My '85 MGM, "Maisa"

[Tiggie]

Do you valve covers with the Felpro Permadry Plus gaskets. They rock and you need them!

On the power steering, I’ve had them leak at the lines, the o-ring around the reservoir, and the pump shaft. The seal kit for the pump is cheap. I only replace the ones that cause the leak. Wash it and see where it’s coming from. I wouldn’t risk the stop leak. Next thing you know, the box will be leaking too and the hoses swollen.

[gadget73]

agreed on re-seal vs stopleak. Also concur on not fully overhauling the pump, just re-seal it. I tried a full rebuild on one and never got it to work. The front pump seal, the body O-ring, and the pressure regulator O-ring are easy to change and will explain most leakage issues. The return lines are also prone to getting petrified and leaky. if you change it, slice it off the pump. The rubber usually gets hard and you're likely to break the tit off the reservoir before the hose pulls off.

[Arquemann]

I thought of stopleak just as a quick stopgap against the worst of the leaks.
Thing is, the car is going to storage for the winter most likely next week. I don't really have any motivation to tear anything down this year anymore, still don't have access to a garage and it's starting to get actually cold outside.

I can just add fixing the PS -stuff to the list for next year:
- RF window
- Ball joints & tie rods
- Valve cover (& probably pan) gaskets
- Rebalance tires
- Lowering the car (maybe)
And anything else that might and will break next season...

I'll try and atleast get the worst of the crap cleaned up from the power steering stuff.
Gotta go to a DIY car wash since the oily crud isn't exactly environmentally responsible to splash around the driveway. Dad's not gonna like that either.
Then I'll got buy a drip pan for the winter, I know the guys renting the place, doesn't hurt to be a little courteous.
Car fired and ran nice when woken up last spring, so I won't bother with gas stabilizers this year either.

[gadget73]

changing the oil pan gasket in the car really sucks, so I wouldn't do it it unless its actually bad. Drip pan or at least some cardboard sheets is a good idea.

[Arquemann]

About the weird stiff spot in the steering I mentioned over in Off-topic:

I ran some errands today and it seems there's no more weirdness going on with the power steering. Couldn't replicate in no matter what.
Don't know if it just needed a heat cycle or if I'm just not used to using just my left hand to steer, last night my right hand was mostly resting on the shoulder of a pretty lady in the middle seat.
I don't like this car scaring me like this and then acting like nothing happened...

Also I gave the engine bay a quick wash with degreaser and bräkleen. I can now see a ps pump, hoses and even a steering box down there
It'd seem like the return hose is weeping a bit by the reservoir. And possibly the pressure hose fitting on the pump. Can't say anything for sure yet.
Took a quick sample of the PS fluid to a syringe too, it's quite not coffee and definitely red, but I still should probably change it next year.

[sly]

The steering u-joints may also need a little grease and may have just needed a little more movement to be freed up.

[gadget73]

When you pull the hoses to deal with them most of the fluid will drain out anyway.

[Arquemann]

The steering u-joints may also need a little grease and may have just needed a little more movement to be freed up.

Are there seriously serviceable U-joints in the steering shaft?
I'm guessing one is under the plastic cover right off the steering box? And where's the other then? (If there is another)

Ford was too good for rag joints? Interesting...

[gadget73]

the rag joint is under the plastic cover. The U joint is up closer to the brake booster. There are also a pair of bearings in the column itself that can possibly get sticky.

[Arquemann]

There is a guide rod inside the door that will control window tilt, and I think there may also be a padded metal block at the top edge of the door for that. I'd probably loosen the bolt sticking out of the bottom of the door and try moving that first. Thats the guide rod.

No bolt sticking out on mine, tudor things or what?
There is that metal piece with rubber on it right in the front edge of the inside dew wipe. The glass runs against it, but zero pressure, so I don't think it's out of place.


Anyways, the guide rod bottom attachment point is on the inside.
The guide rod has a stud pressed into it, but there seems to be no possibilty for in-out adjustment. The hole is slotted up and down, which makes zero sense, unless someone straightened their guide rod.
Pushing the guide rod bottom towards the outside marginally improved the angle of the glass, but not nearly enough. It'd need a longer stud.
I put a oversized nut and washer on the stud so it'd stay in place, with a shorter nut on the other side.


Maybe if I rip out the guide rod, press out the stud and put a longer bolt in it place and set it further towards the out side with a couple jam nuts?
Though I had to use quite a bit of force to push the guide rod stud out the hole its in, am I causing unnecessary tension somewhere else?

I'm not sure about the window frame "adjustment" either anymore, it'd need so much manhandling to get good.
While faffing around I noticed the body seal is completely fuckered on the door.

Vs. the driver door


And so the passenger door also closes deeper into the door opening, but only the window frame. I went around and measured, the door is pretty much the same in relation to the body.
If I were to yank on the front corner of the window frame enough to have the window go up nicely, there would most likely be a huge gap between the malformed seal and the window frame...
I'm almost tempted to have this sit over the winter and take this damn thing to a body shop. "Here's the problem; have at it!"

I went looking for answers and found more questions...

[sly]

I wouldn't say the joints are "serviceable" as much as they just like to be a little coated in goop to keep from rusting up.

[Arquemann]

Yesterday I put the door panel back together, nothing I can really do about the window.
I think I'll take the car to a body shop when spring comes, I'll also get new seals for the doors.

Went to get a tank of gas and ended up doing a 30 mile feel-good drive around town and on the back roads.
Snapped a couple pics on the way back.


This car feels just right slowly driving down a quiet city street illuminated by old street lights.
I am quite content on the looks of the car, black steelies fit it so well. A worn, scruffy look.
Stock style steelies with nicer offset, some meatier tires and lowering the car a bit would be the icing on the cake.
And maybe a small rubber duck for a hood ornament...

[Arquemann]

Took the car to storage.
And along the way there, Mr Anderson was just a swingin'...

[Arquemann]

Plan is to get the car out of storage this month. That's as far as I've planned that.

Today I did a RA order for this and that:
- Door seals (foxbody)
- Those permadry pro plus super amazing valve cover gaskets everyone and their mother praises.
- Door panel retainers
- Brake pads (raybestos semi-metallic)
- Oil filter (motorcraft)

First thing after waking her up is probably an oil change, then off to a body shop to get the RF window frame realigned and the window moving well. Or vice versa, I dunno. Oil has less than 2k miles on it, its just from fall of 2019.

While I'll have the car up on stands for the oil change, I'll try and get the rotors turned locally. Someone might remind me it's 2021 and not 1981. But new rotors are 90€ a piece locally, from RA they're 60€ a pair but the shipping is 150€...

Inspection is again in May, nothing really to worry about. Only thing is the torn boots on the tie rods and balljoints. If theyre mentioned I'll replace all of them and get the car aligned, needs an alignment anyways.

[Arquemann]

Well, getting the brake rotors machined turned out to be a little more difficult. I might be about 25 years late... I'll call around more on monday, but no way there's anyone local.

I've arranged to go get the car out of storage on wednesday.

I should get the oil changed pretty early. I haven't changed the oil myself yet, I know there's the two drain plugs, but what oil would you guys recommend? Last time the mechanic put in just regular 10-40 I think. Any benefit for going with a oil with ZDDP substitute (RVS)? Since this has a flat tappet cam? There also this "classic" oil with the real zddp additive in it, but I've heard that stuff wrecks cat converters.
Maybe some diesel oil, that stuff supposedly has all the right vitamins and dead dinosaurs in it?