Linkman

Name: Mercury Cougar (2001) Date Added: 17 August 2005 - 10:13 AM Owner: Linkman Short Description: Cosmetic: Ford Euro grill or WingsWest grill insert:Mortis clear/silver sidemarkers:VTech tail light covers:shaved hatch lettering:Ford Oval hatch emblem:a couple of painted engine bay accessories:Roush wing (to be installed):XR Red & black leather seats Engine: Injen intake:ST200 UIM (to be installed):MSDS Xtreme coated headers & Y-pipe (to be installed):Borla S/S single exhaust Suspension: Freedom Design FSTB:Fastrack Performance v2 RSTB:Roush Argent wheels & Toyo Proxes T1-S tires:ST200 struts (to be installed):Eibach springs (to be installed) ICE: Infinity Reference 5x7 cabin speakers:Infinity BassLink sub:stock 6 disc in-dash View Vehicle

No VCT on the Ford 500 3.0L, but the transmissions were different from those in the Taurus so the bellhousing bolt patterns are probably different. The 3.0L in the Ford 500 was not the same as in the Fusion, which did have VCT.

Ah ha! At least I was in the ball park! :) How far back is a while back? That pic makes me want to paint my valve covers ::sigh::

Missed that! At first look I thought that was on the floor as part of a display, not ON the engine. So is the car a Porsche? I'm really not that good at this game Terry ;)

Well, that sure does look like a Duratec to me. Don't know what the car in the background is though... Cougar concept? But it didn't have a wing... Noble? Just wild guessing now...

Weren't the early (pre-99 ?? or pre-00 ?? ) 3.0L engines split port with an IMRC? Is that where the SVT cams are better idea took root? Would the SVT cams be better on a 3.0L with secondaries, since it'd essentially just be a larger SVT engine, minus the compression?

Yeah, it's suspect wiring all right. :why-me: I've managed to narrow down the search though - it's in the harness somewhere south of C3001 - the large black plastic connector mounted on the driver side strut tower - but it's north of C120 - one of the connectors on rear passenger side valve cover, near the strut tower. So it's somewhere in the harness that connects the EVR solenoid / PCM / MAF / VSS / C645 (tranny hardware unit). Which runs behind/below the engine :( The only splices on this part of the harness are S59, and S178, but for some reason the service manuals (while giving location diagrams for every component and connector) don't give a location for the splices beyond the text description I quoted. I'm guessing S59 isn't too far from the C3001 connector, since the MAF power comes off that splice, and I suspect S178 is down low to the rear, since the VSS and hardware tranny unit power come off that one. At least knowing it's north of C120 means I don't have to pull the UIM and look at the injector harness. (Oh, and "south" means away from the fuse box, "north" is toward the fuse box )

Update, and a question on splice locations. Weather, work, and other obligations have finally allowed me to return to this... Where is S59, and S178, on a 98 Contour ATX V6? The Ford Service CD says "S59 engine compartment - center", and "S178 - engine". Any Ford techs know where those are? Do I need to remove the UIM, or get to them from underneath? If so, I'm going to have to find some friends to help me push it up onto the driveway, don't want to do that in the street. Thanks!

I just picked up an Auterra Dyno-Scan for the Palm. Popped the extra $50 for the version that will handle the CAN protocol so I can use it on Dad's Ford Five Hundred as well. Code reading, CEL resets, data logging. It will indicate if the OBD-II self-tests are complete or not (if you have emissions testing that reads the computer rather than a sniffer, then you have to have completed the drive cycles for it to pass). You can watch and/or log the engine RPMs, coolant temp, long and short term fuel trim, spark advance, and even (I think, haven't played with it much yet) the O2 sensor switching. Graph on the Palm, or export the log as a CSV file to use in a spreadsheet or something on the PC. Very cool tool. I already had the Palm available so was looking specifically at Palm OS OBD-II software, and Auterra seemed the best price/features mix for me. Plus it's a lot smaller in the cabin than a laptop.

Bringing up an oldie, but I just found this today... How to use the Porter-Cable Car Polisher & Buffer They specifically use the Porter-Cable 7424 random orbit polisher, but I would guess the info would apply to any random orbit polisher.

Bumping to update, and ask a question... I got back to this last night - managed to disconnect the VSS from above, and found the PCV valve not inserted into its tube at all, so at least one other problem has been fixed. And discovered I'd disconnected the TR sensor, not the ATX hardware unit, so did that correctly this time as well. Unfortunately, neither VSS nor ATX hardware unit was the cause of the short, and those were the last of the PCM load devices to disconnect (yes, I also pulled the fuel pump relay, and the two A/C relays as well). So... time to trace the harness :( I pulled the fuse box, and there is nothing as obvious as your bare wire Dom, but I have a feeling there's something similar buried further down the wire harness. ::sigh:: Lot of boring grunt work ahead. Question -- So now that I have to start unwrapping splices and such to trace the PCM power relay wire, what should I use to rewrap the bundles? I've never had good luck with regular electrical tape, the adhesive softens in the heat. Are there high-temp tapes or some other product? And as always, any hints or tips are appreciated.

On my Contour -- '98 (built 9/97) V6 ATX w/ 98K mile. No mods at all, only work I've done since buying her in Feb was replace the water pump. Driving north on I-71 on Saturday near Strongsville, OH and 110 miles from home, when the engine just STOPS. Cold. All the needles on the dash immediately drop to zero (so even though I'm coasting, the MPH reads 0). I manage to coast to the side. Eventually find that fuse #9, blue 20A, for the PCM is blown. Call a friend, they bring a new fuse, it blows as well on the first turn of the key. Car towed to next exit (Center Towing, Strongsville, OH gets a :thumbsup: ), and then girlfriend's father trailers it the 110 miles home for me (Thank you!). Now it's on the street in front of the house, and I need to find the short. The little that I've found searching is the fuse blowing on startup, I haven't seen an example of one blowing while driving (after nearly two hours of trouble free driving). Other than grabbing my multimeter, and my Ford CD, are there any hints about where to start? Tracing the wiring harness is going to be a royal PITA, and any shortcuts are most appreciated. I have disconnected all of the following load devices: ATX solenoid plug EVR solenoid plug MAF plug IMRC plug A/C WOT relay PCM plug under P/S reservoir EVAP canister plug IAC plug The short on pin 3 of the PCM relay remains. Only load device I didn't disconnect was the VSS plug. I jacked up the 'Tour and found the VSS by hand, but how do you disconnect it? Does the whole sensor need removed? That ain't happening on the street! Is it my luck the short is the last load device I can't get to (VSS) or is it in the harness... somewhere... Since it happened while the car was cruising on the highway, any suggestions what might have gone poof at that time, as a starting point? Thanks for any insight

On my Contour -- '98 (built 9/97) V6 ATX w/ 98K miles. No mods at all. Only work I've done to her is replace the water pump about two months ago. Driving north on I-71 on Saturday near Strongsville and 110 miles from home, when the engine just STOPS. Cold. All the needles on the dash immediately drop to zero (so even though I'm coasting, the MPH reads 0). I manage to coast to the side. Eventually find that fuse #9, blue 20A, for the PCM is blown. Call a friend, they bring a new fuse, it blows as well on the first turn of the key. Car towed to next exit (Center Towing, Strongsville, OH gets a :thumbsup: ), and then girlfriend's father trailers it the 110 miles home for me (Thank you!). Now it's on the street in front of the house, and I need to find the short. The little that I've found searching is the fuse blowing on startup, I haven't seen an example of one blowing while driving (after nearly two hours of trouble free driving). Other than grabbing my multimeter, and my Ford CD, are there any hints about where to start? Tracing the wiring harness is going to be a royal PITA, and any shortcuts are most appreciated. Thanks!

I like the four door sedan, but it's not "exciting". A lot of Ford family (500, Freestyle) styling cues in the front grill and bumper.

Groveport is on the south east side of Columbus. Groveport, OH via google maps