Message Center Show the temp of the Engine Coolant??

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MN12hybrid

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I remember when I test drove a 97 Base years ago, I could swear it provided the temp of the coolant/engine on the screen, and I remember it was at 186 degrees when I drove it. But I could also be wrong, and it may be another car I was driving that showed this and maybe I am having a brain fart. It would be awesome if these cars can show that, and my memory is not failing me.

Are we able to check the coolant temp on the message center on the Gen 2 Mark VIII's? If not, then my memory must be failing me in this area.

At least on my 98 LSC, it came with the booklet the car comes with brand new, and goes over the use of the stereo, message center, stereo and all the other feature.. I was also thrilled to to find out that the code was included with the booklet, for the keypad to get into the door and also how to change it to what I would like, and the other tricks involved like opening the trunk with it. Ive been reading the booklet, and learned a lot more about the car thankfully.

I also found the maintenance booklet, and found the records.. in 2001, the heater issue popped up after only 3 years after the car was bought from the dealer, and they fixed it under warranty at 26k miles so there is no mistake, the blend door motors in these cars were a defective design from the get go.. I am picking up the newer revised part off ebay to fix this - its on ebay and its an OEM part for 83.00, and plan on doing it soon when I start laying the wiring for my car stereo I have in storage, which was custom built for my 92 Tbird LX with cooling fans for the amp rack.. I am pretty sure it should fit the same, with minor revisions to the amp rack at the most if needed.
 
I have a 97 base and there's no coolant temp in the center. Dont buy a black upper OEM blend door arm. The OEM's were defective plastic and become brittle. The China replacements are white plastic for the trouble some upper control arm. I pictured those in the How To section.
 
Thank you.. good to know!

I found the updated Ford part on eBay for 82.00, which is supposed to be built better. I was planning on buying it and retrofitting it..

So in this case I should just get the China made one? I found it on eBay and it's a LOT cheaper, and I do remember seeing the white arm on it.. Would it be a good idea to retrofit the arm on that one before installing it?

On a side note.. I took a drive to a relatives home on Christmas eve about 50 miles away and was stuck in bumper to bumper traffic almost the whole way. Temp gauge stayed right in the middle as it should, but when I got off the freeway and got gas, I popped the hood and checked fluids. The engine is absolutely pristine and looks brand new, like you could eat off of it! I was curious - I rested my hand on top of the engine and it was warm, but not hot. I then was able to rest my hand on the radiator and it was the same, right along with the crossover pipe! I know these engines do tend to run hot, but the cooling system with the monstrous fan is quite effective, and I think its a stock thermostat at 192 or 195 degrees.. I think I am going to swap it out for 180 thermostat this spring before we get to summer, since I plan on fixing the blend door motor, so I can use the AC without playing games when the engine gets hot. I am VERY curious what the coolant temp is running at while the temp gauge is in the middle or just a hair above like it normally is.. I think the gauge is lying a little to be honest!

There are a few odds and ends I need to get straightened out on the car like the front upper ball joints, and the 3rd and 4rd servos in the trans which I am suspecting the snap rings broke. The engine is awesome, even the crossover pipe is in excellent shape, but thankfully I have an extra one thats pristine in case I ever need it! The only hoses I would like to change out soon, are the low pressure power steering line, and the hoses for the power steering cooler, and the hoses going to the trans cooler but I am going to wait on that one since I am going to install a trans cooler I have sitting around (was originally intended for my 93 LX 5.0 Tbird) when I Jmod, or even replace the valve body completely with an aftermarket one thats jmodded or even better, and I want to install a much better torque converter at the same time, hence the need for the trans cooler. It sure wont hurt having the radiator not be burdened with cooling the trans fluid anyway. But even better I would like to buy the Griffin aluminum radiator from supercoupeperformance.com before we get to next summer as well which should really help even more when I am driving in 100 degree plus weather with the AC blasting cold.

I could swear in a 97 base I was able to see the coolant temp on one I test drove years ago, and I remember it said it was at 186 degrees.. either I am having a brain fart and I am thinking of another car, or the guy may have had an aftermarket gauge in it that I was looking at instead and my memory is a little shady about this!
 
xtriggerman said:
EVERYONE who wants to run one of these cars needs to read this if you want a heater system that will not self destruct.
Part 2 Ultimate blend door repair FINALY 8/22/20 | Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums
I would urge you to think about this as well. I had no idea this was so rotten untill I took it off!
Repairing a rotten lower Thermostat Housing | Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums
Good luck with getting another fine Mark straightened out! :)
Click to expand...

Thank you!!

I am dropping the hammer on the Chinese made blend door motor, and ordering it. Its quite sad that Ford could not get their shit straight with this part and make a revised model that wont fail. Ill give the Chinese credit where its due if it will last a long time.. lol

I have been dealing with the craziest shit on my Lexus with radiators, and havent done much with my Mark yet. I installed a Denso (OEM made for Toyota) at the beginning of 2020 and put 1500 miles on the car since, and its leaking slowly at the top where the plastic tank is crimped on. I get another radiator from 1800 Radiator and found its a Cryomax brand which is made in the same factory as Denso, and within days I can see traces of red coolant coming out of the same spot. Not a problem I would expect to run into especially with an OEM supplier for Toyota. Apparently there are a lot of shitty radiators in circulation at parts stores from what I am hearing this past year or so.

I really checked under the hood of my Mark, and its in such wonderful condition.. the thermostat housing is not beaten up. Hoses are fine, but I plan on installing the Griffin radiator from SCP later this year or early next year with all new hoses for cooling system including heater hoses and possibly a performance thermostat from Reische Performance Products - 170° Thermostats

I am buying an entire modded valve body from BCA in another month will have new servos, and then I can have the shift qualities of a Jmod along with toughening up the transmission, and all fresh Mercon fluid with new rubber trans lines, and then I wont have the lazy shift into overdrive anymore. I know I will be tempted to install a B&M cooler since I want to bypass the radiator altogether the same way I am going to do with my Lexus, but I may wait until the new Griffin goes in since Ill likely have to spend hours to bleed the cooling system properly. I want to be able to drive this car on trips even in the heat of 100 plus degree summers with the AC blasting, and not have the coolant temp spike if I am going up steep grades, like it did with my 94 Mark. Although I have noticed the second gen seems to be better with the stock cooling system, and the temp gauge does not exaggerate, when compared to my old Mark and others I have been in, in the past.
 
Tony Tusk said:
FUCK CHINA!!
Click to expand...

I understand this on many levels. My life was turned upside down because of this fucking virus, and lost a very good (but tough) job I had at a Fortune 500 company last year, and still fucking out of work. I am also bitter that American companies moved their operations and manufacturing overseas, without getting heavily punished tax-wise, by the government.. NAFTA was so wrong on every level.. :(

I dont believe for even one second this virus came from a wet market in Wuhan... I believe this came from a lab, and it was likely a mishap that caused it to spread.
 
xtriggerman said:
EVERYONE who wants to run one of these cars needs to read this if you want a heater system that will not self destruct.
Part 2 Ultimate blend door repair FINALY 8/22/20 | Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums
I would urge you to think about this as well. I had no idea this was so rotten untill I took it off!
Repairing a rotten lower Thermostat Housing | Lincoln vs Cadillac Forums
Good luck with getting another fine Mark straightened out! :)
Click to expand...


I am going to buy this one... its locally stocked in CA near me as well. It has a white plastic arm on it. Or do you recommend I go for another one?

Main HVAC Heater Air Blend Door Actuator for Lincoln Mark VIII 1997-1998 604-915 | eBay
 
looks like the same one I used. Its made from a vinyl material of sorts. Its very tough compared to the brittle OEM crapola.
 
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