From: owner-small-list-digest ford-trucks.com (small-list-digest)
To: small-list-digest ford-trucks.com
Subject: small-list-digest V3 #301
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small-list-digest Wednesday, November 17 1999 Volume 03 : Number 301



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Ford Truck Enthusiasts - Ranger, Explorer, Bronco 2 and Aerostar
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In this issue:

FTE Small - Re: Farwell Group/Cobra
Re: FTE Small - Farwell group
RE: FTE Small - fords
Re: FTE Small - Re: Farwell Group/Cobra
Re: FTE Small - Brown coolant
FTE Small - ADMIN: Don't post your chain letters and urban legends to the lists!

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Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 09:10:43 -0500
From: "Jim Bielecki"
Subject: FTE Small - Re: Farwell Group/Cobra

> >Well everyone...it's been a great run but the time has come to let go of
> >my '91 Explorer. Re-occuring problems and the want for a newer car has
> >led me to choose a '98 Cobra so I won't be out of the Ford Family.
Thanks
> >to everyone for all the advise and good luck to everyone. Take care all.
>
>
> Michael,
> Are you aware of the problems with the 98 cobra?
> Ford is in the middle of a MAJOR class action lawsuit because the 98 cobra
> only had 260 HP... it was advertised as 320... Ford screwed up and dropped
> standard mustang GT engines into them.
> They will only repair (by adding bolt ons ruining your chances to bump the
> HP more) for the original owner, not a 2nd owner. 98 cobras are junk!

Wrong. It's not the '98 Cobra that's the subject of the class action suit,
but the '99. And Ford didn't install the GT engine into these cars by
mistake either (the Cobra is a 4.6L DOHC while the GT is a 4.6L SOHC). They
did screw up with the DOHC's exhaust system, compression ratio and by the
inclusion of too much "flashing" into the intake manifold. I suspect that
Ford will make good on the '99's but I'm also glad I don't own one of these
cars either.

Jim Bielecki




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Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 09:38:48 -0500
From: "Maurer, Robert M."
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Farwell group

David A. Cooley wrote:

Are you aware of the problems with the 98 cobra?
Ford is in the middle of a MAJOR class action lawsuit because the 98 cobra
only had 260 HP... it was advertised as 320... Ford screwed up and dropped
standard mustang GT engines into them. They will only repair (by adding
bolt
ons ruining your chances to bump the HP more) for the original owner, not a
2nd owner. 98 cobras are junk!

*********

Whoa, is that a load of incorrect information. First off the problems are
with the 1999 Mustang Cobra and Ford did not use the 4.6L from the GT
instead of the 32-valve Cobra motor. The problems are with the intake and
the exhaust. Crawl under the rear of a new Cobra and look at the exhaust.
They had to route the pipes around the gas tank to avoid the IRS set-up.
I've seen a '99 Cobra pick-up 25 hp by just adding a set of Flowmasters.
Ford has found a fix (new intake and cat-back exhaust) and is in the process
of sending the parts to the dealers. Cobra owners are being notified but
not everyone has the "fix" as of yet. Most '99 Cobras are around 250-260
RWHP (that's still 300 at the crank).

Enough about Mustangs, let's get back to trucks.

Rob Maurer
93 Cobra
96 Explorer XLT

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Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 09:15:21 -0600
From: Mike Harms
Subject: RE: FTE Small - fords

Mechanical vs. Electric fans are probably likely to create as much debate as
the discussion of Front Wheel Drive and Rear Wheel drive and traction. Both
types of fans have their place and there isn't one or the other that should
be automatically used. The positive side to the electrics in this
application is that you can add them to increase your air flow across the
radiator in hopes of improving cooling. You are pretty much unlimited in
the flow you can achieve because of the variety of electric fans. On the
other hand, there is not quite as much variety of mechanical fans which
could limit your ability to achieve the cooling capacity you may want.

That said:

With electrics there are things that can be done to reduce their load that
can't be done with mechanical fans. Including improvement in efficiency of
today's electric motors. (I wonder if anyone has built an electric fan
using the Magnaquench permanent magnets yet? High torque, low power needs
and low in weight) In regards to where the higher load falls, that's for
someone with too much time on their hands to calculate out. My guess is
that it would be fairly even.

Regarding failures, if the fan belt breaks and you don't notice it your
headgaskets are also toast. I can replace a fuse or a relay easier than I
can replace a belt on the side of the road.

I would have to guess that Electric fans have a much shorter life span than
the mechanical fans though.



>Date: Mon, 15 Nov 1999 20:10:30 -0500
>From: "David A. Cooley"
>Subject: RE: FTE Small - fords

>At 02:49 PM 11/15/99 -0600, you wrote:
...
>>the rangers usually switch to electric fans. One push and one pull to
>>increase cooling capability without increasing engine drag.

>Well,
>You don't get something for nothing...
>The power the fans pull is actually more than a mechanical fan (water pump
>driven) would require from the engine... When the electrics kick on, the
>alternator loads the engine down and takes the same energy. Plus, you blow

>a fuse or lose a relay and you replace headgaskets (At least!) when it
>overheats! (Voice of experience... went back to a mechanical fan with a
>good thermal clutch!)
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Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 12:02:15 -0500
From: David Cooley
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Re: Farwell Group/Cobra

At 09:10 AM 11/16/1999 -0500, you wrote:

>Wrong. It's not the '98 Cobra that's the subject of the class action suit,
>but the '99. And Ford didn't install the GT engine into these cars by
>mistake either (the Cobra is a 4.6L DOHC while the GT is a 4.6L SOHC). They
>did screw up with the DOHC's exhaust system, compression ratio and by the
>inclusion of too much "flashing" into the intake manifold. I suspect that
>Ford will make good on the '99's but I'm also glad I don't own one of these
>cars either.


ah.. Not sure why I was thinking it was 98...


===========================================================
David Cooley N5XMT Internet: N5XMT bellsouth.net
Packet: N5XMT KQ4LO.#INT.NC.USA.NA T.A.P.R. Member #7068
We are Borg... Prepare to be assimilated!
===========================================================

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Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 09:27:32 -0800
From: "Hans Luckoff"
Subject: Re: FTE Small - Brown coolant

Tom, Auto transmissions usually don't have a drain plug, you have to loosen
the pan bolts the ones in the rear more than the ones in the front and let
the oil drain out that way, after that you can drop the pan. You might want
to consider having your transmission power flushed they connect to your
trans- cooler lines at the radiator and replace ALL of the fluid even in the
converter. I just had it done in my T-Bird it cost me $70 but I think it's
worth it. Hans


- ----- Original Message -----
From:
To:
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 1999 12:28 AM
Subject: AW: FTE Small - Brown coolant


> I am quite sure that the previous owner(s) of my car did not change
anything
> (except oil)and I did it for the first time, so after more than six years,
I
> drained the original coolant. I'll now check the coolant's color
> periodically. But as Hans pointed out, it may also have been accumulated
> rust.
> Should there be a gasket problem, my next question to the group will be:
> what's the easiest way to get the engine out....?
>
> Tom Ucen
> 1993 Aerostar 3.0L
>
> BTW: I failed to see a drainplug on the transmission. Is there one?
>
> -------------
> Richard wrote :
> Unfortunately, I think that's what's going on. Brown coolant preceeded
> my head gasket job. And after my head gaskets were replaced, the
> coolant has been the right color. I think that it would be a good idea
> to use the best possible gaskets. Since my friend had to replace head
> gaskets twice on his 3.0, the ability of these parts to survive normal
> use is very critical on these engines. The theory I've heard is that
> the dissimilar metals on either side of the gasket expand and contract
> at different rates, actually "scrubbing" the gaskets, wearing them down.
>
> == FTE: Uns*bscribe and posting info http://www.ford-trucks.com/faq.html
>

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Date: Tue, 16 Nov 1999 21:43:15 -0500
From: Ken Payne
Subject: FTE Small - ADMIN: Don't post your chain letters and urban legends to the lists!

In the future any forwarding "gullibility viruses", i.e., chain
emails containing urban legends or "virus" warnings, will be
uns*bscribed. Its a major hassle dealing with them, especial
when they have files attached and bounce off the list filters.
Never forward emails without first checking out the facts.

Ken Payne
Admin, Ford Truck Enthusiasts

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