Two unrelated questions

[fordnmerc]

1) Until WagonMan mentioned a plenum cap, in the thread about my 89 Crown Vic, I had never heard of them. I had to do some digging to find an image of a car that has one:



Following are images of my current car, then of the 90 GM that I had that I bought with 22k miles on it, then of the 91 GM as it looked just before I bought it with 85k miles on it. As you can see, none of them have the cap. My parents bought an 89 Crown Vic new and that did not have one, either, from day one. So, what's the story on those caps?







2) I came across this image of some sort of a decal on the underside of the trunk lid of a late 80s Vic. No diagram, so it is not tire changing instructions. What is it? Something for the cars sold in Canada? I'm thinking maybe text in English on one half of it and French on the other?

[Mainemantom]

Anyone have a part number for the plenum cap ? My 90 shop manual shows it but no part number.

[EaOutlaw1969]

Looks like they had them on many 5.0's but it seems to be hit or miss if they ever came with one or not on some vehicles.
I worked on these cars when they were new straight from Ford and it is something I never payed attention too or noticed that one had it and another didn't.

I do not know this for sure, My guess is the freeze plug in the upper intake acts like a back fire protection, perhaps there was a recall causing them to get removed? Maybe you will get lucky and find some information in the Ford TSB-recall archives.

Again I am just spewing my thoughts on this not fact, hopefully someone more knowledgeable will pipe in and save us. LOL It has been driving me nuts since seeing this post.

[WagonMan]

Just happened to have a customers 89 Crown Vic in today. Decal is a code for locking lug key. Both in American and French. The plenum cap I have for you doesn't have a part# on it.

[87gtVIC]

Those intake plenum casting hole plug covers seem to fall off after some time. It was just double sided foam taped in place. Even more difficult to find the Mustang version as it was the reverse. Often you find sellers on eBay advertising the plenum cap for a mustang when they actually have one for the reverse intake panther cars.

[fordnmerc]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I've seen a lot of Mustang engines and never seen a cap, either. Also T-Birds, Cougars, Explorers, etc. That pic upthread that I posted is literally the first cap that I have ever seen.

Thanks also, WagonMan, for solving the decal mystery.

[Tiggie]

My 88 has its plenum cap. My 90 was virgin under the hood and doesn’t have it. I could see them cutting it for cost savings. Anyone have a 90-91 with one?

[87gtVIC]

Thanks for the replies, guys. I've seen a lot of Mustang engines and never seen a cap, either. Also T-Birds, Cougars, Explorers, etc. That pic upthread that I posted is literally the first cap that I have ever seen.

Thanks also, WagonMan, for solving the decal mystery.

The explorers/mountaineers wore a different upper intake. The t-bord and cougars certainly had them though as I pulled them from those cars in the past too.

[packman]

I'll take a look at the lopo upper plenum when I get home. I remember there being rubber/foam bits stuck to the side of the plenum. I never gave it a thought as to what that was. I'll dig it out and get a pic if I remember.

[fordnmerc]

The explorers/mountaineers wore a different upper intake.

No wonder I didn't see any caps on those. LOL

I think the pic I posted with cap in place was an 88 Vic.

Both my present 89 Vic and the 89 Vic that my parents bought new were March, 89 builds, FWIW.

[knucklehead0202]

My 88 has its plenum cap. My 90 was virgin under the hood and doesn’t have it. I could see them cutting it for cost savings. Anyone have a 90-91 with one?

Neither of my '90s had them, although it's possible they were removed. Both cars were relatively low mileage and unmolested FWIW.