The Unofficial "Ask a Stupid Question" Thread

Wiring would be fairly simple since it’s all proprietary, you won’t be tapping into factory harnesses or anything but simply running power to relays and controller and grounds from them and the fan. You’d need to do your own research on the best controller for the job unless someone chimes in but you want one with adjustable temp and two speeds or PWM. Fan wise just get a factory 94-97 OEM fan, they’re better than any aftermarket setup.

You can simply use a infrared temperature gun pointed at the radiator hose, main thing is to aim at a non reflective surface. You can read temp from a scanner too but you need one for obd I
 
Ok, that's amazing info, time to keep my eye open at the bone yard for a 94-97
 
To run the fan with a pwm controller you need a hefty one. the 40A controller I tried for the mark fan did not survive the garage test, lol.To survive these fans the bird/cougar fans will work with a 40A relay, or the 40A controller. The mark, I'm still working on. They will work ok on a 300A contactor, and a car battery, lol.Unfortunately, the 300A contactors I have are all 24v. :) A 12v one is over $100, so not really an option for me.
on a good note, ir guns are now under 20 bux on amazon.
 
Do we have sales data posted anywhere?

Specifically by engine. From my junkyard tours, I'm surprised how few V6s I see. Which gets me to speculate:
  • Did the V8 sell much better?
  • Did the V8 survive longer?
  • ...
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
Do we have sales data posted anywhere?

Specifically by engine. From my junkyard tours, I'm surprised how few V6s I see. Which gets me to speculate:
  • Did the V8 sell much better?
  • Did the V8 survive longer?
  • ...
Click to expand...

My observation is the the 3.8 sold more than the 5.0 in the 91-93 years and the 4.6 sold better than the 3.8 in the 94-97 years. Never saw a numerical breakdown of it, that might be marti report material
 
I remember seeing that data during the 'cash for clunkers' bs. There is data for sales/ model year at least.
 
Someone messed up the number for 97s, it's over 85,000.

1989
3.8L T-Bird: 102,059
3.8L SC: 12,809
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 8,041
3.8L Cougar LS: 92,466
3.8L XR7: 4,780
3.8L XR7 5-speed manuals: 2,101
Total 1989 T-birds: 122,909
Total 1989 Cougars: 97,246
Total 1989: 220,155

1990
3.8L T-Bird: 82,636
3.8L SC: 21,966
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 6,067
35th Anniversary edition: 3,371
3.8L Cougar LS: 77,084
3.8L XR7: 4,156
3.8L XR7 5-speed manuals: 823
Total 1990 T-birds: 114,040
Total 1990 Cougars: 81,240
Total 1990: 195,280


1991
5.0L T-Bird: 16,232
3.8L T-Bird: 59,543
3.8L SC: 7,039
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 1,905
3.8L Cougar: 53,676
5.0L Cougar: 10,146
Total 1991 Cougars: 63,822
Total 1991 T-birds: 84,719
Total 1991: 148,541


1992
5.0L T-Bird: 12,562
3.8L T-Bird: 57,119
3.8L SC: 4,212
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 1,256
LS/XR7 Cougars: 42,182
25th Anniversary Edition Cougars: 4,800
Total 1992 Cougars: 46,982
Total 1992 T-birds: 75,149
Total 1992: 122,131

1993
5.0L T-Bird: 19,587
3.8L T-Bird: 106,234
3.8L SC: 3,891
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 1,038
Total 1993 Cougars: 79,700
Total 1993 T-bids: 130,750
Total 1993: 210,450


1994
4.6L T-Bird: 66,657
3.8L T-Bird: 51,056
3.8L SC: 2,647
3.8L SC 5-speed: 722
Total 1994 Cougars: 71,026
Total 1994 T-birds: 121,082
Total 1994: 192,108


1995
4.6L T-Bird: 94,155
3.8L T-Bird: 14,927
3.8L SC: 5,741
3.8L SC 5-speed: 574
Total 1995 Cougars: 60,201
Total 1995 T-birds: 115,397
Total 1995: 175,598

1996
4.6L T-Bird: 86,522
3.8L T-Bird: 25,780
Total 1996 Cougars: 38,929
Total 1996 T-birds: 112,302
Total 1996: 151,231


1997
4.6L T-Bird: 66,320
3.8L T-Bird: 18,956
XR7 Cougars: 27,454
30th Anniversary Cougars: 7,813
Total 1997 Cougars: 35,267
Total 1997 T-birds: 85,276
Total 1997: 120,543
 
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Wow! Now that is interesting. The 4.6 was a huge success from the start. Probably helped by the fact that it didn't cost a huge amount more than the 3.8 I'm guessing.

The 3.8 is in fact quite rare in later years. Probably sought after by those enthusiasts who value superior handling with less weight on the front axle. 8-)
 
After I decided to take the T-bird off the winter roads and get a "winter beater" in 2010, I was looking around at the options and, despite knowing full well how horrible the MN12 behaved on wintry roads, settled on an inexpensive 94 3.8 Cougar. It was already a little rusty so I had no temptation to try and "save it" too, and with the 3.8 it was less likely to get me into trouble with the reduced power and weight to stop/get moving. With a set of 4 winter tires, it was downright docile on the roads compared to what I had gotten used to driving the T-bird year-round previously.

I look upon that car fondly, even though I only drove it 4 seasons. The weight loss off the nose really made a huge difference in how well that car behaved.
 
I remember something like 2000 or less 91 LS 5.0 Cougars. I'm assuming it follows most car logic of you get a higher trim you often order the bigger motor
 
The cat was really out of the bag with the 3.8s propensity for head gasket consumption too and with the 4.6 posting up fairly close mpg ratings it became the better value.
 
If a check engine light was cleared, how much driving would it take to get the codes back on?

[I could check on mine right now, but sometimes the engine light doesnt come back on for weeks. It's usually the P0420]
 
Vicinity said:
If a check engine light was cleared, how much driving would it take to get the codes back on?

[I could check on mine right now, but sometimes the engine light doesnt come back on for weeks. It's usually the P0420]
Click to expand...

It could be anywhere between 10 and 100 miles, it’s all a matter of whether your driving habits mesh with the drive cycle, once it’s met the p1000 will go away and if there’s a persistent issue will throw a fresh cel
 
theterminator93 said:
Someone messed up the number for 97s, it's over 85,000.

1989
3.8L T-Bird: 102,059
3.8L SC: 12,809
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 8,041
3.8L Cougar LS: 92,466
3.8L XR7: 4,780
3.8L XR7 5-speed manuals: 2,101
Total 1989 T-birds: 122,909
Total 1989 Cougars: 97,246
Total 1989: 220,155

1990
3.8L T-Bird: 82,636
3.8L SC: 21,966
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 6,067
35th Anniversary edition: 3,371
3.8L Cougar LS: 77,084
3.8L XR7: 4,156
3.8L XR7 5-speed manuals: 823
Total 1990 T-birds: 114,040
Total 1990 Cougars: 81,240
Total 1990: 195,280


1991
5.0L T-Bird: 16,232
3.8L T-Bird: 59,543
3.8L SC: 7,039
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 1,905
3.8L Cougar: 53,676
5.0L Cougar: 10,146
Total 1991 Cougars: 63,822
Total 1991 T-birds: 84,719
Total 1991: 148,541


1992
5.0L T-Bird: 12,562
3.8L T-Bird: 57,119
3.8L SC: 4,212
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 1,256
LS/XR7 Cougars: 42,182
25th Anniversary Edition Cougars: 4,800
Total 1992 Cougars: 46,982
Total 1992 T-birds: 75,149
Total 1992: 122,131

1993
5.0L T-Bird: 19,587
3.8L T-Bird: 106,234
3.8L SC: 3,891
3.8L SC 5-speed manuals: 1,038
Total 1993 Cougars: 79,700
Total 1993 T-bids: 130,750
Total 1993: 210,450


1994
4.6L T-Bird: 66,657
3.8L T-Bird: 51,056
3.8L SC: 2,647
3.8L SC 5-speed: 722
Total 1994 Cougars: 71,026
Total 1994 T-birds: 121,082
Total 1994: 192,108


1995
4.6L T-Bird: 94,155
3.8L T-Bird: 14,927
3.8L SC: 5,741
3.8L SC 5-speed: 574
Total 1995 Cougars: 60,201
Total 1995 T-birds: 115,397
Total 1995: 175,598

1996
4.6L T-Bird: 86,522
3.8L T-Bird: 25,780
Total 1996 Cougars: 38,929
Total 1996 T-birds: 112,302
Total 1996: 151,231


1997
4.6L T-Bird: 66,320
3.8L T-Bird: 18,956
XR7 Cougars: 27,454
30th Anniversary Cougars: 7,813
Total 1997 Cougars: 35,267
Total 1997 T-birds: 85,276
Total 1997: 120,543
Click to expand...

I wonder what the numbers were for the 1993 Cougars with the 5.0. I bet it's a real low number. My Cougar had a build dare of 08/93 so it was the last of that run. As I recall the 5.0 option was $2500.00 bucks.

Mark
 
MarkM TCCoA VP Emeritus said:
I wonder what the numbers were for the 1993 Cougars with the 5.0. I bet it's a real low number. My Cougar had a build dare of 08/93 so it was the last of that run. As I recall the 5.0 option was $2500.00 bucks.

Mark
Click to expand...

If that was the cost of the 5.0 option I wonder if Ford was deliberately trying to limit the take rate for the 5.0 for some reason(production limitations etc). That and that training flier @dDUBb posted certainly sheds more light on why the 4.6s outsold the 3.8.
 
In 94 the cost of the 4.6 upgrade from the 3.8 was 1600 or 1700 dollars so obviously people would option for the 4.6. The package on the 5.0 was the motor, the 8.8 rear end and 4 wheel disc brakes as the main items but it included more.

Mark
 
MarkM TCCoA VP Emeritus said:
In 94 the cost of the 4.6 upgrade from the 3.8 was 1600 or 1700 dollars so obviously people would option for the 4.6. The package on the 5.0 was the motor, the 8.8 rear end and 4 wheel disc brakes as the main items but it included more.

Mark
Click to expand...
The 8.8 came with the 5.0, but that was the only option tied to the engine. My 91 Cougar LS had rear drums from the factory. I also once saw a base model 91 tbird with a 5.0, no power locks, and steel wheels with hubcaps.
 
I also remember the Mark VIII in 1993 was test bedded as some lucky state police interceptors and supposedly had a hotter tune than the 1994 model. The 5.0 that was in the 93 Cougar was the testing model for the 94-94 Mustang Cobra but the Cougar got the lower profile intake due to hood clearance.

Mark
 
Yeah ABS was tied to 4 wheel disc, that was never standard with any engine until 1997 when drums were no longer offered at all. ABS as we figured out was tied to the 8.8 so if you sprung for the ABS option with a 3.8 NA you got the 8.8 since the 7.5 housing had no provisions for the speed sensors
 
XR7-4.6 said:
Yeah ABS was tied to 4 wheel disc, that was never standard with any engine until 1997 when drums were no longer offered at all. ABS as we figured out was tied to the 8.8 so if you sprung for the ABS option with a 3.8 NA you got the 8.8 since the 7.5 housing had no provisions for the speed sensors
Click to expand...
Yeah good info
 
New stupid question. I have Eibach springs on my Thunderbird and they lower the car something like an inch (can't remember). I remember reading somewhere that this affects the rear swaybar links. The bar ends up no longer being level (parallel to the ground) anymore and I think the bar ends are pointing up at an angle? So the solution is using shorter swaybar links. As far as I know nobody makes those (the stock design, not the aftermarket version) so I was thinking that I would probably have to measure the angle or extra height of the bar ends and subtract so that I know roughly what to cut out of 2 new swaybar end links so that the bar ends up level again. Is that correct? Anyone know more or less how much should be cut out? I assume that the 2 cut ends would then need to be slid into a hollow sleeve and welded into it.
 
This is really a non-issue. The bar pointing up slightly makes the distance of the sway bar link from the pivot point slightly shorter, but not enough to have any noticeable effects, and since it is the same on both sides, the sway bar will still perform the same. If you had a car set up for a circle track or something where you had different suspension heights left to right, then you might want to start messing with different length sway bar links, but on a street car, just leave it be.
 
I'm finally a week or so away from ordering custom driveshafts for my EV project as I finally built all three of my engine mounts to properly mount my Tesla motor.

My application will be completely custom (and I know I'll probably have to spend $2k+/pair).

Who did you folks buy your custom axles from?
I think I was looking at driveshaft shop a few years ago but any tips would be appreciated.

Axle Custom Measuring - The Driveshaft Shop

Learn how to measure for a DSS Custom Pro-Level Axle. Learn custom measuring for CV Axles with Chris Frosberg.
driveshaftshop.com driveshaftshop.com

Now, I think I can also buy these stubs to go from the Tesla flange to stub axles, but I don't think they will make my drive angle any easier.

Now, the subframe is portable enough subframe and spindles is less than 100LB and the Tesla LDU is another 290LB. So under 450LB. I wonder if its easier to find a local shop and just bring the whole subframe over and ask them to "make it work".

If so, any Bay area recommendations?
 
MadMikeyL said:
This is really a non-issue. The bar pointing up slightly makes the distance of the sway bar link from the pivot point slightly shorter, but not enough to have any noticeable effects, and since it is the same on both sides, the sway bar will still perform the same. If you had a car set up for a circle track or something where you had different suspension heights left to right, then you might want to start messing with different length sway bar links, but on a street car, just leave it be.
Click to expand...

Agreed, and with the stock style pivot links it doesn’t matter much, with aftermarket bushings if the bar isn’t level the upper bushings will already be deflected at an angle and might wear them out quicker.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
Agreed, and with the stock style pivot links it doesn’t matter much, with aftermarket bushings if the bar isn’t level the upper bushings will already be deflected at an angle and might wear them out quicker.
Click to expand...

But shouldn't the bar be level for it to perform as designed? I mean, pretend the bar is facing up at like 45 degrees, I would think that it wouldn't work nearly as well as if it were oriented flat. I'm guessing with lowering springs the angle is less than that, maybe 10 degrees, but wouldn't it still be useful to get shorter links? I pretty sure the aftermarket swaybars I bought years ago came with shorter rear end links because I specified that I'd installed shorter springs.
 
You can buy shorter links; seems like they weren't hard to find. If it doesn't pivot, it will snap when you jack the heels off the ground. The bar should be horizontal with normal weight is on the car. This lets it move the most before running out of range of motion.
Bill wants over $50 for a set; lookiing at those, I'd get a piece of allthread, some nylock nuts, washers, and some of the urethane from advanced autos shelf of suspension stuff.
 
Shortened endlinks will slightly reduce the arc range and radius of the pivot .. the lowering springs do the same to the control arms - so their effective changes in suspension geometry are correlated when used together. The bars relation to the control arm at any height is more important than the bar being level with the ground ( 🤔 never understood this logic ) ; if you were to install shortened endlinks on a stock height suspension with a full range of motion you would be more likely to see increased bushing binding or broken parts.
 
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