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Mark hits the streets after 4 years !

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Posted by: MD-82

Well we finally mustered up the courage to take my '88 Mark VII to the streets. The engine runs like butter in a hot pan. But the brakes were leaking and had to be pressed all the way down to stop her, the right front suspension wasn't fully tied down and the air suspension was completely flat and turned off. Oh, did I mention we had no license plates!? Kids, don't try this in the states!

Anyhoo, seeing that Mark sitting so low to the ground was really amazing. I was being led and trailed by two friends in their cars. But trust me, if you want you kidneys to last past 40, don't ride without springs over continuous bumps. I nearly hit my head in the roof several times. And this was driving at 25mph. But it was really worth it. We got the car home and finally sitting on concrete. No more slopes, no more dirt and dust. I can finally work from the comfort of my own garage.

Items we still need to work on. It appears the front airbags aren't getting air. Seems like the solenoids don't want to open. Otherwise you should at least hear a leak or something. But we are going to run the suspension test in the weekend. Also, the cabin windows are shot. The driver's side window won't operate (faulty electro-motor) and the pax side lowers only 4 inches before dropping sideways and jamming up. And lastly the front brakes need some work. After arriving home I noticed that on the right side, the inner pad was completely gone, and the only thing keeping the piston from shooting out was the rotor. The inner rotor was worn to about 1/8". So that area defo needs work. Other than that, most other electrical parts and lights work.......OH, the pax side door lock power function isn't working either.

Well, that's about it. I'll keep you posted.

Xander

Posted by: Sifrino3

I will be feeling you very soon. If the tranny guys can pull it togeather. 3 days, then 5 days. (gzz) It will be since Halloween 2002 since Ovr cst has been driven. I can't wait. . .

Posted by: Kbob

Good luck with the rest!

Posted by: mespock

Might need a little work but it's worth the effort! Love those Mark VII's

Posted by: MD-82

So Sifrino, what happened to yours that took so long to fix? Blew the tranny?

Posted by: Sifrino3

Quote:

Originally Posted by MD-82

So Sifrino, what happened to yours that took so long to fix? Blew the tranny?

Going to phx on the interstate. Went through on coming traffic going 80 plus during a busy 4pm rush hour. Some how we made it though and hit a thorn bush. Not a little bush but a huge one. Took it right out of the ground. It smashed up the front header and drivers fender. The bumper was also bent down.

Around 2003, I tryed to more it. It started up right away. But it would not go into any gears. So, after sitting for 30 min or close to an hour of running. Just trying to get it going. I hope in and I told my wife one more time and all of a sudden it went. I said meet me at such and such. And it drove there. No problems, didn't really test anything out. Since I just wanted to get it there. I parked it. Now in 2005 I bought the busted up panels and put them on and paid for a tranny rebuild. Soon, it should be a new daily driver.

Posted by: MD-82

As Spongebob Squarepants once said...."Well good luck with that !!"

Honsetly, your ride looks very sweet.

Posted by: OldSchool1

Congratulations!

Posted by: MD-82

Do any of you know maybe what it means when the digits in my AC display keep flashing? I already know that my AC doesn't work prolly because there's no R-12 in the system. But it didn't do it before. Today after reconnecting the battery and starting the car I noticed that all lights were flashing. So with AC off, only the temp select digits flashed. When I turn on the system, the orange select lights flash at the same speed?

Posted by: OldSchool1

Quote:

Originally Posted by MD-82

Do any of you know maybe what it means when the digits in my AC display keep flashing? I already know that my AC doesn't work prolly because there's no R-12 in the system. But it didn't do it before. Today after reconnecting the battery and starting the car I noticed that all lights were flashing. So with AC off, only the temp select digits flashed. When I turn on the system, the orange select lights flash at the same speed?

Flashing is a general alarm.
To pinpoint it, you'll need to run the self diagnostics found in the shop manual for your year of Mark VII. There was a tech article or two written for this but I forget where on the web it is. Use google to search for

"AUTOMATIC TEMPERATURE CONTROL" Lincoln Mark VII

to find them.

Posted by: MD-82

Found it on Lincolnsonline. Thanks a million!

Posted by: MD-82

Again with a question. Bear with me. I'm tryin to get this this up and running almost w/o a budget.
I'm now busy with the AC. I know that if there's no press in the system the compressor doesn't turn ON. So we started adding 2 bottles of R-12 in the system. Soon enough the compr. started switching on and off. But it would stay ON. Pressure was at about 60 low side after 2 bottles. But if I'm not mistaken if you bleed the high side you should get R-12 and not air. I bled the high side so much that the pressure dropped below that required to cycle the compressor.
All that was coming out was air. No white gas, no liquid. Does this indicate a leak or something. Or should I just keep bleeding until I start seeing R-12?

Xander

Posted by: OldSchool1

I don't know.
Maybe there is an AC mechanic or two that can answer this one...

Posted by: MD-82

Over at mustangforums they told me that you'll need special equip to vacuum tha air out and to refill it. So I guess I have to take it to the pro's.

Xander

Posted by: WALT

Sorry, You cannot just add freon to a system and bleed the air out -- especially on one that has been open or empty for a long time -- you start by putting a vacuum pump on it to remove all of the air - moisture and contaminates --
once the system has been vacuumed and verified that there are not any leaks ( holds steady vacuum for a couple hours ) then you service
with freon -- let the vacuum pull the first can into the system --
If there were any leaks that would let the oil leak out, then you will also
need to add a can of oil ( 6-8 oz ) - either take a high side line off and dump in then vac and charge -or- buy a can of pre-charged oil -- put this in first after vacuum before adding R-12 -- no way around it - If you do not have the equipment then you will have to take it to an A/C shop --

Posted by: MD-82

Thanks again Walt. I think I can get my hands on a vacuum. I'll start with that. If there aren't any leaks, I'll return to this post to take some cribnotes on the sequence of adding the gasses.

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