cat or Primary Light off catalyst exhausts....the true story of what they look like and how they are set out!


Truley the strangest thing you ever sawed off!


Lots of you might not be aware of what the heck Ford were up to from 1980 to 1985


1. 1980 to 1983 on Fox body in line B and X code in line 87 to 94.5 hp 3.3 sixes.

2. For one year on C code 4.1 liter X shell in line 98 hp sixes.

3. From 1984 to 1985 on 165, 175, 180, 210 hp M code V8's.

Typically Ford, they were 4-bbl or CFI 2-bbl engines using the same engine under the intake manifold, but some with roller cams, and some EECIV, some auto, some manual, they are very detailed and specific. Transmission decided what M code engine you had, and there were like more than 4 variations of the pre cat system.

4. I think 6 code 3.8 liter Essex 90 degree V6's had it too. Same CFI or 2-bbl issues, but no 4-bbl carbs to confuse.Some were electronic MCU or EECIV.

The instant visuals scare the living daylights out of all and sundry when they start to explore it.


I have to resize photos from another forum, but here are the general links to 3.3 I6, 4.1 I6, 3.8 and 5.0 model year info on the systems and how they work.

Its taken me just on five years to understand the system I had on my 1981 B code Fox body...hopefully it'll help others out too.


http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread. ... ot-exhaust

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread. ... c-Bcode-I6

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread. ... -0-exhaust

http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthread. ... t-on-an-85

 

[bubba22349]

Thank you X great posts I had planed on building a 200 / 3.3 powered 1979 to 83 Ford Mustang or Mercury Capri for a DD and even collected all the top end parts Head, 1946 Holley and that same type exhaust Manafold to experiment with, missed out on a late large bell 200 block. I really like the Four Eye body's but also found its getting very hard to find a decent early Fox chassis car, guess everyone is too busy converting them over to 5.0 powered race cars.

 

[xctasy]

Thank you X great posts I had planed on building a 200 / 3.3 powered 1979 to 83 Ford Mustang or Mercury Capri for a DD and even collected all the top end parts Head, 1946 Holley and that same type exhaust Manifold to experiment with, missed out on a late large bell 200 block. I really like the Four Eye body's but also found its getting very hard to find a decent early Fox chassis car, guess everyone is too busy converting them over to 5.0 powered race cars.

I don't quite know what to say, but thankyou, Mr Bubba.

And Yep, not well understood cars, very easy to find, fix and refurnish, but they were light for sure, and the Big R can get 'em.

X cars were simple up to about 1978, then the Foxes were another step into the unknown. There is a lot of Chrysler and AMC parts similarities, with extra electronics and straight out weirdness.

Despite all this stuff.....,

they aren't feedback carbed engines, so they are really easy to fiddle with.


The vast majority of later B and X codes were blue high mount engines with E1 blocks. Ford decided that they would still use high mount blocks, and cast E1 blocks with high mount recesses in the flange accordingly. So its not true to say everything 1981 onwards is generally low mount Big Bell. As the Falcon Six Hnadbook guys say, its hard to be general with Ford. Sadly, people continue to expect low mount sixes with any 1981 to 1983 Fox body, but thats wrong.

The miss information started here.

The low mount was quite rare in the grand scheme of things. If its powder grey like this, it'll be a Bee Bee.

My 1981 was a D8 BE 6015 GE block, while the later highmounts were C4, manual tranasmission, and E1 BE 6015 GE

On the cat thingy, lots of 1980 to 1982 3.3 sixes, if they've been varnished up without the occassional blow out, they can look like this inside the cat.

Do as I say, not as I do...You need the right kind of cranked spanner to take the exhaust appart. I had to use an axe...

Any time you take stuff appart, get some kind of workspace planned, some plastic or metal surface to place the carb and engine parts down on, and take photos, video, and/or label the stuff.

Its all color coded, but the color coding varies, and 1983 X codes are similar, but not the same as 1980, 81 or 82 B codes. The 1978 to 1979 T codes are different in nearly all respects. Names vary too, so parts decription becomes important.

X shell Granadas and Monarchs are generally 250 L or C codes, they are a labyrinth of emissions lines, but as long as its not been messed with, it works great.

There is no negatives with the later stuff, it just looks strange and its a specfic package, which may cause compatability problems if you swap between the different years or engine Vin Codes