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My 1987 Mercury Colony Park

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    Good and snug. Its a cast iron head, you aren't going to strip it unless you guerrilla it with a 9 foot prybar screaming this is SPARTA.

    Tighten til it stops, then give it a good 1/12th of a turn, firm snug.
    -Nick M.
    Columbia, SC

    66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
    03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

    Comment


      I've had the plugs in my beater for at least 20K and only changed them because I broke one while checking them. The ones that were in there were good though, just needed a little re-gap.

      Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
      rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
      Originally posted by gadget73
      ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
      Originally posted by dmccaig
      Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

      Comment


        Copper with an engine that runs right should be easily good for 30K, but you might get double or more that if its not burning oil or anything like that.

        I always run them in finger tight then give it a little extra with the 3/8 ratchet. Don't know what the torque spec is, but my torque wrench likely doesn't go that low and definitely doesn't fit in there.
        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

        Originally posted by phayzer5
        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

        Comment


          Got new plugs from work. No Motorcraft ones were on hand, but we did have Autolite. I'll gap them tonight. I probably won't be able to get to the car until next week as I'm going to be busy with school stuff and work all weekend.

          I'll pack those up and take my tube of dielectric grease when I go and I'll report back on the idle status. Something tells me the gaps on the plugs in the motor are probably around .060+, which likely will explain that rough idle. Maybe the fuel economy will improve a touch as well. The whole time I was on the road to PA and back, I was only netting a consistent 20 MPG, but it's done 21 MPG before. I had some expectation of it doing better, but this might explain it.


          My Cars:
          -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
          -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
          -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
          -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

          Comment


            Originally posted by TecNickal View Post
            Good and snug. Its a cast iron head, you aren't going to strip it unless you guerrilla it with a 9 foot prybar screaming this is SPARTA..
            1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
            1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

            Comment


              Well, I happened to have enough time after class today to swap out the plugs. Definitely different over the 4.6 having the plugs way down low. At least both engines aren't too bad about getting at the plugs.

              Plugs:


              The oily one only seems to have oil on the threads. The tip was clean. That one did come from the driver's side rear. Gaps varied from acceptable, too wide, and also one that was way too narrow.

              New plugs helped with the idle and reduced the studdering feeling upon light throttle applications from a stop, but it still doesn't seem as smooth as it should be. If you rev the engine up, I guess above 2,000 RPM (maybe a bit less; no tach), it smooths out a lot more. I pulled the vacuum line going to the EGR valve with no difference in operation. However, I also did not feel any vacuum pull on that line when I put my thumb over it.

              Anyway, at least part of the issue has been taken care of and definitely drives better than it did before. When I have some more time, I'll look into that EGR valve. I suspect there might be a vacuum issue. The vacuum block is hooked up on the passenger side, however I'm not sure what the little units are on the fender liner that the lines run into. Everything is intact and plugged in over there, however.


              My Cars:
              -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
              -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
              -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
              -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

              Comment


                oil on the threads... is the valve cover gasket leaking? May just be picked up from the edge of the head.

                Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                Originally posted by gadget73
                ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                Originally posted by dmccaig
                Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                Comment


                  Some research turned this up:
                  "
                  While it may look like dirty oil, it isn't, this is unburnt fuel that all the lighter elements in the fuel have boiled off leaving the heavier hydrocarbon components behind. This is not unusual to find even on race engines. I wouldn't have known this myself if I hadn't run acrossed the explanation from a very respected pro engine builder on another site. This "fuel" is here because the seal(tapered seat or gasket) is above the threads but the threads themselves are shielded from the actual combustion process. Almost sounds crazy but it is true.
                  "
                  If that's true maybe the injectors are a bit leaky/dirty? Those plugs do seem a smidge darker than the others.
                  1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                  1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                  Comment


                    Originally posted by sly View Post
                    oil on the threads... is the valve cover gasket leaking? May just be picked up from the edge of the head.
                    Valve covers don't have any apparent leaks. Nick re-gasketed most of the engine, and I know the valve covers were done.


                    Originally posted by DerekTheGreat View Post
                    Some research turned this up:
                    "
                    While it may look like dirty oil, it isn't, this is unburnt fuel that all the lighter elements in the fuel have boiled off leaving the heavier hydrocarbon components behind. This is not unusual to find even on race engines. I wouldn't have known this myself if I hadn't run acrossed the explanation from a very respected pro engine builder on another site. This "fuel" is here because the seal(tapered seat or gasket) is above the threads but the threads themselves are shielded from the actual combustion process. Almost sounds crazy but it is true.
                    "
                    If that's true maybe the injectors are a bit leaky/dirty? Those plugs do seem a smidge darker than the others.
                    I've run fuel system cleaner through it a few times, I so don't know how dirty they would be. As far as leaky, no idea.


                    My Cars:
                    -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
                    -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
                    -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
                    -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

                    Comment


                      Maybe it was the cleaner but those plugs look almost new.
                      03 Marauder DPB, HS, 6disk, Organizer Mods> LED's in & Out, M&Z rear control arms, Oil deflector, U-Haul Trans Pan, Blue Fuzzy Dice
                      02 SL500 Silver Arrow
                      08 TC Signature Limited, HID's Mods>235/55-17 Z rated BFG G-Force Comp-2 A/S Plus, Addco 1" rear Sway, Posi Carrier, Compustar Remote Start, floor liners, trunk organizer, Two part Sun Visors, B&M Trans drain Plug, Winter=05 Mustang GT rims, Nokian Hakkapeliitta R-2 235/55-17
                      12 Escape Limited V6 AWD, 225/65R17 Vredestein Quatrac Pro, Winter 235/70-16 Conti Viking Contact7 Mods>Beamtech LED headlight bulbs, Husky floor liners

                      Comment


                        You have a code for EGR. That's part of your idol issue since EGR typically operate during then. It could be like I said above something to do with the EGR valve pentyl not sitting correctly. The position sensor of the EGR may not be sitting correctly. Or the solenoid maybe having an issue.
                        -Nick M.
                        Columbia, SC

                        66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                        03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                        Comment


                          Originally posted by TecNickal View Post
                          You have a code for EGR. That's part of your idol issue since EGR typically operate during then. It could be like I said above something to do with the EGR valve pentyl not sitting correctly. The position sensor of the EGR may not be sitting correctly. Or the solenoid maybe having an issue.
                          What's a good method for cleaning the EGR? Also, are there any things I should be aware of when removing or re-installing the valve? Also, as I said before, I'm not really feeling much pull on the vacuum line that runs to the EGR. Is there anything I should be checking regarding that?


                          My Cars:
                          -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
                          -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
                          -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
                          -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

                          Comment


                            the EVR pulses the vacuum to the EGR. It shouldn't be enough to open the EGR until cruising speed. The way to test that is to pull that vacuum line and plug it. Drive around with the EGR disabled and see if the symptoms go away. If they do, the EGR is fine and the EVR is bad. (EVR is at the other end of that vacuum line on the EGR.) If you do remove the EGR to clean it, you should have a new gasket on hand and ways to clean off the gasket that's on it.

                            Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
                            rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)
                            Originally posted by gadget73
                            ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.
                            Originally posted by dmccaig
                            Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

                            Comment


                              Originally posted by Kodachrome Wolf View Post
                              What's a good method for cleaning the EGR? Also, are there any things I should be aware of when removing or re-installing the valve? Also, as I said before, I'm not really feeling much pull on the vacuum line that runs to the EGR. Is there anything I should be checking regarding that?
                              What worked for me was taking the valve off and the sensor attached to the valve and manually cycling the plunger- was very stiff at first but after doing that and cleaning it with carb & choke cleaner I got all the smut off and crusties that were built up where it seats against the bore, which was probably where it was leaking. The EGR spacer looked clean with no build up so I didn't have to clean much in there. Used high temp oil to lube up the one thing that moves the position sensor. You shouldn't feel any vacuum to the sensor at idle, it is meant to open while cruising.
                              1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                              1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                              Comment


                                I was going to yank the EGR valve off on my way home, but forgot my wrench so I could get that upper bolt off since a ratchet won't fit there. I'll try and grab it off tomorrow so I can clean it.

                                Also, I noticed the coolant lines that run into the throttle body have been bypassed and the nipples on the throttle body capped off. Is this something I need to get hooked back up again?


                                My Cars:
                                -1964 Comet 202 (116K Miles) - Long Term Project
                                -1986 Dodge D-150 Royale SE (112K Miles) - Slowly Getting Put Back Together
                                -1987 Grand Marquis Colony Park LS (325K Miles) - April 2017 + September 2019 POTM Winner
                                -1997 Grand Marquis LS (240K Miles) - The Daily Workhorse & March 2015 + January 2019 POTM Winner

                                Comment

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