1990 Mercury Grand Marquis Station Wagon

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I'd consider a manual transmission and engine swap. Maybe a 4.2L Essex V6 out of an F-150 wouldn't be that bad.

[101Volts]

Just an update since I'm going through my other threads on here; I'm not driving this in the winter due to the anti-ice spray. It's a summer car.

I'll also be changing the oil and the transmission fluid. I flushed and changed the coolant; That old fluid was all rusty, it needed changed. I need to stick a new thermostat in; the current one which I put in is a failsafe thermostat that permanently opens just below where the book says the heater opens at. So, I made a boo-boo by not checking. Sometimes, the more expensive option isn't the best one.

EDIT I'm not sure the failsafe thermostat permanently opens at that temperature. I don't actually know what the "Overheating" temperature is!

[101Volts]

WINTER IDLING TANKS MAKE F.E. FALL DOWN GO BOOM. Pffhaha, I just got 13.93 MPG. No problem though, And now I've maintained the car: Engine Oil and Filter Change, ATF (2/3 of it) and Filter Change. I drained the torque converter, I have no idea how many miles or how much time was on the older fluids but now I have a starting point. I also flushed out old brake fluid and changed the power steering fluid a few times.

So I took it for a drive - about 166 miles - yesterday. Worked nicely, but I have to say this automatic transmission was not designed to climb hills in Overdrive. I switch it to D for most hill climbing, and sometimes it seems like even that isn't enough so it's good that I have one more gear to work with.

I put the tires to 36, too. I know that's not much above the sidewall. I think I may mostly just use this car for trips, so it's going to have a lot of HWY/Trip miles. So, when I do post MPG figures they should be higher ones unless I've been idling it over the winter like this last tank. I expect to work with 100% gas in it sometimes, as well; This is indeed more costly and the MPG/Cost figure is not equal right now (Ethanol gas: $2.859, 91 grade 100% Gas $3.459) but it's also an older car which may benefit from this more. I read someone with a 1975 Pontiac Wagon had his fuel lines rot out from ethanol gas, I realize this car is 15 years newer but still - there may be other benefits to using it.

[slowmover]

Reliability cancels out FE concerns. Suspension bushing replacement, as well as body to frame bushings would be one of my first changes. Best shock absorbers. Springs and steer components are likely in need of replacement. Upgraded anti roll bars. Slightly wider rims and using police spec radial tire size.

I had a few wagons along the way. Hitting 20-mpg would be a chore. As a gear and people mover it's a nice way to travel.

But a 25-yr old vehicle is going to be plagued more by reliability concerns as said. I'd find a good cruise control set speed and otherwise learn how to drive it. Control the number of accel and decel events and keep trip planning as a high priority. When and where to stop on a trip is gold.

[Chrysler kid]

First mod

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by 101Volts

I expect to work with 100% gas in it sometimes, as well; This is indeed more costly and the MPG/Cost figure is not equal right now (Ethanol gas: $2.859, 91 grade 100% Gas $3.459) but it's also an older car which may benefit from this more.

As a rule of thumb, for each 1% ethanol content in gasoline, you shall expect a 0.3% decrease in mileage.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by cRiPpLe_rOoStEr

As a rule of thumb, for each 1% ethanol content in gasoline, you shall expect a 0.3% decrease in mileage.

Except that doesn't seem to be the case at lower (<50%) ethanol concentrations.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Except that doesn't seem to be the case at lower (<50%) ethanol concentrations.

It applies to every ethanol content beyond 20%.

[Frank Lee]

That's debatable but in any case you didn't mention it originally.

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

I'm so used to the mandatory ethanol blend back here (it's usually between 20 to 25%, but it's now on 27% for the lower-grade gasolines and 25% for the highest-grade one) that I often forgot it's a Brazilian deal. Anyway, since the gasoline available here is usually at a lower grade than its American counterpart, one might expect that rule of thumb to be also effective there.