83 LTD Wagon

[4EyedTurd]

I traded my 86 coupe for this 79k mile wagon. It came from Missouri so the undercarriage has some rust and I've gotten a little taste of it already. It sat for some time before I got it so the tank had old gas and had plugged the pickup tube. The front calipers were locked up as well as the rear drums to the shoes. So, I went thru the whole brake system front to back and it stops much better now. I got it to run but still have starting issues to work, it won't crank start unless I feed it gas for a couple of minutes and then it will idle and run on its own. I drove it around and turned it off and it cranked right back up but not after it sits for an hour. I've got a short list of things it still needs but I'm excited that it runs and drives. I haven't had a project that's done either in a while. It's bone stock except the wheels and I've got the stock wheels but only 2 hubcaps. It's a 3.8 and has surprised me with how much pep it has.







I need to wipe the interior down and get pics

[Fearnot]

I love those! Sure hope one doesn't show up close to me......I'm a weak person

[ZephyrEFI]

Very cool! I'd love to have an LTD/Marquis wagon!

[4EyedTurd]

Its pretty clean for how old it is. It still has the stock AM/FM radio. I can't seem to find anything on that carburetor, does anyone have any documents on it? I'm not sure if it needs rebuilt or just something adjusted.

[Dean_T]

Nice wagon!

You have a variable venture carburetor and I would recommend using the Ford Service Manual if you can find a set cheap on Ebay (as an example). If there is a computer under the hood with wires going to that carburetor you have my sympathy. My '82 Cougar had the electronic feedback variable venture carburetor with the 3.8L V6. Both are now gone.

[4EyedTurd]

Thanks Dean, I think the carb might not be original to the car because it has a few electrical connections on it but nothing hooked to them and no signs of a computer or wiring. I did end up finding a Holley 2bbl carb that I need to clean up, put an electric choke on and put on the car. I might be able to clean up some of the emissions hoses under the hood at the same time.

[4EyedTurd]

Looks like I'm going from terrible to not as bad. The 2bbl carb I picked up ended up being a Holley 7508-1 "economizer" and everything I've found on them seems just a little different. I'm debating if I should even try and run it. If not there's a big swapmeet coming up and I might be able to find another. I'm not going for power just reliability.

[63futura289]

nice car! Here is mine

[4EyedTurd]

I've seen the pics of your car before and it's nice and clean.

I had the same luck with carbs at the swapmeet. I jumped the gun before I ran into a buddy that knows carbs. I ended up getting a 2bbl 500cfm off a boat. The carb is clean but all the stuff he told me I'd have to do to get it to run sounds like a pain in the ass and it could be to big. He did tell me about a running super coupe that would be a good donor.

[83gtstang]

These years of wagons are really good looking, I just can't believe I never paid more attention back then when they were all over the place. They dropped off the face of the earth it seems.

[4EyedTurd]

My favorite wagon is a fairmont hands down but this one is growing on me a lot.

[4EyedTurd]

I stuck the economizer Holley on and had to fiddle with it but got it to run but can't get the idle down without it dieing. On top of that I'm just about ready to "un-smog" the engine bay. I'm kinda hesitant because its made it this long without getting messed with. I'll probably pull the smog and hold on to it just incase.

[WOODENBOX85]

nice wagon!

[JACook]

That wiring harness that heads over to the driver-side fender apron doesn't end up connected to a module
of some kind? That VV carb does look like the feedback version, which is what I would expect with an '83.
The feedback carb would have been controlled by an MCU system, which was the predecessor to the EEC-IV.
The MCU module would normally have been mounted on the driver-side fender apron, over the top of the
ignition module.

[4EyedTurd]

I checked today and there isn't a harness that runs over to the carb but there is a plug on the VV on the passenger side. There is just a duraspark box on the driver side apron.

[Dean_T]

Just for reference, this is what the ECU looked like in a 3.8L V6 '82 Cougar wagon:



You can see what shape and size the ECU connector is.

[xctasy]

The VV can be replaced by the 7508-1 2-bbl, but it has some issues.


Such a kit was around in the late 80's with a partial EO order.

http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...signs-of-life/
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/a...chard/page/20/
http://blog.hemmings.com/index.php/2...03/ltd-update/

They are like a single 2-bbl SU carb, and the Impco Technical Service Bulletin covers the MCU operation, how it doesn't trigger a fault code light, but its is able to be jumpered with a disabling for LPG....that system was put in place by Ak Miller when fitting a CA 300 A5 432 CFM

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5dT2h9aZ2Y
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iT3dCyUZL2E
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8gHqbsMEAyc

The solution is to service the carb as it is, properly, but if you are gonna do a 7508 swap, you have to have a 2150 style dashpot, and play around with the fuel solenoid, and there is a way to circuit break the MCU.For 2BBL Jeeps, they used a Nutters By Pass. Its Ford Duraspark and MCU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CZr0luFWPB4
http://www.4x4wire.com/jeep/tech/ele...jn-ignition99/

Impco was able to change the Fuel Control Solenoid to run open and close loop off the carb by balancing the air fuel valve with the variable venturi carb held open, and run sole fuel. It used an additional Command Module to do it.

[xctasy]

Read









AND Jeeps partly Ford inspired MCU

[never]

Awesome wagon!

These years of wagons are really good looking, I just can't believe I never paid more attention back then when they were all over the place. They dropped off the face of the earth it seems.

Last summer, I passed on two that were sort of local to me (well, 8-10 hour one way drives), and one was pretty mint with a bunch of new parts. I'm still kicking myself about not going for them.