Just picked up an 84 LTD CV Wagon

[Giraffe]

Went back to the JY today and took some photos of the 90 and some of the other cars of interest.

Is that '90 still there? I've been wanting to get my hands on a set of HVAC controls that don't have floppy sliders. Those look to be intact. Is that a ATC car? I need a manual control set.

[Birdofprey]

Is that '90 still there? I've been wanting to get my hands on a set of HVAC controls that don't have floppy sliders. Those look to be intact. Is that a ATC car? I need a manual control set.

That car is still there. I'll check the HVAC controls next time I'm there and grab it if your serious about wanting them.

Whats ATC?

[Giraffe]

That car is still there. I'll check the HVAC controls next time I'm there and grab it if your serious about wanting them.

Whats ATC?

Automatic Temperature Control. They look like the manual type. Just a little difficult to see.

I'm definitely serious. None are ever on eBay, and all that I've come across in yards are similarly broken with floppy sliders.

The yards around me just don't really have box panthers. If they do, most things are already picked, broken and unusable, or '89 and earlier stuff that I can't use.

[Birdofprey]

Cool, I will take a look and snap you some closer photos next time I'm there.

[Giraffe]

I appreciate it. While I'm here, I gotta say I really like the wagon. I'm partial to the non-woody cars. My wife actually surprised me the other day when she said that she would have preferred a wagon over the sedan I currently own. I would have liked to have had a wagon, however, they are few and far between down here. Seems like all the used panthers are up north.

[VicCrownVic]

Giraffe, you can always try to fix the spacers that keep the control unit levers steady, if you have time/patience for that. That's what Mr Bean did: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...l=1#post770671

For a car with manual controls I would rather swap to later rotary style controls, but that requires installing an electronic blend door actuator. I have all the parts, but 2017 hasn't been good to me so I never got around to doing any of my planned projects. Keeping things going was all I had time for.
Also, I believe there is some discussion before the above linked post where we talked about how to get at those spacers for repair. And my final off topic note, with manual controls the unit from an Aero is not a direct swap (I've found since discussing in the above linked thread) since they switched to electronic BDA (which made sly's rotary swap much easier on his '93) unless '92 still used the manually actuated setup (I wouldn't count on it). So you are stuck with just '90-'91 for a plug-and-play stock unit replacement.

[Giraffe]

Giraffe, you can always try to fix the spacers that keep the control unit levers steady, if you have time/patience for that. That's what Mr Bean did: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...l=1#post770671

For a car with manual controls I would rather swap to later rotary style controls, but that requires installing an electronic blend door actuator. I have all the parts, but 2017 hasn't been good to me so I never got around to doing any of my planned projects. Keeping things going was all I had time for.
Also, I believe there is some discussion before the above linked post where we talked about how to get at those spacers for repair. And my final off topic note, with manual controls the unit from an Aero is not a direct swap (I've found since discussing in the above linked thread) since they switched to electronic BDA (which made sly's rotary swap much easier on his '93) unless '92 still used the manually actuated setup (I wouldn't count on it). So you are stuck with just '90-'91 for a plug-and-play stock unit replacement.

I've considered the later style rotary knobs as well. I'm about 99% certain that the rotary setup in 1994-1998 Mustangs had a cable-actuated blend door. Might be possible to retrofit that into the car if the dimensions are the same.

[gadget73]

makes me wonder if it wouldn't be possible to modify an 80s climate control head to drive the electronic BDA and have proper EATC. I have no desire to convert my car to a later style head unit, so basically its that or make it manual cable drive blend door when the stupid vacuum regulator thing bites the dust at some point in the future.

[Birdofprey]

Just realized I didn't circle back around on the HVAC from the JY 90 for Giraffe.

I stopped by the JY back on that Friday and found the sliders were VERY loose. Sorry that didn't work out.

Video:
IMG_5444.TRIM.MOV

[TecNickal]

I took the foam and fabric from a 93 town car and put it onto the 87 frame. For the butt cushion.

For the back rest, it was a bolt on affair. Same seat tracks. Voila.

[Mainemantom]

Is that '90 still there? I've been wanting to get my hands on a set of HVAC controls that don't have floppy sliders. Those look to be intact. Is that a ATC car? I need a manual control set.

You have a pm.

[Birdofprey]

It warmed up slightly yesterday so I putz'd around a bit with the wagon. got a ton to do and am looking forward to it!

Wanted to check the TV cable/linkage to make sure it wasn't hanging off. Looked ok.



Look good to you guys? I know its the clip that breaks so I'll remove the TV cable and make sure its kosher.


There is some hookey stuff going on, like that distributor (I think) connector elect taped to a hose there and the foil tape on the fuel lines, must have had vapor lock issues. (unless thats factory?)

[kishy]

No such thing as TV "cable" on CFI...it's that metal rod closest to the throttle body, which is partially extended in your pic.

It is attached but has been kind of...uh...rigged up. Appears to be a metal wire wrapped around it pinning the rod onto the peg. If it looks stupid but it works...

But, something(s) to keep in mind:
1 - if the rod is allowed to have play on the stud/peg it sticks onto, this can be a really dramatic variance in TV pressure and cause inconsistent pressure. Bad news. Proper bushing (the plastic one works fine on CFI) keeps it centered properly.

2 - your TV rod is not returning to the fully released/idle/lowest pressure position. This is not bad for the trans necessarily, but it means your shift points are delayed and harsh if the rod was adjusted properly before it started sticking like that. Recommend lubricating the mess of moving parts down on that side of the throttle body, making sure it all moves (and returns!) freely, and make sure TV isn't low. No need to get scientific on the TV adjustments, if it feels like you're driving a trans made entirely of Kraft Dinner then it's probably low.

I had mine stick like that, but even further, all the way at the WOT position. Couldn't get it to shift out of first without revving the crap out of it and engaging Drive from Park seriously made me think it was going to break a U-joint.

The connector taped up looks to be the TPS connector. Normally it mounts onto a little stud with, I believe also a screw onto the throttle body front corner. It doesn't much matter where it is but "wiggly wires" with that pigtail might create intermittent driveability issues in the right (wrong) conditions.

I'm curious to know what's going on with that fuel line wrapped in the insulation stuff off the back of the throttle body. Someone thought it was vapour locking maybe?

[DerekTheGreat]

What kishy said but a couple more things..

I'd replace the rigged bushing setup on the TV rod with the proper bushing ASAP. When I had my '85 it was missing entirely and caused the trans to slip until it was replaced.
The trans TV rod is way out of adjustment like kishy pointed out but... While most folks think a little over adjustment isn't bad, I think it might be. Case in point being we've got a 1991 Mark VII that's adjusted a little overboard. My OCD wanted to have me adjust it back like how I've got my '88 Townie adjusted but I decided to conduct an experiment by leaving it where it was.. Anyway, the trans recently lost overdrive... I suspect that this over-adjustment has caused it to shift rough out of OD which lead to the failure of the OD band. Trans expects something like 0-3 psi at idle and so my suspicions lead me to think it was well beyond that, thus keeping the clutches/band/whatever applied thus making the 4-3 downshift rough. My two cents there.
There should be a gross adjustment down where that rod meets the linkage at the trans. That little screw you see is for minor adjustment, fine tuning. Someone has it bottomed out so you're going to want to back it 1/2 - 2/3 the way out so when you adjust the TV rod at the linkage such that the screw makes contact with that plate you have room to do your fine tuning adjustments. Be warned that the PO might've done this to cover up trans slip...

[kishy]

What I'd say about the TV bushing is that the way it's on there now, I don't think it'll come off. Doesn't make it good, but since the CFI setup has kind of a ball stud on the end, I don't think it's going anywhere...unlike SEFI there is no force of leverage trying to pry the rod off. The issue with the lack of bushing in this case is that the hole on the rod is not held perfectly centered around the stud on the throttle linkage.

Approximately half the size of the hole on the rod makes up approximately the length of the adjustment screw. So, when the "non-bushing" got installed, TV pressure particularly at idle and off-idle probably went a teeny bit low (because the rod was allowed to go what, 3mm closer to the front of the engine). The adjustment screw being all the way in like it is would compensate for the approximate amount of slop introduced by using the wrong bushing. Therefore, when the throttle is at idle, and the rod is fully returned to the idle position, and the rod is up against the stud taking out the slack, TV is probably set "just about right" assuming the adjustment at the trans is still correct. TV could be a continuously variable flip-flop of slightly too high, slightly too low, and just right at all other throttle positions depending on whether the last action on the accelerator was pushing it or releasing it. That's my Free Online Diagnosis™ of this photo.

TL;DR get the right bushing. The rubber/plastic one everyone demonizes works perfectly fine on CFI and carb applications. My experience is the metal improved ones look more prone to popping off on the CFI and carb setups. Either one will do the job. I would (and I do) carry a spare for either one as well though.

But without a doubt, if it's not returning to the idle position because the linkage is gummed up, that thing should be shifting late and slamming gears. Not the best of things.