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VicCrownVic's 1998 Mercury Grand Marquis LS

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    Lemmie know when you're going to some yards. It's becoming a priority to find a 14 bolt axle for my truck..
    1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
    1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

    Comment


      Certainly.

      I did check the RPMs as reported by the PCM. Tach matches the PCM as read with FORScan so I'm happy with it.
      Next step will be running wires through the fire wall for the oil pressure and trans temp gauges/sending units. Then when I am ready to install the sending units all of the work will be in the engine bay.
      Conversion U-joint arrived for the drive shaft swap so I'll finish that this weekend. Tint for the gauges has not arrived yet. My pile of stuff that I have planned for this car is getting smaller. Hopefully I'll have it all done by this fall, then I can come up with more stuff to do next year, lol.
      Vic

      ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
      ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
      ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
      ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

      Comment


        Originally posted by VicCrownVic View Post
        Certainly.

        ...Tach matches the PCM as read with FORScan..
        The thirteen year old boy within keeps reading "FORScan" as "Foreskin"
        1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
        1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

        Comment


          Originally posted by TecNickal View Post

          Zach already said about the accumulator and intake. The front end on the 92-02 are IMO, weaker than the boxes. They go through ball joints and tie rod ends more so than the older stuff did. Since you actually maintain your car, it'll probably last you a long while.
          I know, it was over a year ago but I was just looking again and noticed. I'm gonna take a look under the foam on the accumulator of the '01, I still have OEM all nylon type plastic intake on the car, but got a replacement with aluminum x-over ready.

          As to the '92-'02' front ends, I found it an odd statement. Not arguing at all, just adding experiences here. I never had a ball joint or tie rod issue even on three CVpi s I used up between 1998 and 2010 when I retired as a Trooper, and they got "driven". Never even needed to have a front end alignment on them. I once had a '81 Panther police car too. My '01 Mercury likewise has no play, never been on an alignment rack, still on OEM parts, and no odd tire wear. Maybe we have some really good roads? I think there's just a lot fewer boxes remaining and so, fewer issues.

          I have seen ball joints fail like on some GM A-bodies, a few Panthers too. I did chase down a whale I met hauling a55 through Goshen Pass once, driver was suspended too. he was just driving really fast, not trying to run as I met him. Got him stopped, was his sister's car, so I called her on my cell and she agreed to come get him and the car when she could get her Dad to bring her. I asked the boy "what if a ball joint had let loose at 70 through those curves, those trees don't step aside you know". I finally had to go work a wreck, so I left him to wait for his sister, he had no phone so he almost had to wait for her. Later that day I saw that car being drug up onto a rollback with him and his sister in the cab at the intersection of 39 and 11. A buddy was driving the rollback, I stopped and walked over to chat with my buddy then followed them to the gas station / conv. store / garage for a cup anyway. There the boy with his sister said "thank you" as the driver's side lower ball joint had just let go at that stop sign before the sister got it back home. Just coincidence maybe. No wreck, it just let the LCA drop to pavement. I bought the boy and his sister a fountain drink.

          I know, I am long winded too.
          No ... I'm not arguing with you ... I'm just explaining why I'm right ...

          Now go ... and whatever you do ... have a safe trip!

          Comment


            Your story is another example of how people in our profession are "used" (In my belief, by GOD). That was not a coincidence that you made the traffic stop when you did. When I was having bad days, I reflected on how many times I was "used" to help or to prevent something from happening. I am sure you have a list to reflect upon too. Even though I NEVER would choose that profession again. The job was done for a reason.

            Comment


              No worries about long winded stories here.
              I had a tie rod end separate on me on The Scab a couple years ago. This was right after I had let my mom borrow that car the week before. She had commented on how nice it rode so I don't think it was just me being used to bad tie rod ends (sometimes it takes someone else driving to reveal a problem I've gradually gotten used to). If the PO of that car was correct it had 250k(ish) miles on it when I bought it, and they likely replaced those ball joints with not well designed ones at some point. They did replace lots of things on that car over the years including FelPro lower intake gaskets that I replaced trying to stop oil leaks (wasn't the source of the leak, but I did eventually fix all the leaks and now I know for sure what gaskets are on there.) The new tie rod ends I put on that car are designed in a way that you should feel the slop long before there is a chance of the tie rod end separating.
              Vic

              ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
              ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
              ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
              ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

              Comment


                Tint arrived today for the gauges. I cut a template from some plastic packaging (the kind of plastic that a tool or in this case house door hinge set comes in), trimmed the template with some sharp scissors until it fit the gauge face nicely. Laid the template on the sheet of tint (3x8 inch sheet) and cut along the circle template. A little fine tuning of the trim on the tint circles and they fit very nicely.
                I only put the tint on the center two gauges since they were the ones that seemed brighter than necessary. The outer two gauges that previously looked dim now look bright by comparison. The tint I ordered is darker than I thought, but probably will be the perfect shade of darkness (no tint percentage was listed with this sheet.) Since I only used 1/5 of the tint sheet I have plenty more to cover the other two gauges if they seem too bright still. I need to find an excuse to go for a drive at night now.

                The phone camera actually picked up the outer two gauges this time. I wonder if the brightness of the center gauges was throwing the camera off before.
                Attached Files
                Vic

                ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
                ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
                ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
                ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

                Comment


                  My wife made plans with Grand1's wife for a Father's day weekend. So we'll head over there once I'm done with work Friday. Hanging out, camping, and working on cars is the plan.
                  While I was getting the tent down from the shelf in the shed I noticed the dual visors I had sitting next to the tent and decided to see how they might fit. I couldn't get a picture since holding the visor required two hands, but they look like they were made to accommodate the gauge pod. The mounts even looked the same. I thought these came from a TC but I could be wrong since it was so long ago that I harvested them. Now I just need to get to the JY and find a gray set since the ones I have are dark blue.

                  I also get to use the hitch this weekend. Picked up a hitch cargo carrier, 60"x22" and 500lb capacity which I will not be loaded to even half of that capacity. Hopefully dips in the road will not be an issue, but I do have the sedan cargo coils and Gabriel Hi-Jackers air shocks in the back so it should be ok. I'll make sure the air shocks are aired up (manual fill :/ ) before heading out.
                  Attached Files
                  Vic

                  ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
                  ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
                  ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
                  ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

                  Comment


                    Enjoy.

                    Oh, tell Mark and the family I said hello. Forgot his neighbor's name but he was telling me about some GM truck from Texas his friend wanted to sell. WOnder if there is an update on that.
                    1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                    1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                    Comment


                      George! Lol, that dude has a story for every single thing he has laying around. It's like a car guy's museum at his place.
                      Vic

                      ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
                      ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
                      ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
                      ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

                      Comment


                        Yeah, all it needs is a TV and an Xbox and I'd be set.
                        1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                        1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                        Comment


                          Oil change today.
                          I've had a weird noise for a few weeks. Kind of a high pitch moan. Constant and matches engine RPM. I suspected the alternator was the culprit but couldn't definitively narrow it down. Also, my volt gauge has sometimes been showing voltage readings that are too low. Verifying battery voltage matched the gauge had me pretty well convinced the noise must be the alternator. Today I started the engine with the serpentine belt off and sure enough the sound was gone. Bit of a sigh of relief because this engine shouldn't be making weird noises.
                          Once I grabbed a hose/tube and put one end in my ear I was able pinpoint the sound to the alternator. It was a $20 alternator from the JY that I installed 6 months ago so I'm not too disappointed. Just need to get around to getting another.
                          Vic

                          ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
                          ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
                          ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
                          ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

                          Comment


                            I changed the oil in the Town Car yesterday. Picked it up Friday and noticed the idle is weird. Sticky IAC or whatever and it also surges with very low throttle input.

                            Pulled the IAC valve and intake ducting. TB didn't seem too dirty but cleaned it anyway and took apart IAC and cleaned & lubricated it. Started and idled down like I remember it doing. Not sure if I fixed the surge issue, it kind of did that at random before. I had written 6/23/19 on the oil filter and the mileage. Despite being two years, I had only put an additional 1,500 miles on it.
                            1985 LTD Crown Victoria - SOLD
                            1988 Town Car Signature - Current Party Barge

                            Comment


                              Was thinking about going to the JY until my wife reminded me that we had plans for today.
                              Plans got canceled for today, so I went to the JY after lunch and spent way more than I expected to.
                              (Was going to text you on Friday, Derek, but I ended up deciding to go last minute so I just went.)

                              The new looking alternator that I grabbed from a wrecked '98 MGM fixed the weird whiny hum the previous alternator was making, and now my volt gauge is reading not disappointing voltage at idle.

                              I also grabbed a couple of nice winter tires from the same wrecked '98 MGM since one of mine has a small nail through the sidewall near the tread.

                              The one thing that I was really hoping to find was dual visors, and I found a set in a 2000 MGM. Direct swap for my single visors and even the electrical connectors were the same despite my car originally having the Home Link garage door opener in the driver side visor. The Home Link uses the same power and ground as the visor lights so the connector was the same on my visor as it was on the visor without Home Link.
                              Oddly enough, the wrecked '98 also had dual visors, but I had already grabbed the ones from the 2000 before I found the '98.

                              It's like these things were made for my gauge pod setup. (The stock visors can't be opened all the way forward and the bottom edge points right at my eyes when flipped down all the way against the gauge pod.)
                              Attached Files
                              Vic

                              ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
                              ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
                              ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
                              ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

                              Comment


                                The twin visors look good. For me the duals are a pain to adjust when driving. I like the idea though.

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