2002 Grand Marquis LSE!

[mercurygm88]

Looks like Marti ran out of room on the report for details haha.

One thing that I thought was interesting was that I saw another Marti report from a 2003 LSE and “headlights on with wipers” was listed as an option. I figured that would have been standard. My ‘02 has it and both my town cars had it. I don’t know when it became available but my ‘95 did not have it. Also I prefer the intermittent wipers to the TC’s rain sensing wipers. They were cool at first but sometimes they just did dumb stuff.

[mercurygm88]

I’m going to try to tackle the blend door actuator tomorrow. It’s going clunk, clunk, clunk. The motorcraft part from Tasca will be here in the morning. I’ve read how and seen videos on taking it out through where the passenger airbag is. Looks like the worst part is getting the bolts out of the actuator. Hopefully everything will go smooth.

[mercurygm88]

Changed oil with the ford 5w-20 synthetic blend and an FL-820S. Cost all of $24 from Walmart. The sticker on the windshield said the last oil change was by Midas last August 3100 miles ago. They obviously over torqued both the drain plug and filter, I hate that shit. Then I attempted to tackle the blend door actuator. What a fun job that was.

3 hours, several hundred swear words, some scrapes, cuts, and bruises and it's done. The worst part was getting the old one out and getting the passenger vent duct back in. I lost a 9/32” socket and 2” extension trying to get the top bolt out of the vent duct. I hope it’s somewhere where it won’t rattle around and annoy me for the rest of my life. I also had the experience of praying that I didn’t set off the bomb bag therefore sending myself wherever it is that sloppy mechanics go when they say their last "Oops."

My right hand is sore and looks like it may have been mauled but I have cold and hot air on demand. I really hope I never have to do this again.

[gadget73]

Check that tire size. I always thought those came with 225/60R16. 255 is a noticeably wider tire. Might be a misprint on the report, door sticker would have OE tire size.

BDA is no fun. Did you do the heater core while you were in there? They are neighbors.

[mercurygm88]

Check that tire size. I always thought those came with 225/60R16. 255 is a noticeably wider tire. Might be a misprint on the report, door sticker would have OE tire size.

BDA is no fun. Did you do the heater core while you were in there? They are neighbors.

No I did not. The coolant is exceptionally clean in this car, and "knock on wood" I've had good luck with heater cores thus far. I thought the whole dash had to come out to do the heater core? It has Goodyear 225/60/16's on it. I guess there was a misprint on the report. I must have overlooked that considering it wasn't info I was particularly interested in.

[mercurygm88]

I’ve noticed that I tend to start readers rides threads when I get a new panther and then quickly forget them. Or I go years without using the forum at all. I’m going to try to remedy that. I think I’m going to post every little thing I do to the car. Even if no one reads it or cares. At least I’ll have something to look back on someday.

I did an oil change on Friday. There was a sticker on the windshield from either a Midas or penzoil in the Cleveland area from August 2019, 3100 miles ago.

The oil level was fine, the old oil was still light brown. The drain plug and filter were both retard tight. I used an FL-820s and the Ford synthetic 5w-20. $4 for the filter and $20 for the oil at Walmart. $8 and $30 at O’Reilly! Checked the oil today after 200 miles. Still full and still almost clear. Maybe for once I bought a vehicle someone took care of. It’s extremely clean underneath, the entire frame is still black and floors are perfect. I’m guessing it hasn’t been in the rust belt for too long.

[Tiggie]

First oil changes on new to you cars can be an adventure. My mother in law bought a Fiesta and whoever did the oil last time felt it necessary to loctite the plug and filter.

[mercurygm88]

First oil changes on new to you cars can be an adventure. My mother in law bought a Fiesta and whoever did the oil last time felt it necessary to loctite the plug and filter.

My first panther was a '95 Grand Marquis I got from my grandparents. They didn't believe in oil changes. I got the car in 2009 with about 108,000 on it. The date on the windshield oil change sticker was 2004! I can't recall how many miles it had been but I know they drove a lot. Surprisingly it ran fine and didn't burn or leak any oil in the 6 months I had it. Which is impressive considering the neglect it had suffered and the fact that the pre '96 4.6's were known for valve seal issues.

[79lincolnlover]

Nice buy! Does it still have the OEM floor mats?

[mercurygm88]

Nice buy! Does it still have the OEM floor mats?

Yes it does and they're barely worn. A little dirty but I'm gonna scrub the carpet/mats when we get some warmer weather anyway. Going by my brochure the only options it doesn't have is the full size spare and factory 6 disc changer. But it has a dealer installed 10 disc changer that works perfectly. If I ever come across 1 HPP wheel for sale I may buy it and put a tire on it, having a full size spare is nice. I could always just get a steel wheel too. I'll have to check the local You-Pull-It yard one of these days.

[mercurygm88]

Got a question someone here might know the answer too. I'm too lazy to check my brochure if it even tells me, and google has been of little help. Out of the three oil cooler, power steering cooler, transmission fluid cooler, what if any of them would my LSE have? I know my '88 MGM had a trans cooler, my '95 eldorado surprisingly had a power steering cooler. I'm guessing it at least has a trans cooler considering they had them on non tow package boxes like my '88. Not sure which 4.6's got an oil cooler, power steering cooler I'm guessing I don't have but I don't know. I haven't done enough crawling around under or looking at the car to know. It just kind of popped into my head.

[IPreferDIY]

My power steering cooler (2000 MGM) is inside the driver's side of the rad, at least from what I remeber of replacing my rad. Tranny cooler is together with or part of the air conditioning condenser. I'm pretty sure only CVPIs had an oil cooler, and the lower rad hose connects to that.

[mercurygm88]

My power steering cooler (2000 MGM) is inside the driver's side of the rad, at least from what I remeber of replacing my rad. Tranny cooler is together with or part of the air conditioning condenser. I'm pretty sure only CVPIs had an oil cooler, and the lower rad hose connects to that.

Interesting I would have thought the LSE's would have gotten an oil cooler considering they also have the HPP package and I always thought HPP's got oil coolers but maybe not.

[IPreferDIY]

My HPP doesn't, and I don't recall ever seeing one on a civi. The oil cooler is reportedly for all the idle time that cop cars can see.

[mercurygm88]

My HPP doesn't, and I don't recall ever seeing one on a civi. The oil cooler is reportedly for all the idle time that cop cars can see.

That would make sense I suppose.