starting my 4.6 swap

[canadian_ranchero]

not happy with my rad over flow.going to put a tank off a 2000 crown vic and try that

[lalessi1]

i think the problem is in the computer programming.the computer thinks it still has the 3.07 gears and 16 inch tires.mine still seems to pull the hills fine in o/d.i find if i push on the gas a little more it shifts to 3rd or in my case going through the mountains [national park]at 90km [55mph]speed limit i just turned the o/d off.i got about 27 mpg [us gal] on the trip.the exhaust was quieter going home so still not sure about the sound.droned some under load   

Been following your thread, is reprogramming these computers something practical? Really just curious....

[RICH MUISE]

Gary's background is solid in Ford electronics, but....my thoughts on reprogramming a computer.....
First, the reason I was asking Gary about the year of his engine is the Mark viii's (FORD) used the original(?) OBD I programming thru 1995, then it was OBD II after that. Trying to find anyone who CAN reprogram an OBD I system is very difficult. OBD II reflashing is pretty common. Many performance shops can do it. We have at least one here in town.
When I planned my build, I wanted it a long-time reliable as posible, which to me meant keeping the system as stock as possible. I'm just thinking out loud here, but what happens 5 or 10 years down the road and you are 500 miles from home and you blow out your computer? Are you gonna be stuck finding not only a stock matching computer, but trying to find the guy who originally reflashed the one that burnt out, hoping he kept records? I don't know, but in my case I wouldn't modify an engine enough that it required reprogramming  the computer unless it was minimal enough programming changes so that the engine still ran on a stock one....even if it's in "limp-home" mode.
I'll let the expert give his reply now, lol....

[lalessi1]

Rich, you expressed a lot of the concerns I am feeling these days. In my mind modern electronics seem to condemn mechanical things to a state of malfunction or disrepair. New things seem to be to be designed to be thrown away when they don't work properly. I find that very disturbing especially in light of supposedly "green" concerns. I have a refrigerator that has been repaired, sorta.... the light won't come on. It is probably a single poor pin contact amongst a lot of electronic connectors. I don't think I could handle that in my Ford, hence my "old school" direction. I still think about the benefits of modernization but wonder at what cost? I can fix a carburetor down the road but an aftermarket EFI? Necessary electronic parts are becoming  obsolete at an ever increasing rate...much less operating systems. The computer I am using now works as designed but it is obsolete.

[RICH MUISE]

Here's something I recently heard that's of concern to me.....automotive computers obviously have programs stored in them, but what I never thought about was how long that computer could hold the program sitting on a shelf or in a car at the wrecking yard. I recently learned/heard that time frame is about 10 years, and then if the internal storage battery is not recharged, the program will be lost.
Any comments on that, Gary?

[Ford Blue blood]

Yup, your home computer has the same setup.  The boot program is kept alive with a battery.  Most home computers are replaced before the battery goes bad so there is never a problem.  Not sure if the ECMs use a "hard wired" boot or a ram style memory. 

The computer that went into the 66 Ranchero was really old.  It came out of a late 80s very early 90s Ford and was of the speed density style.  Not sure how long it was on the shelf but it was over ten years and worked just fine.

So...to answer the question.....I don't know....just what I did as evidence.

[canadian_ranchero]

OBD I computers are not that easy to reprogram.i am looking into other options on the early shifting issue.when i first took my ford computer training [OBD I]ford implied[if i remember correctly] the computer main memory would never be lost[will need to reread some of my books]i have used computers almost 15 years old with no problems.some of the ford sensors were used on all engines[EEC IV]and should be available for a few more years. have almost a complete set of extra sensors/computer for my wagon.do not be afraid of fuel injection.you will need some different test equipment and will need to do some reading,but once you use/understand it it is just as easy[if not easyer] as the old carb               

[Ford Blue blood]

I agree!  Ford ECMs have an excellent reliability, much better then GM (IMHO) and the feds mandate a long life expectancy for all makes.  Trouble shooting is just as simple with the code readers and almost every repair shop has the good readers that will take the problem nearly down to time and date of failure.

A die hard carb guy (street rodder) often stated he would never go with fuel injection because if he broke down there would be no way to "fix" the thing.  Well after several conversations and stories of his break downs (engine related, HEI specifically) he decided to try a stock GM tuned port on his last build.  Happy as a lark and not a single hiccup for the last ten years.

I would be putting fuel injection on the Ranchero except no one makes a lower intake to fit up a 302 upper and the trimmings.  I just don't trust the after market at this point.

[RICH MUISE]

Gary...what pressure cap are you running on your radiator? I've got coolant loss somewhere I can't locate except for noticeable spray around the cap. I keep an eye on the other coolants to make sure I don't have an internal leak somewhere, and those are normal. I'm running a 7# cap, which I went with because of the '57 style radiator (though mine is welded aluminum). I'm wondering if the 4.6's generate more coolant pressure.

[canadian_ranchero]

what temp is your thermostat?is it possible you are on the edge of boiling and sending coolant past your rad cap?the waterless coolant i am running only runs at about 1 to 2 lbs presser.i am running a 16 lbs cap i do not need this high but that is what i have.the lincoln uses a 16 lbs cap   

[BWhitmore]

It is doubtful that the t-stat is causing a coolant leak around the rad cap unless the t-stat is stuck closed.  The t-stat is designed to prevent coolant flow through the cooling system until a pre-determined temperature thereby allowing the engine to warm up properly.  Modern engines also utilize the t-stat to control emissions, provide better cold start driving, improve gas mileage, etc. 

Rad caps can be checked to determine if they in fact hold the pressure they are rated for.  The rad cap also has a rubber seal which does fail causing leaks around the rad cap.  The manufactuer of the radiator should be able to recommend the proper pressure rating for the cap. 

[RICH MUISE]

I don't think I have an overheating/close to boiling issue. My heat sensor is in the same location that Lincoln used, and my gauge has never reached 200. It runs at 185-195ish....the 195ish when the coolant gets low. The cap doesn't seem to fit as tightly as it should anyway, so I think I'll step up to a 14 lb cap. Lincoln must have used that range for a reason.

[canadian_ranchero]

was out for a drive yesterday and the early shifting seems to be better/shifting later.it still idles a little fast,but that also seems to be getting better

[RICH MUISE]

funny you brought up the idling, I was just going to ask how yours was idling. After a minute or two, like at a long traffic light, mine drops the rpm from about 1k to 600ish and starts idling/loping like it's got a racing cam in it. Several times after a very long drive (2-300 miles), it idles really crappy. It did that inside the goodguys show, and Saturday when all 2500 cars were trying too leave, I wasn't sure it would make it. I almost pulled over to let all the cars go by. lol...sure didn't want to be embarassed by the car dying going thru the narrow tunnel that is used to enter/exit the racetrack. It made it, ran normal at highway speeds, and after a day or two of local driving the idle got back to normal.

[RICH MUISE]

I'm also wondering about how you like your steering? If I remember correctly, you went with Borgenson?.