My 1987 Mercury Colony Park

[TecNickal]

I can’t wait for the race!

We should see if a pot of coffee can be brewed by the time you hit 60.

[sly]

The power side of the relay doesn't care about voltage. The switch side (coil) of the relay would care about voltage. Also, if the DRL module is supposed to drive the headlights post switch... you could tap the output into the post relay side of the harness if the relays are on the high side (positive side) of the lights. If I remember when I get home, I'll check my EVTMs to see if I have a wiring diagram of the DRL circuit to let you know if that will work.

[gadget73]

Roller cams don't need break-in. Just lube the cam journals and try to not bang the bearings in the block when you swap it. If you have a long bolt or an aux handle for a drill that will screw into the end of the cam, it helps a lot to get it in that last bit. I think its just 3/8-NC, nothing special. If there is any rust on the cam, polish it off before assembly.

[sly]

As long as it's wired into the harness post relays, it should work, but you'll have to use the high beams since the low beam is used to switch it off.

Also, the DRL module uses a pulsed 12V instead of 6V, so using it behind a relay is a bad idea.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Nick was kind enough to find me a late style P71 air box.



I need to go re-visit a '91 GMQ in the junkyard and wrestle the inner fender liner out. The '90 LTC air box just kinda worked on the original fender liner, but this air box isn't really agreeing with the funky angle and it looks bad. Air shock and horn relays will eventually find a new home too, since they look funny floating in dead space. Car seems a little happier without the funky restriction on the '90 air box where a MAF would go.

[87gtVIC]

You can find this town car relay holder and place your horn and air shock relays in there:



Bracket bolts right to the two rear mounts of the air box.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

So I noticed the headlight aim seemed off a few days ago. Tried adjusting the light, and was met with the lamp jumping around. One of the "headlight bearing pads" had broken off. They're just little nylon seats that the bucket rotates upon while adjusting the lamps.

Anyway, here's some useful stuff:

Ford P/N: E25Y-13B160-B







While some application guides claim these aren't correct, they fit fine and should work on all 1979-1987 Grand Marquis/LTD Crown Victoria and 1980-1984 Town Car. I'm not sure if the '85+ LTC used them, but an '83 LTC at my local yard had them. Seems something was updated on the '88+ GMQ/LTD nose where they just became an integral molding to the header panel, so these aren't used.

[gadget73]

Thats an 82 Continental part number. Master parts manual says thats the part for everything except the Escort from 1980-86. The Escort/Lynx uses some 1975 part number thing.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Thats an 82 Continental part number. Master parts manual says thats the part for everything except the Escort from 1980-86. The Escort/Lynx uses some 1975 part number thing.

Good deal. When I found these, they were explicitly listing them for 1990-2011 E-Series vans.

[gadget73]

The MPM I have is only for cars, but I'm not surprised it was used on trucks. It doesn't make sense to have a ton of different designs for a plastic doo-dad that a screw pushes on.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Got the headlight buckets back in, re-installed the lamps, and aimed everything. Painted the buckets while they were out. Also installed fresher turn signal lenses Nick gave me I just never bothered to install.




Also started the fender liner swap. Went ahead and got the old liner out.



I'm going to clean up the replacement before I install it. I also need to rig up a front bracket to hold the washer fluid tank. I'd been mounting it using just the rear one, and that broke away from the tank, so that's been JB Welded back together and is curing. I also need to pickup some replacement fender liner clips since I just ripped the heads off of the ones in there. Based on their appearance, it didn't look like non-destructive removal was possible.

[87gtVIC]

Guessing the other adjuster bits were a okay? I wont even try adjusting mine lol.


Yay for proper inner fender. Will be much much nicer and modern.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Guessing the other adjuster bits were a okay? I wont even try adjusting mine lol.


Yay for proper inner fender. Will be much much nicer and modern.

Aimer screws work fine. Usually I’ll hit them with a little light oil so they turn with general ease. I’ve not dealt with crumbling bucket pads, but there’s a first for everything. I will assure you that properly adjusted lights are awesome, but it can quickly become a PITA if stuff is stuck or strips.

[gadget73]

Aiming the lights makes a whole lot of difference in what you can see. I've become a big fan of my Hoppy aimer.

[Kodachrome Wolf]

Nothing very fun to report. Only thing I've done was remove the door lock actuator from the driver's door and managed to get a zip tie on the very top of the door handle rod. No more rod popping off at inconvenient times!

Also I've been driving it for a few days. Found out today the gauge gauge is off by an 1/8th, so 1/8th of a tank means empty! I was heading to dinner with a friend behind me when I started climbing a hill and felt some stumbling and noticed it wasn't wanting to go. Called him mid-climb and told him I need to beeline to the gas station at the upcoming light. Pulled into the turn lane, light went green, I started and it popped and knocked a few times and shut off. Hit the hazards, popped into neutral while barely rolling, and my friend gave me a love tap with his Tacoma's brush guard on the rear bumper (no damages to anyone) which gave it enough momentum to start coasting down a short hill and I rolled it right up to a pump.

It took on roughly 17.5 gallons. Fired up fine after that. Don't plan on repeating that anytime soon!