My 1983 Continental Mark VI!

[Mainemantom]

I remember many years ago, when a person ordered brake linings/pads the least expensive parts would be the bonded type. Great for vehicle resale or the economy minded. I had to replace all brake linings on a 59 Ford. I put bonded on for resale. $6.00 per axle if I remember right. The riveted type was more expensive and mostly top brands. Old brake linings sometimes had to be turned in as cores to be rebuilt. Our 1960 Studebaker was that way. I had a 69 Dodge pickup that had the rear bonded linings come apart when I was on the highway going from Long Beach to San Diego. I did not notice anything wrong until I arrived. Brake fade,very hot wheel and totally destroyed the brake components, plus the axle seal. That experience made me buy the riveted type whenever available. I will admit that my experiences in working with vehicles goes back 50 years or more. Lot of things have changed and parts are much cheaper quality now.

[gadget73]

only thing I own with drums anymore is my truck. They didn't work when I got it, shoes had been changed and never adjusted out enough for the self-adjust to work. Fixed that, good to go. One major advantage to drums, the parking brake is way better using a full size shoe vs the baby drum inside the disc thing. Maybe not a big deal on a car, but in a truck on a boat ramp thats pretty damn important.



drums are sort of annoying because of all the parts inside but not really all that hard. Best advice I can offer with drums, do one side at a time and use the other for reference.

[sly]

They seemed to fix that issue in the later ones. The double shoe clamping force inside the rotors on the rear holds my expedition good enough that it takes a LOT of revs to overcome it. Do have to manually adjust those bastards though.

[gadget73]

my only real experience with them is the rear discs on a Towncar, and as a parking brake it kind of sucks. The stupid clampy cable caliper nonsense the other two have sucks in different ways, not the least of which is the calipers more expensive. Towncar rear caliper is like 25 bucks, Mark VII rear is 50 bucks, the Conti is NLA. If one of them ever gives me problems I will have to rebuild it myself. Last I remember seeing a listing it was like 100 bucks.

[mercurygm88]

I did a thing today.

[DerekTheGreat]

A warm air intake!

I'd powerwash that engine bay, I'm getting choked up with dust and dirt all the way over here.

[jaywish]

I think that bay is pretty clean. Just a bit old. Kind of like me.

[mercurygm88]

I think that bay is pretty clean. Just a bit old. Kind of like me.

It is pretty clean, just old.

[mercurygm88]

A warm air intake!

Well you see the factory air box snorkel disintegrated within a month of me buying the car. This looks better and can't be any worse. There's how many millions of engines out there with them?

I'd power wash that engine bay, I'm getting choked up with dust and dirt all the way over here.

This engine bay is actually really clean in person.

[kishy]

This engine bay is actually really clean in person.

Derek's just rubbing in the fact that he puts shoe shine or whatever on his entire gleaming, auto-show-worthy engine bay. Yours looks really good for a driver.

Mine are all disgusting.

[DerekTheGreat]

Wow, "auto show worthy" huh? You are too kind, thank you sir.

[mercurygm88]

Does anybody know what the correct idle is supposed to be for an EEC III CFI 5.0? Mine is at about 550 and sounds like it's awful high. People on other forums are saying 700-800 in park, I don't think so.

[jaywish]

IDK those cars in specific but 550 is generally a low end idle speed in park. What are you using to verify speed?

[gadget73]

typical idle on a V8 of any make or induction system is in the 700 range. Agree it sounds like your tach is lying.

[sly]

Idle in park for SEFI cars is 675 +/- 50 rpm so most people shoot for 700 and will take 650. I'm sure CFI should be similar.