Gar

Are you going to salvage anything that spins in that motor? Looks like nothing's good. Gar

Hottie G/F's chef boss meets him later today. Get back to work!

Gar

The Ford counter guy gave me a bag full of tubes on a parts visit some time ago. I think it was all the same part. I'll get the number.

All my bearings are wiped clean right now for all the test fitting I needed to do. It will still be a while before final assembly, so I'm interested in identifying what I should use, and collecting it along the way.

Gar

......I heard a click and it idled up slightly and sound much smoother like the timing had just increased. It also drove better for a short distance just as if I had ...

 

This is a good clue..Try this, turn the heater controls (a/c,def,floor etc) to the 'off' position and go for a drive...I think you will find the stumble/ idle issue will go away..just let us know if it does and we will go from there!!

Whatcha thinkin Terry? A vacuum leak in the comfort control plumbing?

Good points. The up-side is, with so dramtic a problem, when the cause is found it will be conclusive. Have you tried a high impedence (most digital type) voltmeter on the air flow sensor to see if it responds to both before and after the problem occurs? For the supposed lean correction I believe your CPU is fighting, I would look for the output of the air sensor reading as though there was more air than there really is. They get dirty. Cleaning it is a delicate operation so I've heard, but I've never done one. And talkin out my bumm, I'd think it would read lower air flow when dirty. I half remember a notorious spot for air leaks on the back side in the 2.0. Maybe someone will refresh us, re, that spot.

I have an old one, and can testify to the engine bay wire insulation crumbling to dust. What shape is your 98's?

Gar

Steve.... don't sail it off the pier... not yet.

All those parts changed.... What about exhaust flow? Is it breathing first? Then, because it's a mixture complaint, you gotta suspect air leaks that are making the sensor believe you need more fuel. You also need to know that the air sensor is telling the truth to the computer.

Gar

It's easy enough to see it down the plug hole near TDC. Then there's no doubt. Don't booger the plug threads, or gouge the piston top, but see if you can pick a little at it to see how thick the carbon is if that's what it turns out to be.... also give you an idea how effective the treatments you try are on it. If you losen any, spin the engine some to blow it out the plug hole. I use a clean shop towel to catch a bit to look at.

Most "add to gas/radiator/engine oil" type repairs (my G/F's favorite way to service her car) have crappy effect, but the sea foam does seem to stir crud up when sucked into a vacuum line on the ones I've tried it with. I used it for washing manifold, but it might do you some good. Terry's been adding some acitone to his fuel, and I have seen plenty of uses of it for cleaning. See if he also endorses it for carbon cleaning.

Gar

Your "can of marbles" under accelleration on a 130K plus motor also makes me think of carbon build up. Raises compression some, but more importantly, also has lots of hot edges. When yer changing plug gaps, look down in there and get an idea how cruddy the piston head is.

Gar

A tank of high octane isn't soo costly a tool to try.

If Terry's plug test doesn't improve it, and even makes it more noticeable (improving the flame front/propagation resulting in the equivalent of advancing the timing) then local fuel quality may be something to consider.

Other guesses (and they really are from me in a VVT world) would be any sensor inputs that control advance/retard; temp, knock, etc.

The knock sensor experience I have is old Subaru, and was easy to verify on an oscilloscope.... but it definitely caused a 22 code with MIL. Since you don't show any codes.... and you describe the early detonation symptom, I'd first try to verify the condition is a knock and then troubleshoot why it's happening from there, and slower burning high octane would be a way to do that.

Gar

Hi. Also native Pennsylvanian. I had a Tempo from the around the same era.... '86 according to baby birth/new car memory. My first problem was water pump blade disentigration. Course I didn't know about this sort of thing ever happening. That lead to the following..... creek water with a pop bottle out in the boonies, always hot, gradual corrosion/clogging of the radiator, growing frustration with it, then finally..... one of the most painful, inconvenient water pump changes of my life. Man what squeeze. When it finally left my driveway the last time, you could put your hand anywhere on the bottom half of the radiator and it was cool. So much junk had settled in there from hot cycling, fan blades, corrosion and creek bottom mud that it had absolutely no flow. I got only 3ish carefree years from new on that car. My first transverse engine FWD. I replaced it in '90 or 91. And come to think of it..... I haven't bought a new Ford since then.... new Mitsubishi, Isuzu, Suzuki, and Subaru. There were a lot of them on the road, but I never thought they were a good Ford product. Anyway, welcome, and you're clearly going to be making it a better car this time. Is it a sleeper appeal, or do you like the looks of the Tempo?

Gar

Thanks Terry that's good to hear about the injectors.

I started using because of the increase in mpg, After couple years in pulled the TBI to clean out the carbon build-up--- TA-tah clean. I also use in my lawnmowers it's seems be a more complete combustion just by the smell for the exhaust.

Since this mandatory 10% ethanol I've went from 1oz per to 3oz per 10 gallons. I call this ethanol a political additive, the carbs on small engines don't like it.

Years ago the biggest improvement in MPG was those old muscle cars with those compromise carburetors.

The best price per gallon in my area is Wally world, which has went up in price over the last 5 years from $11 to $15.

That's such a teansy amount... is that about the ration that you also apply Terry? 1-3 oz per 10 gal?

My push mower runs like caw caw. :-)

Gar

The low speed fan resistor on my wife's car is broken however I can't seem to find the part online to compares prices before placing an order. Does anyone have a part number for cross reference or a search name to use that doesn't return the blower resistor instead?

 

Thanks,

Rick

Resisters just waste energy. What's the down side of eliminating the resister to let the low speed fan spin at full speed when the coolant needs lowering... IMO, it's a matter of the low speed fan just cycling more often. I don't see the harm. The same "on" command comes at the same temp... the coolant just cools quicker at high fan speed... Argue with me. Gar

I like the project, however I've never attempted something like that and I'm not one to just talk out the side of my crack just to post something. I think you can appreciate that, as I don't want to lead anyone down a path that is a complete waste of time. Also, I'm not keen on sounding like an idiot (even if this is the internet)..

 

I would think something like a heater pipe assembly from a minivan (rear heat) would work good in your project. Maybe something to look into.

 

-Dom

That's Dom, that's a donor app I had not thought of. Gar

Lol, err... I'm not in your shoes and I'm honestly not familiar with what you are trying to do from personal experience. Therefore I don't have much to add.

 

-Dom

K, I don't feel "shunned" cause I'm making the unusual. Help is always welcome. The more I inspect the plumbing, the more I tend to feel it may be best to run the extra heater hoses afterall. My tunnel is really filling up. I'd planned on running the radiator pipes up the outboard side of the car inside the sills between the seat and the door... a large wasted space in this body. There's NO room to run tubes underneath, it's nearly flat and sealled over the whole underside of the car. I may use stainless tubing, foamed in place, with rubber hose front and rear to transition to the frame. I think you'd like this project, and it's too bad I'm not closer to you and Terry to colaborate more.

Gar

Much earlier in the build, I was planning to keep the radiator in roughly the same physical relation and distance from the motor by laying it down horizontal to the ground, but the smaller dimensions of the opening meant the radiator would need to be a four row core. Besides the cost of a very special custom, there were also issues with satisfying good airflow to it. It was going to exhaust heat downward. This was going to be accomplished with large scoops behind the doors via ducting and a shroud enclosing the radiator and fans on top, and could be okay while moving, but when standing still, heat blown down by the fans would just come back up on the outside of the shroud, and enter the engine bay, plus downward airflow would be partially compromised by the heat wanting to rise naturally.

I found a very aggressive Griffin 3 row sized for a big Mopar drag racer on Craigs for the right dollars, and made the decision to put the radiator up front, and the fuel cell in the old spot. I never really wanted coolant lines through the cabin, or to modify the front hood for exhausting the radiator heat, but in this contest, physics won.

I like problems anyway.

Gar

Yes, that could be quite bad having a remote ECT telling the PCM what the temperature is...

 

-Dom

That's all yer help Dom?

But otherwise, have I got the flow correct as you know it, and fundamentally suggested a reasonably re-design?

Gar

Now that I've slept on it, I believe I need to keep the coolant temp sensor back at the motor so the engine management functions correctly.

Gar

A little more thought.... and ALL the flow comming out of the engine needs to head towards the front.... no shortcut via the looped heater hose path otherwise I don't expose my remoted thermistat to the amount of hot coolant it needs to react.

I need to move the existing thermistat body up front and connect radiator and heater core to it there.

Just a fatty hose from the hot engine leaving the engine bay, and another fatty hose coming back to connect to the water pump inlet.

I can imagine the need for a lower temp opening theristat because I'll lose some coolant heat before reaching its remoted location.

Gar

I found my CD.

It looks like hot water leaves the engine and has two loops it feeds... the heater core loop all the time, and the radiator via the thermistat if it is open.

Cooler water returning from the heater core can mix with coolant that comes from the radiator (but it only flows in the radiator branch when the theristat is open), and goes into the water pump, and then into the engine.

If I just connect the heater core send, to the heater core return, then I haven't upset the volume of water available to the water pump, but I don't have a heater core ready to offer any heat, cause 1. it's not in its own loop constantly flowing, 2. plumbed into the radiator circuit, the theristat has to be open fisrt to get heat.

Okay, loop the heater core hoses at the engine as before, but now locate a T in the hot radiator hose around the dash... the tap feeds the heater core, the main flow from the T has the theristat inline before entering the radiator.

Cooled from the radiator, the hose passes the dash where there's another T. the tap is feed from the heater core and they both continue towards the rear and connect to the water pump inlet. The same now as the original design.

I don't see a problem with this so long as I have the thermistat right at the heater core tapoff where it can get the hot water flowing past it .... how about you?

Gar

I can't find my MY95 CD. It will eventually show up, but I wanted to do a little research, and I'm stalled at the moment.

Those with the know, offer me your opinion for my V6 project.

My engine is in the back. The coolant radiator is in the front, and the heater core is in the dash.

I would rather tap off the radiator loop than run two more heater hoses up the tunnel. How critical is the plumbing of the heater loop? Is it a poor plan to compromise it?

Gar

Jeff,

After driving, put your hand near (and slowly) (don't touch initially), the wheel rim near the lug nuts to see how warm or hot they are. Unless you just stopped from 60, you shouldn't feel very much heat. If you do, then the pads are dragging, and the cause is still likely due to stiff pins. Gotta ask... what originally generated so much heat that the rotors warped in the first place? If you don't race or pull high G stops 20 times in a row in 5 minutes, your rotors shouldn't be hot.

Gar

If you ever popped an airbag, it's one of the parts you usually have to replace. The bag charge burns the plastic parts. When you get it from the junk yard, be prepared for a shocking price unless you're friends with them. They often get 300 to 600 for driver/pass side bag units, the electronic monitor module, and the clock spring, all as one bundle. You'll be breaking that package sale he would make.

Oh, and don't spin it. Preserve its orientation from yard donor to your car. Don't hammer the steering column to break the taper. Build a puller. Pretty sure Contour has threaded holes like the Escorts I've done. Simple stout bar stock with three holes, large center one, and outer ones for the 1.5 or 2 inch long METRIC bolts you'll get at the hardware that screw into the steering wheel, and a larger bolt and nut for the center that you'll turn to apply the pull. I tack welded the big nut to the bar, otherwise you'll have to hold it with a second wrench while you turn the big center bolt. Couple turns and "bonk", the wheel comes loose.

Gar (with children that have popped their bags)

Sounds like the clock spring.