I hope someone can help me.

FourPointedStar · #1 March 21st, 2008, 08:47 PM

I recently purchased a 89 crown vic. I know the chassis is the same as the 80-89 town car. I need a part number or if anyone knows where to find the steering knuckle seal, I think thats what it's called. It's the seal on the bottom of the steering box right above where the steering arm attaches. Any help would be appreciated. It's leaking fluid about as fast as I pour it in the reservoir.

Fordace · #2 March 21st, 2008, 09:41 PM

any auto parts store should have that seal, it's very common. You will need a pitman arm puller and snap ring pliers to change it.

Have you tried to find one at Napa or Autozone?

FourPointedStar · #3 March 21st, 2008, 10:02 PM

I tried both and they both tried to sell me a steering gear rebuild kit running about $100 all I need is the seal. Now advance lists four different seal kits for the steering box ranging from $10 to about $25 but they can't tell me which one I need. I swear the people they have working at most of the parts stores are stupid!

gadget73 · #4 March 22nd, 2008, 11:17 AM

there is only 2 shaft seals on the box, an input shaft and output shaft seal. They should both be round jobbies with the steel outer rim. See if any of the ones Advance lists match that description, buy them, and see which one fits. You can return the rest.

FourPointedStar · #5 March 22nd, 2008, 08:35 PM

Advance had the pitman arm seal set for $17 but after 2 hours of hammering and banging and swearing and just general mayhem I can't get the damn thing apart past the snap ring! I gave up and pulled the steering sector off the car to tear it apart. In the meantime a friend came over and gave me a rebuilt steering sector off a 91 vic. Problem solved no more messing with trying to tear it apart just going to slap the rebuilt sector back on it tomorrow. Thanks for the help though.

Fordace · #6 March 23rd, 2008, 09:57 AM

after you remove the snap ring, you just start the car and turn the wheel all the way to one side, the Power steering pressure pops it out.......

FourPointedStar · #7 March 23rd, 2008, 10:09 AM

I tried that and it would not come out. I think the seals in it were just so bad it couldn't build up enough pressure to push it out it just puked the fluid out next to the shaft where the seal was bad. Keep in mind this vic used to be a taxi cab so it's been used and abused pretty hard over the years. After I get the new steering sector in then I have to put new sway bar end links in it because they are also wore out. The only reason I bought the car after being a taxi is that it has a re-built 302 and a re-built AOD trans in it so it has potential to be a low buck honda killer.

gadget73 · #8 March 23rd, 2008, 12:39 PM

if it was rebuilt stock, no its not gonna be a low buck honda killer. these cars run 18 second quarter miles when stock, its quite unimpressive. They will however walk all over an 80s GM full size car with the diesel engine.

FourPointedStar · #9 March 23rd, 2008, 05:08 PM

I don't think it was rebuilt stock because when you punch it, it will pin you to the seat and light up the tires and thats with single exhaust and both cats on it. I can only imgaine how it will run once I pull the cats and put duals on it and bypass the smog pump. The engine looks strange to me. It has the 5.0 intake and injectors etc on it but the valve covers look bigger then any 5.0 I've ever seen before now this maybe a dumb question but is it possible to put a 5.0 intake on a 5.8 and whats the quickest way to tell the difference if it is possible?

gadget73 · #10 March 23rd, 2008, 08:44 PM

No, a 351 is wider. Takes the same valve covers as a 302 anyway.

FourPointedStar · #11 March 23rd, 2008, 09:46 PM

Yet another question answered. Thanks! Maybe it's a 5.0 HO? I had another 89 vic a few years ago and your right it was slow this one has way more power then the old one I had for some reason. I plan on tomorrow taking it out with my stopwatch and checking the 0-60 times and the quarter mile times and see how they compare to a regular vic. It won't be totally accurate but it should be close enough for comparison purposes.

FourPointedStar · #12 March 24th, 2008, 03:44 PM

Ok here's my update. I took the car out today with my stop watch to do some time tests on it. Once again keep in mind it has single exhaust with twin cats and the smog pump still installed. My 0-60 times are as such between 7-8 seconds that accounts for non identical lauches and taking a extra millisecond to look at my watch. My quarter mile times are between 13-14 seconds also for the reasons explained above. I don't think those times are bad for a full size 4dr car.

gadget73 · #13 March 24th, 2008, 07:45 PM

HO swaps are not uncommon. I did one when the original motor blew up. 14 seconds in the quarter, well, unless thats at a track its sort of hard to verify. Fastest HO Towncar I personally know of only does a 15.91 quarter mile, and it moves extremely well.

FourPointedStar · #14 March 25th, 2008, 05:47 PM

It wasn't a track it was just a measured 1/4 mile on a country back road I laid out. I re-tested it today and I got between 14-15 seconds so I must have been reading it wrong yesterday. I even had 92 octane gas in it today. I did find out for sure today that it has a one legger rear end in it so thats something I'm going to have to change. Any suggestions on what I should be looking for in regards to a rear? I thought about finding a TC trak-lok rear for it because then I could have disc brakes but I'd like something with a little lower gear ratio then TC's come with.

gadget73 · #15 March 25th, 2008, 10:09 PM

Have to check the door sticker to see what you currently have, driver's door, you want the number or letter in the AX field. It could be a 3.08, 3.27, or a 3.55 rear fromt the factory. Many 4.6 cars (disc brake donors) have a 3.27, but you'll occasionally find 3.55 traction lock cars. Wagons are often found with a 3.55 traction lock, but they'll be drum brake rears. 11" drums vs the standard 10" though so it is still an upgrade.

FourPointedStar · #16 March 26th, 2008, 12:50 AM

gadget, I really appreciate all the help you've been giving me on this. I know this is a Lincoln forum and I'm talking about a vic but really the only difference is sheet metal. I have a 8 code axle which if I decoded it right means it is a standard 2.73 geared rear end. Those are some serious highway gears! I see a new axle in my very near future. I know where I can get a P71 axle I don't know the specs for it but I am assuming being a cop car it would almost have to be a trak-lok rear, only problem is it's out of a 92-97 vic will it bolt under my 89?

gadget73 · #17 March 26th, 2008, 01:32 AM

box police cars sometimes got traction locks, but if it was a 351 car, probably 2.73 gears. 5.0 box police car may be 3.55. aero police cars (92-97) are more likely to have a 3.55, still iffy with the traction lock but its easy enough to check the door sticker or the axle tag if its already out.

Later model rear will bolt in as long as its no newer than 1997. The rear suspension changed then to a watts link. you'll need to mod the brake lines to feed discs. Two ways to do it, either make a bracket to attatch the disc brake hoses to the rear axle itself, and re-flare the stock over-axle line to thread into these modified brackets, or plumb it like a disc brake car. That setup involves a brake line straight to the DS rear, then a line over to the PS. the non-abs cars used a specific left side hose with both an input and output connection to tie the right side brake caliper in.

Also with the later model rear you'll need to decide if you want that sway bar or the earlier one. Late model bars are easier to come by and from what I'm told, more effective, but you'll need to drill a hole up on the frame for the endlink to attatch to. I dont know where exactly this is, as I've never studied it. Should be easy enough to figure out if you look under a car with a factory 92+ style rear bar and compare it to what the box looks like in the back. The earlier style bar would come from a box police car, and bolts to the lower control arms. these are getting kind of rare though. It also needs the earlier control arms with the 2 holes drilled for the bolts, or you'd need to figure out where to drill your own holes in a later style arm.

gadget73 · #18 March 26th, 2008, 01:35 AM

box police cars sometimes got traction locks, but if it was a 351 car, probably 2.73 gears. 5.0 box police car may be 3.55. aero police cars (92-97) are more likely to have a 3.55, still iffy with the traction lock but its easy enough to check the door sticker or the axle tag if its already out.

Later model rear will bolt in as long as its no newer than 1997. The rear suspension changed then to a watts link. you'll need to mod the brake lines to feed discs. Two ways to do it, either make a bracket to attatch the disc brake hoses to the rear axle itself, and re-flare the stock over-axle line to thread into these modified brackets, or plumb it like a disc brake car. That setup involves a brake line straight to the DS rear, then a line over to the PS. the non-abs cars used a specific left side hose with both an input and output connection to tie the right side brake caliper in.

Also with the later model rear you'll need to decide if you want that sway bar or the earlier one. Late model bars are easier to come by and from what I'm told, more effective, but you'll need to drill a hole up on the frame for the endlink to attatch to. I dont know where exactly this is, as I've never studied it. Should be easy enough to figure out if you look under a car with a factory 92+ style rear bar and compare it to what the box looks like in the back. The earlier style bar would come from a box police car, and bolts to the lower control arms. these are getting kind of rare though. It also needs the earlier control arms with the 2 holes drilled for the bolts, or you'd need to figure out where to drill your own holes in a later style arm.

FourPointedStar · #19 March 26th, 2008, 08:43 PM

Thanks for the info on the rearend swap. Since you've been so helpful so far gadget I got another question for you. Do you know what length of serpentine belt I need to bypass the smog pump on my car?

gadget73 · #20 March 28th, 2008, 09:10 PM

500k6 or 560k6. one is the stock alternator belt, the other is the smog bypass belt. i forget which is which. thats 50" or 56".

FourPointedStar · #21 March 29th, 2008, 08:53 PM

I appreciate all the help you gave me gadget but someone stopped and made me an offer I couldn't refuse on my 89 vic so I had to sell it. I'm now on to a 87 cougar ls with a 3.8L v6 in it. I wish I still had that 5.0 out of the vic as it would be in the cougar by now! lol

gadget73 · #22 March 29th, 2008, 11:03 PM

pass on the couger dude, that 3.8 is a nightmare waiting to happen.

LSRX101 · #23 April 13th, 2008, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gadget73

pass on the couger dude, that 3.8 is a nightmare waiting to happen.

^^ X2, and then some!

FourPointedStar · #24 April 13th, 2008, 11:36 AM

The cougar went to the scrap yard on Thursday. It's probably a cube by now. I borrowed it to a friend for a couple days and when I got it back it wouldn't run worth a $hit so I hauled it for junk. Then Friday I found a 5.0 HO with ECM and harness that I could have had for free and a wrecked 95 mustang with a 5spd and disc brake rear end I could have had for $100 always my luck!