My '85 MGM, "Maisa"

[Arquemann]

Reeeally long story short; the bucking and self-retarding timing seems to be fixed now. It's either a polarity issue with the HEI-module or the Duraspark distributor was wired wrong from the factory.
Fucken' hell, it's been a rollercoaster...

[Arquemann]

Problem actually seems to be fixed, either my distributor wiring is faulty or there's an internal polarity issue with it or the HEI module.
It caused interesting issues, mainly the mechanical timing advance went backwards initially, retarded timing caused bucking at low rpm cruising.
It also caused the distributor cap and rotor to be slightly out of sync with the spark. The problem didn't show itself with the low initial advance, but with more initial advance and the vacuum advance coming on earlier, it created insane bucking. Only lifting off the throttle or almost flooring it would stop the severe bucking (vacuum advance stops) .The cap and rotor got so out of sync with the timing so the spark energy most likely started arcing from the rotor to the cap studs, or even arcing to the wrong studs. This caused a misfire or even a complete lack of spark in the corresponding cylinders and it also showed as severe lean spikes on the AFR gauge. The leading edges of rotor and cap studs are discolored from heat and they leave a sooty black residue in my fingers.

[Arquemann]

16 mpg commuting, 20 minutes of 65mph and 20 minutes of 50mph with some traffic. Not better than that, hmph. Still better than the absolute hypermiling 15mpg I got with the CFI.
I saw some better numbers cruising around backroads at around 40-50, but the commuting mpg is kinda lame for what this is.

I can't really jet leaner because otherwise it'll start lean surging on transition between idle and main circuit. Highway cruise at 65mpg sits at a pretty even 14 AFR. Can't put more initial timing in it or it stutters a bit in low throttle cruising with full vacuum on.
If there's something I could it's reducing the total vacuum advance and bump up the initial, but that's very minor.

[gadget73]

something I found with my car, the leaner it went, the worse the fuel mileage was. I don't really find there is much advantage to running leaner than stoich.

They do make adjustable vacuum advance pots. Basically its got a screw inside you adjust as a limiter. Most of them are under the vac connection using an allen key, might be worth having a look just in case yours is already one of those.

[Brown_Muscle]

Can you put in a power valve that comes in sooner to compensate, then adjust the idle circuit or main jets a size smaller to cruise leaner? 14 is still kinda rich to cruise at for best fuel mileage

[Arquemann]

Can you put in a power valve that comes in sooner to compensate, then adjust the idle circuit or main jets a size smaller to cruise leaner? 14 is still kinda rich to cruise at for best fuel mileage

I've got a 7,5" PV currently, one size earlier from the stock 6,5".

It's running at a pretty good AFR at very light throttle, let's say cruising at ~45 mph. A mix of idle and transition circuits.
But when I'm cruising at 65mph, it's not using any of the idle circuit, mostly just transition and main circuit, and that's when it's a bit rich at ~14 AFR.

In short: transition circuit is lean.

[Arquemann]

One weird thing I've noticed now after having the chance to drive two other panthers is the seating position in my car. It's way higher than the others, even with the seat as low as it goes.
Honestly I really prefer the more sunken in seating of the others, makes you feel somehow less vulnerable. Is there seat height differences between panther models or is my seat adjustment broken somehow?

[VicCrownVic]

Between The Ice Car and The Scab there is a noticeable difference in seat height. Both are '91 but The Ice Car is a GS (same seats as older model LS trim like yours) and The Scab is an LS trim so the seats are different. I prefer the higher seats of The Ice Car which are the same seats as your seats. I guess more accurately, the cushion of that style seat puts you up higher. The seat mount and frame are the same as far as I can tell.

Maisa:


vs

The Scab:



Actually, you can kind of see it in the pictures. The red seats cushion sits higher than the center section where the two seats meet. The mocha seats cushion is at best even with that center section, which I assume that center section is the same on both style seats.

Edit: So what you would want is seats from a '88+ MGM LS like what The Scab has.

[kishy]

My 83 has the same seats as Maisa, but without power, and they feel very awkwardly high.

I would expect power adjustment to let you get them down pretty low, but the cushion on these seems both taller and firmer than the later and better seats.

[VicCrownVic]

If I were taller I probably wouldn't like those seats. At 5ft 9in (a little over 175cm), I like the seats that put me up a little higher.
I couldn't do manual seat with either style seat though. I've been spoiled and every Box I've had ('87 CV, '88 Country Squire, '89 MGM GS, '91 MGM GS, '91 MGM LS) came with power driver seat (also every Box I've had, I had to add passenger power seat.)

[kishy]

The manual version is downright uncomfortable. It does not provide for any sort of upright seating position and you are basically forced to sit in what feels like a reclined position.

It'd be nice if there was a height-adjustable manual seat rail for these cars but that isn't a combination of features that ever happened in their lifecycle.

[Arquemann]

So I'm not completely nuts about this, great. Also crap, I guess I'm outta luck wanting to sit lower. I'm not even that tall at 178cm, I guess I've got a long torso or something.
Mine has the half(?) power seats, mostly power but manual recline.

I've reached the fine tuning point with my carb, the transition circuit is lean, so I've gotta fiddle with the idle air bleeds to get that set. When I can richen the transition circuit, I can lean out the main jets slightly more.
Other than the slight rich (14 AFR) running, she's served me well for the last two weeks as a daily driver. The 15-16 mpg still sucks, gas is $10+ per gallon. Which makes me also question my idea of getting another old american car as an actual daily driver.

[VicCrownVic]

...
Mine has the half(?) power seats, mostly power but manual recline.
...

That's how all Box CV/MGM power seats are. Forward, Back, Up, Down, Front Up/Down, Rear Up/Down, and recline is manual.
Pretty sure Box Town Cars were the same.

[Arquemann]

That's how all Box CV/MGM power seats are. Forward, Back, Up, Down, Front Up/Down, Rear Up/Down, and recline is manual.
Pretty sure Box Town Cars were the same.

Ah ok. I probably got the idea of power recline from something else.
Manual seats don't have height control? If I understood kishy's comment correctly. My dad also mentioned that Maisa's seats are high, they had a few box panthers in the 90's.

Also compared to a box Caprice, Panthers seat you way higher. A box Caprice I went to look at last week was actually pretty damn comfy with a manual bench seat, except it had no tilt column and a Silverado wheel. Felt like I was looking just over the rim of the steering wheel.


On an almost seat-related note: Finding the next daily driver has really proved more difficult, since my nr. 1 choice turned out to be a bit of a shitshow (the box Caprice mentioned above).
-Fuel is fucking expensive, anything equivalent and even slightly better than the MGM in fuel efficiency is pretty much a no-go.
-I need cruise control, and I'd retrofit it if necessary.
-I also want AC, but it isn't as important as CC.
-The car needs to be homely/cozy, it is something I dearly missed with the BMW.

I really badly want an old yank hunk of some sort since they're so friggin comfy and homely and they are nice on highways.
An old Volvo would be just the ticket, but they're kinda boring (compared to something american). There's another car in my sights which doesn't have AC or cruise and it might be too small for my taste, but damn if I'm still interested about it.

[kishy]

Ah ok. I probably got the idea of power recline from something else.
Manual seats don't have height control? If I understood kishy's comment correctly. My dad also mentioned that Maisa's seats are high, they had a few box panthers in the 90's.

Manual seats have only one adjustment for the seat bottom, which is sliding forward or back. There is no height adjustment and therefore there is no tilt.

Power seats, even when they are this tall-cushion seat, have height adjustment controls for the front and rear of the seat, which provides the ability to lower the whole seat to the floor, raise the whole seat from the floor, or tilt it forward/back by lowering the front and raising the rear for example.

Not related to our current issue but something to ponder: it is actually possible to find boxes, usually very low-trim Lincolns, with the recline feature deleted, but still having full power control for the seat bottom.