SUMMER CHAT 2014
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 4
From: Western Central NV
Good Morning Trav & Everyone.
I had good luck with our Lumina but Vici's grandfather had the heads redone 70,000 miles before we got it. I loved the car but after a year the heads went again & it went to the salvage yard.
Then you know the story of the Blazers.
When I junked the Lumina I started looking for another Lumina 2nd gen. or a Buick. Then my mom gave Vici her Honda that we have now. In hind sight I'm glad it worked that way because of the GM V6. Great performers, great gas mileage, but they can be real hit & miss. So many problem areas.
My buddy who buys & sells cars tells me the best bet with GM cars today is their 4 bangers. He stays away from their V6s unless they are almost free. He is a long time GM guy. He worked as a GM parts man back in the day.
I had good luck with our Lumina but Vici's grandfather had the heads redone 70,000 miles before we got it. I loved the car but after a year the heads went again & it went to the salvage yard.
Then you know the story of the Blazers.
When I junked the Lumina I started looking for another Lumina 2nd gen. or a Buick. Then my mom gave Vici her Honda that we have now. In hind sight I'm glad it worked that way because of the GM V6. Great performers, great gas mileage, but they can be real hit & miss. So many problem areas.
My buddy who buys & sells cars tells me the best bet with GM cars today is their 4 bangers. He stays away from their V6s unless they are almost free. He is a long time GM guy. He worked as a GM parts man back in the day.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 4
From: Western Central NV
Yea Trav,
I guess all brands have their issues. Other than my 86 F250 4x4 that is the only Ford that really was a pain in the butt & expensive to own. Dodge's have never given me much issue but I have only owned a couple of them.
But GM on the other hand has been a big pain in my butt. I have had a couple of GMs that gave me good service, but many that were costly.
I'm done with GMs unless they are basically free. The V6 I will run from even free. That last Blazer if the guy would of paid me to take it, I would of still been in a deep hole.
I guess all brands have their issues. Other than my 86 F250 4x4 that is the only Ford that really was a pain in the butt & expensive to own. Dodge's have never given me much issue but I have only owned a couple of them.
But GM on the other hand has been a big pain in my butt. I have had a couple of GMs that gave me good service, but many that were costly.
I'm done with GMs unless they are basically free. The V6 I will run from even free. That last Blazer if the guy would of paid me to take it, I would of still been in a deep hole.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 10,080
Likes: 5
From: Backwoods of Snowflake AZ
Yea Trav,
I guess all brands have their issues. Other than my 86 F250 4x4 that is the only Ford that really was a pain in the butt & expensive to own. Dodge's have never given me much issue but I have only owned a couple of them.
But GM on the other hand has been a big pain in my butt. I have had a couple of GMs that gave me good service, but many that were costly.
I'm done with GMs unless they are basically free. The V6 I will run from even free. That last Blazer if the guy would of paid me to take it, I would of still been in a deep hole.
I guess all brands have their issues. Other than my 86 F250 4x4 that is the only Ford that really was a pain in the butt & expensive to own. Dodge's have never given me much issue but I have only owned a couple of them.
But GM on the other hand has been a big pain in my butt. I have had a couple of GMs that gave me good service, but many that were costly.
I'm done with GMs unless they are basically free. The V6 I will run from even free. That last Blazer if the guy would of paid me to take it, I would of still been in a deep hole.
My dad is mostly a ford guy his first car was suppose to be a 67 Tbird but his parents sold it on him. He ended up getting a 53 Ford with a dirt track engine in it. He painted it himself and everything. He sold that to get a nova.
My neighbor however is a GM guy he has a 94 Blazer 4.3L Vortec 4x4 2door and a 98 Chevy 2500 extended cab long bed 4x4. The truck he got for free. He has put more money into it and it still doesn't look as good or run as good as our 89 F250. I will give him our 89 has less miles and his truck was free but both were involved in similar accidents.
Trav
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 4
From: Western Central NV
I don't know much about the 3.8s but I don't hear of as many issues with them as the others.
When doing the lower intake if it has the FPR under the intake like the 4.3 replace it also. Check all the spiders & injectors also closely.
Bill, Don't use aftermarket fuel or electrical parts. USE ONLY DELCO, DELPHI, or GM parts. You'll be thankful later. For whatever reason the later GMs don't do good with others. If you read GM forums you'll read that a lot.
Those are nice cars, & I hope it treats you good. The Buick GS Turbos were 3.8s
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 4
From: Western Central NV
You know my dad had the 4.3L Vortec in a 99 or 00 (I can't remember exact year I was only 5) S10 2wd extended cab. It was the best engine he said he ever had from a Chevy.
My dad is mostly a ford guy his first car was suppose to be a 67 Tbird but his parents sold it on him. He ended up getting a 53 Ford with a dirt track engine in it. He painted it himself and everything. He sold that to get a nova.
My neighbor however is a GM guy he has a 94 Blazer 4.3L Vortec 4x4 2door and a 98 Chevy 2500 extended cab long bed 4x4. The truck he got for free. He has put more money into it and it still doesn't look as good or run as good as our 89 F250. I will give him our 89 has less miles and his truck was free but both were involved in similar accidents.
Trav
My dad is mostly a ford guy his first car was suppose to be a 67 Tbird but his parents sold it on him. He ended up getting a 53 Ford with a dirt track engine in it. He painted it himself and everything. He sold that to get a nova.
My neighbor however is a GM guy he has a 94 Blazer 4.3L Vortec 4x4 2door and a 98 Chevy 2500 extended cab long bed 4x4. The truck he got for free. He has put more money into it and it still doesn't look as good or run as good as our 89 F250. I will give him our 89 has less miles and his truck was free but both were involved in similar accidents.
Trav
The 3.4s are a problem waiting to happen. My father in law found that out the hard way.
If you get one built when the factory workers were having a great day your in good.
All I know is I have lost enough money on GMs that I'll stay with Ford & Dodge.
But you know the Ford Taurus is one that reminds me of the GMs. I have seen good ones & many that were awful with troubles.
To be honest for cars I'll just stay with these Crown Vics. I don't even open the hood on mine. My buddy has an 01 & he told me the other day he needs to remember to put a set of tools in the trunk. I said what for, you have driven it 50,000 miles in 4 years & haven't needed even a screw driver yet.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2011
Posts: 10,080
Likes: 5
From: Backwoods of Snowflake AZ
Howdy az gang.
I came close to buying a Chevy S10 1st gen with the 4.3L. I decided I didn't like it.
Those crown vics are good cars. My buddy's brother buys those cars all day long from auctions running or not to fix a few and sell them. He had like 3 running 4.6L interceptor model engines laying around that he was able to drop one in the truck my buddy traded the explorer for (a 97 F150 2wd).
Trav
I came close to buying a Chevy S10 1st gen with the 4.3L. I decided I didn't like it.
Those crown vics are good cars. My buddy's brother buys those cars all day long from auctions running or not to fix a few and sell them. He had like 3 running 4.6L interceptor model engines laying around that he was able to drop one in the truck my buddy traded the explorer for (a 97 F150 2wd).
Trav
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Joined: Aug 2013
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I will definitely take some pictures!
We leave next Wednesday. Hopefully it warms up a bit...Sunday was the first day it was over 80 in the Detroit metro area. I'll need to take my long underwear if it's going to be like that.
We leave next Wednesday. Hopefully it warms up a bit...Sunday was the first day it was over 80 in the Detroit metro area. I'll need to take my long underwear if it's going to be like that.
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 4
From: Western Central NV
A friend of mine that lives here is moving to Richmond IN. I think he will be in for an eye opener weather wise. He grew up in L.A. & live in Oregon. He is going back with his girlfriend to help take care of her parents. She is from there but has lived in L.A. & here for sometime.
Thread Starter
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Post Fiend
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 9,176
Likes: 4
From: Western Central NV
Howdy az gang.
I came close to buying a Chevy S10 1st gen with the 4.3L. I decided I didn't like it.
Those crown vics are good cars. My buddy's brother buys those cars all day long from auctions running or not to fix a few and sell them. He had like 3 running 4.6L interceptor model engines laying around that he was able to drop one in the truck my buddy traded the explorer for (a 97 F150 2wd).
Trav
I came close to buying a Chevy S10 1st gen with the 4.3L. I decided I didn't like it.
Those crown vics are good cars. My buddy's brother buys those cars all day long from auctions running or not to fix a few and sell them. He had like 3 running 4.6L interceptor model engines laying around that he was able to drop one in the truck my buddy traded the explorer for (a 97 F150 2wd).
Trav
The P-71s or Police Pkg 4.6L engines are no different than any other 4.6L. Ford offers two versions of the 4.6 engine.Which changed as they upgraded the 4.6L one with dual exhausts & one with single exhaust. the dual exhaust has 5 or 10 hp more.
What sets the P-71 Police Pkg performance 4.6L apart from the regular 4.6L is ALL in the computer tuning. Many States & jurisdictions remove the P-71 computer & replace it with a regular Crown Vic/Marque computer.
Here is a link that tells a great deal about the P-71 Police Pkg.
1999 Crown Victoria - Numbers
The ones my buddy has been buying the computers are unchanged. So we get the performance of the P-71. Basically the changes are top end speed, higher idle speed, & transmission shift points. I can & have left mine idling with the air on for 30 minutes down here in 110 degree heat because my dog was inside & it never raised temp of the engine. My P-71 has gauges not lights.
Look at the link I posted & it shows all the changes year to year. Like in 99 Ford started using larger torque converters.
Posting Legend
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 30,221
Likes: 1
From: Central Illinois
Trav,
The P-71s or Police Pkg 4.6L engines are no different than any other 4.6L. Ford offers two versions of the 4.6 engine.Which changed as they upgraded the 4.6L one with dual exhausts & one with single exhaust. the dual exhaust has 5 or 10 hp more.
What sets the P-71 Police Pkg performance 4.6L apart from the regular 4.6L is ALL in the computer tuning. Many States & jurisdictions remove the P-71 computer & replace it with a regular Crown Vic/Marque computer.
Here is a link that tells a great deal about the P-71 Police Pkg.
1999 Crown Victoria - Numbers
The ones my buddy has been buying the computers are unchanged. So we get the performance of the P-71. Basically the changes are top end speed, higher idle speed, & transmission shift points. I can & have left mine idling with the air on for 30 minutes down here in 110 degree heat because my dog was inside & it never raised temp of the engine. My P-71 has gauges not lights.
Look at the link I posted & it shows all the changes year to year. Like in 99 Ford started using larger torque converters.
The P-71s or Police Pkg 4.6L engines are no different than any other 4.6L. Ford offers two versions of the 4.6 engine.Which changed as they upgraded the 4.6L one with dual exhausts & one with single exhaust. the dual exhaust has 5 or 10 hp more.
What sets the P-71 Police Pkg performance 4.6L apart from the regular 4.6L is ALL in the computer tuning. Many States & jurisdictions remove the P-71 computer & replace it with a regular Crown Vic/Marque computer.
Here is a link that tells a great deal about the P-71 Police Pkg.
1999 Crown Victoria - Numbers
The ones my buddy has been buying the computers are unchanged. So we get the performance of the P-71. Basically the changes are top end speed, higher idle speed, & transmission shift points. I can & have left mine idling with the air on for 30 minutes down here in 110 degree heat because my dog was inside & it never raised temp of the engine. My P-71 has gauges not lights.
Look at the link I posted & it shows all the changes year to year. Like in 99 Ford started using larger torque converters.
-The Great