kishy's 1991 Grand Marquis

[gadget73]

Probably so, but the warning is there anyway. I think I used the package I bought for one mirror and that was like 5 years ago after repeat fails from the parts store stuff. The Continental had one of those super chunky mechanical auto-dim things and it just would not stay. It has since been booted for the electrochromatic, and that one actually needs to be swapped out because its failing in some bonkers way that creates a doubled image.

[DerekTheGreat]

The expiration date is more to protect the company which made the stuff. I've got tons of their expired adhesives and they still work fabulously. I've used their 2k stuff when expired for two or three years to hold my "GMC" emblems in place on the grille and tailgate of my K1500, still holding strong some four years later.

[gadget73]

I've also not had great luck with the parts store stuff. Somewhere I have a package of the stuff glass shops use, but its probably expired now. Its a 2 part process, a spray primer / adhesion promotor and an adhesive. Loctite 312 is the package with both parts in it.

its not real cheap and you'll have enough stuff to do dozens of mirrors. Its also got an expiration date which sucks.

[kishy]

Whatever was on this windshield before was different from the Permatex stuff. It was flexible and thick, almost like some sort of rigid silicone type thing. The windshield in this car is not Carlite (Sunshade Solex?) and the urethane job is a mess, so the windshield has been changed at some point before I owned the car.

I have used the Permatex stuff before, twice, on the wagon. I glued the button on in the wrong spot, then accidentally knocked the mirror with button off the glass some time later, which thankfully didn't take any glass with it. I glued it back on the second time using the Permatex stuff because it's readily available to me at stores that are open at hours that suit when I want to buy things, and it's 5 bucks. That was in 2020 and the mirror is still attached so I'm satisfied that it's good enough.

I did very thoroughly scrape and clean the glass before sticking the button back on in this car, and I did wait a couple hours before putting the weight of the mirror on it, so hopefully it has a fighting chance of staying attached.

[DerekTheGreat]

The Permatex stuff used to be great, but I had that issue with our F-150. I ended up sanding the area where the button sits along with the button itself and it's been good since then, despite redoing it with more Permatex.

[Mainemantom]

I know glass shops use stuff that sticks well. I have had the mirror glued on by the glass shop after the aftermarket stuff did not work. They did not charge me.

[friskyfrankie]

I’m sure you’re right considering it absolutely has to work lol. But I’d be interested to see who the manufacturer is.

Great question as I am sure Ford does not make it. All I do know is that it is the only one, I have seen, that holds up long term. Maybe I simply ran into some bad batches but have done many, both for myself and others and this is my personal finding. YMMV.

[87GrandMarq]

Personally have found the OEM adhesive the only one that holds up long term. Just may or may not be easy to find. Guess to each his own.

I’m sure you’re right considering it absolutely has to work lol. But I’d be interested to see who the manufacturer is.

[friskyfrankie]

I’ve never had luck with that permatex rear view mirror adhesive. It’ll work for a couple months then fall off. I used gorilla glue two part epoxy on the 90 mgm and it’s been holding up for a while now. I think it’s been a year or so, so it’s been through the brutal Florida summer at least once and still hasn’t failed.

Personally have found the OEM adhesive the only one that holds up long term. Just may or may not be easy to find. Guess to each his own.

[87GrandMarq]

I’ve never had luck with that permatex rear view mirror adhesive. It’ll work for a couple months then fall off. I used gorilla glue two part epoxy on the 90 mgm and it’s been holding up for a while now. I think it’s been a year or so, so it’s been through the brutal Florida summer at least once and still hasn’t failed.

[kishy]

Just a few things for this one:

The rearview mirror fell off while the car was parked. The mirror is a 90s GM mirror with map lights that I wired in 10+ years ago, which fit the Ford mirror button nicely.
I bought the Permatex rear view mirror adhesive pack that stores carry, and glued it back on. Seems to be fine.

I got tired of the dashcam (Thinkware F200) audibly complaining about the rear camera being missing. I had removed it when I got the windows tinted. I have now re-attached it, to the tint which wasn't what I really wanted to do, but there is nothing else nearby suitable to stick it so that's where it is.

As for those grabby rear brakes:

...
As for the axle business, today I drained the axle oil, and replaced the axle shafts, bearings, and seals. It's actually sitting on jack stands, empty, overnight because I wanted to be sure my RTV was dry. Previous change was 2016-05-12 at about 215k km (prior to that, 2012 at 169k). Today, the odometer shows 230,321km.
...
Revisiting some history here:
Quite some time ago, maybe 2016, I replaced the rear brakes on this car, including the drums. They gave me some issues after that which may have been related to the drum machine finish, or shoe arching, or I dunno - they would click when breaking, like rapidly grab and un-grab. At some point I got them adjusted in a way that made them seem to behave alright and that was good.

More recently, the rear brakes, and especially the rear right, has been extremely grabby. Very on-off, like locking up and dragging the one tire down my driveway when just trying to slow for crossing the sidewalk and dropping onto the road. After a couple stops, it begins working more normally. This symptom can be a telltale of shoe contamination from axle oil, and when I looked, I found there was very minor but definitely existing oil loss from both seals. That's what spurred on the axle repair today.

So with any luck this will put the brake issues to bed. The drums were turned fairly recently, so if there's anything else to look at if problems persist, it'll be the shoes.

The odometer is currently sitting at 232xxx - 2000km since the quoted reply. The grabby brakes, specifically the right rear, returned with a vengeance. Today, I decided to try to sort it out.

Wheel off. Drum off. Brake disassembled. Found grooves where the pads slide. Ground them down closer to flat, just aiming to smooth them out a bit so the shoes don't really hang up in the grooves. A touch of grease on those pads, reassembled, adjusted both sides out about right. Test drive shows the brakes now come on smoothly, not "on/off" like that particular one has been.

I've "fixed" this multiple times before and it seems like after a little bit of shoe wear it comes back, so I guess we'll see how long it stays fixed this time.

[sly]

I always use what the car calls for unless there is an extremely good reason not to.

Zero PSI of oil pressure when hot is exactly such a reason, and the low-output 302 is well known for it.
Lifters collapsing when you're stuck in gridlock for an hour...been there, done that, no thanks.

Yup. That's pretty much the reason. I've never needed more than 10w30 in mine, but I've also not ever managed to wear one out either. They either die a horrible death, or get sold working.

[kishy]

I concur on the 15w-40, or 20w-50. No gas engine I have is happy with that stuff. 10w-40, sure my old worn stuff likes that. The 15w+ makes the valve train unhappy.
I am running Quaker State "Euro" 5w-40 in the S10 and it likes it.

I haven't stumbled upon a 10W40 near me, but I'd certainly try it if I did.
Rotella ended up being my answer to this particular problem because it was readily available, full synthetic, and had the lower 'cold weather' weight while still having higher-than-30 warm weather weight. I knew I was about to make the engine work rather hard for quite a while, so an option that would keep my pressure up when thoroughly hot, and stand up to abuse seemed to make the most sense.

I always use what the car calls for unless there is an extremely good reason not to.

Zero PSI of oil pressure when hot is exactly such a reason, and the low-output 302 is well known for it.
Lifters collapsing when you're stuck in gridlock for an hour...been there, done that, no thanks.

[friskyfrankie]

I always use what the car calls for unless there is an extremely good reason not to.

[Tiggie]

I concur on the 15w-40, or 20w-50. No gas engine I have is happy with that stuff. 10w-40, sure my old worn stuff likes that. The 15w+ makes the valve train unhappy.
I am running Quaker State "Euro" 5w-40 in the S10 and it likes it.