By today's standards, the stock audio stuff in a Fox Bird is archaic.
For it's time though, it was pretty good.
If you want a Cadillac, you're in the wrong place.
Remember, the last Fox Bird/Cougar is now over 30 years old.....what DO you expect from the car?
Just find the switch funny, totally not needed but I’m sure was a “extra” cost item.
In general what absolutely sends me into a fit is these garages. Now there’s places like South main auto channel.Granted YouTube.... Where he tests sensors with oscilloscopes, tracks down faults repairs the car. Gas monkey garage can put a hellcat engine in a 70s challenger. Yet 5+ garages can only do what a OB2 scanner.....if they have the correct scanner for your model ......tells them.
These shops just focus on turn over on the bays. Yet they call themselves mechanics. Almost anyone can do a lube or brake job. So now it’s up to me to rip the entire fuel system out in my attached garage. Anyone from Pittsburgh? I’ll give you $1500.00 to do the pumps and blow out the lines. :)
Pretty sad I had more access to repair work with my 1979 Datsun then I do with this mercury. Eh sentimental value sucks otherwise it would be on fire 🤬
KYay.......just so happens the door chimer doesn’t work either. 🤬 I suppose if I was running around at 270 degrees with 5 lbs of oil pressure Guess I’d notice. Maybe I’ll add a nice set of gauges where the lighter/premium amp switch is housed. Never understood the meaning of the amp switch......so if your not a well liked passenger your not getting a slightly better audio experience? Or save the paper speakers for special events. Anniversaries. “ hey baby it’s been 5 years so tonight we’re listening to The little river band...... with the PREMIUM audio selection” 😂
While it’s on my mind. I have the LS with the digi dash. Haven’t noticed a temp or oil pressure idiot lights..shined a flashlight in the cluster can’t see anything.
Thanks that’s a huge help. Wish Haynes or Chiltons had a simple call out for grounds. Thursday starts my 5 days off. So I’m dropping the tank. See what’s what and cleaning grounds one by one.
The trunk has 2 wires down to the tank. Looks halfway easy to drop the tank.......is there room to drop or will I get hung up on wires and exact length fuel hoses?
Here is part 2......... Since there is no timing marks. I have 2 other engines laying around at the farm.
60's 302 maybe a 289 out of a dump truck...... 71 460 with a C6 trans saw a swap kit for the mustang but will the C6 bolt in or is there substantially difficult fab involved.
My background is 80s GBods and 70s puppiesanese. Thought this cougar was going to be a walk. Just trying to get a carb on it seems like a huge PITA. Thanks for the advice.
I'm feeling curmudgeonly, but if you can't afford a $20 repair manual - maybe you can't afford to drive a car?
Its fine im also curmudgeonly. There was a budget involved in my hobby. I blew that completely for the year. So its either back under the covers until JAN 1 or I find somethings stupid.
Or do I just give them $6000/$8000 And install a ford racing crate and T-5 , screw the Aod TV rod and Ecc iii altogether. Other option is convert to a Fuel injection edelbrock makes. Was hoping to keep it original or was a $100 part. But literally it’s a brand new car. Even got the factory 14” caps. Think the used turbines look better.
Well tempers are flaring spend $450 bucks for a tow. Then $150 tow. I got AAA now lol Car gets home and fires up instantly. No rhyme or reasoning. Hell I watched a completely dead battery come back from the dead a hour later lol. On top of parts changers claiming their Mechanics. “All I can do is start replacing sensors “
Got some gunk out of the schrader valve 3/5 black rocks. Fuel looks very foamy like a shaken pen 15e. So if I got crud up this far my instinct is to drop the tank and inspect and replace the fuel filter. Cleaned a few grounds I found out under the hood. Like to know where the computers ground is located. Not very educated with Fords but was told they do crazy things due to bad grounds.
Egr is fully functional , no vac leaks tested with spraying carb cleaner. All California smog is equipped. Grandfather owned since original delivery. Was Lincoln/Mercury maintained until they said they wouldn’t work on it . 2000s it was parked due to this problem but he kept the fuel fresh and did drive it around a few times a year. But that’s California gas. So I’m also looking at fuel pressure regulator....or a intermittent pump issue. What my gut says. But after spending a few thousand getting the car here to Pittsburgh and it’s lack luster reliability. My wife refuses to get in it. I already over spent this year. May have to wait until Christmas bonus time.
There is a Restoration company.....$300.00 evaluation where they completely go thru the car. Sent him pics said it’s worth $3000/$4000 because it’s a brand new friggin car lol. Perfect body interior got some sun fade on the read leather. But it just drives me crazy I can’t find the issue.
Btw Here it’s very rural. It’s a unused toll road at 1AM so lil more mature than those $50k mustang owners at cars n coffee.
Also noticed going up over a mountain grade. It started acting like it was running out of gas. Fell from 65 to 30 and completely dropped dead. But instantly fired back up and ran like a top. Thinking maybe running a hose from the schrader valve out of the cowl to a basic pressure gauge. See if I’m losing fuel pressure. But how can I test for spark. Either I’m losing fuel or spark. Or time.......but I maybe nuts but I see no timing marks.
Totally hate my 83 cougar. 5.0 65000 miles California EEC 3 “ not using god i’s”. Did all the proper tune up . Plugs/wires/cap/rotor/fuel filter. About melted the starter and battery in rage. Will not start unless it’s 3/4 throttle hot/cold/Craig T Nelson poltergeist mode...... So today I had it sideways power sliding at 50 onto the expressway left a dent in the floor. Got it to blinking 85 and started over revving the trans. .? 105/115? Not one dam cough nor chug. Yet about a hour beforehand on the same road would not achieve 40 bucking coughing full on Uncle buck!
What I need is some FREE checks. Where the hell is the grounds on this car? Locations no I dont have $36 bucks for a eBay chiltions book nor a scanner/multimeter/sun pro diagnostic center. I drive a 83 mercury. Asked summit for a Aod Holley. “Doesn’t exist but if you try your gunna smoke your transmission” Mechanic wants to go one by one every sensor. About ready to get my 2nd gen ram and Have a derby. 5 times it’s left me stranded. Yet it gets towed home it fires right up. No clue. Where do I even start.
Well it turned out someone removed the diode. Noticed in the drawling the bk thru diode to Bk/y to the pressure switch. Also on the connector where the greens are joined to were melted. Car has AC however it has left me stranded at McDonald’s Drive thru embarrassing to say the least. Then yesterday in middle of a intersection. Both dead batteries. Also if you even think about lifting off the gas it instantly dies. So was nice to have Luke warm air.
Have a 83 cougar LS. 5.0. Turn on the Air nothing. Jumped the low pressure switch pops fuse #6. Pulled wire for clutch. Still pops #6. Put it all back charged the system got to pressure pops #6. Talk to 4 garages all 4 refused to work on it. What I need to know if there is a relay. What’s its location? Where is this diode. This is a 65000 mile un touched car.
So the way I'm looking at it the black wires are the ground and 12v is supplied thru the green. There is no diode at the clutch Ali GM style.......down on that wire that was hot. Is a thing a Bob then a useable link. Wondering if a diode is faulty. Thanks immensely.
Have a 83’ LS 5.0 no air conditioning. Soon as I select Air the fuse pops. Pulled the clutch wire, popped. On the low pressure switch. There is 3 wires one black that goes to the clutch. The other black has a fuseable link. Took that as the hot side. Removed the link jumped the switch , clutch engages but wire gets hot. Goes to another harness with 2 blacks. The one there gets hot is the one going back to the fire wall. Not sure where it goes or what it’s for. But it’s pushing 100 with hi humidity so it needs repaired.
Well I had a 2nd gen Dodge ram. Failed inspection and needed junked. My wife has a new Explorer and while signing on a new F250. I walked out......live 2.4 miles from work couldnt justify a new payment. Went home saw the cougar for $1000 bucks. So she is a daily until next fall when we pay off hers. If you saw my wife behind the wheel of the Cougar you would understand why im not taking hers. Would be awesome to cruise down the outer banks though.
