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 Aside from the open element...  Aside from the open element air filter, our '99 Lightning engine looks pretty much stock. A keen eye will notice the 2001 intake and blower setup, but you'll need a chassis dyno to know that this baby makes much more horsepower than stock. After a few hours at JDM Engineering our truck was equipped with a new electric fan,aluminum water pump and lower blower pulley. |
 You can get a good look at...  You can get a good look at the big clutch fan once the intake elbow and air filter is removed. It takes quite a bit of power to turn that fan and by replacing it with an electric version we'll free up somevaluable horsepower and torque. Hey, you need all you can get when moving 4,700 lbs. |
 To access the fan, water pump...  To access the fan, water pump and lower blower pulley it is necessary to remove the upper shrouding. At this time we alsodisconnected the battery and drained the coolant from the engine and radiator. (Note: Each JDM kit comes with competeinstructions. To save space we've deleted a few of the insignificant steps; however, a detailed explanation can be found ineach installation manual.) |
 Next, disconnect the upper...  Next, disconnect the upper transmission cooling line. This is easily accomplished with a 27mm line wrench. If you must, you can use a 27mm open end, but be careful not to strip the nut. It is necessary to move the line out of the way to provide clearance for the fan shroud. |
 You'll need a huge 17/8-inch...  You'll need a huge 17/8-inch open-end wrench to get the job done. This is no joke! |
 Once the fan is loose, continue...  Once the fan is loose, continue to spin it off and then carefully remove it along with the fan shroud. |
 Here is the new JDM Engineering...  Here is the new JDM Engineering electric fan kit with all the included wiring equipment. It weighs the same as the stock fan setup but causes no parasitic drag on the engine. |
Parasitic drag is one of the many evils facing racers or anyone looking to improve performance, for that matter. Parasitic drag or parasitic losses are found in parts that have friction or parts that are driven by the engine and must be rotated or turned. Piston rings and drag slicks are examples of parts that create friction, while a heavy flywheel or heavy steel rims are examples of components that take energy to turn. But it doesn't matter which type we're dealing with because any type of parasitic drag slows us down due to the mechanical drag it imposes.
It's been known in racing circles for some time that if you can reduce mechanical drag you will free up power that will be available for accelerating the vehicle. Over they years Mustang owners have done a great job of reducing parasitic drag--even if they didn't know they were doing so. Installing parts such as an aftermarket aluminum driveshaft, light wheels and underdrive pulleys all reduce mechanical drag and free up horsepower. In fact, all it takes is a close inspection of your car or truck and I'm sure you'll find a few ways to reduce mechanical drag.
Recently we decided to attack those pesky parasitic parasites in our 1999 Lightning and surprisingly it wasn't that hard to find some ponies hiding in there. First we looked under the hood and noticed the huge clutch-style engine fan hanging on the front of the 5.4 Triton engine. Instantly a light bulb went off in our heads. We remembered that changing to an electric fan on a 5-liter is worth a few horsepower, so replacing the monster fan on the Lightning has to be worth even more. Mark that on the checklist.
While under the hood we also saw that the lower blower pulley is solid steel and quite heavy looking. Was there a way to improve this? The answer is yes. A call to JDM Engineering confirmed that we could replace both the clutch fan and the lower pulley with new components sold by them. In addition, Jim D'Amore of JDM told us about a new aluminum water pump that would also reduce parasitic drag. Sign us up for one of those, too. Naturally, I was enthused about the parts and wanted to get them on the truck as quickly as possible. I scheduled a day for the install and D'Amore and his crew were ready for us when we arrived.I got my first gander at the parts, which not only look impressive, but are professionally engineered and feature OEM quality. The fan kit includes a factory-type shroud and all the hardware and wiring to complete the install. According to D'Amore it moves plenty of air to keep the engine cool, but it takes much less power to run when compared to the stock unit. Included in the fan kit is also a 170* thermostat and an coolant sensor, which activates the fan. In addition, JDM offers an optional toggle switch and relay setup so the fan can be activated when the engine is not running. This is perfect for cooling the engine between rounds of racing, but we recommend bringing a battery charger because running the electric fan excessively will drain the battery of its charge quicker then you might think.
Also helping to keep the engine cool is the JDM aluminum Cobra R-style water pump. The aluminum housing of the pump dissipates heat better than the stock iron pump, but that is not the only benefit. The new pump benefits from a revised impeller that moves the coolant more efficiently, while reducing parasitic drag in the process.
Lastly, we installed the JDM lower blower pulley, a component offering a couple of nice benefits. First off, the pulley is a few pounds lighter than the stock unit. And as we mentioned before, this reduces parasitic drag and gives us free horsepower. Secondly, the new pulley is larger than stock, which will cause the blower to spin faster and create higher boost levels. JDM claims about a two-pound increase with the pulley we installed. (JDM also offers a larger drive pulley for a higher boost increase, but we chose the smaller of the two.)One thing we liked about the JDM parts is that each kit comes complete with parts that fit and with perhaps the best installation manual and special tools that we've seen from any aftermarket manufacturer. This includes a step-by-step manual with clear photos, hints and tips to ease installation and special tools needed to complete the job right.
As with any high performance parts, the true test is either at the track or on the dyno. For this test we selected to hit the dyno at the "new" Crazy Horse Racing, now located in South Amboy, N.J. Chris Winter of Crazy Horse loaded our bullish truck up on the rollers and then we let the engine cool down to about 120*. We also used a bag of ice to cool off the top of the intake to best simulate track conditions. With the engine at what we'd call "race temperature" Chris jumped in and fired the 5.4. He hit the little green button on the controller and eased the throttle to the stop. The truck accelerated the rollers quite quickly and Winter clicked it off at redline. The pull sounded powerful and smooth and the numbers didn't disappoint. Our efforts were well worth it as the engine now produced 403.4 horsepower at 5000 rpm and an amazing 486.8 lbs.-ft. of torque at 3900 rpm at the rear wheels. For the record, that is up from a best of 387.8 horsepower and 457 lbs.-ft. of torque that we recorded during our last dyno session (found in the September 2001 issue).
While those are some impressive numbers, we'll be more impressed after we lower our quarter-mile elapsed time. Thankfully the weather in the northeast is just about perfect for low elapsed time hunting and we'll be there shooting for something better than 12.55 at 108 mph.
So stay tuned because next month we're going to get you up to date drag strip numbers along with a current timeline of parts and pieces that have found their way onto (or off) our test mule.
 Removing the fan and shroud...  Removing the fan and shroud leaves you room to work on the water pump and the lower blower pulley. |  The fan kit comes with a newthermostat...  The fan kit comes with a newthermostat and coolant sensor for thethermostatically controlled electric fan. |  Changing the thermostat is...  Changing the thermostat is easy on the Modular engines. Just remove the housing ... |
 ... and pull out the old 180*...  ... and pull out the old 180* unit. Then drop the new 170* thermostat in place. Be certain to clean and re-install the rubber O-ring before replacing the housing. |  The next step involves removing...  The next step involves removing the blower drive belt. |  And then you can remove the...  And then you can remove the water pump pulley. |
 The water pump is tucked neatly...  The water pump is tucked neatly under the bracket supporting the blower tensioning pulleys and it's hard to see. To remove the pump loosen the four 10mm bolts and slide the pump out. It may be necessary to tap the pump with a rubber mallet to free it up. Additionally, some coolant may leak out, but that's not a problem. These water pumps seal to the block with an integrated O-ring so there is no fussing with gaskets and/or RTV. |  It's easy to tell the difference...  It's easy to tell the difference between the stock pump (left) and the aluminum JDM unit. The aluminum unit is four pounds lighter and there is no provision for a fan to be attached at the front of the pump. |  The stock Lightning pump has...  The stock Lightning pump has typical fins on the impeller ... |
 ... while the aluminum unit...  ... while the aluminum unit has a unique ring locking all the fins together. This forms a tread wheel between the outer ring and the impeller, which moves more coolant and improves pumping efficiency. |  A light coating of grease...  A light coating of grease was applied to the O-ring on the pump before installation. |  Installing the pump is easy...  Installing the pump is easy because it can only go in one way. |
 With the pump in place we...  With the pump in place we got to the task of swapping the lower blower drive pulley. |  Before going any further it...  Before going any further it is necessary to temporarily prevent the engine from turning. This is easily accomplished by installing the Engine Stop Strap (included in the JDM kit). To install the Stop Strap you must first remove the torque converter inspection plate (shown). |  And then remove one of the...  And then remove one of the torque converter bolts and connect the tool between the converter and one of the inspection holes. Note: Don't forget to remove the Engine Stop before starting engine! |
 Now the lower blower pulley...  Now the lower blower pulley can be loosened and removed. To accomplish this, remove the four 15mm holding the cage to the engine and then insert the pulley cage removal tool into the two holes in the face of the pulley. |  The lower pulley is threaded...  The lower pulley is threaded onto theharmonic balancer with left-hand threads. Using a 1/2-inch drive breaker bar, loosen the pulley and remove it, along with the cage, from the engine. |  |
 Once the pulley and cage is...  Once the pulley and cage is removed, we recommend cleaning the excess Loctite from the threads with an awl or a small screwdriver. |  This is a good time to make...  This is a good time to make sure the harmonic balancer bolts are tight. |  Supplied with each JDM pulley...  Supplied with each JDM pulley kit is this nifty jig and puller used for removing and installing the lower blower pulley. |
 Begintightening the puller...  Begintightening the puller until thepulleybearing is free from the hub. When the pulleybearing breaks free it will make a loud "pop." Don't be alarmed, this is normal. |  When placed side by side,...  When placed side by side, you can see the differences between the stock pulley and the lighter and slightly larger aluminum JDM unit. Remember, lighter equals lower parasitic drag and more power. |  Using a piece of fine-grit...  Using a piece of fine-grit sand paper, sand down the nubs on the pulley hub. This will make it easier to install the new pulley. |
 Place the pulley on the hub...  Place the pulley on the hub and make sure it is sitting level. Then, carefully press down on it firmly to hold it on the hub. Next, install the assembly thrust washer and the threaded stud and bolt. Slowly tighten the nut, paying close attention to the pulley. |  Continue to tighten the nut...  Continue to tighten the nut until the pulley hits the step on the hub. This will assure that the pulley is in the correct location. |  Once the new pulley is mounted...  Once the new pulley is mounted on the cage you can reverse the steps and install the pulley and cage onto the engine. Remember: The threads are left-handed so the pulley will spin on by rotating it to the left. |
 After tightening the pulley...  After tightening the pulley and the cage, the truck was raised again so we could remove the Engine Stop Strap and install the coolant sensor that activates the electric fan. To install the supplied sensor, you must locate and remove the plug in the driver's side of the engine block. |  Next, simply thread the sensor...  Next, simply thread the sensor into the block and tighten. |  The JDM wiring harness is...  The JDM wiring harness is relatively simple with minimal connections that need to be made. Our kit included the optional toggle switch so we could activate the fan while the engine was not running. (Note: A complete wiring diagram can be found in the JDM Electric Fan Instruction manual.) |
 After locating the correct...  After locating the correct wire (which isbetter explained in the JDM instructionmanual), feed it behind the engine and connect it to the sensor. |  The toggle switch and fan...  The toggle switch and fan relay mounts under the black plastic panel on the passenger's side of the firewall. |  There isn't much room in front...  There isn't much room in front of the engine with the electric fan in place. In fact, there's just enough to get the harness connected. |
 After about four hours the...  After about four hours the truck was back together and ready for testing. |  | |