P71 is HOPEFULLY fixed

"Katsumoto" (katsumoto)
06/30/2018 at 12:53 • Filed to: P71, CVPI, Police Interceptor, Ford, Found on Road Dead, Driver Returns on Foot

So I bought an old P71 a week ago. 2010 with 99k with a misfire, plug blew out of the hole on cylinder 3. Took it to my mechanic buddy, he attempted a fix but it just blew out again.

I fixed it HOPEFULLY permanently yesterday and today. I drilled the hole out for the 18mm spark plug. Put in an insert covered in a liberal application of red loctite , use a “spage” tool to mushroom the top of it into the walls of the spark plug hole. Waited 24 hours to let the loctite cure on that insert. Stuck another insert in that fits inside the original insert that fits the OEM sized plugs that the Vic uses. It’s currently curing right now, and it’s top is mushroomed into the the inside the the bigger insert. Tomorrow I’ll stick a plug down into it, install the new set of ignition coils I bought for it, and fire it up and see.

The bigger insert had an edge that stuck out from the threads. My guess is to help hold it, now its driven into the aluminum head and shouldn’t ever come out. Same with the insert that is inside the previously mentioned insert.

Theres a fresh set of 7 plugs and ignition coils in the rest of the cylinders. Just wanted to wait to stick the plug in so I didn’t screw with the 2nd insert.

I’ll find out tomorrow what’s going on with it. If it all works, like I’ve prayed to the automotive gods for, I’ll be doing victory donuts in the gravel lot where it’s parked.

I’ve put the title in my name but nothing else, no plates or insurance. Wanted to fix it before I spent any money I didn’t need to spend on it.

P ics of when I first brought it home(well my business’s yard) for your time. Drug it home on my work trailer. It’s still chained down in these pics, also got some pics of its underside while I could still walk under it.

DISCUSSION (17)

jkm7680 > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 13:14

Was it a cage car?

LOREM IPSUM > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 13:16

No matter what happens, I hope you keep the flags on it.

Also, how does one do all of that with the head still on the engine without ending up with a bunch of particulate falling into the cylinder?

Katsumoto > jkm7680
06/30/2018 at 13:21

I’m guessing so, 2 quarter sized holes in the rear floor.

99k miles 4400 idle hours. I’m guessing based off idle hours it was a patrol/high use car.

BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 13:22

This is so so common on the modular engines. Luckily every one I’ve had to fix has worked with a tap or an insert. Good luck, hope it holds.

jkm7680 > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 13:23

Make sure to pull the headliner down along the back window towards the top and the plastic trim pieces to the left and right of the parcel tray. People like to stick drugs in there.

Also, rip the door sill plates up on the back and the rear seat. Also bleach everything back there.

Katsumoto > LOREM IPSUM
06/30/2018 at 13:23

Vacuum, with tiny hose. Then a small mechanics camera to stick in and verify nothing is in there.

Also helped that I knew a guy with a crown vic head that was off that I could verify I could drill it to the bigger size without getting into the valves.

Katsumoto > jkm7680
06/30/2018 at 13:24

Already done it. I wasn’t getting caught with contraband.

Shortly after unloading it in the pics, I ripped the rear interior out of it.

jkm7680 > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 13:25

Alright, good shit. A lot of officers don’t really check those places before and after transporting people and miss the opportunity to charge people with that stuff and tampering.

Katsumoto > BrianGriffin thinks “reliable” is just a state of mind
06/30/2018 at 13:28

Yea my mechanic buddy said he’s heard of it ALOT on the 5.4 truck motors and the V10. Mine was the first he’s heard of on a 4.6.

My plug threads the original ones where gone. I tried to tap it but I screwed up with the insert and threaded into far and dropped onto the piston. This way the only way I could think of without removing the head to get it out. Plus at least this way it’s got 2 different inserts holding it in and a very liberal application of loctite on both to make sure it stays.

LOREM IPSUM > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 13:29

Neat. Fingers crossed everything works out and you're terrorizing the highways soon.

Katsumoto > jkm7680
06/30/2018 at 13:32

All I found was some change and some gum wrappers. Someone’s been under that rear seat before because it was pretty clean.

Im the 4th owner. Police, Guy who bought it from the auction, guy I bought it from and then me. It left police duty at around 80k miles in 2016. Was sold for 600 bucks, then 3500, then 1500. I got a deal compared to the guy I bought it from, plus he kept good care of it. New fluids, tires, all kinds of maintenance.

I just need to hopefully fill the AC up and see if it blows cold.

Katsumoto > LOREM IPSUM
06/30/2018 at 13:35

Speaking of which, some douche bag in his CV was attempting to pull me over yesterday on my bike. Had the push bar, a fake front tag with a number on it, all the lights on the top and bottom of the windshield.

He tried to pull me over and I flipped him the 1 finger salute and kept going. If he was real police, he wouldn’t have followed me through 3 different cities. I know where the cops stop patrolling at on that road and I could tell he wasn’t one. I almost stopped just to whoop his ass for faking it.

Fucking people like that need to meet a REAL police officer and get their fake cop car impounded and crushed.

LOREM IPSUM > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 13:37

Hopefully he pulls over an actual off duty cop one of these days and catches a felony for his antics.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 18:44

Impersonating a peace officer could get you ten years up here. Not something to be taken lightly.

Katsumoto > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
06/30/2018 at 19:15

Yea.

At a stoplight he stopped short to pretend to run my plate. Then followed me a good 5 minutes. Then attempted his pull over. A picture of his plate and a video of what happened was sent to the 3 police depts that I rode thru.

One officer called me about an hour ago. Al so thanked me for not stopping and sending in video.

Told that officer that id testify if needed. Hes going to look into and run the plate. He agreed that charges need to be pressed and the vehicle needs taken.

Find out. My pic of the plate was perfect.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > Katsumoto
06/30/2018 at 22:40

The results of this would be good story material.

Most cars going to auction will have lights and sirens and everything removed, but it’s surprisingly easy to come by that sort of equipment if you know where to look. Or have access to really any sort of aftermarket company’s catalogues.

But in this tourist-in-rental-infested town I live in, where I occasionally find myself driving actual police vehicles for work, damn is it ever tempting to blip the blues and twos at some idiots in particular. I just don’t because I know how much shit I’d get in if word got back somehow.

But also... wanna know how many people seem completely oblivious to fully marked police vehicles? It’s pretty astonishing. Just goes to show how much attention people don’t actually pay to what’s around them on the road. But yes, tailgate a marked police car doing ten over already, close enough I can’t see headlights in my mirrors, and then put your foot down and hammer past on a double yellow at a blind corner on an RV-clogged two-lane. Yes. That’s an intelligent thing to do.

Almost makes me wonder what sort of things this “officer” may have confiscated or accepted as bribes to get out of “tickets” if people are oblivious to what is or isn't a cop.

Katsumoto > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee
07/01/2018 at 09:37

The person driving it looked young as hell. Like barely 20.
He’ll learn his lesson about life here soon when he’s sitting in jail for impersonating a peace officer. Then the boys there will help him with that life lesson some more.

Real cops in my area don’t run plates. They all have something along the lines of Rank or Dept/Section of town up front, call 911 or DARE out back.
The only dept running Vics anymore in my area is the city of Dayton. The suburbs all are Ford Taurus/Explorer or Chargers. I’m sure Dayton’s Vics are getting over the hill by now. Some have paint sections missing, others are looking long in the tooth.

I’d be curious to know what kinda mileage them old P71's have. But the only place I ever see them is not in a good part of town. So Im hardly never down that way.

I’m interested in getting my hands on an old Charger from the highway patrol. But to get one I’d have to have a real need for it and I probably wont get one at least until this Vic is gone. I might just keep this Vic around long enough to clean it up, fix its problems and flip it because it’s still low mileage and its the 2nd to last year made.