What did you do with your Thunderbird Today?

[Rodeo Joe]

What are you using?

Joe

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

What are you using?

Moi? Laundry detergent.

 

[White Lincoln]

A couple of people mentioned oil coolers above; What you need is a transmission fluid cooler bigger is better.
It will make your trans last a lot longer. Our stock tune does the 3-4, 4-3 thing repeatedly in traffic, and the temp soars.

Tru-Cool Max. Twice the Cooling for Your Transmission. Maximum Protection for Your Vehicle. | Tru-Cool

When an auxiliary transmission oil cooler is required for your vehicle, Tru-Cool Max delivers optimal protection with double the cooling performance of our other products. Maintain lower temperatures in your transmission and lubricant with Tru-Cool and extend the life of the vehicle you depend on.

www.trucool.com

I'm using the biggest one they make, 48kbtu I think.It's mounted in the front of the radiator and ac stuff. I didn't use a cold weather bypass, but depending on where you are, you may need to.

I made a simple frame out of aluminum bar to mount the cooler to the rad frame and tapped into the radiator tranny lines. The oil is flowing through the cooler then the radiator for extra cooling. It is suggested to add a tranny filter in line with the tranny cooler back to the rad. I opted out of that since I don't have a race car.

Here are the parts I used (fittings):
Parts from hardware store:
5/16" x 1/4" hose barb MIP adapter (to connect rad line to cooler hose)
1/4" x 7/8" Female pipe coupling (anything shorter won't work)
3ft of 3/8" (9.5mm) fuel line
3/4" x 1/8" x 72" rectangular aluminum bar (for mounting frame)
24 - #8 x 3/8" sheet metal screws (to mount the cooler frame to the rad frame)
4 - 1/2" copper straps (to brace the input / output fittings to the frame)

 

[White Lincoln]

Spring cleaning.

View attachment 11756View attachment 11757View attachment 11758

You litterly removed the skin of the seats and put them in the washing machine? I would like to add a heater to the drivers seat and thought pulling and washing would be a good time to add the heater too.

 

[White Lincoln]

What I did to my Cougar today (sounds like writing my weekly report to DOGE)
I contemplated replacing the PCV Valve... After watching another show about working on engines, one show and another person suggested just flushing them with engine cleaner. Thought I would give that a try instead of getting a new one for now.

Anyone else flush their PCV valve instead of replacing it?

 

[Wile E. Coyote]

Cut out and moved the dash bar down. Forget the instrument cluster not fitting because of the bar, the steering column was positioned way too high. Cut it out, places the dash and cluster in, positioned the column, repositioned the dash bar. Need to make mounts to hold the column in place now, but everything fits a lot better and I can use the OG cluster again.

 

[KevinVarnes]

What I did to my Cougar today (sounds like writing my weekly report to DOGE)
I contemplated replacing the PVC Valve... After watching another show about working on engines, one show and another person suggested just flushing them with engine cleaner. Thought I would give that a try instead of getting a new one for now.

Anyone else flush their PVC valve instead of replacing it?

No, but I have cleaned PCV valves out before.

Sometimes you can clean them, sometimes you just can't get all the crap out. I replaced one on a Subaru a week or so ago because the original valve still didn't sound very good after cleaning.

 

[White Lincoln]

No, but I have cleaned PCV valves out before.

Sometimes you can clean them, sometimes you just can't get all the crap out. I replaced one on a Subaru a week or so ago because the original valve still didn't sound very good after cleaning.

Dang dislexia! "Yeah, what Kevin said..."

"Well, my Cougar has a PVC valve, don't go hatin' on my car because its different...."

Thanks Kevin for the feedback (and correction)

My "PVC" was not even dirty, but I flushed it anyway.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

You litterly removed the skin of the seats and put them in the washing machine? I would like to add a heater to the drivers seat and thought pulling and washing would be a good time to add the heater too.

Yes. They come off easily, but you have to take the seat apart to get the bottom cover off.

 

[XR7-4.6]

I’ve R&R’d the covers off these seats so many times but easy never comes to mind, the hog rings are always a tremendous struggle for me.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

I made a simple frame out of aluminum bar to mount the cooler to the rad frame and tapped into the radiator tranny lines. The oil is flowing through the cooler then the radiator for extra cooling. It is suggested to add a tranny filter in line with the tranny cooler back to the rad. I opted out of that since I don't have a race car.

Here are the parts I used (fittings):
Parts from hardware store:
5/16" x 1/4" hose barb MIP adapter (to connect rad line to cooler hose)
1/4" x 7/8" Female pipe coupling (anything shorter won't work)
3ft of 3/8" (9.5mm) fuel line
3/4" x 1/8" x 72" rectangular aluminum bar (for mounting frame)
24 - #8 x 3/8" sheet metal screws (to mount the cooler frame to the rad frame)
4 - 1/2" copper straps (to brace the input / output fittings to the frame)

Ok...very useful post! But...

On my car, the top coupling on the radiator is the exit. Unless, yours is different, based on your photo, it would be: tranny > radiator > supplemental cooler > tranny. This is also the setup that is generally recommended from what I've been reading.

However, your diagram shows: tranny > supplemental cooler > radiator > tranny.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

I’ve R&R’d the covers off these seats so many times but easy never comes to mind, the hog rings are always a tremendous struggle for me.

Oh, sorry. My pics may have been misleading.

I only removed the covers of the front seats (no hog rings). The rear seat I cleaned using the Bissel machine.

 

[supergordo]

Took my sons green 97 out for a drive. Had a great time! Put the MHS cams to work and blasted Unchained by Van Halen. All was well.

 

[White Lincoln]

Yes. They come off easily, but you have to take the seat apart to get the bottom cover off.

I took the seat skin off my Mark VII when I had it re-upholstered. The worse part was getting the lining hook (long plastic part that hooks under the seat) off. Interesting though, I never thought you could throw the lining into the washing machine.... "Fanstastic Baby!"

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

I never thought you could throw the lining into the washing machine....

Well, you can at your own risk. Delicate cycle. It freshens them up, but it won't remove any tough stains.

 

[Grog6]

You litterly removed the skin of the seats and put them in the washing machine? I would like to add a heater to the drivers seat and thought pulling and washing would be a good time to add the heater too.

Adding a heater is problematic; It's a slightly different mix of foam, in a sandwich of other stuff. You'd need to get the whole sandwich, and modify our foam to accommodate it. The driver is probably pwm, with a temp sensor for feedback. But if you get all the pieces,it could be done.

 

[theterminator93]

AFAIK heated seats have only ever been offered with leather seat skins, though the undersides of the skins are covered in foam. And yes, there is a temp sensor.

 

[Grog6]

The cloth probably melts. Standard foam too. I used to use "heat tapes" on high vacuum equipment, and other stuff, they're good to 400C. Foam, pleather, or polyester fabric is not.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

These are closer to seat heaters, 300F max.

McMaster-Carr

McMaster-Carr is the complete source for your plant with over 595,000 products. 98% of products ordered ship from stock and deliver same or next day.

www.mcmaster.com

These are examples of the tech; these are for 120V.

 

[Derphound01]

Volkswagen has offered heated seats with cloth since the Mk4 and B5.

It's doable with the right fabric.

 

[White Lincoln]

Ok...very useful post! But...

On my car, the top coupling on the radiator is the exit. Unless, yours is different, based on your photo, it would be: tranny > radiator > supplemental cooler > tranny. This is also the setup that is generally recommended from what I've been reading.

However, your diagram shows: tranny > supplemental cooler > radiator > tranny.

Seriously, do what you have read or think would be best. I do not recall where I got the layout from, but it has been there for some 17 years and no issues. In thinking about this, my thought was, send the hottest fluid through the smaller, opened radiator to cool down faster first, then into the rad where it is not cooled as fast. My two cents. Hope that helps.

 

[1997ThunderbirdLXV6]

Seriously, do what you have read or think would be best. I do not recall where I got the layout from, but it has been there for some 17 years and no issues. In thinking about this, my thought was, send the hottest fluid through the smaller, opened radiator to cool down faster first, then into the rad where it is not cooled as fast. My two cents. Hope that helps.

I hear your rationale. That's a different subject.

My point was: I don't think that's what you actually did based on your photo. It shows the supplemental cooler between the radiator top coupling and the transmission. On my car, that's fluid exiting the radiator. And I can't imagine they changed that over the years; but I'm happy to be persuaded another way.


On the subject of which routing is better, i.e., which cooler should come first, the rationale I read most frequently was to go radiator > supplemental cooler. Reason being that a cooler can only cool the flow-through ATF to the temperature of the surrounding air/fluid. Assuming that the coolant in the radiator, even on the coolant exit side, is still hotter than ambient air, the radiator can cool the ATF to no lower than the coolant. Then the supplemental cooler can cool the ATF to no lower than ambient air.
(Evidently in practice, neither cooler cools the ATF that much; I'm just talking in principle.)


Some experts help me out please...

 

[White Lincoln]

What I did to my Cougar today (sounds like writing my weekly report to DOGE)
I contemplated replacing the PCV Valve... After watching another show about working on engines, one show and another person suggested just flushing them with engine cleaner. Thought I would give that a try instead of getting a new one for now.

Anyone else flush their PCV valve instead of replacing it?

Last night, I pulled my IAC and was going to replace it with my OEM one that I pulled from the yard because I have had consistant low idle for some time now. That is one indication of a IAC going bad. After reaplacing the IAC, the car started to run like crap. I put the first IAC back in, then the car would not start. I said "F-it" and went to bed. I figured I flooded the thing. This morning, I try to start the car, no spark. Hmmm.... I put my test light on the coil to cap and got spark. I put the light to #1 plug and NO SPARK! WTF? I pull the cap off and the rotor blew up! Weirdest damg thing I have ever seen. I had a new rotor and cap (2nd pic) in my spare parts box I bought when they were on close-out at RockAuto.

 

[White Lincoln]

I hear your rationale. That's a different subject.

My point was: I don't think that's what you actually did based on your photo. It shows the supplemental cooler between the radiator top coupling and the transmission. On my car, that's fluid exiting the radiator. And I can't imagine they changed that over the years; but I'm happy to be persuaded another way.


On the subject of which routing is better, i.e., which cooler should come first, the rationale I read most frequently was to go radiator > supplemental cooler. Reason being that a cooler can only cool the flow-through ATF to the temperature of the surrounding air/fluid. Assuming that the coolant in the radiator, even on the coolant exit side, is still hotter than ambient air, the radiator can cool the ATF to no lower than the coolant. Then the supplemental cooler can cool the ATF to no lower than ambient air.
(Evidently in practice, neither cooler cools the ATF that much; I'm just talking in principle.)


Some experts help me out please...

Ahhhh.... now i see what you are saying. I believe you are correct. I used the top one cause I did not want to have to try and run my line under the car or radiator and if I recall, could not find an easy space to do so? I will have to look more into this and see if I have this all bass ackwards.

Thanks for pointing that out!

 

[White Lincoln]

Adding a heater is problematic; It's a slightly different mix of foam, in a sandwich of other stuff. You'd need to get the whole sandwich, and modify our foam to accommodate it. The driver is probably pwm, with a temp sensor for feedback. But if you get all the pieces,it could be done.

I bought a kit years and years ago and never put it in. The ad's never mention about "types of foam", they just say "put a heater in your seat and enjoy a warm arse in the winter!!!" My Town Car has them and it is a must have once you have a car that has heated (cooled) seats. I never read anything about the foam being an issue. I will look more into that if I ever do get off my arse and install it.

Thanks Grog for bring that issue up.