The 97 CV "Tank of Justice III" (TOJ3)

[gadget73]

if you find a place to install struts, let me know. I'm curious how that comes out.

screw bad ball joints though. I've seen multiple neglected panthers with blown lowers on the side of the road. Looks funny, but I imagine it sucks ass if you're driving the car when it happens.

[SVT98t]

Struts. Shocks. Whatever.

MFS is in. Problem solved.
Reverse lights are intermittent. Gonna adjust the lever arm.
Going to fix the right parking brake either tonight or tomorrow.
Then we're looking good.


-ryan s.

Sent from my SM-J727P using Tapatalk

[SVT98t]

Parking brake is fixed. Officially. The lever arm where the cable is connected was seized. All good.
Started adding my LED trunk light while I was waiting on the PB Blaster to do it's thing.
Next is to flip the car around and adjust that MLPS, and probably get it legalized over the weekend.


-ryan s.

[gadget73]

[SVT98t]

Tank is legal!
I adjusted the MLPS and the reverse lights work.
So, I was taking it for a test drive Friday evening, and about 30 miles in, the speedometer and all the gauges suddenly stop working.
Crap.
I noticed that when I would use the shifter, something didn't feel right. Got home, pulled in back into the garage to have a look. I found that the wires coming from the OD button were chafed through. But they're very small wires (24ga, maybe), and I wasn't quite sure that it was actually grounding out.
There's only one way to find out.
I put another 15A fuse in, started the car, and then pressed that wire to the steering column.
I didn't know that many sparks could come from a wire that small.
Suffice to say, that was the problem, and after some soldering, everything works again.
It did develop an exhaust manifold leak on the driver's side. Boo.

Inspection story:
So it passed, yes, however, the check engine light came on. The service guy said, "Oh by the way, your check engine light came on"
"But didn't it pass inspection?"
"Yes. It still did. The light came on just after we ran it and unplugged it. So it still passed"
"FnA Cotton!"

So, I have that going for me now. Which is pretty rad.


-ryan s.

[mitymerc]

Yay!

[87gtVIC]

Know why the light came on this time?

[SVT98t]

Fuel system too lean Bank #2.

Yup.
I forgot how fast it feels, traveling low to the ground and hearing all the road noise! zoom zoom!

-ryan s.

[SVT98t]

Right rear went flat yesterday.
I walked out to the Tank to go to class. I saw the right rear was a little low. I thought" F it, I can make it to campus and back before I have to put air in it".
Wrong.
I drove to the shopette on base. It's about a half mile. I get back out to the car, back out of the parking spot and hear/feel the "whoomp-whoomp-whoomp" of the tire totally flat.
F.
Dammit. I'm gonna be late for class.
I get the jack out; doesn't work.
I get the lug wrench out; 21mm. All my wheels are 21mm except for the RIGHT REAR TIRE.
B.
I'm the only one working in my shop that day.

I had to walk the half mile back to my shop, load up the jack, and tools. Drive off the flightline, over to my car. Change the tire and put the stupid donut on. Put the tools back in the truck. Drive back to the shop. Put everything away. Walk the half mile back to the Tank.
Yeah.
I put 90 miles on a donut that was made in the 33rd week of 1996.

Suffice to say, the HPPs are back on it now.

-ryan s.

[gadget73]

where does one get metric lug nuts? All of my OE Ford ones are 13/16. Non-OE are 3/4, stupid GM size crap. Its 1/2-20 lug studs.

[Tiggie]

Well that sure sounds like a Monday. Hopefully it goes up from there.

[BigMerc96]

where does one get metric lug nuts? All of my OE Ford ones are 13/16. Non-OE are 3/4, stupid GM size crap. Its 1/2-20 lug studs.

13/16" and 21mm are one of those coincidence sizes where they are very close to being the same thing. Just like 3/4 and 19mm are so very close to being the same. Or 8mm and 5/16".

1/2-20 thread with a 3/4" hex is far more common than 1/2-20 with a 13/16" hex. GM and Chrysler both used the 3/4" hex, Ford seems to be the only one who uses the 13/16". I ran into that when trying to find replacement lugs for my HPPs, I wanted a 13/16" hex so that the factory lug wrench would fit, but there are so few sets made in that size.

[gadget73]

which is why my breaker bar with a 3/4 socket has been riding around in the trunk of the Mark VII for years now. The Towncar didn't come with a factory lug wrench, I have one of those 4 way universal things to fit the 3/4 hex. The Continental had 4 odd size lugs replacing the locks. That would have sucked if I'd needed to change a tire, 4 that the lug wrench fits, one that it doesn't. That wrong size one is what the computer lists as correct, but with the correct one as an alternate.

[SVT98t]

I put a newer MAF on since it's been chugging fuel. Problem and code seemed to have gone away.
First full tank went 320 miles at 17.67 mpg. That's terrible considering it went between 24-25 mpg the first two tanks last year.
Second tank, I was a bit more careful with my driving and yielded 366 miles at 20.04 mpg. A bit better, but it should have been much higher.
Unfortunately, I changed the MAF halfway through the tank of gas, so it should be better, but next tank will have the definitive answer.
Also, I enjoy paying $44 to fill up my car.


-ryan s.

[SVT98t]

Alignment is terrible on this car. I thought it was alright since it was still driving straight.
WRONG
I just smoked a set of winter tires in 1400 miles. That's why my mileage is shit. This car is toed in and plowing down the road.
New upper and lower ball joints arrive Tuesday. I'll have them done by Thursday so I can be aligned. Then the HPPs go on. And get better than 17.67 mpg.
Guys at Goodyear said they were getting shitty, and that if they did an alignment, it would be close, but not the best. So, they're 21 years old. Might as well do it, there's no hurt from changing them.
F.


-ryan s.