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That's what I'm thinking. Got the tires balanced.........and an earful of the stuff that needs to be done with the car. All of which I was planning to do when the weather breaks.
So a few weeks ago I started dropping the hammer and getting tune-up stuff for the Merc. Got diamond slotted front and rear rotors along with metallic pads from SP Performance. Got FoMoCo coil packs and Bosch plugs. Also ordered front and rear sway bars from ADTR. The rotors and the front sway bar were an issue when I had the tires balanced. Front rotors cleared the measurements, but the rear rotors are worn badly. The front sway rocks back and forth in the bushing. They will all get changed out when I get the CV running reliably; just in case I run into trouble.
This past weekend I painted the rear axle tubes where the rear sway bar bushings mount and the frame where the rear bar links mount. A lot of rust for a low-mileage car.
Rear sway bar installed this morning. Not too difficult; just 1 bushing didn't want to line up with the bolt hole on the axle tube. Used a drift pin to pull that sucker over; done deal. Car over-steers a little, I will get used to it until I install the front sway bar. Probably paint that portion of the frame like I did in the back.
And since I didn't get the CV running this year, I am keeping the winter tires on the MGM for the winter. Which changes the planning I had for both cars. Had I got the CV running, I woulda put the P71 wheel/Blizzak combo back onto the CV and installed winter tires on the stock MGM wheels. Then during the Spring, I would have gotten something for the summer (18" Saleen wheels).
Now, I might wait on that and install a full exhaust during the summer. I think I can get some MPG with a full exhaust. Just need to go to the junkyard and find a P71 with an intact dual exhaust to model my new pipes after. Then use decent muffs (20" Dynomax Turbo) to quiet it down. I also have some gaudy resonated exhaust tips from the '90s that I will use to further quiet it down; and cutouts since I have those late nights and need something to keep me awake on the highway. This all hinges on whether I get the CV running at all; seems to be always something that keeps me from getting some time with that car these days :-/
Finally got around to installing my front rotors and pads yesterday; the only day that was nice enough to do such work. The rotors that I removed were in decent shape and probably could be resurfaced and put back into service. For now, I am going with my SP Performance diamond slotted rotors. Unfortunately, I could only get the front rotors done as they come apart easily. The rear rotors, not so much. It looks like they have not been touched since 2005. The rotors were seized to the rear axle. I tried a small ball peen hammer with no success. Being afraid to go larger, I left them alone for now. I think I will get my balancer puller and yank those rotors off with that; rather than rapping on the rear axle.
This was meant for the '86 Crown Vic, but since I'm not likely gonna get that car running before the winter sets in, I decided to install it on my car. Much quieter than my home-made CAI for the CV. I can only hear it when I'm at mid-throttle on the highway; then it sounds like a 4bbl opening the secondaries. Don't see any difference in mpg, but I probably need to open the exhaust to see its potential.
I’ve always been looking for one of those on the cheap for my Vic. Never found one yet. I doubt it will gain me anything over my pi air box so I am in no rush.
The 4" plumbing elbow, 4" PVC pipe, and K&N cone filter I had on the CV whistled loud. May have mentioned it in the other Readers Ride thread. I think there may have been sharp corners inside that I didn't think about; might be why it whistled like a centrifugal SC. Perhaps it's smooth inside the K&N kit. In any event, I don't think I will see much benefit until I get that exhaust done; one way or another. Only reason I installed this was because it was in my Dad's way in the basement. LOL
I think in your case, I would find out what the CFMs are for the PI zip box vs the K&N kit (assuming they're honest). I imagine your car would be more sensitive to increases in CFM.
The next time I go to the junkyard for CV parts, I will see if they have any CV or MGM (03+) with a dual exhaust. If they still don't have any at the yard, I will cut the single exhaust off of one of those cars and use it to build a 3" single exhaust for this MGM. I did this with the Malibu back in the day, and that car definitely benefitted from a larger single exhaust (over the stock 1-7/8" pipe size). Unfortunately, I have to wait on the headers as I will need to get the CV on the road in order to do this. I also need to get some tires, maybe wheels too as the stock tires that came with the car are dry-rotting.
Well, the last time I was at the junkyard, I couldn't find any '03 - '11 Panthers with a dual exhaust. And I have 2 mufflers from the '86 CV that I can't use; so by default, I will be doing the dual conversion to my '05 using those mufflers; despite them having the incorrect style (offset/offset vs center/offset for the '05). I'll just have to make them work. As such, to remove the rest of the clutter from the basement, I will get some 2.5" piping and adapters for the exhaust pattern; also bought a driver side tailpipe from Rockauto for that tailpipe template; I will cut off the passenger side tailpipe and use that for the other template when the time comes. I will also use the glasspacks as resonators (which I also got for the '86). And since the car is already heavy, I will install the 4" exhaust tips that I got 22 years ago for the Malibu when big tips were all the rage. LOL
I like big tips. Just needs to be done tastefully. I have a set of large magnaflow big tips but since the last bit of my exhaust is angled down to clear the bumper the big tips would not be exiting in a fashion I would be proud of displaying. They wait their day once a custom exhaust is built for it.
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