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Author Topic: I Still Like The Way Ford Motor Company Does Things (sometimes) Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-30-2003 12:16 PM                     Darryl, that might be. But they still find Fords more reliable and easier to maintain that their GM and Chrysler counterparts.  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 08-31-2003 03:06 AM                     I've only owned two trucks so far, but I like Ford's so far. I've had my F150 for a little over two years and it has about 116,000 miles and the only thing that has gone wrong is the clutch cylinder pushrod broke a couple of weeks ago. Not a major repair but a huge pain in the neck. Like I said, I don't have much to compare to but I've had good experiences with Ford so far.  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-31-2003 01:13 PM                     The booster cylinder will go bad in all of them. GM uses them, too. So does Dodge. I never liked that setup. A seal blows in the booster cylinder and you have a nice steady clutch engagement while you are sitting at a stoplight. A friend of mine had a Datsun pick-up (maybe it was a toyota) when one of the "O" rings started to allow hydraulic oil to leak by. That was in Seattle. Stoplight city. Most of these problems can be eliminated on all vehicles. Keep the fluid clean. Just like flushing the brake lines. It really helps keeping the cylinders and "0" rings from failing. BTW, I asked a sheriff yesterday about the Ford Crown Victorias they drive. The suspension is the same as a standard Crown Vic. If I understand correctly, so are the engines. They opt for the biggest engine Ford builds for that particular model. The only changes between the two vehicles are some minor interior modifications such as a trunk button release is more accessable, no arm rests in the back seat, the back seats themselves, (they don't want to give a person a luxury ride to the local slammer, etc., so the law enforcement personnel can do things better, faster, and more efficiently. But he said they are very comfortable cars to drive and they do give a very good ride. I guess one of the reasons they do not like front-wheel drive rigs is because if they have to go around a tight corner in the chase mode, the front wheels can very easily break traction if they have to mash down hard on the accelerator. I had that happen while driving a Subaru several years ago. I was going around a slippery corner in the wintertime when the front wheels broke traction when I was accelerating. I came into the corner a little "hot" that day, the front wheels broke traction and before I knew it, I was "off the road" in the Petunia patch. Seems as though the only "beef" the law enforcement personnel have with the Crown Vics is this: http://www.vehicle-injuries.com/ford-crown-victoria.htm At least Ford Motor Company is taking action on it for the police vehicles. If you read the article, you will discover that when it was written there were about 350,000 Crown Vic police vehicles on the road involving 13 fatalities of police officers. Percentage-wise, it is almost negligable. But I still mourn for any police officer that loses his/her life in the performace of their duty. I would still be happy to own a Crown Vic - with or without the shield. It doesn't seem to be any worse than the rest of the rear-wheel drive cars by any manufacturer with the gas tank between the rear axle and the rear bumper. As I look at the gas tank situation in my Chevrolet van I am sure if it were in a high speed rear end accident, the tank would explode. There is absolutely nothing protecting it that would keep the structural integrety of the fuel tank intact.  |  IP: Logged Travis Hubrig Expert Film Handler Posts: 175 From: Minot ND, USA Registered: May 2003 posted 08-31-2003 03:41 PM                     I believe it was Chevy pickups somewhere between 78-86 that had gas tanks mounted outside of the frame just behind the doors... side collision = explosion. Can't remember for sure, does anyone else know?  |  IP: Logged Jon Miller Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 973 From: San Diego, CA, USA Registered: Sep 1999 posted 08-31-2003 04:41 PM                     It was the 1973-87 Chevy and GMC pickups that had the infamous "side-saddle" tanks mounted outside the frame rail. Numerous lawsuits were filed as a result of deaths caused by fuel tank explosions resulting from "t-bone" accidents. You may recall the story the NBC "Dateline" program did on these trucks, with crash-test video that was later found to be rigged by NBC so the explosion would occur. Big embarrassment... Of course...can't forget the Ford Pinto, the granddaddy of exploding cars. Not one of Ford's "better ideas".  |  IP: Logged Mark Gulbrandsen Resident Trollmaster Posts: 16657 From: Music City Registered: Jun 99 posted 08-31-2003 04:48 PM                     I'd be willing to bet that those Ford Police Interceptor engines and trannies are custom built by NASCAR! They use Fords here in Utah but have never asked the troopers that have pulled me over how they like them....... Mark  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 08-31-2003 05:29 PM                     Jon, funny thing about the Pinto. (First of all, I would never own one) Those fuel tanks in that bucket of tin was so bad that some Ford dealerships offered a free asbestos suit if they purchased a Pinto. People still bought them until they finally went out of production. Mark, according to some specifications I am looking at, the police interceptor model of the Ford Crown Victoria uses a standard 4.6L (280 CID) 200 to 225HP (240HP with dual exhaust) engine equipped with police pursuit calibration (whatever that is) package and an engine oil cooler. It has an extra heavy duty battery and alternator, heavy duty drive shaft and U-joints, along with an accessory feed wire package. It also has heavy duty shocks, springs, and body mounts. It also has unique power steering gear. It is easily adaptable to all the electronics and visual warning devices that police agencies use. It also has a trunk circulation air fan in the "prepped package" that stabilizes the enviroment for the equipment stored in the trunk. I don't know what they use for a transmission. But I'll bet it has a shift kit. The sliding shifts of an automatic transmissions really raise hell with the clutch packs. [ 08-31-2003, 09:48 PM: Message edited by: Paul G. Thompson ]  |  IP: Logged

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