Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Stocker's 1985 LTD Crown Victoria

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

    #31
    Originally posted by Kodachrome Wolf View Post
    I've finally found two brands that carry whitewalls in the size I want to run on the cars. Toyo and Nexen both have 225/70R15 options, but you kinda have to look for them. 215/70R15 are a little easier to get whitewalls in, but are still on a "gotta look around" level.
    Yeah, 215/75 has traditionally been the standard size on things that one would want whitewalls on.

    The two sizes are close enough in diameter that it isn't much of an issue to switch between them. When I went from 215/75R15 to 225/70R15 on my Cutlass, it actually made the speedometer (well, the odometer is what I checked then) more accurate, but that car predated metric tire sizing and modern 215s are an inch shorter than their '70s counterpart while the 225s are nearly a dead ringer for the old GR70-15.

    I checked this car against a GPS and the speedometer reads 2% high, so the bigger tires help in that respect as opposed to the 215s.
    1985 LTD Crown Victoria
    1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
    1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

    Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

    Comment


      #32
      when I was tire shopping for the Conti I couldn't find whitewalls in anything I'd actually pay money for. It was all either stupid expensive Vogue or Coker repops or highly questionable unknown China tires. Ended up with Sumitomo blackwalls. Those wire spoke wheels would look better with whitewalls but at this point it will have to wait a few more years until these wear or age out.
      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


        #33
        Same issue I had with my Townie. Initially, I liked the black walls but now I wish I had white walls for that iconic look. No one made a tire that I was willing to buy.
        1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
        1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

        Comment


          #34
          Yeah, in recent years I've heard nothing good about Coker tires. I know someone with a Model T who got tires from England because apparently the Coker tires that fit those are just plain bad at any price.

          I had whitewalls on my Cutlass when I bought it, but the SS/II wheels just beg for white letters so I was going to switch regardless of availability. If I had the wire-spoke or even the plain hubcaps, it'd probably be different though. A bit sad that whitewalls are in such low demand that nobody reputable makes them anymore.
          1985 LTD Crown Victoria
          1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
          1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

          Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

          Comment


            #35
            The heater core went bad last fall. I don't think my local shop wants to work on my stuff anymore, so I decided not to risk that and do it myself instead.

            Never again.

            Someone's been in here before. The upper mounting point was broken off the plenum, so two long screws were run through from the engine side. One is underneath the glob of sealant.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	Plenum attachment.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	259.9 KB
ID:	1290338
            The plenum was a nightmare to get out. I had the all the dash bolts removed or loosened and I still thought I was going to break something getting it free.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	Plenum and heater core removed.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	531.8 KB
ID:	1290339
            The heater core still has a label on the bottom, so it can't have been that old. The maintenance records I have run from 1994 to 2010 (71K-120K miles, I bought it in 2014 at 132K) and there's no mention of a heater core replacement. Based on the number, it's a Vista-Pro which is also sold by AutoZone as a Duralast.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	Old heater core.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	414.2 KB
ID:	1290340
            Since the plenum had been out before, I'd hoped that the blend door hinge would've been fixed already, but... no. The nightmare continues.
            Click image for larger version

Name:	Broken blend door hinge.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	261.4 KB
ID:	1290341
            1985 LTD Crown Victoria
            1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
            1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

            Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

            Comment


              #36
              I just went through the same ordeal on my car, right down to the copper heater core. Although my blend doors were still intact until I foolishly played around with them and snapped both hinges. What a cheap, flimsy design from Ford.

              It's hard to really appreciate just how much space the HVAC ductwork takes up behind the dash until you've removed the heater plenum. Though if your car has manual temperature control you might at least be spared the further geometric agony of the temp blend door mounted to the top of the plenum.
              1987 Lincoln Town Car - Signature, "Prudence"

              Comment


                #37
                At least living in a warm/hot climate has this as a benefit. Between myself and my friend, we have 4 cars and only one (mine) has a working heater core. Are the other cars going to be repaired? Not in this lifetime! This is one major pain in the ass to do.
                What I Own: 1993 Mercury Grand Marquis GS
                What I Help Maintain: 1996 CV / 1988 CV / 1988 Tempo

                Comment


                  #38
                  Nice work getting in there. Doing it yourself is the only way of getting it done right at least in my opinion as this stuff is old and any old tech may not really care or know what is going on/how to do it. It is not fun but at least you are getting it done and not paying someone else to just mess it up.

                  Ive been in mine twice for heater cores. Not yet since I put the restrictor in place though!
                  ~David~

                  My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
                  My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

                  Originally posted by ootdega
                  My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

                  Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
                  But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

                  Originally posted by gadget73
                  my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




                  Comment


                    #39
                    Originally posted by Lutrova View Post
                    I just went through the same ordeal on my car, right down to the copper heater core. Although my blend doors were still intact until I foolishly played around with them and snapped both hinges. What a cheap, flimsy design from Ford.

                    It's hard to really appreciate just how much space the HVAC ductwork takes up behind the dash until you've removed the heater plenum. Though if your car has manual temperature control you might at least be spared the further geometric agony of the temp blend door mounted to the top of the plenum.
                    Fortunately mine is a low-optioned base model - if that would've been on the top of the plenum, it'd've probably broke off during removal.

                    Originally posted by friskyfrankie View Post
                    At least living in a warm/hot climate has this as a benefit. Between myself and my friend, we have 4 cars and only one (mine) has a working heater core. Are the other cars going to be repaired? Not in this lifetime! This is one major pain in the ass to do.
                    I thought this would be easier than most other cars because no part of the A/C system is affected and the dash theoretically doesn't need to come out. If it weren't for the broken door hinge in there I'd at least have it back together by now - I don't like the idea of having to drill out a couple dozen rivets to fix it but I can't see any other option.

                    Originally posted by 87gtVIC View Post
                    Nice work getting in there. Doing it yourself is the only way of getting it done right at least in my opinion as this stuff is old and any old tech may not really care or know what is going on/how to do it. It is not fun but at least you are getting it done and not paying someone else to just mess it up.

                    Ive been in mine twice for heater cores. Not yet since I put the restrictor in place though!
                    That was part of my concern. It's one thing to have a tech being rough with suspension or steering parts, but the interior is something else entirely in that respect.

                    The new heater core has a flow restrictor already installed, the old one didn't. I'm hoping that helps keep this one intact for a good long time.
                    1985 LTD Crown Victoria
                    1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
                    1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

                    Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

                    Comment


                      #40
                      Got the vent door taken care of today. I used two 1 1/2" hinges (National P/N N146-043) and attached them on either side of the door "arm".

                      Doing it the way I did has the benefit of being able to utilize two of the existing rivet holes, one on the door and one on the plenum, which helped with alignment. I had to omit a screw on the very bottom on the plenum side, but there doesn't seem to be a lot of force exerted on this so I don't think it'll be a problem. I filed away some material on the inside of the top half of the housing to accommodate the uppermost screw head, but overall this looks like it will work fine. Using 1" hinges might have been a better option though.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	Vent door reinstalled.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	214.9 KB
ID:	1290374

                      There is a gap at the top when the door is open, but it can't be any worse than having not fixed it.

                      Click image for larger version

Name:	Vent door gap.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	250.4 KB
ID:	1290375

                      I do wonder, however, how necessary this repair is, at least on a car with the manual HVAC and only the one door to be affected. There really isn't much room for the door to go anywhere besides where it's supposed to, so I'm not sure if the hinge breaking is [I]that[I] problematic. I never noticed any issues with air flow before. But, since I never want to have to pull this plenum out again, that isn't an experiment I want to run. This really wasn't that hard to do anyway (especially compared to the rest of the heater core job) which was a pleasant surprise.

                      We're in for a week or more of 85-100°F temperatures here and the A/C in my truck is only marginally passable, so getting this car back on the road has become a priority, even if it costs me more in fuel.
                      1985 LTD Crown Victoria
                      1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
                      1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

                      Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

                      Comment


                        #41
                        After removing the dash five times and the plenum three times (and thrice telling the car I hated it), this ordeal is finally over.

                        The replacement heater core had clearly been sitting in a warehouse for some time. Made in USA (apparently in Fort Worth), copper, and the tape holding the box closed had completely dried out. The GPD label on the box was applied on top of an APDI label.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	New heater core.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	409.5 KB
ID:	1290448

                        The strip of foam that they expect you to use in place of part of the original seal had turned to dust.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	New core instructions.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	258.6 KB
ID:	1290447

                        This left as my only option modifying the original seal, which I think is preferable to cutting it apart anyway. I had to notch out the outboard ends of the top of the seal, because the top of the new core doesn't taper on the ends like the original and previous replacement did. I could've taken more material out, but it's compressible enough that I think it's fine.

                        Click image for larger version

Name:	Seal modifications.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	373.0 KB
ID:	1290449

                        The core is also about a half inch narrower, so I applied strips of foam window seal to the left side of the core to fill the gap.

                        Word of advice to anyone daring to do this: this is not a one-person job. If I'm ever crazy enough to do this again, I won't do it alone. Realistically, it takes one person to hold the dash up and back and another to maneuver the plenum into position. (Either that, or pull the dash entirely with the seats out so it can sit on the floor.) I thought I was going to break something trying to bludgeon everything into position.

                        I had to do that part a second time because I forgot about the plenum seal the first time. And then a third time because, after dropping two sockets behind the dash trying to bolt it back in, one of them slipped into the plenum because the screws from the previous hack job apparently didn't engage properly that time and the plenum wasn't firmly against the firewall. Gouged my driver's door panel somewhere in the process too.

                        But, with everything back in, I have heat that doesn't smell of coolant, and all the duct and blend doors seem to work. Only lost one or two dash panel screws (not sure how, they were all accounted for when removed) and nothing rattles.

                        The A/C that I had recharged last year now has only enough refrigerant for the compressor to occasionally engage though - no noticeable cooling. So, more work before it's back on the road. Another 90°F heat wave coming this week.
                        1985 LTD Crown Victoria
                        1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
                        1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

                        Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

                        Comment


                          #42
                          At least you got the job completed, even if it does sound incredibly unpleasant.

                          Two people are definitely useful for the heater core job even on the later cars. When I did my friend's '99, it took two people to properly finagle the dash down and to pop the plenum box off the firewall. Power to you for having gone at it solo.


                          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


                            #43
                            The trick is to take a short block of 2x4 and wedge it between the door pillar and the dash to get you the space you need. Face the plenum "down" and then rotate it back to proper orientation. It ain;t too bad.

                            Comment


                              #44
                              I have cold A/C again. But... the shop did an in-depth inspection too, which on the one hand is a nice perk, and on the other hand is things I may have been happier not knowing about.

                              Click image for larger version

Name:	IMG_0128.jpg
Views:	1
Size:	314.8 KB
ID:	1290596

                              Some of this I was aware of. The oil leaks didn't surprise me, but all of a sudden this thing is leaking oil far more than it ever used to. It left a trail up the driveway this afternoon. I can probably do the valve covers, and maybe the distributor seal without messing it up, but there's no guarantee any of that is actually the problem.

                              (I don't know what the "frame rail is rusted through" bit is about - the frame is perfectly solid. Maybe someone thought the rocker panel that came apart in storage over the winter was the frame.)

                              And, while I shudder to admit this after all the problems I've mentioned with this car, but they replaced a few things. The coolant temp sensor, which I checked when the drivability issues started and found it reading about where a 30K thermistor should read, was apparently just under 3Ω at any temp - i.e. shorted. The PCV valve was replaced and supposedly its hose was collapsed - odd because every time I checked it, it sucked like <insert suggestive comparison here>. I knew the fuel pressure dropped off to nothing almost immediately after shutting the engine off, and they found the same and replaced the regulator. Supposedly no vacuum leaks. It does sound like it runs better and it does seem to be more sprightly than before though. I guess the next full tank of gas will be the real test in terms of actual data.
                              1985 LTD Crown Victoria
                              1977 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme
                              1996 Dodge Ram 1500 4x4, 360

                              Past: 1995 Crown Victoria Police Interceptor

                              Comment


                                #45
                                all of this is typical, especially the rotten frame rail. Have a look underneath at the frame just behind the passenger side lower control arm mount. Fair bet you'll find where the frame angles over just under the firewall its got a big hole in it. The AC drips there and the frames blow out.
                                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

                                Working...
                                X