2002 Grand Marquis LSE!

[mercurygm88]

I replaced the check valve on the firewall tonight with a Motorcraft replacement, part # YG-353 and that didn't change anything. Looks like it's the EATC o-rings. I found out a guy I work with has already re done the o-rings in his '03 so here in a week or two he's going to help me do mine, hopefully that solves the problem.

[mercurygm88]

I don't know how I missed this. That's what the AG's office told me when I had to deal with an ID theft case in north Jersey. Basically told me "good luck with that". That was 21 years ago; perhaps things are different now.

Sounds like the AG is in the mobs pocket. That's another problem we have in this country, the Feds need to stop protecting mobsters as informants and put them in prison.

[packman]

They listen in a hurry here, or else people lose their jobs. I've been through it before. I bet they'd listen up there too after the AG threatened to put a boot in someones ass, which is exactly how it works down here. Why can't the damn cops just follow the law? That would make life easier on everyone.

I don't know how I missed this. That's what the AG's office told me when I had to deal with an ID theft case in north Jersey. Basically told me "good luck with that". That was 21 years ago; perhaps things are different now.

[tbear853]

might make a good weekend project provided no soldering is involved.

I don't see any soldering.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PtfucNa6R_o

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBSXmrt6s1I

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-43OlvWP0x8

I see my '01 is gonna be a little more involved if/when needed but still very easy. I been soldering stuff since just a tyke in the '50s following Dad on service calls ... even still use his old Weller.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytltmpjBaCw&t=8s

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5IsDs-N1mvE

[VicCrownVic]

'02+ is really easy to do o-rings on. '01-down has the metal frame of the actuator assembly in the way which requires breaking 4 spot welds. You can leave the spot welds broken if you don't have tools to re-weld them or JB Weld might work.
There is some discussion on this topic in sick88tbird's thread: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...cement-finally on this topic including a link to the '02+ vacuum actuator retrofit for pre-'02 cars ('96?-'01) http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...l=1#post839773.

[mercurygm88]

I looked at you tube, those O-rings look pretty dang easy, I ordered a few just to have on hand in case they are ever needed for my '01. Looks like I'll get about 100 for $6.

It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a write up or video on it. For some reason I was thinking it was a royal pain that involved desoldering and re-soldering certain components to get to all the o-rings.

I’ll have to look into it again, might make a good weekend project provided no soldering is involved.

Edit: I did some more research, turns out there is still a check valve under the hood near the firewall in 2002. I’m going to check that first.

[tbear853]

... etc ... an '02 with EATC? If that's even the issue, I'm really hoping it's not the o-rings in the control head as I'm not sure that's a job I'm up for. If that is the case it may just be easier for me to spend the money on a known good control head.

I looked at you tube, those O-rings look pretty dang easy, I ordered a few just to have on hand in case they are ever needed for my '01. Looks like I'll get about 100 for $6.

[mercurygm88]

So I have some kind of HVAC vacuum leak. This has been going on for about six month but it's getting worse. Symptons are just like those in a box when the check valve under the hood fails. On acceleration all of my air goes to the defrost vents, stop accelerating or decelerate and it comes back to the dash vents. Sitting still everything works as it's supposed too. I thought I read somewhere that '98+ had an electric motor to move the defrost door but obviously that's not the case. Anyone know where the check valve is located on an '02 with EATC? If that's even the issue, I'm really hoping it's not the o-rings in the control head as I'm not sure that's a job I'm up for. If that is the case it may just be easier for me to spend the money on a known good control head.

[mercurygm88]

I doubt that I'll dick with replacing them in all honesty I use the autolamp and the lights come on with the wipers so it's not like I ever actually touch that switch. Same with the panel dim you set it once and it's good until you disconnect the battery.

[VicCrownVic]

I was able to verify that, as KW said, those lights are on ALL the time. Why the crap would they do that? No wonder they are burnt out by the time the vehicle gets to at least the second owner, and mine was just over 63k miles when I got it earlier this year.

[mercurygm88]

No foolin':


Most of mine are alive in my '97, save for maybe the bottom most one for 'PUSH INTERIOR'. The issue is the lights are incandescent, and always on with the key on, so they burn out quite early compared to the rest of the interior. There's about five or six of them on the back of the switch, and are 'grain-of-rice' style bulbs. Two are on long extensions, so finding replacements may be difficult. The bulbs usually have a teal/green color filter on them, however I found they made the lighting very dim for the rotary knob positions, so I removed them. I left the ones around the dimmer alone since they're plenty bright. The Autolamp indicator is an LED and turns on whenever the lights are active in that position.

Interesting, I may have to get in there sometime and take a look. I wonder if maybe this went away sometime between 1998-2002 given that I also don't have the little red LED.

[VicCrownVic]

I figured if anyone would have the answer you would be one of those people with how many of these dashes you've had apart.
Now I know I have some little bulbs to replace.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

...I’m guessing he modified the panel and was trying to fool people.

No foolin':


Most of mine are alive in my '97, save for maybe the bottom most one for 'PUSH INTERIOR'. The issue is the lights are incandescent, and always on with the key on, so they burn out quite early compared to the rest of the interior. There's about five or six of them on the back of the switch, and are 'grain-of-rice' style bulbs. Two are on long extensions, so finding replacements may be difficult. The bulbs usually have a teal/green color filter on them, however I found they made the lighting very dim for the rotary knob positions, so I removed them. I left the ones around the dimmer alone since they're plenty bright. The Autolamp indicator is an LED and turns on whenever the lights are active in that position.

[VicCrownVic]

I took a look at my '98 in the dark and it appears that there is a light in the switch. It lights up the "PUSH INTERIOR" and the headlight symbol on the upper right. I think the same bulb illuminates the red "lights on" indicator, and I can see the glow of the light around the round knob and around the "PANEL DIM" switch. The night picture does not really pick up the glow around the switches (which I believe is not intentional, but it can be seen at certain angles).
The headlight symbol is almost impossible to see in the picture (straight to the right from the red light, and down about 1 red light diameter, about the same distance from the right of the pic as the red light is from the left of the pic), but in person it's a little easier to see although not well lit. This makes me wonder if more of the switch is supposed to light up? Like the little rectangles, the markings on the knob itself, Off, Parking lamps, possibly the dim panel, and dim panel arrows? Now I need to take it apart and see if I can tell if more of it is supposed to be letting light through.

Night shot:


Day shot:

[mercurygm88]

Maybe they are glow in the dark and he "charged" them up good before the pictures he took?

No idea as I am not familiar with the car but wished you would have shared the picture you are talking about.

I wish I had the pic or could get it but I'm not longer a member of that group. He definitely had a bulb back there as he had photos of it but I also believe he did extensive modifications to get it that way and was trying to troll people. If I wasn't for all intents and purposes crippled at the moment I'd go pull it out of the dash and see.