My 88 mgm

[Elias]

I’ve been here for a while but I figured I’ll make a tread for my 88 mercury marquis (no name as of yet but need a name though) and its progress. Kind of tired of stating a new one for every thing i do to it so ima put everything here. I’ve been having it for almost 14 years i got lots of plans for it heres whats done so far to it.

Autodiming rearview mirror with compass and garage
New windshield replaced
Ceramic tint (because Texas heat)
Wagon engine bay brace
Smog pump delete
3g swapped
2 core radiator (because texas heat)
Lincoln radiator shroud
All interior and exterior lights have been replaced with leds (ill take pics later)
91 inner fender with the relay relocation mod
newer marauder airbox and vic Tube
Ho upper intake and ho tb

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?54415-Ho-upper-egr-and-tb

Big brake swapped

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?53610-88-Marquis-big-brake-and-suspension-upgrade-advice

Bbk shorty bbk hpipe and magnaflows

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?55720-Header-opinions-option

Currently working on the rearend still but im waiting on chris from adtr to finish those rear control arms I convince him to work on here a sneak peek of how the uppers look i sent him the lower a week ago im guessing another month more.

http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthread.php?54956-Rear-disc-conversion-question

Aluminum drive shaft but not installed yet waiting on rear end
Poweder coated rear 1” bar and rear calipers
Currently it has hpp 235/60/16 on it but i have some 18” saleen sc wheels like brent’s that will be going on it after rearend is done
Ill take more pictures of it tomorrow these are a few months back
But i have a question if I install a explorer intake with the lighting egr and throttle body will it run okay or will be to much air flow for it.

[Hearsesrock427]

Man I love that color, only seen a single '88-'91 around here in that slate grey. Loaded LS with cloth seats, looks at right at home next to your Marauder. May your '88 Grand Marquis serve you well moving forward!

ADTR makes rear control arms for boxes? Shit dude, that could be the start of another wave of suspension upgrades. Ideally we get some front upper and lowers that are big brake compatible and also are an improvement over Ford's design at some point in the future. Thanks for taking the first steps!

[87gtVIC]

I am happy seeing you make this thread. You do a lot of work but it is scattered all over the place.


Your not full HO yet correct?

I think you will be fine to install the larger intake (upper and lower as the ports between stock and explorer are different and requires both to be changed on order to run one or the other) and the egr spacer and throttle body as long as you have the stock heads still. If you were running on speed density LOPO power computer I think you would have an issue. You may be okay otherwise.

[Elias]

Yeah compared to your tread on brown blob it is scattered but I usually just fix the things that annoy me or that i want improved. My plan was to do rear suspension then front suspension then exhaust and last engine and paint but plans had to change when my front suspension ball joints started failing and exhaust was starting to fall apart as of right now. As off right now Im just keep original engine going until it fails with small improvement. So ima working around the engine. Once it fails i will probably be getting a 327 347 or 351 built. Not sure on engine yet

[Elias]

Here’s a engine pic from yesterday had to replace spark plugs wire and distributer cap and rotor i was having a bad misfire on number 8. Feel way better and lighter now I can really fell a difference since the exhaust was done even did a one wheel peel out on take off no braking just straight gas 😂. I used ford racing wires msd cap and motorcraft rotor. Today ima replaces the coil since i cant even remember if i ever replaced it before and I suspect is it a bit worn out.
Also i was checking for codes because the idiot light is on and all of these came up. Got to do some research and see what all of them are. Old car old problems.
23
10
94
44
34
13
74

[Elias]

Heres a few pics at night with all the leds. They look brighter in person

[packman]

Yeah compared to your tread on brown blob it is scattered but I usually just fix the things that annoy me or that i want improved. My plan was to do rear suspension then front suspension then exhaust and last engine and paint but plans had to change when my front suspension ball joints started failing and exhaust was starting to fall apart as of right now. As off right now Im just keep original engine going until it fails with small improvement. So ima working around the engine. Once it fails i will probably be getting a 327 347 or 351 built. Not sure on engine yet

That is a beautiful MGM!!! And your plan is logical. I did the opposite on my old Malibu and regretted it afterwards.

[Elias]

That is a beautiful MGM!!! And your plan is logical. I did the opposite on my old Malibu and regretted it afterwards.

Yeah thanks man I know its not perfect but I like this thing. When I first bought it I fell in love with the color and interior seats. It was perfect when I bought it. But one day after work i was at a stop light and someone hit me in the back and they fled the seen the police did catch them but they never fixed it. I was going to Autobody classes at the time so i got to repair most of the damage but i never finished it.
Interior pic

[slack]

How do you like the interior LED lights? I had to revert my car back to standard bulbs because I felt like they were too bright when driving at night.

Also, any issues with cops and the exterior LEDs? Those things look crazy bright in the pics.

[Elias]

Yes there very bright compared to the regular bulbs but I wouldn’t go back to them regular incandescent bulbs. Best thing iv done is do the led swap. I live in Texas and night driveing can be bad sometimes and i have never been pulled over for my lights I rather people see me than not. The only exterior lights that stay on are the blue light between the front and rear door. But i got to tell you switching lanes is way easier to me with my 5k lower fender corner lights people pay more attention. Currently my headlights are the hella e code light which i like compared to the original sealed ones but I think its time to upgrade them. Im looking at getting those jw speaker headlights. Does anyone have experience with these

https://www.jwspeaker.com/products/heated-4x6-led-headlights-model-8800-evolution-2/

[sly]

I think those were the ones HRG was recommending, but they are pricey. You get what you pay for though. Those are supposed to be really good.

[Elias]

Is there any tread on them or pictures of them installed or light pattern does anyone know

[sly]

thread I was thinking about: http://www.grandmarq.net/vb/showthre...ght-conversion

pics? no. Light pattern? check the maker's website... they usually have some pics of that.

[gadget73]

Also i was checking for codes because the idiot light is on and all of these came up. Got to do some research and see what all of them are. Old car old problems.
23
10
94
44
34
13
74

I'm guessing this is engine not running?
23 - closed throttle TPS higher or lower than expected
10 - spacer code, this appears between key on, engine off codes and stored codes
94, 44 - smog pump inop
34 - EGR position sensor above closed limit
13 - cannot control RPM during low-rpm self test (this is only an engine running code)
74 - brake on/off switch not activated during self test / user error (also engine running code)

Of that, only the TPS one will make the CEL come on. Fix that, clear the codes, see what comes back. Fair chance the idle code will go away. If the TPS is out of range because the throttle plate is jacked open, that will explain the idle problem as well as the TPS code.
34 can be a nugget of crap under te EGR valve that hangs it open, can also be a bad sensor. If its only a CH out of range and the valve is shut, you can pull the sensor and file the end of it a little to get it back in range.
74 - stomp the brake pedal after you start the test and the idle kicks up.

http://www.grandmarq.net/oldfuelinjection/page14.html

As for the lights, I'm a conventional sealed beam guy, but a huge convert to the school of proper headlight alignment and relay harnesses.

[Elias]

I'm guessing this is engine not running?
23 - closed throttle TPS higher or lower than expected
10 - spacer code, this appears between key on, engine off codes and stored codes
94, 44 - smog pump inop
34 - EGR position sensor above closed limit
13 - cannot control RPM during low-rpm self test (this is only an engine running code)
74 - brake on/off switch not activated during self test / user error (also engine running code)

Of that, only the TPS one will make the CEL come on. Fix that, clear the codes, see what comes back. Fair chance the idle code will go away. If the TPS is out of range because the throttle plate is jacked open, that will explain the idle problem as well as the TPS code.
34 can be a nugget of crap under te EGR valve that hangs it open, can also be a bad sensor. If its only a CH out of range and the valve is shut, you can pull the sensor and file the end of it a little to get it back in range.
74 - stomp the brake pedal after you start the test and the idle kicks up.

http://www.grandmarq.net/oldfuelinjection/page14.html

As for the lights, I'm a conventional sealed beam guy, but a huge convert to the school of proper headlight alignment and relay harnesses.

Wow thanks gadget for all the info I’ve been trying to fix that dam cel for a while now even took it to a local mustang shop and they couldn’t figure it out. Ima buy a new one today or tomorrow I hope thats it. Is there a way to test if the tps is bad I want to make sure it’s that. Or is there a way to adjust it