Crown Vics P71

[aaytay]

Jeff-
Ha, ha.... That's funny. We just "pulled" the winter tires, got the road salt washed off, and put them away for the season as well. I gotta say, this was our first time running modern snow tires, and they were nothing short of amazing. Daughter is happy to have the aluminum "grandpa rims" back on the car.

I personally like the center-caps as well, but can see how your wife wouldn't want to be driving a "cop car" and may prefer the full-wheel covers.

Speaking of which, I'm still looking for a set of Mercury 16" full-wheel caps. The Ford versions can be found, but Merc caps must be made of "unobtainium" as you either can't find them, or wish you hadn't when you see the price tag!

BTW... The bottom of that car is in really nice shape!

 

[jbaker]

I will be putting the large on tommorrow, my wife was out and found this ILL State Trooper parked near her when she left.

 

[snicklas]

Well, I have "joined the club".....

We are now the proud owner of a 2000 P71... All black, medium brown interior. 168,XXX miles.

I will snap some pics in the daylight tomorrow.....

 

[jbaker]

Scott, welcome, can't wait for pictures, i will find some info on the 2000s for you

 

[aaytay]

Scott

 

[jbaker]

cool info here

http://idmsvcs.com/2vmod/p71interceptor.html

 

[snicklas]

Here are the pics.... we really like it so far....

 

[jbaker]

nice does not look too bad at all

 

[snicklas]

Jeff,

Quick question on your P71. Engine Temp..... How quickly does it come up to temp, and where does it run on the "idiot gauge" (that is what we call them on the Diesel forums since they don't have real numbers, just I run on "O"). Does it run in the middle of the normal range on the gauge? Mine seems to take a bit to get warm, and it doesn't run much above the bottom of the "Normal" bracket. Most other Fords I've owned, all the gauges ran about half gauge for "normal"...

Thanks for that link. I've already disabled "dark car" mode..... that was a pain in the "Donkey"........

 

[jbaker]

Scott took mine for drive today, temp was 30f. With in 2 minutes and 2 miles the needle started to move, after 4 minutes and 4 miles I hit the normal temp of the car. I had heat blowing after the 2 minute mark.

here is a picture at the 5 mile 5 minute point, normal spot for gauge

 

[snicklas]

Jeff - It looks like I will be doing a thermostat. Either the one that is in there is stuck open, or someone put in a colder one. This was after almost a 30 mile drive at Interstate speeds.......

Maybe its a 165.... I saw several different temps available when I was looking a replacements....

 

[jbaker]

my bet is stuck open, the vics warm up good

 

[jbaker]

scott want to see an order guide for your car

http://www.policeinterceptor.com/links3.htm

 

[snicklas]

Looks like I get to spend to "quality time" with my P71 this weekend. Yesterday, after all this rain, it started missing. It finally threw a light and is telling me Cylinder 1 Misfire. So I get to do some troubleshooting, and I will more than likely change the oil, and do the thermostat while I am already under the hood.... hopefully nothing big.....

 

[jbaker]

Scott, check that plugs boot and coil pack. Both are common points where a small crack in the rubber or plastic will throw a code

 

[snicklas]

Jeff,

That was exactly where I was going to start. Since it didn't start till all the moisture. I really don't want to have to change plugs.... Dad had a 5.4 and it spit a plug....... One thing I noticed last night (was not 100% sure which side was #1 till this morning) the bolt holding the C-O-P to the head is loose, and the pack will move around a bit.....

 

[jbaker]

Scott if you have time its worth the effort to loosen then tighten the plugs, these 4.6s can lock a plug in. and that COP needs to be tight(as you already know) and that may veery well be your issue..

how about some more pics of her

 

[snicklas]

Well, I got the misfire fixed. Haven't gotten all the routines done on it yet. When I went to the parts store I bought Motorcraft Oil and Filter, a thermostat and gasket, a new fuel tank cap, a hood lift support and a set of coil boots. Put on the new fuel cap, as I have been getting a check engine light for a small evap leak. The passenger side hood support has been missing since I bought the car and I need to do a routine oil change. The reason I bought the boots was reading on misfire issues on the 4.6 there were several accounts of the boots causing misfires due to moisture..... sound familiar. The only place that carried them in stock was a 20 minute drive, so I bought everything at the same time, and figured worst case, take the boots back if I found something else. Finally got a chance to work on the car yesterday, put the shock on, now the hood will stay up without a stick.... and started looking at the miss. I pulled out the #1 coil and boot, and low and behold, the plug hole was full of water.... not coolant, rusty, nasty water. I blew all the water out, and replaced the boot. Went ahead and replaced all 8 since I had them, and there was some kind of FOD in each hole. I think the PO before the car was sold, washed the engine and got water in the plug hole. Drove the car in today and it runs really good, and no CEL since i replaced the fuel cap...... now to do the thermostat and oil change.... I will get some pics as soon as the weather breaks. It was dark last night when I got done, and it is getting ready to rain again..... really need to get the snow gear off the Cubs and get them ready to mow.....

 

[rkelm]

Scott, I had a 71 cougar with a 351 Cleveland and one of my fan blades (it was a 5 bladed fan)cracked and I found a police interceptor with a 7 bladed fan from a 390 in a wrecking yard and took it off and it barely fit on my 351. After I put the 7 blade on it always ran cooler than the 5 blade, I changed the thermostat and it still ran cool which was not a bad thing down here, it seemed to pull more air over the engine. My mother in law has a Marque and it runs a little cooler also, don't know why.

 

[snicklas]

Well it has been a bit since my last update. I've taken care of a few more things on the P71. I have changed the oil and filter with Motorcraft 5W-30 Oil and a Motorcraft filter. I have replaced the thermostat (this was the easiest thermostat I've ever replaced) and now the engine comes up to temp as it should. The fuel tank cap has fixed the check engine light. I repaired a connection on the battery cable. I replaced all the coolant hoses since I had one that one beginning to drip. Some of the ends are in a tight spot to work. Greased all the zerks I could find. Rotated the tires, replaced both wiper arms, fixed a door that would not open from the inside handle. Looked at the window that did not want to operate, found the cable broken, so that is a project for another day. I also have a windshield to have replaces, as it has a nice set of cracks in it.

Fairly happy with the mileage. On my mixed commute, I get ~ 18 MPG. Took it on a road trip to Mom and Dad's and got almost 21 MPG. I was not "driving like a grandpa" either.

Finally took more pics:

Passenger Side:

Interior Front:

Interior Rear:

Rear:

Cavernous Trunk:

(You could get several dead bodies in there.... LOL!!)

Front:

Engine:

Passenger Front Fender:

The only real issues is the fogged headlight from where the housing has been drilled, and the small rust spot on the passenger fender.

We still really like the car!!!!