My '88 XR-7 floor shifter gradually stopped moving from park to N/D/R due to the loss of function in the release button on the side of the shifter. I had to fight with it at the end before it finally quit working. I disassembled the shifter and found that the part that transmits the pressure on the button to the latch release in the base of the shifter (through the shifter stalk) had worn out and broken. This piece is basically a solid plastic tube with a bunch of round nubs along the length of it. Does anybody know what I'm talking about? Is there a replacement for this piece? For now, I've removed the latch and spring at the shifter lock, but now the vehicle can be put into gear or neutral without the key and by accidentally bumping the shift lever. Any input/help would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Hi, I had to do a bit of searching, found G.T.S. wind deflectors to install over the door windows. Unfortunately, when I opened the box, they were set up to glue on from the outside, instead of inside the window opening. I wouldn't really mind this, but there is no clean fit that uses all of the double sided tape that came with them, and the end down by the mirror ends up just hanging out in space. Pretty sure the wind will tear it off over time. If I tuck them up into the window frame, though, they fit PERFECTLY and look great. My concern is this: I am pretty sure that I can remove the factory tape from the inside and add my own to the outside of the guards, but the surface I want to attach to appears to be a porous, foamy material that may not hold the guard if I attach it with tape. Has anybody else installed these on their 87/88 Cougar? Is it possible to apply some sort of sealant to the foam (nail polish came to mind) to create a smooth surface that tape will stick to ? Any other suggestions? Thanks!
My 88 Cougar with 5.0: Upgraded last year to HO intake manifold. Two weeks ago, I pulled the full dual exhaust from my other Cougar (Mustang exhaust, h-pipe, etc.) and had it installed at an exhaust shop. The car ran better than it ever has for about 2 days and then started running very rough at lower rpms, to the point of violent bucking if I don't floor it. After getting up to speed, it is not as noticeable, but still present. Fuel economy is now . I have had a vacuum leak for the past several months but the car ran fine with it before. I found a broken vacuum hose that goes from the front underside of the intake manifold to a canister on the passenger side fire wall, near the front. I fixed that this morning, but no improvement. The exhaust shop that did the work didn't install the nuts on the studs between the headers and h-pipe. I was able to buy some this morning and get the top nut tight on each header, but not the bottom. I So, my questions are: Should I assume that there is a loose joint between the header and H-pipe and this is causing my problem? Is it possible that the connections I worked on/fixed this morning will take time to be recognized by the computer? If all other things are corrected, could the vacuum leak be causing the problem? Could a shorted or damaged O2 sensor wire be doing this? Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks.
Just found a listing on ebay for a Turbo Coupe hood, nose, bumper cover and fenders for $250 (need sanded and painted) located in VA. Doors available for $50 (for both, I think)
Also found a complete 88 Turbo Coupe in PA for $1900, has rust on doors and quarter panels and turbo doesn't work, has newer tranny.
Does anybody know which cars can be a donor for my 88 Cougar's heater box. Looking for the complete assembly with all of the control doors and vacuum goodies. Wondering if the Continental, Mark VII or Mustang will work. Found one for a Mustang for about $70 and thought that was reasonable if it fits. Thanks.
I'm having an issue with my recently purchased Cougar...When I start the car and turn on the manual climate control to any setting, airflow is always coming from the defroster vents. If I move the control to "vent", it takes anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes before airflow changes to the dash vents. Temperature control seems to work ok. I also had no a/c and no compressor action so I checked the a/c charge with an R-134 retrofit kit/gauge and it was low so I charged it to the max recommended. Now I can get some dehumidifier action through the defroster but still no a/c. When I am set on a/c, the compressor short-cycles on and off quickly. Any input?
See the thread PLUGS???? for my instructions. I apparently am not the only one who got a car owned by somebody who couldn't figure out how to use adapter plugs and rewired the whole speaker system. In a nutshell, to avoid reinstalling speaker wires through the whole car, use wiring harness adapter "SCOSCHE BBFD02AB 1986-UP FORD Non Premium Sound/JBL Connector" to adapt to Premium sound with eq (I know it says non premium, but it worked in my 88 XR-7). You have to disconnect the plugs from the premium sound amp in the trunk to avoid shorting out the new stereo, so do that first! I posted replies to this thread that will cover how to hook up to a rewired speaker system and one that was not rewired. My instructions require removing the eq, but I think there is a way to keep it if you really want it. I'd just remove it, most newer stereos sound just as good or better without it.
Well, I took on one of those projects that as usual took longer than planned, but everything appeared to go pretty smoothly (5.0 HO upper intake swap). That is until I fired it up. Turned over, high idle kicked in and ran smoothly, and then when it dropped down, started stumbling and stalled. Started it again and ran really rough. Shut it off to check if everything was still attached and noticed the sound of liquid trickling somewhere. Turns out it was coming out below near the fire wall on the passenger side. Any ideas as to what the heck just happened? Maybe I disloged a hose to the heater core? Would that cause it to stall/run rough? HELP! This is my only car. On the bright side, I have tonight and most of tomorrow to fix it whatever it is. Any input would be appreciated. Thanks, Dave
See my reply under the "dashcap tpuppies" thread for the long version. In short, LOTS of work, easy to screw up, get the black one if you can so you can paint over any goof-ups.
Hi everyone, Just got my new dashcap for my 88 Cougar delivered and will install it tomorrow. A quick look at the cover I received leads me to believe that I will need to trim around the defroster opening and maybe speakers. Anybody have experience with these? Will the dashcap just plop down over the defroster openings? I know from the CoolCats site that the demister openings on the side get covered by the cap. Should I take the speaker grills off prior to install? Any photos or tips/tricks would help. Thanks.
Hi everyone, I'd like to add a cold air intake to my stock XR-7 5.0. Is the plumbing from a Mustang intake kit the right length to fit up at the factory air box location in the fender wall? Also, I've seen some (BBK) that require an adapter for SEFI motors to fill the gap where the mass air meter would be. Any suggestions for a reasonably priced kit that will work with the stock setup? Thanks in advance.
Does anybody have a line on where to find blackout/smoke headlight covers for an 88 Cougar? I know they're out there but not sure where to start, and I don't make it to many car shows and swap meets. Thanks in advance, Dave.
Hi, Does anybody have a procedure for reinstalling the tension rods that hold the trunk open? My new cat came with a broom handle to keep the lid up. I was able to get the rods reinserted in the hinge receivers, but lid still won't stay up. Any pics would help, too. Thanks, Dave
