The Unofficial "Ask a Stupid Question" Thread

Hmmm, this is something I  should know, but I've never dropped a headliner on these. I can tell you that the lighting wiring is a single wire; ground is provided through the screw into the roof.
 
XR7-4.6 said:
Moonroof and non moonroof visors are different and will have different mounting points. I’m fairly certain the lighting wires are a miraculously prewired part, though you might have to partially drop the headliner to find them anyway
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Ya, both cars are regular (non-moonroof) versions. This '95 headliner isn't terrible but it could use replacing, maybe at that point I would fish out the lighting wires (if they're there) over to the mount holes in order to use these lighted ones. I'm just trying to avoid getting to that point and, aw, the harness is different, start searching, hahahaaha.

When I removed the '92 visors from the junkyard car, I couldn't get the wire connections to separate cleanly, both of the plugs in the harness broke (the little tabs to hold the wire in) with almost no effort. So I wonder, if my '95 even has the harness, how delicate they will be.
 
I found some Bridgestone all season tires on Amazon for $100 I'm thinking of getting.

I'll check those 235s and see what options there are for those.
 
Not sure if I am not remembering incorrectly or if tire availability changed since 2014, but looks like 235 is less common now :unsure:
I just went with them because they are a bit larger; they defiantly look a bit wider from behind the car. Back then the old forum was full of recommendations for that size with the sport wheels
 
I just run the stock 225/60 on my cars. Police Crown Vics used to run that size so there are/were plenty of options. I thought you were upgrading to the J55 brakes though??
 
I was looking at CDsDon'tBurns new car and I saw it had a pop up antenna. I did not know that was an option on the 96/97. Was the power antenna always an option?
 
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I am assuming you mean the power antenna? I believe it was always an option. The early cars had a separate switch to extend/retract the antenna. Our '97 goes up/down with radio power. If I had to guess I would assume 89-93 = separate switch and 94-97 = radio power activated.
 
Yup. There's a 12V pin on the back of the radio for "amplifier/antenna signal". It outputs 12V when the radio is on for the antenna or amplifier. On my parent's former 1989 Maxima, it was smart enough to switch the 12V off when the radio was on but in cassette mode.
 
It also uses a control module, a small grey box mounted near the airbag control module (blue), right of the glovebox. I have one of those laying around from when I wanted to install a power antenna, but I lost interest halfway through the project.
 
Little Ice-Cable said:
What do you mean that's what I said the whole time 🤣

And if I was to want to wire up a power antenna to my car with a switch how could that be done?
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I honestly don't think it is worth the hassle. I've been fighting with replacement masts since we got ours. I think I'm on #3 right now. I just gave up since my wife mostly drives the car and when she does she doesn't listen to the radio much. As 1997ThunderbirdLXV6 alluded to there is a control box that actually runs the motor in addition to the motor/lift mechanism in the wheel well. I've actually considered converting to the fixed mast style.
 
The fixed ones typically work better. On the power ones There's one control wire, and power and ground. Control wire; 12v=up, open or ground=down. If you snag one at a jy, make sure there is a connection between the antenna, and the middle wire on the radio antenna plug . If it's open, it's bad.
Adding a switch is easy. I use a double-pole switch; backfeeding 12v to the radio's antenna control wire can damage aftermarket radios, especially Alpine.
 
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While repairing my power window motors, I investigated why my passenger side door won't lock and unlock using the key. Found out this piece loose from the lock cylinder end:
1752003998414.png

So apparently it should be attached to some door lock mechanism rod from the other end. It is likely broken since it won't no longer attach to the lock cylinder. The questions are, how can I find a new one, is it typically sold as part of the lock cylinder, and what could be the exact name of this thing? The patient is a Tbird LX from 1994.
 
That looks like the piece that pivots from the lock cylinder and moves a lever to actually unlock the door. If I remember correctly the lever goes in the clips. The other side does look broken.
 
KevinVarnes said:
I honestly don't think it is worth the hassle. I've been fighting with replacement masts since we got ours. I think I'm on #3 right now. I just gave up since my wife mostly drives the car and when she does she doesn't listen to the radio much. As 1997ThunderbirdLXV6 alluded to there is a control box that actually runs the motor in addition to the motor/lift mechanism in the wheel well. I've actually considered converting to the fixed mast style.
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I love the look of a power antenna, but I usually stream music from my phone, my antenna is disconnected. As in always down.
 
Grog6 said:
The fixed ones typically work better.
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I have a Bluetooth radio in mine so it's not all practicality, I hate the look of the antenna but if I wanted to use the radio I would like to, so I'm planning on doing a power antenna, but I want a switch.
 
New question: is it normal for this connector to get wet during heavy rain or washing the car? Seems like a poor design choice.

20250607_182510.jpg

Note the gap in the foam insulation. Could some of you check if you have the same gap?

20250708_210853.jpg
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
New question: is it normal for this connector to get wet during heavy rain or washing the car? Seems like a poor design choice.

View attachment 13083

Note the gap in the foam insulation. Could some of you check if you have the same gap?

View attachment 13082
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They’re all like that

IMG_7052.jpeg

As long as it’s not wet in the interior side it’s fine. It’s a weatherpack connector, each wire is sealed through a thick grommet and the connector itself on both ends is sealed to the firewall with a gasket, so rest assured if it’s wet it’s not going to cause an issue when it gets wet.
 
1997ThunderbirdLXV6 said:
Thank you, Matt.

And yours is the round one. Interesting that they bothered to change the firewall at some point (I'm guessing '96).
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Yep. Actually technically 93, the Mark VIII used the rectangular connector first and the MN12 shared the stamping for 96-97.

There’s actually a purposeful reason to it. If you look at the passenger side firewall on your car you might notice a round rubber body plug, all 96-97s used it. This hole that plugged in 89-95s was used as a wiring harness passthrough for the ABS, EVO and ARC wiring in these earlier years. Which actually crossed along the firewall to get right around to where that main connector is ironically. In 96 the ABS circuits were moved from a separate harness into the main body harness, which that larger rectangular connector allowed for. Marks were wired this way from the start.
 
Kidd-7 said:
That looks like the piece that pivots from the lock cylinder and moves a lever to actually unlock the door. If I remember correctly the lever goes in the clips. The other side does look broken.
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Yes, and it seems at least one name for it is "Door lock pawl/lever/clip/retainer". Found it from eBay now: https://www.ebay.com/itm/385388458873 :zbeer:
 
@theterminator93, what projectors did you use on your Bird? My Dakota also has 9007 housings and I'm wanting to retrofit them.
 
They're an old feeBay kit from about 15 years ago, they were called 2.5" G1 projectors when I bought them.
 
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