1994 Lincoln Town Car "Build Thread"

[AC75]

Here's some photos that might help you. It's a Crown Victoria, a 1994, but all the big things will look pretty much the same on your TC.

http://www.supermotors.net/registry/6098/29780-2

[killgore]

Guys I have a really stupid question. Older cars I have worked on you can unbolt a plate and get to the heater core from the firewall (from the engine bay). Could you cut a hole in the firewall (or whatever the heater core is sitting in) and remove it that way? Of course I would make a new bolt on plate that would recover the hole. Or is there something keeping me from doing that?

[IPreferDIY]

It wouldn't be a stupid question if it could actually be done. And there's nothing wrong with asking. But, alas, I don't see an easy way of doing it. If you managed to cut a suitable hole in the firewall, you'd still have to figure out how to get the heater core out of the plenum. It's been awhile since I did mine, but I'm figuring anything you could do would probably take as much effort as doing it properly and create unwanted issues as well.

[sly]

you'd have to cut a sizable hole in the firewall, THEN a sizable hole in the air plenum to get the heater core out. The possibility of really screwing something up doing that is rather high. If you know exactly where to cut, it can be done, but if not, you'll screw up all kinds of stuff like wires and vacuum lines.

[killgore]

Thanks guys for the information. My dad suggested it and I was just thinking "If it was really that easy, wouldn't more people do it like that". Now I have some reasoning behind my madness.

[killgore]

Hey guys real quick pre parts run question. I decided to just replace the spark plugs with motorcraft plugs. The question is the Motorcraft OE style or the Motorcraft "platinum". The only difference I see is that one says material "platinum" and the other says "copper", but both have platinum tip material. I'm also going to go looking for a matching wheel (one wheel is the standard looking wheel and it annoys me) and I'm also going to look for a headlamp that isn't broken.

[sly]

the coil on plug engines are supposed to like the plats while the coil pack style (wires to plugs) and 302s copper. either will work in any engine. The 302s, the plats are a waste. I'm running copper in my PI swapped 93 with coil on plug... so meh. cheap plugs work.

[killgore]

Well when attempting to remove the spark plugs, the whole center electrode came out, but not the threads. Well shit. The other 7 went swimmingly though.

[IPreferDIY]

Thankfully, I've never had to deal with such an issue for spark plugs. I've only had to deal with such an issue on machinery that didn't care about where metal chips went. I've seen spark plug hole thread repair kits, but I would consider any kind of drilling to be a last resort. The thought of introducing metal chips into the combustion chamber just makes me cringe. What you've described indicates that only the threads from the spark plug are left in the hole, so there is already a hole for something to grab onto. There are extractor tools for just such a scenario, and here's a random example: http://www.harborfreight.com/12-piec...set-40349.html. Since you already have a hole, you might not have to drill. Whenever I've used this style though they either didn't work or broke off. Maybe a style like this one would be better: http://www.newmantools.com/rennsteig...extractors.htm. At this point, I would suggest not rushing into anything. I'm sure someone else will have more insight into this problem.

[SVT98t]

Spray the piss out of it with PB Blaster then try using an easy-out drill bit.

-ryan s.

[killgore]

Well I took the money out of my performance budget and sent it to the mechanics to get it professionally out. I would rather not risk me screwing anything up and trying to find a new engine. Worse case scenario I guess I'll find another panther and I have a parts car. Usually I would do the work myself but I am too scared to get metal shavings down into the engine.

[killgore]

120 bucks later it is fixed. Well no harm no foul I suppose.

[killgore]

Hey guys a couple of things. I do the heater core this weekend (much luck is needed on that) because it is cold inside when it is cold outside. I also am doing the hubs and brakes this weekend so all fun stuff. Random question however: traction bars (the old school slapper style) in the snow? I am not planning on putting them on, but if anyone had any experience I am curious. My friend just got his Dad's 73 Nova (4 door, kinda slick) and wants my help to make it beat me XD.

[killgore]

So the new heater core is in. My dad and I knocked it out in about 5 hours. It was a pita but I have heat again and it will definately be nice.

[sly]

+1 PITA
+1 w00t!
+1
+1 huray for heat!