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Thread: My new Zephyr

  1. #176

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    The car wouldnt start and just clicked 3 times in the last 2 months. I cleaned and checked all the wiring but just to be safe I got a new starter from Rock auto.
    I had to make it presentable because no one will see it and put it in. It does crank faster , not quite sounding like a Chrysler but you can tell a difference from before.


    After inspecting the case I found a crack where the solenoid attaches. May or may not have been a cause of the really random no start.

    Last edited by ukravit; 05-19-2019 at 12:46 PM.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  2. #177
    FEP Senior Member Patrick Olsen's Avatar
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    Kind of a weird spot for the casing to crack like that. I wonder what caused that failure?

  3. #178

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    It may have been cast with that defect. Its not really a stressed connection point.
    I will probably JB weld it and keep it as an emergency spare.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  4. #179

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    Got tired of polishing the 41 year old plastic tails so I repainted the black and cleared over the red with a high solids clear. The plastic is getting brittle with age and this may get a couple more years out of them. Always looking for that elusive NOS set that dont cost 12 million dollars.
    It looks darker but is actually brighter when brake lights or tails are on, plus less to keep up on.
    I also raised the rear bumper up to lessen the 1 1/4 inch gap it had. Most people will never know anything was ever done because you just dont see these cars that often.



    I also replaced the window track pieces to remove slop. The plastic had worn on the bottom and the sliding track had spread a bit. Gave me the chance to remove 41 years of old grease and realign things the factory didnt care about in 1978. The metal one is a 1983 piece and the weight is about the same , maybe a little less. The plastic ones are still available, D8BB-5423276-AC, but I opted for the newer style.
    I got some great info from this site and used the E3BZ-5423288-A for the pass side and E3BZ-5423289-A for the drivers side, they are LTD pieces.
    When you change the first 4 characters to E1DZ you get the Granada pieces which are identical.
    No more rattles and you dont have to pull in the window when you try to roll it up at highway speeds..
    Last edited by ukravit; 07-01-2019 at 07:08 AM.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  5. #180

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    The taillights look awesome. Certainly adds to the blackout effect. And the bumper fix will just add to the "intangibles" of sorts that puts your car above others.

    The metal glass brackets are very much a worthwhile fix too!
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  6. #181
    FEP Power Member 4-barrel Mike's Avatar
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    Raised your rear bumper 1 1/4"? Interesting. My early St. Thomas Fairmont has a uniform factory 1/2" gap.

    Attachment 128574

    The taillights are great.

    Mike

  7. #182

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    I had some idle issues that came back to some play in the throttle shaft on my modified explorer throttle body, so I looked for a replacement.
    My choices came down to a BBK 70MM (left) and a professional products 65MM (right), both well made pieces as the photo shows. I decided on the BBK mostly because it came with a TPS and the return spring was a lot easier to overcome. That and it cost less for the 70 than the 65.
    When it warms up a bit I will get a real world idea of how it works.

    Last edited by ukravit; 01-05-2020 at 10:06 PM.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  8. #183

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    How did you trace it to that?
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  9. #184

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    I had replaced the TPS a couple years back for hesitation that lead up to a severe idle swing. It was acting a bit like that again so I got another TPS and it went away. AS I look down where the TPS mounts without it on, I rotated the throttle blade from closed to open and watched the end of shaft and it was bent just enough to see.( My own doing from converting the Explorer throttle body). I verified the dead spot with my meter while rotating from closed to open slowly.
    The performance degraded so slowly that it seemed normal. I had it out today and I can pretty much roast the tires at will where it would bog before when I punched it.
    Here is a good link that explains checking very well,
    https://www.w8ji.com/mustang_throttl...ion_sensor.htm
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  10. #185

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    Thanks! I wondered because I too have a converted Explorer throttle body on mine.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  11. #186

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    I had some idle issues, mostly a howling noise from the BBK and a little throttle hang when letting off the gas.
    On my Contour I had a similar issue so I applied the fix to the Zephyr. I made a restrictor plate for the IAC valve from aluminum.
    The hole on the outside of the TB is 9/16 and I made the hole on the intake side 3/8. The result is that the jet engine/howling noise from the BBk is gone and the revs dont hang like before when letting off the gas. Plus it idles rock steady again.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  12. #187

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    This could be the best thread I have read in a year. Wow, car is amazing, you did such a great job with it!
    And thanks for all the helpful info!
    79 Zephyr, 4.6L 4v/4r70w swap, with team z front and rear suspension, 8.8 and upgraded brakes and coil overs. Running Holley Terminator X Max.

  13. #188

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    Car has been running great and it was time for some upgrades since the car came with one option when it was made, AC, which it doesnt have any more.
    I got a remote mirror for the door so now I can adjust it from inside, and I fixed the cracks in the dash hull where it attaches below the windshield so no more creaky noises. The best one was the addition of delay/intermittent wipers.
    NOS parts are still out there if you search, the wiper switch assy Motorcraft SW-1476, D8BZ-17A553-B, the control module D8BF-17C476-AA I got used but still serviceable. All plug and play with the correct year parts.
    Last edited by ukravit; 05-16-2020 at 07:27 AM.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  14. #189

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    Awesome. I think stuff like that is more fun than speed parts.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  15. #190

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    My turn signal lever had a crack and I didn't feel like paying 40-50 dollars for a new one so I looked at old car books and found a nice chrome one used on early 80s Lincolns and Country squires. E1AZ-13305-C gets you a chrome one and E1AZ-13305-d gets you the black one.
    I found mine for 10 dollars from a Ford dealer. Its a bit gaudy but so were the late 70s and installation took less than 10 seconds and can be reversed.

    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  16. #191
    FEP Senior Member Patrick Olsen's Avatar
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    For $10 seems like a no-brainer upgrade! Now you need to polish up the spokes of the steering wheel to match.
    '89 GT convertible - not a four-eye
    '82 Zephyr Z7 - future track car

  17. #192

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    I made another upgrade to the interior of the Zephyr. I always liked how my Focus displayed the temp out side so I got a rear view mirror that displays temp, has a compass and is self dimming. Its from an off brand vehicle but is from a third party vendor.
    There are some cool features on some GM cars that are adaptable. Took about an hour to mount the sensor behind the grille and run the wires. It fit on the factory mount and comes with a screw that keeps it secured. The wire to the mirror is obscured from view by the tint strip on the windshield. Pics to follow after photobucket stops being doinked up.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/GM-Gentex-A...72.m2749.l2649
    Last edited by ukravit; 06-13-2020 at 08:31 AM.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  18. #193

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    That's awesome! I'd thought of doing that too, but hunting down the correct sensor or required module or whatever it might need stopped me from going too far with it. I've also considered an overhead console or a backup camera mirror. Those are pricey though.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  19. #194

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    Looks good!
    cheap too
    79 Zephyr, 4.6L 4v/4r70w swap, with team z front and rear suspension, 8.8 and upgraded brakes and coil overs. Running Holley Terminator X Max.

  20. #195
    FEP Senior Member
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    I've thought about those electric rear view mirrors for a couple of my cars, but I think I would miss the satisfaction of angrily flipping the switch on the mirror when somebody behind me has their brights on.
    '89 XR-7 5 Speed
    '95 SC 5 Speed
    '91 Crown Vic P72 351W
    '97 Thunderbird
    '85 Ford LTD Squire

  21. #196

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    Full disclosure, I bought one.
    Brad

    '79 Mercury Zephyr ES 5.0L GT40 EFI, T-5
    '17 Ford Focus ST
    '14 Ford Fusion SE Manual

  22. #197

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    Been busy gathering up new parts for upgrades. I got a new never installed GT40 lower intake that I ported following directions from TMoss web page, not hogged out but better over all.
    New Corbeau seats with better support than the Turbo Coupe seats I have. They seem to sit you up a little higher but its more that you dont sink into the seat. If photo bucket ever unjams I will post some pics.
    Last edited by ukravit; 01-23-2021 at 04:32 PM.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  23. #198
    FEP Power Member 4-barrel Mike's Avatar
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    Try imgur.com Botophucket (a literarily correct spoonerism) will never be back as before.

    Mike

  24. #199

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    Try again, new seats in Zephyr


    New seat next to old Turbo Coupe seat


    My collection of GT40 lower intakes, the black one is a 94 Cobra piece and the other is an over the counter Cobra lower. The silver one has has a lot of port work done, not hogged out but made better and very smooth from top to bottom. The black one just has the casting roughness smoothed and polished. The silver one will be going on when I change some seeping gaskets after it warms up, the other will get sent to Ebay.

    Last edited by ukravit; 01-24-2021 at 03:51 PM.
    1978 Mercury Zephyr boxtop 5.0 EFI T5Z 8.8
    1999 Ford Contour 2.5 V6 5 speed
    2016 Ford Focus ST 2.0 Ecoboost 6 speed

  25. #200

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    Seats and intake look killer! Nice job
    79 Zephyr, 4.6L 4v/4r70w swap, with team z front and rear suspension, 8.8 and upgraded brakes and coil overs. Running Holley Terminator X Max.

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