My '80 Lincoln Continental Mark VI Coupe "White Lightnin"

[79lincolnlover]

Think of it as a challenge. Don't let it beat you - BEAT IT!!! Bobby

Well said!

[LTDMan83]

Sorry guys, but EEC-VI SEFI has fucked me over and cost me a tow bill around 10 times since 2003, on quite a few different Ford vehicles, this is officially the last straw, and I'm 100% done with this stone age Fuel Injection System. After learning about alot of the modern EFI setups, like I have lately, you can see how crappy our old stock 86-91 setups really are.

Honestly, I'm over the perceived "cool factor" of EFI, and I just want a reliable car to cruise in, with a super clean, mostly wireless engine bay for the time that I do take it to shows. I honestly don't think I'll be going back to SEFI ever again on an old pushrod V8. No emissions testing here, so I'll have no problem getting away with it.

Also a heavy influence in my decision to go Carb is that I wont have to spend the extra $2-3 grand that it will take to buy all the SEFI 351w stuff, and pay for a tune and dyno runs, to get it to run right. When I'm ready, I can just drop my 351w in the car, top it off with my Carb/Intake of choice and be out cruising like I want to be. The endless tinkering and fixing shit gets old to me after awhile, I just want to cruise.

Sure she may be a little more Gnarlier and Dirtier running beast all Carb'd up, than what she would be with FI, but I'm not going for pure pimp luxury here, there's gonna be a bit of Hot Rod in this Lincoln.

not to sound mean , but i suspect the o ring coming loose had more to do with the assembly of the unit, they can be a real pita to get in there and seat right, but once they are they should be good to go.

I agree, it may have been an assembly error on my part, since everything is melted now, it will be hard to tell.

As you say you have other reasons to switch but maybe you wil give it another shot. It sucks that all that damage happened but after a "cooling off period" you may come to the conclusion that it will work. I have every confidence that with all the other work you did - if anyone can get it working you can! Think of it as a challenge. Don't let it beat you - BEAT IT!!! Bobby

Thanks for the words of encouragement, but I think I really am done with SEFI now. It definitely didn't beat me, I had it working perfectly in this car, as well as the last one. I'm just tired of all the BS that goes along with it, and all the extra complication that takes away from the reliability that it does have for the most part. All the aftermarket sensors are crap, and the motorcraft ones are expensive and the stock is getting old and slowly dying out. I guess you could say that as far as SEFI goes, I've blown my load, and now I'm over it.

im a carb guy but, im with bobby. you have come this far with your project, dont give up! and nice to hear of the progress. now, we need pics

Not giving up, just going in a different direction. I will have more pics, of the Body all back together and the new engine setup, coming soon. Not much to see in the engine bay now, but a charred EFI mess.

I went with a carb for the cleaner appearance, and the fact that my primary intent for the car was to race it, and just drive it on the street a little bit.

^ Very Nice. Love the cleanliness of that setup!

[miamibob]

Yes, "carbs" do have that simplier appeal. I am sure we all you wish you 0% grief and 100% fun!! I've gotten tired of tinkering with my cars also (must be old age) and just want to drive them, like most folks! Bobby

[packman]

Man, that f'n sucks!!! I hope you're able to ge that car back on the road again soon.


Packman

[sly]

if I ever really build an engine, it'll have EFI in the form of a FAST EZ-EFI. That self tuning stuff is uber nice. I've done carbs (granted, it was an E-qjet, so it was overly complicated for a carb), but not having to change nozzles when boosting stuff and/or rebuild the carb due to misc little crap failing (floats anyone?... primary springs?... etc) would be very nice. Plus, it mounts up on top like a carb and is pretty much all self contained. Bolt-on, plug in (a little wiring needed), set initial base tune, and go. It will tune itself shortly.

[LTDMan83]

Yes, "carbs" do have that simplier appeal. I am sure we all you wish you 0% grief and 100% fun!! I've gotten tired of tinkering with my cars also (must be old age) and just want to drive them, like most folks! Bobby

Thanks. Yes, much simpler setup = less shit to go wrong, which adds much more reliability. I'll never have to drop the gas tank to change a fuel pump out, or end up stuck in some ghetto parking lot at 4am because of a flaky TFI module again!

Man, that f'n sucks!!! I hope you're able to ge that car back on the road again soon.


Packman

Your tellin' me. I had over 30 hours of work in just the paintwork on the top end alone.






I'm open to suggestions right now as to what the spark distribution setup should be, if anyone here has any. I'm looking for something which will be as simple and clean as possible.

Right now I'm leaning toward a vacuum advance HEI unit w/ the 3-wire hookup like this one http://www.topstreetperformance.com/...502cl__424.php Already has the steel gear as well, which is what the roller block requires.

[LTDMan83]

Been busy lately working my ass off, but I finally made up my mind on what the best and most cost effective thing to do in this situation would be, all bias aside. After figuring up the total cost of the 4bbl Carb/MSD electronic ignition conversion, which would run right around $1200 for all the brand new stuff that I want shipped to my door, I have decided to just throw SEFI back onto this 302, and put that $1200 into my 351w build instead, where it will be much better served towards my future goals for the car. This is only a temporary setup here anyway, just so I can cruise around while I work on the car, and drive up to my buddy's shop occasionally so that I can use his full-size car lift the times that I need to.

I just happened to spot a damn near perfect looking '87 LTD Vic in the junkyard on thursday, which had an unmolested SEFI harness, and a few other engine parts that I now need after the fire, (melted my TV and Throttle Cables as well). So, I'm headed out today to get everything that I need off that forlorn beauty. Will probably start the long process of painting all the parts again next weekend, hopefully will have her up and running again by sometime in May, be cruising again by this summer, and start Bodywork on her by this fall. Hard to know what the exact timeline will be with such a hectic work schedule like I always have (I work 16 hour days for 5-6 days in a row sometimes), but this will be getting done asap. Tis only a matter of time and patience.

[79lincolnlover]

I work 16 hour days for 5-6 days in a row sometimes.

[LTDMan83]

Scored all the hard to find factory parts that I needed at the yard yesterday, they where indeed unmolested by the hands of junkyard mouth breathers. Also bought some new Ford 19lb 4-hole Pencil-type Injectors off of ebay, which should be here soon. Now starts the long, aggravating process of stripping everything back down, and re-painting again, for the 2nd time. Gonna make damn sure those Injector O-rings are fully seated, and keep a fire extenguiser close at hand, before I fire it up this time.

I get paid very well for my time, so I don't mind whatsoever. Also at the rate I am going with everything, I will be fully ready for retirement by 40, and not have to work anymore whatsoever if I don't want to. People always told me, what you put in at this point in life (20-35), pretty much determines what the rest of your life is gonna be like. I decided a long time ago that I don't wanna have to ever live paycheck to paycheck like alot of people here have to in their later years (40+). Unless you where born into money, Hard work and determination is the only thing that sets you free from that. I've came a long ways in the past 8 years of my life, and those 2 things I just mentioned are what got me to where I am today, fully independent and set for life.

[79lincolnlover]

There's nothing wrong with doing well for yourself but how's your health holding up? Those long hours must be brutal on the body.

[LTDMan83]

There's nothing wrong with doing well for yourself but how's your health holding up? Those long hours must be brutal on the body.

Very well, in good health as always, but I take care of myself, and don't drink alcohol or stuff my face with fast/junk food ever, which has alot to do with it I believe. My body is used to physical labor by now, so it never hurts or complains much. I would never want to be a pro mechanic though, having to be being bent over an open engine bay and under a hood, for hours on end, all week long, hurts my lower back quite abit, (lowered compacts are the worst for me to work on ) other than that I'm good.

[LTDMan83]

SEFI Conversion Complete

Oh yea... I'm back in the Box Life again. Completed the SEFI swap for the 2nd time. My baby nows runs/drives perfectly, and doesn't catch on fire! Which is always nice. Spent most of the day today cruising around ( 125mi total) with no problems whatsoever. Needs new tires now though, after the huge burnout session that I had in the back of the Wal-Mart parking lot. I had been fiendin' to drive a box again for quite awhile, I feel much better now. Now on with what your here for, the eye candy.




Still a few odds and ends to button up in here, (A/C, Cruise, CAI Box, etc...) and I haven't had the time to detail anything yet. I'm just happy to finally have her up and running. I did a few things different from stock, and placed things somewhat differently from the stock '87 setup, in here. For those of you who haven't been keeping up, this is a '91 5.0L H.O. motor from a Thunderbird, the previous owner of the motor installed a Mustang Cobra Camshaft which keeps the Torque down low, instead of higher up like the stock HO camshaft. I can really tell, as it doesn't have that sluggish feel below 2K until you get that kick in the pants at around 2500rpm like the stock HO cam has, just smooth power all the way up from idle to 4300rpm (no HO governor installed yet). Once again, all this stuff is painted Dark Ford Blue, my camera just picks it up as Light Blue.


























The ECM that I used. From an '88 Mustang Cali MAF Manual car.











Still things I'd like to do to this motor, but I'm tempted to leave it alone, as this '91 HO motor with it's Mass Air EFI setup, runs and idles smooth as glass, and the 351w that I'm building is coming along nicely. I'm happy with how everything turned out, but there is still more work to do on this baby! At least I can cruise now, while I work on it.

[miamibob]

I think you and Dave are my heros!! So much attention to detail and you can "feel the love" that has gone into the work. REALLY makes my heart feel good seeing so much put into these cars!!! Bobby

[sly]

only question I have is... "where's the washer tank?"

[packman]

Wow, that's pretty And that's not even your good engine.

Ford dark blue seems to work on these cars. After I painted the upper trailing arms Ford blue, I realized that it was way too bright for a conservative CV.



Packman