The Unofficial "Ask a Stupid Question" Thread

Wile E. Coyote said:
Am I able to run LEDs in the digital cluster?
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I'm not familiar with that cluster, but...if it uses actual incandescent bulbs, what would prevent you from replacing them with LEDs?

That's for illumination. If you're referring to indicator lights, I think the general preference is to keep those incandescent because some of them run at a permanent low voltage, which would prompt an LED to be always on.

Just making guesses though...
 
XR7-4.6 said:
It’s a direct fit, in fact @97 30th used a Mark wheel as the core for his custom steering wheel(note the cruise buttons and leather wrapped spokes)

View attachment 13866
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Only the first gen Mark wheels bolt right up. I had a later gen in it before this one and it took some customization and a shim to make it work. The later gen color matches. The early ones don't have a color that matches the dark prairie tan which didn't matter in this case because I had the wheel redone.
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
I'm not familiar with that cluster, but...if it uses actual incandescent bulbs, what would prevent you from replacing them with LEDs?

That's for illumination. If you're referring to indicator lights, I think the general preference is to keep those incandescent because some of them run at a permanent low voltage, which would prompt an LED to be always on.

Just making guesses though...
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Same reason not all LED bulbs work with dimming switches. Voltage.
 
97 30th said:
Only the first gen Mark wheels bolt right up. I had a later gen in it before this one and it took some customization and a shim to make it work. The later gen color matches. The early ones don't have a color that matches the dark prairie tan which didn't matter in this case because I had the wheel redone.
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If I ever find my dream steering wheel, Prairie Tan '98 Collector's Edition leather/wood, I'll be asking for your advice for installation.

This wheel is a '93 Mark VIII's.

Wile E. Coyote said:
Same reason not all LED bulbs work with dimming switches. Voltage.
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:unsure:

FWIW, I use LED bulbs in my stock '97 cluster for illumination only. Sylvania LEDs, and they dim perfectly fine.

Ok, someone explain to me how this works, because I want to understand it.

I gather that (1) is always-on 12V from the horn relay. And I gather that (3) is a ground, needed to close the horn relay through the horn switch.

I also imagine that (2) is some hit-in-run voltage which flows through varying resistors to provide a signal to (3) for Set/Accel, Coast Resume, and Off.

But what I don't understand is how On works! Based on this diagram, On conncets (1) to (2), so power to power?! How can that constitute any kind of signal?

Also, does this mean, theoretically, that you cannot use the horn and change cruise settings simultaneously?

20250812_142550.jpg
 
Basically, you can actually honk the horn with the cruise switches on 94-95s lol 😆
 
Wile E. Coyote said:
Am I able to run LEDs in the digital cluster?
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Physically you can but the illumination might be a little funky and uneven. Even 194s don’t really work quite right in them as from the factory those digital clusters used halogen bulbs (that fit 194 sockets). LED bulbs have come a long way and might be better but I think I’d still go the old ribbon strip route on a digital dash to ensure even lighting
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
For those who haven't seen my latest junkyard crawl thread, is that '96 Limited Edition a total exception? Limited Editions should be '97s, correct?
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It should be 97 only, however these LE packages were applied by the dealerships, not the factory and they could have just as easily dressed up a leftover 96 or even used 96 on the lot.

Other scenario is some owner just applied it after the fact, the decals used to be available over the counter up to 15ish years ago(or they’re simply painted on, of which the quarter panel one lacking the LE script would be the tell) and the fender emblems have always been things us junkyard rats would pull off and resell, so it’s not unreasonable it’s just a clone, LEs were kind of placed on a pedestal by the community for a bit
 
What's the right kind of adhesive to use on a c-pillar moulding that no longer stays in the groove? Seems every time I try to rebend it I get further away from where it should be! Thanks.
20250813_183032.jpg
 
Where are the common grounds on the early model T-birds? I'm still chasing why my turn signals don't work even after replacing the multi-function switch twice, I wanna check the grounds to make sure their alright and then start checking other things
 
Jae 'Bird said:
Where are the common grounds on the early model T-birds? I'm still chasing why my turn signals don't work even after replacing the multi-function switch twice, I wanna check the grounds to make sure their alright and then start checking other things
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There are 2, one on either side of the radiator support right behind the header panel.
 
Can anyone confirm if the speedometer cable from early AOD MN12s are the same as Fox birds/cats?
 
Zep5.0 said:
Can anyone confirm if the speedometer cable from early AOD MN12s are the same as Fox birds/cats?
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No MN12s used a speedometer cable, so probably no(probably only being I’m also relatively confident Fox ones only used electric speedometers too)
 
XR7-4.6 said:
No MN12s used a speedometer cable, so probably no(probably only being I’m also relatively confident Fox ones only used electric speedometers too)
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Ok, so it's just the VSS sensor? I had a spare AOD from a late 80's Continental and I'm guessing I pulled the cable off of that. This 5 year break between taking stuff apart and putting back together is rough. But I didn't remember any cable to the speedo, so I was confused
 
My mechanic just let me know that he needs "front strut bushings: from lower control arm to rod, not from rod to frame."

He says all he can find is plastic. What part is that and are there decent aftermarket replacement besides the plastic available that I can get somewhere?
 
Stanley said:
My mechanic just let me know that he needs "front strut bushings: from lower control arm to rod, not from rod to frame."

He says all he can find is plastic. What part is that and are there decent aftermarket replacement besides the plastic available that I can get somewhere?
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The bushings in the control arm don't matter. Put whatever you can get in there.
 
I'd rather do higher quality, if I can. If they went once, they can go again. I'm trying to find the precise part this is, though, and am having troubles.
 
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KevinVarnes said:
I guess I'm just saying you can use either thermoplastic or regular rubber in there. It doesn't care.
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I get that, in general, but since I've heard so many horror stories about the plastic front-end bushings failing in a relatively short period, I'd rather just do it once with something that's going to last for a while instead of shattering while I drive or spending money on the labour again a year down the road.
 
The control arm side ones can be either material, and the thermoplastic hold up just fine. Actually I would argue the thermoplastic is better in that location. The frame side are the ones where the thermoplastic will fail in short order. Basically the frame side has to flex to allow the suspension to articulate, and that will cause the thermoplastic to split, however the arm side just bolts the strut rod and LCA together, and once tightened, they don’t move relative to one another as the suspension moves, so the harder thermoplastic material actually holds up and handles better than the factory rubber.
 
MadMikeyL said:
The control arm side ones can be either material, and the thermoplastic hold up just fine. Actually I would argue the thermoplastic is better in that location. The frame side are the ones where the thermoplastic will fail in short order. Basically the frame side has to flex to allow the suspension to articulate, and that will cause the thermoplastic to split, however the arm side just bolts the strut rod and LCA together, and once tightened, they don’t move relative to one another as the suspension moves, so the harder thermoplastic material actually holds up and handles better than the factory rubber.
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Agreed but I firmly believe the material is less the problem than the design on the frame side. The thermoplastic bushings are an exact copy of the stock rubber bushings, in that the front bushing “receives” the rear bushing going through the k member, but crutially the front one lacks the steel cup molded to the backside that seems to be there to prevents the rubber from from expanding outward excessively. And since it also receives the inner bushing there’s barely any material holding itself together to begin with.

I’ve been running 61 Continental poly bushings on the frame side going 4 years now. They’re both basically solid puck designs and thermoplastic is basically just poly.
 
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