Finally!

[piece-itpete]

They must have used their uncommon sense

A/C culprit - PCMs bad. Signal going in, nothing coming out.

Sidenote, the mech said there are teenie solid state relays in modern PCMs (engine computers), 1/16 wide, that fry.

Pete

[piece-itpete]

The S-10 passed e-check with flying colors, yay!

The 03 is STILL in the shop. Turns out what's bad in the PCM is a relay that delays the compressor kicking on until the high idle comes up. The mech is just going to bypass it.

He mentioned a couple of things 4.6 specific, probably applies to 5.4s as well:

PVC valve every 4th oil change (the modulars do have soot problems)

Fuel filter every 30k miles

Seal conditioner once a year (valve seals can harden)

Run CD2 for 800-1000 miles previous to oil change once a year (something over my head about deposit buildup on the cylinder walls interfering with the rings re-expanding every 4th stroke)

Lubricate the steering linkages with 'Zenalube', '1st aid', or 'Rogolube' (sp?), every oil change. NO silicon-based lubes. If you ignore them they will bind eventually (it happened to mine). He also mentioned late model Chevy trucks have the same problem.

The holes on the injectors are at the hottest part of the injector and carbon up. He said use 'techtron' or 'certron'? or 'wins' every oil change.

Correct? Who knows. The guy is good though.

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Btw I bought some NOS Federal Mogul seals, they're 'Made in USA'

Actually it's a little depressing, I buy a lot of NOS parts and many of them are made in USA, while very very few brand new parts I buy are. It's amazing how fast manufacturing moved offshore.

Pete

[JJIII]

Here ya go, Pete.

[piece-itpete]

Ah so, thanks!

And, she's back! The 03 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Partial fail. The fan runs constantly and - the bloody check engine light is still on.

I'll be calling them shortly. But the engine does run smoother and they did end up replacing the lower steering shaft. Tranny flush and new filter. And the AC does work.

So it might be going back for the engine light (it's not on the receipt). If not I start moving forward with the interior/stereo, then come the week of the 12th I'm off and will be making the big push on the suspension.

It's hard not to make a head to head comparison between the 03 and the 08 Lacrosse I've been driving. So I will

The Lacrosse does feel more 'modern' somehow. It's quieter overall, and quicker off the line, and freeway downshifts, where you use it most. Not a bad car. Acceleration = win to the Buick (even if the MGM will probably pass it down the road).

The MGM feels much more planted and much more comfortable, to me. It also feels like a more quality car than the Buick. My dad paid $22k for his, my sticker says $30k, I figure it probably actually sold for around $25k or so? Around $3-5k difference and 5 years of inflation, maybe the MGM SHOULD feel better put together. So call it a wash.

Space/truck - Win to MGM, obviously, though the Buick has a 'decent' trunk.

Gas mileage, no significant difference overall! I get around 20 average, his readout says around 21. Over 10k miles at $3.50 per gallon that amounts to a savings of less than a hundred bucks. Win to the much, much larger MGM.

Ride, the Buick has an odd slight side to side motion that feels like carsick. The MGM, um, doesn't. The MGM is also more composed on bad roads (though the Buick isn't bad). Win to the MGM.

Steering and handling. Compared to the MGM, the Buick feels much more nimble. The MGM while planted and confidence inspiring feels numb in comparison and even with the Watts link that live rear end does like to shift at that certain point in a high speed turn (know what I mean?). While I didn't go rally racing in my dad's car (which he would appreciate), I suspect: Win to the Buick.

Styling: The Buick is more highly styled, while apart from the massive taillights and reflectors on the back the MGM isn't really, it's much more understated. I think the rear of the Buick is hideous while the larger grill is more similar to the MGMs big toothy grin. Also it's got a beautiful premium dark red paint and chrome rims that look really nice. I'm tempted to give the win to the Buick but it's so perhaps color driven or such a personal decision that even though I prefer the understated MGM: I'm calling it a wash.

Interior? Super tough call. They're such different cars even if they are (were) sold into the same market (old people wearing fedoras). With the 3 seats in the front the MGM can't have a center console. The plus, it feels even bigger than it is. The minus, a little perhaps old fashioned feel. The Buicks' interior feels more modern. The quality of plastics are similar. The controls in the MGM are far, far easier to use and much more intuitive with the exception of the steering controls, the Buicks have a better layout. The dash, I've been looking at the digital dash in the MGM for a long, long time (my 97 was the same unit), so I feel a little uncomfortable comparing them. I do prefer a dial speedo to the numbers in the MGM overall though. So I'm calling it a wash.

Conclusion: The Buick is not a bad car. Actually, if it wasn't for the size/v6/fwd/unibody it might not be a bad replacement vehicle for the now discontinued MGM/Crown Vic/Town Car. But it is those things, so it really isn't. Per the above 2 wins for the Buick, 3 wins for the MGM, and 3 washes. The MGM by 1 on the scoreboard, and by a million on the soul.

Pete

[Charles]

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

Ah so, thanks!

And, she's back! The 03 Mercury Grand Marquis.

Partial fail. The fan runs constantly and - the bloody check engine light is still on.

I'll be calling them shortly. But the engine does run smoother and they did end up replacing the lower steering shaft. Tranny flush and new filter. And the AC does work.

So it might be going back for the engine light (it's not on the receipt). If not I start moving forward with the interior/stereo, then come the week of the 12th I'm off and will be making the big push on the suspension.

It's hard not to make a head to head comparison between the 03 and the 08 Lacrosse I've been driving. So I will

The Lacrosse does feel more 'modern' somehow. It's quieter overall, and quicker off the line, and freeway downshifts, where you use it most. Not a bad car. Acceleration = win to the Buick (even if the MGM will probably pass it down the road).

The MGM feels much more planted and much more comfortable, to me. It also feels like a more quality car than the Buick. My dad paid $22k for his, my sticker says $30k, I figure it probably actually sold for around $25k or so? Around $3-5k difference and 5 years of inflation, maybe the MGM SHOULD feel better put together. So call it a wash.

Space/truck - Win to MGM, obviously, though the Buick has a 'decent' trunk.

Gas mileage, no significant difference overall! I get around 20 average, his readout says around 21. Over 10k miles at $3.50 per gallon that amounts to a savings of less than a hundred bucks. Win to the much, much larger MGM.

Ride, the Buick has an odd slight side to side motion that feels like carsick. The MGM, um, doesn't. The MGM is also more composed on bad roads (though the Buick isn't bad). Win to the MGM.

Steering and handling. Compared to the MGM, the Buick feels much more nimble. The MGM while planted and confidence inspiring feels numb in comparison and even with the Watts link that live rear end does like to shift at that certain point in a high speed turn (know what I mean?). While I didn't go rally racing in my dad's car (which he would appreciate), I suspect: Win to the Buick.

Styling: The Buick is more highly styled, while apart from the massive taillights and reflectors on the back the MGM isn't really, it's much more understated. I think the rear of the Buick is hideous while the larger grill is more similar to the MGMs big toothy grin. Also it's got a beautiful premium dark red paint and chrome rims that look really nice. I'm tempted to give the win to the Buick but it's so perhaps color driven or such a personal decision that even though I prefer the understated MGM: I'm calling it a wash.

Interior? Super tough call. They're such different cars even if they are (were) sold into the same market (old people wearing fedoras). With the 3 seats in the front the MGM can't have a center console. The plus, it feels even bigger than it is. The minus, a little perhaps old fashioned feel. The Buicks' interior feels more modern. The quality of plastics are similar. The controls in the MGM are far, far easier to use and much more intuitive with the exception of the steering controls, the Buicks have a better layout. The dash, I've been looking at the digital dash in the MGM for a long, long time (my 97 was the same unit), so I feel a little uncomfortable comparing them. I do prefer a dial speedo to the numbers in the MGM overall though. So I'm calling it a wash.

Conclusion: The Buick is not a bad car. Actually, if it wasn't for the size/v6/fwd/unibody it might not be a bad replacement vehicle for the now discontinued MGM/Crown Vic/Town Car. But it is those things, so it really isn't. Per the above 2 wins for the Buick, 3 wins for the MGM, and 3 washes. The MGM by 1 on the scoreboard, and by a million on the soul.

Pete

You knew all along that the Buick was going to lose, didn't you???

Chas

[piece-itpete]

Pretty much It's better than I would've thought though.

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Oh and the MGM is still the better car

One thing I missed - the MGM has much much better cupholders. How I could miss such an important thing is beyond me. I'm firing myself.

Pete

[piece-itpete]

Originally Posted by Charles

Does it cool if you run a hot to the compressor from the battery?

If it does, why not just fuse the new wire & control it with a toggle switch under the dash? Provided the idle isn't too low since the computer doesn't know the airco is running.

Chas

Originally Posted by piece-itpete

... How could I possibly live without automatic climate control? I'd have to start tucking in my pinkie while sipping tea! The horror.

Well tuck my pinkie and call me a plebeian, I'm ending up putting in the switch in the big Mercury

Can't jump the delay relay without the PCM kicking the fan on. It shows how complicated new control systems are.

And as a new PCM would end up $500+ all in, switch here I come!

One drum was locking up early when wet, so I did rear axle service on the S-10, shoes/cylinders/hdwr/rubber line from the frame to the axle, and gear oil/bearings, scuffed the drum too I was going to change the ebrake cables (in for a penny, in for a pound?) but they were so clean I left it lie.

I envy you non-salt folks. The rubber brake line just disassembled. It's the first one I've ever done that did that.

Anyway the old shoes were fine, the old cylinders didn't leak, the adjustment seemed ok, but now it not only doesn't lock up but stops better too. Kinda mystifying, I wonder if cylinders get weak? Or maybe the drums/shoes were glazed a bit?

Pete

[JJIII]

Find a safe place and try hitting the brakes hard in the rain. The S 10 I had was bad about locking the rear brakes in slippery conditions. That can be very exciting!