Things I Learned About My Car Today

"That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms" (thatbastardkurtis5)
07/26/2015 at 13:47 • Filed to: None

I took the P71 over to my dad’s garage so we could take a look at the a/c. Yesterday it was short cycling, but the gauge was showing the low side pressure to be a bit high even though there was hardly any refrigerant in it. What I didn’t do was drive it after checking it.

At idle, it short cycles and the fan doesn’t run. We tested the radiator fan, and it doesn’t work...put 12v to it and nothing, plus no continuity in through the fan motor. But while driving it, the compressor doesn’t short cycle and it makes nice, cold air regardless of the fan not working.

I wonder if there’s some sort of mechanism where if the fan isn’t running, the a/c won’t stay running...every car I’ve ever had runs the fan when the a/c turns on, but I don’t think I can recall the a/c not working when the fan doesn’t. Anyway, I ordered a new fan, because it needs that regardless.

Also, I took a good look at the exhaust for the first time. The system doesn’t appear to be stainless, since it’s magnetic (though not as strongly so as the frame of the car), but it does look pretty much brand new since the only rust is on the welds. It appears to be a 2.5 or 3” system with an x-pipe, no cats, and I believe the mufflers are Flowmasters of some kind. It’s quite nicely done, a fully custom system, and it’s really nice and tight to the floor of the car. I can’t imagine it was cheap.

Besides that, I picked a spot on the hood and hit it with some rubbing compound, which helped a little bit with some of its smaller scratches. Most of the scratches (and there are lots) aren’t ones you can feel, so I might be okay wet sanding and polishing out the car instead of painting it. It won’t be perfect, but it’ll be better.

The only other thing I’m trying to figure out is what to do with the roof. It’s got a few holes (antennas I’d imagine) that were filled with grommets and siliconed over. I’m thinking about pulling up the silicone, filling the holes, and covering the roof with vinyl because it’s scratched up pretty badly. The question there would be what color should I go with if I do that...I wouldn’t do carbon fiber, but maybe a brushed aluminum or something.

Now to head back outside and apply my trademark Clan Fett decal.

DISCUSSION (11)

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
07/26/2015 at 13:52

There are two main types of stainless, one of them is magnetic.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent
07/26/2015 at 13:59

Good to know!

Übel > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
07/26/2015 at 14:52

Put antennas back in the holes

MM54 > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
07/26/2015 at 17:35

I didn’t have it done (my p71 is very much a beater) but it shouldn’t be very costly to have a shop (or if you can weld sheet, do it yourself) tack in some patches for the holes and get a smooth roof back. Doesn’t help with the paint issue, though. I put more silicone on mine since I suspected one was leaking.

The A/C compressor cycle switch is located on the side of the accumulator in the older setups, I would imagine yours is similar. It should be a cheap part to check if that’s the problem, but I’d definitely get the fan taken care of first.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > MM54
07/26/2015 at 17:44

Yeah, I mean I can’t imagine they’re not nice round holes up there. My car doesn’t appear to have had a light bar, so there’s just three small holes to get filled. My spare trunk is off a MA state patrol car, so that one has like 5 holes in it on it’s own.

I’ve seen online where the fan not working causes short cycling for some people, so that would make sense here. I mean I need that either way, so that’s the logical first thing to do.

The car is really kinda weird. It looks to me like a project somebody started and never finished. Like the body is kind of a mess (and even then, it’s not THAT bad), but the interior is great, the engine is great, the exhaust was a really professional job, and even the steel wheels have been recently painted. I like it a lot though, seems to be a pretty solid car.

Squid > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
07/26/2015 at 19:11

The ac working at speed is a function of the condenser getting airflow. Without air flow heat and thus pressure builds causing the excessive cycling of the compressor at idle. Once you get a new fan in it should be fine.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Squid
07/26/2015 at 19:25

Sweet. A/C is like voodoo magic to me, I always assumed if it wasn't working you'd just slaughter and burn a goat atop a heap of old a/c compressors to gain favor with the Cold God, who would grant you air conditioning. At least that's what they taught me in tech school.

Squid > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
07/26/2015 at 19:33

Haha. I always liked the ac jobs. Not too hard unless you had to take the whole front apart to get the condenser out. But if cycling is the issue and you get cold air at speed and no air at a stop then the issue lies with the fan like you found. Also just to be sure have you tried putting 12 volts directly to the fan to get it to spin? Just to rule any wire issues? Ground the negative and apply battery voltage to the fan to make sure it's the issue.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Squid
07/26/2015 at 20:08

Oh yeah, its dead as a doornail. On the Crown Vic’s radiator there’s a plug that goes to a controller, and then the fan motor also plugs into the controller. There’s voltage at the plug going to the controller, voltage coming out of the controller, but the fan is an open circuit. We ran jumpers to it, whole bag full of nothing. With a little bit of luck, it and the factory shop manual I ordered will show up before this weekend and it’ll get done Saturday...though if the manual no-shows, I can’t imagine I won’t be able to figure out taking out a cooling fan.

Squid > That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms
07/26/2015 at 21:27

Should be just 4 bolts. you may need to take the radiator support bolts out to get the room you need to get the fan out. The only issue is the fact that I’ve never done one on a p71 package but the town car and grand marquis are similar but with a smaller radiator.

That Bastard Kurtis - An Attempt to Standardize My Username Across Platforms > Squid
07/26/2015 at 21:30

It actually looks like the bulk of the work would be in relocating the coolant overflow tank without unhooking it. I’ll take a look tomorrow, there’s tons of room in there, so I can’t imagine it’s going to be super difficult.