What have you done to your wagon lately? (Let's keep the thread going!)

My 89 Crown Victoria took First Place at the AOH 8th Annual Car Show.

 

That sure is a clean looking wagon.

 

Nice wagon

 

Added a dash cap from dash designs. I got it from rock auto. It oak colour, not a perfect match, my dash is fine but is starting to discolour from age. I wanted it protected.

 

I also had bobble at idle. I had been adding carberator cleaner all summer when I had a chance to drive it. It helped immensely but still had the bubble at idle. It also was very rich on start up. I checked the cap and rotor and found some ware so I replaced all. Checked a plug and found the gap 60 to 70 thou and worn. Only five thousand miles on them. Replaced them and also adjusted the idle and choke and now running beautiful.

 

Finally back at this travellers tank. Long story short I tried to remove it to give it a cleaning and all I did was waste four hours and broke the neck off. I couldn't get it out (no clue how they got it in) but when I broke off the filler neck it was like brand new inside. So that four hour effort was a total waste. JB welded it back on and hooked it all back up. Ran a new fuel line to the new diverter valve. Put in two new fuel filters before the diverter. Changed oil an filter, new air filter grease the front end and rear u-joint. I couldn't get the front u-joint and it was in the wrong spot. Topped trans and power steering fluid with mercon. Found rear brake reservoir very low. Found the trailer brake actuator inside the car leaking. Quick ride and I filled the auxiliary tank 81 liters. Works perfect except for the fuel gauge. So tomorrow's project will be fix trailer brake actuator and bleed brakes, grease front u-joint, fix if possible the auxiliary fuel tank sending unit and lastly put back of wagon back together. At that point I'll be ready for that five hour trip to pick up my new mini cooper clubman S.

 

I have to make battery cables for my '73. And now the brake light came on with a flaky brake firm-ness, so I'm going to have to at a minimum bleed the brakes too. I might also add a CS-130 alternator that I've got laying around at the same time. If it would just stop raining...

 

Sucked out the old crappy brake fluid from the master cylinder and added fresh dot 3. I thought I had done this when I bought the car 5 or 6 years ago but from the condition of it I'd say I didn't. I took apart the trailer brake actuator under the dash. It has a very small hyd cylinder in it that pushes on a arm that sends power to the trailer brakes. The 1/4" rubber cup was worn and crappy fluid was in it. I cleaned it out and soaked the rubber cup in lacquer thinner for a few minutes working it in. It softened up nice and swelled back up to form a tight fit. I flushed out the line to the controller and bled as much old fluid as I could out of the rest of the system. Hopefully the trailer brake controller stays sealed for a few years (or one) and I may delete it and rebuild the calipers, wheel and master cylinders and totally flush out the system and add silicone based fluid. I know it's over kill but it should last until I'm dead and gone. I'd like to keep the old style trailer controller but I imagine they are nowhere to be found other than NOS

 

NOS and used units are all over ePay; Leadslead and I researched the one that was in his CP last year, found a bunch of stuff for old-style controllers. But except for style, nothing says you can't install a newer one.

 

Thanks silverhobo, just found a nos napa / tekonsha unit on Ebay. Took a bit of searching to find the same as I had but got it. A bit pricey at 97 Canadian but a new electronic one would have been close to that anyway. At least I get to keep it original.

 

See? I knew you'd find what you needed. That's awesome!

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https://www.ebay.com/ulk/itm/131749810301

Looks to be an exact model as mine.

 

Good news the trailer brake controller is not leaking after the repair. Let's see how long it lasts.
Now the bad news, the pedal is hard when I come to stop, but if I hold it while at a stop sign it sinks to the floor.
Why do I think I jinxed myself when I said I will probably rebuild my master cylinder in the next few years.
I'm thinks while pumping the brakes I got the seals into some rusty spots and tore it up.
Opinions please.
I'm not loosing any fluid