kishy's 1991 Grand Marquis

[kishy]

This in addition to the two remanufactured units I tried being duds is why I went to a treasure yard to source a donor. If only I had done that right from the start, I'd have been much further ahead time and effort wise. I imagine the supply of used CII pumps is drying out though.

Duds, in that they didn't work, or that they were still noisy? I feel like we discussed this ages ago and you were having issues finding quiet ones. I don't really know what aspect of them makes them noisy, but I feel like something along the lines of a kinked line or flow restriction might do it.

If they didn't work at all, having now had this apart, I feel like a quick disassembly could reveal the problem. It's so simple inside, and only a few parts can go backwards, unless things were completely omitted when assembling it, I don't see how it couldn't be fixed. If you have one kicking around somewhere I'm down to pull it apart with you (or for you) and try to diagnose it.

Thanks for sharing

Sorry if I missed this mentioned in one of your other threads but what do you use a cleaner inside your parts washer?

Fairly certain it's this: https://www.princessauto.com/file/ge...2099_12_31.pdf
So your standard solvent aka mineral spirits, white spirits, petroleum distillates, varsol, paint thinner, etc.

The parts washer manual specified only using "water based cleaning agents" but I wanted it to actually work to justify even using it at all. I make a point of wearing gloves and keeping my face out of the splash zone when using it. With an old toothbrush, it works pretty well, but it's quite small which limits the jobs it can do.

[kishy]

Work for the night:
Picked up the warranty-replacement starter. Not too bad - purchased in 2013, warrantied in 2024. They were surprised, but replaced it without any pushback.



While cleaning up the area to install the starter, I noticed that the oil pan looks to be on the edge of failure due to rust beside the starter. Just one more thing that was on the list in my head that I didn't get to. On the bright side, I did buy it an oil pan, which I still have, so there's that...but the oil pan isn't exactly a quick easy job, so there's that too I guess.





Anyway, I put the starter in, connected up my nice fresh cables, and soaked them in the red battery terminal spray stuff. While I was hanging out under there, I decided that the front right brake line was too ugly (my own work, 2016ish) and I got out the brake line stuff to make up a new line. That's done now, and it's nickel-copper like the front left so this will be the last time I have to touch it.

















Bled the front brakes enough to fully flush out old fluid. Just DOT3 for now. If this car will see any spicy driving - such as the Deals Gap road trip - it will get the fancy DOT4.

Unfinished business: complete the air injection pump removal by plugging the line to the cats and putting on the belt now required for AC (not that the AC presently holds its refrigerant).
I always suspected this had restricted cats so there's something to be done there too, I guess.

Next up is reassembling the front accessory stuff, then probably enough test driving to identify the outstanding leaks.

[DerekTheGreat]

^^^Yeah, it seems to work really well. Then again, his fluid looks really clean. I need a parts washer, but every one I've used in the past looked like it was circulating Pepsi.

[DerekTheGreat]

Duds, in that they didn't work, or that they were still noisy? I feel like we discussed this ages ago and you were having issues finding quiet ones. I don't really know what aspect of them makes them noisy, but I feel like something along the lines of a kinked line or flow restriction might do it.

If they didn't work at all, having now had this apart, I feel like a quick disassembly could reveal the problem. It's so simple inside, and only a few parts can go backwards, unless things were completely omitted when assembling it, I don't see how it couldn't be fixed. If you have one kicking around somewhere I'm down to pull it apart with you (or for you) and try to diagnose it...

They worked great with no leaks, just had that "RAARRRGGHHH" perpetually dying cat sound they are prone to. I have no idea either. The old guys I've talked to usually have the same chants, "Someone let it run dry." and, "..the CII pump is very unforgiving in that aspect."

That could be fun, but I think I had to send them all back for the Rock Auto refund dealio. Then much to my surprise, a 300k+ mile unit from a junked Ford Taurus worked flawlessly and without noise. So that became my go-to solution: Find one from a passenger car which appears to have no leaks and old, dark fluid in it.

This spring I have good intentions about putting the shelves I bought two or three years ago together and organizing the garage. Its worth noting I said the same thing two or three years ago when I bought those shelves. So who knows, I might find a CII pump amidst all my junk after all.

[gadget73]

I suspect the buzzing noise may be excessive slop around the pressure regulator piston. Maybe wear in the bore it sits in. Not sure what could be done about that though.

[kishy]

Efforts for today:
Mounted the power steering pump to its bracket.
Installed the pulley on the pump.
Mounted the bracket with pump and pulley on the engine, in doing so, found a conflict with the oil pressure sender orientation. Flipped that around, then bolted the bracket on.
Connected the lines. Installed the alternator with the belt.
Put away most of the tools to reduce the chaos level.
Hooked the battery up and verified the engine cranks eagerly and consistently (re: starter and cable replacement).

Still need to plug the air injection tube.









Not entirely sure I'm happy with how the new cables hang, might tweak them a little bit:

[DerekTheGreat]

Did Ford revise the oil pressure switch? I want to say when I change the oil on my '88, the sending unit threads into the block. I don't recall a tube thing that the sender threads into..

[WagonMan]

The sending unit Kevin is using is for a gauge. The sending unit won't fit in the stock spot. The sending unit for a light is much smaller. WagonMan

[DerekTheGreat]

That's what I suspected, but these weren't available with a gauge, or so I thought? (Unless police package..)

[VicCrownVic]

That's what I suspected, but these weren't available with a gauge, or so I thought? (Unless police package..)

'91 (I suppose '90+) has a "gauge" which really is not a gauge. It has the word normal across it, no actual PSI readings because it is controlled by the same pressure switch as the earlier idiot lights. As long as you are above the minimum pressure for the switch to trip the idiot light the "gauge" needle will be in the middle of the "normal" range. This could mean you have 7 PSI or something more healthy, but the needle will be in the same spot regardless since it really is not a gauge but a more fancy idiot light.

The electric sending unit kishy has there would be for an actual (aftermarket) gauge. As WagonMan pointed out, there is not enough room for it to fit in place of the smaller stock pressure switch (although the treaded part is the same) since the housing on it is so big. The extension tube, if I'm not mistaken, could be found on certain F-series OBS trucks.

[kishy]

Did Ford revise the oil pressure switch? I want to say when I change the oil on my '88, the sending unit threads into the block. I don't recall a tube thing that the sender threads into..

The sending unit Kevin is using is for a gauge. The sending unit won't fit in the stock spot. The sending unit for a light is much smaller. WagonMan

That's what I suspected, but these weren't available with a gauge, or so I thought? (Unless police package..)

You are both correct.
The switch used for the warning light threads directly into the block.
The sending unit used for a gauge - either factory, or aftermarket as mine is - is too large to fit in that spot and requires the extension tube.
The extension tube you see in the most recent photos is a Ford factory-original part.

If there were a little more room I may have opted to use a tee and use both the gauge sender and the light switch, but space is tight behind the steering pump.

I don't have a photo handy of my gauge but when I move on to interior clean-up I'll take one.

edit: ninja'd by Vic.
Vic, you're correct except that there is no factory oil pressure gauge (fake or otherwise) in the [90-91 Ford],[90-94 Mercury/Lincoln] analog cluster. The gauge you may be thinking of is temperature, but it is an actual functional gauge. No numbers, but it fluctuates proportionate to engine temp.
Also, the factory oil pressure gauge sender (on applications where it exists) is nearly identical to this aftermarket one.

[VicCrownVic]

Yes, Temperature gauge is what I was thinking of. Having a '98-'02 cluster in one '91 for so long and not driving the other '91 much I guess I'm slipping, LOL.

[DerekTheGreat]

^^^That's just old age creepin' in, Vic.

[sly]

Old Fart Syndrome having it's affects.

[gadget73]

90s F series had fake oil pressure gauges, but they could be modified to operate as a proper gauge by removing a resistor on the back of the cluster and changing the sending unit.

but yeah all the electric senders need that standoff thing. Consider the 302 block was designed in an era when pressure gauges involved a tube running up to the dash. Plenty of space for that.

I modified my spacer for a second tapped hole to restore the idiot light. Not real difficult, just need a drill and a pipe tap. I used my drill press but if you're sufficiently careful a hand drill will do it.