Nick's 1987 Town Car

[LithiumCobalt]

On a positive note, I forgot to add that I got the rear air suspension working. I replaced the level sensor with one that I robbed from a '89 in the junkyard (good thing I did, because the week following the car was crushed). Suspension now pumps and vents just like it is supposed to. Things left on the list:

Finish replacing timing set/clean/detail engine bay - may do a new fan clutch too, since it is already off.
Re-wrap steering wheel leather
Replace various bit/pieces of trim that are less than show standard
See if I can get the driver side B-pillar repaired with new vinyl
Reinstall repaired glove box door
Repaint rear bumper filler
Polish/detail the car and enjoy

[RyPow]

Reinstall repaired glove box door

I recall you mentioned something previously about having the door repaired. I searched but didn't turn up a thread on it (perhaps it was on TLF.net). How exactly did you fix the warp in the vinyl? I'm noticing the beginnings of the warp in the '85's door and would like to do something about it before it gets much worse.

[LithiumCobalt]

Any recommendations on a gasket set that I should use to put this thing back together? I am thinking of Fel-Pro TCS45449 . This particular set does not have the "Sleeve N Seal", which I don't think I need. From what I can remember, I need the timing cover seal, crank/balancer seal and what about the water pump? Didn't look like there was a seal on it when I took it off. Looked simply like a flexible sealant was squirted on. I guess there is the oil pan seal too. I haven't removed the original yet, it's still sitting on top of the oil pan where I removed the timing cover. Reuse this too or replace?

[LithiumCobalt]

I recall you mentioned something previously about having the door repaired. I searched but didn't turn up a thread on it (perhaps it was on TLF.net). How exactly did you fix the warp in the vinyl? I'm noticing the beginnings of the warp in the '85's door and would like to do something about it before it gets much worse.

Yes, my car came with the warped box door. I sent it out to a guy that I have used for repair and parts and he took seven months to tell me that he could not fix it. The box shape itself is fine, but the foam backed vinyl has shrunk and distorted. The vinyl is so out of whack from the original shape, that it could no longer be "coerced" back into position. Tim sent me a nice replacement door for no charge for my troubles. Even this one had a little bit of the vinyl starting to peel away. What I did, was carefully open up the vinyl where I could see it starting to shrink and move and loaded it up with two-part epoxy. I then put two wide based clamps on it to hold it in into place for several hours (I used cardboard on the outer surface to prevent dents in the vinyl). Took the clamps off and it stayed in place. Now, I've got a door than has perfect vinyl, but it is the wrong color. I stopped at my auto paint supplier recently and hooked me up with what is supposed to be correct interior color for my car. Supposedly this is SEM part # 15163 (Presidio). We will see how close a match that it really is. Have to scuff it up, clean several times, spray adhesion promoter and then do the paint. Hopefully I can get that all done in the next few weeks. I'm ready to get it back on to cover up the great big hole in the dash. I originally asked for custom mix paint as I took the original door with me and they wanted to charge me $80 just to match it because they have to mix up a whole pint. F that. I went with the SEM spray bomb for $20. If it doesn't match, I'll go pay more. The color is supposed to be OEM for 86+ Fords. We will see about that.

Tim's method for these is to let them sit in the sun to warm up the vinyl, slather epoxy all over it and then use a piece of aluminum U-channel the correct size of the top of the door to hold it in place until the epoxy dries thoroughly. Mine was apparently too far gone for that method to work.

[LithiumCobalt]

On another note, I find this stuff very useful for degreasing and cleaning engine parts. I like it because it's non-flammable. Really cuts through the grease. A tad expensive.

[gadget73]

The last time I did a job like this I got the FelPro timing cover set, and I think a separate water pump gasket. I don't know the number, its just whatever you get if you ask for the timing cover set for your car. It fits pretty much every smallblock ford from the late 50s onward. I was actually doing the water pump at the same time too, so it may have come with a gasket. The regular FelPro set should come with the crank seal, the pan gasket pieces, and the big U shaped gasket that goes behind the cover itself. Should be no need for a repair sleeve. I'd never use one on the front anyway. If there is a groove in the balancer deep enough that it won't seal, you just replace the balancer. Put a small daub of RTV in the balancer key slot before putting it on. A tiny bit of oil can wick around that key and make just enough of a mess to be annoying without actually leaking visibly. You'll want some RTV in the corners where the new bits of pan gasket splice in, and where they meet the rubber bit that sits under the part of the timing cover that goes under the crankshaft too.


Lectra-Motive cleaner works well on electric motors and alternators and such. I usually use carb cleaner or some sort of degreaser+water combo for other stuff. Its a bit too pricey for me to buy lots of it. Most of the common degreasers do a spectacular job of cleaning off grime if you chuck the parts in a bucket and let it soak a while. I use Greased Lightning for stuff at work. It cleans things that the solvent tank won't even touch.

[LithiumCobalt]

Any recommended brands for water pumps? Mine seems to be working fine, but rather than spend the labor in cleaning it up and painting it, figured I'd rather just replace the pump since it's already off and it's 25 years old. Would rather not go with offbrand shit. Was thinking a Bosch through Rock Auto for $25 sounds reasonable? Or, I could spend nearly $300!!! for an Edelbrock through Advance. F that.

Got the new timing set on without a hitch. Chain sure is A LOT tighter than the original. Hopefully this cures my weird driveability problem.

I didn't label which bolt went where while I was taking things apart but kept them in "related" piles. Took me about a half hour to reconstruct which bolt goes where. What a weird setup with all of the random length bolts. Do most usually fasten the water pump to the cover first or install the cover first and then put the pump on? Figured it would be easier to maneuver the cover with the pump off.

[slack]

Looks good dude! Can't wait to hear how it runs when it's back together.

For the pump on the cover... I would think you would do the timing cover first, make sure that's settled, then worry about the water pump. At least that's how I would do it. (I'm not good multitasker. )

[LithiumCobalt]

Looks good dude! Can't wait to hear how it runs when it's back together.

For the pump on the cover... I would think you would do the timing cover first, make sure that's settled, then worry about the water pump. At least that's how I would do it. (I'm not good multitasker. )

That's kinda what I was thinking too. My only concern is that the water pump bolts extend through the timing cover and into the block so I was worried I would get leaks if I did the timing cover and then didn't bother with the water pump until later. Suppose I should just plan on doing it all at relatively the same time....

[LithiumCobalt]

After poking around the forum, realized that most do not cut the oil pan gasket below the front cover, but instead reuse the original with some goop. Unfortunately, I chopped the original off before I found that so now I am stuck using some shitty cork inserts....will these stay in place with some goop whilst positioning the cover into position?

[sly]

as for the pump itself... I had to replace my pump on my 88 shortly after I got the car. Just used a NEW (not reman) pump from AZ and no issues since. I did use gasket maker (the water pump blue one) in a small bead on both side of BOTH gaskets on the water pump. Yeah, take the back plate off and put a little goop on the mating points of that gasket as well. Been 5 years or more with no issues as far as the pump goes.

[LithiumCobalt]

Ordered up a new water pump. It's nice and shiny and I'd like for it to stay that way. Would high-temp clear coat hold up or should I prime it and paint it?

[sly]

it should only ever see about 260F tops... so high temp clear should work fine.

[gadget73]

should be fine. I've painted engine blocks with regular old Rustoleum brush paint before and it held up fine.

[LithiumCobalt]

Happy to report that I got the car all back together this weekend. The result? The car runs perfectly. No more bucking and jerking and all of that horseshit. Had a chance to do some major degreasing and cleaning under the hood and now it looks even better than it did. Going to put my new Motorcraft wires back on and call it a done deal under the hood. A bonus in the whole deal is I had no leaks upon startup and running the first time around. Moral of teh story is don't trust the shitty timing chain/gear design even with low mileage. Thanks for all the help guys! Now to deal with all of the little nagging cosmetic issues over the winter......