1998-2002 Crown Vic P71

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Hello, Well after my 3.8L Taurus Died at 100K, I want to stay with ford - but away from Taurus, and was looking at the 1998-02 P71 Crown Vics. Is there any know problems? I guess mileage would be around 80K-100K miles. Are these any better then say the CV Civilian? What maintenance items or items would i have to replace if buying a 90K miles CV? I hear about Intake gaskets going out on the 4.6's, is this an hard fix?

All i am looking for is a RELIABLE car, one i dont have to worry about a headgasket going out, or the transmission leaking and leaving me somewhere, a car where i can hit the gas with out clunks & noise's... The Taurus was not one of these cars....
Thanks!
 
Originally Posted By: SL2
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I hear about Intake gaskets going out on the 4.6's, is this an hard fix?


You don't hear about intake gaskets going out on the 4.6, what you hear about is the coolant cross over on the early 2V manifolds cracking. You hardly ever hear of a 4.6 intake gasket failure, or any gasket failures for that matter.

If it has a aluminum coolant crossover on the front of the intake, you're golden.

If you score a 99 or newer CV you shouldn't see any trans problems if it was maintained.

I would shoot for a 2004 CV though, this is the year they swapped to the 4R75 auto (IIRC) which is the most bullet proof of the factory 4Rs, and the year they went to 8 thread cylinder heads.
 
Yup.
The plastic coolant crossover is the only real issue, I think. It isnt hard to change and there is no risk of coolant mixing with the oil or such nonsense.

I do not think they went 4R75 until 2005, Ben.
 
I just got one a few weeks ago. So far I've put a new battery, upper ball joint, sway bar endlink on the car.

Its a really good car. Just don't expect it to be perfect since if it is a retired police cruiser, they will be taking all that equipment out leaving random holes etc...
 
Originally Posted By: Onmo'Eegusee
I do not think they went 4R75 until 2005, Ben.


You might be right, I just assumed 2004 for the Vic because that is the year the Mach 1, Marauder and F150 changed over to the 4R75.
 
Originally Posted By: Onmo'Eegusee
Yup.
The plastic coolant crossover is the only real issue, I think. It isnt hard to change and there is no risk of coolant mixing with the oil or such nonsense.

I do not think they went 4R75 until 2005, Ben.


Oh that is good to hear! I was thinking that the engine is done if this issue were to come up.. Happy this is not the case.

I was thinking about doing that, buying a P71, (Really liking the 03+ & all the upgrades) and then converting it to the Regular CV interior, The Plastwood, Factory Cd, New window light switches, might get a carpet, Regular rear seat, make the back door/windows work from the interior and some other little things to make it more Luxury-ish while still keeping the performance & Exterior looks.

I do not expect this car it be perfect, but i hope i can have a mechanically solid ride.

I dont have much cash to spend around 5K tops..
 
I would stick with a 2003+ if you can, for the updates. 2004 will get you 250 bhp without the throttle by wire system.
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The first year for the 4R75E was 2006, by the way. Prior to that it was the 4R70W.
 
Yeah, personally, I like 03-04, and that is all I looked at when I bought my 04. I do not like the throttle-by-wire system on the 05+ Vics as I have heard of numerous failures.
 
I have a 97 grand marquis and my brother in law a 96 CV P71.

He put the thing on the road in May of this year and needed a transmission, intake manifold, some airbag sensor, spark plugs for 3 misfiring cylinders... He needs all 4 cats (inefficency code) but is putting that off. He fixed some rust in the trunk where the jack sits and the floorpan and has all new brake lines (maybe the PO did those). It's in the shop getting brakes now, I'll find out how much more expensive "cop brakes" are compared to civilian ones... rotors are pricy, I know that much.

I had the same rusty spot in the trunk on mine and did brake lines for the 2nd time. Needed a blower motor. Got it cheap needing an alternator. Something up with the clockspring: airbag light behaves itself but horn and cruise inop. All small stuff; I'm not complaining, I like the tinkering.

I would get a civilian Grand Marquis! Fly down to Florida with a $89 one-way ticket, rent a car for a week, and drive back in a geezer owned one! They go for $4-5k for really nice newish ones, you'll just have to put up with stupid vinyl tops etc. Mine has enough power as it is and you can get another 20 HP with the dual exhaust. It'll do 55 or more in 1st gear with 2.73 gears and I get 23.5 MPG just cruising around town.

They got rack & pinion steering and easier-to-change shocks in 03 ish, a welcome freshening. Good range to be looking in.
 
Yeah, the older transmissions had issues.
I reread your last post, SL2, and I think you should look for a HPP or Sport equipped LX. It has the dual exhaust, and all the creature comforts you want to add anyway. It also comes with rear air suspension, a bigger rear sway bar than on PIs and LX Sports have 17" wheels. Think about it. By the time you by a decent PI that was not beat to heck, and add back everything you want, you could have gotten one of those.
 
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HAAHAHAHHA
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I must say the 4R100 is the best auto transmission I've ever owned. I really love the shift strategy on it.
 
I wouldnot go near an early two valve Ford Modular those things used to fail like clock work! My Dad worked for a truck company that had a few and most of them went through 2-3 motors while under warranty. They where all maintained per Fords recommendation....Even the Owner's which was only driven by him went through 2 engines under warranty. Prior to owning a trucking company he had 25 years of Experince not only as a Mechanic but owning a maintenance shop. SO he was not Joe Typical!

So if you want a Crown Vic get a latter one then that and idealy try to get one that was well maintained!
 
Originally Posted By: Onmo'Eegusee
Yeah, personally, I like 03-04, and that is all I looked at when I bought my 04. I do not like the throttle-by-wire system on the 05+ Vics as I have heard of numerous failures.


An ex had a loaded Middle Eastern '05 LS with the Export Handling Package, and the TBW gave me quite an embarrassment once. I was at a light and had my foot on the brake pedal with the transmission in drive - something I don't normally do, as I keep it in neutral at lights. All of a sudden, the car decided to do a brake stand.
crazy2.gif


The issue was later resolved through the dealer, and by Ford on newer models. But the instrument cluster on the '06+ was a pain. I had a '07 Grand Marquis two years ago, and the fuel gauge kept failing. The odometer also kept blanking out, until it was finally replaced under warranty.

I'm looking for a daily driver now, and decided to settle on an '03 LS with the EHP. It's also a Job 1, meaning I get to have some of the de-contented goodies.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
I wouldnot go near an early two valve Ford Modular those things used to fail like clock work!


Not sure which ones those were, but the 2V Modular is as bullet proof as it gets. What exactly was it that was failing?
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The major issue on pre-'96 engines was oil burning due to valve stem seals. The '96+ got the improved design valve seals to address the issue.
thumbsup2.gif
 
Originally Posted By: Falcon_LS
Originally Posted By: Onmo'Eegusee
Yeah, personally, I like 03-04, and that is all I looked at when I bought my 04. I do not like the throttle-by-wire system on the 05+ Vics as I have heard of numerous failures.


An ex had a loaded Middle Eastern '05 LS with the Export Handling Package, and the TBW gave me quite an embarrassment once. I was at a light and had my foot on the brake pedal with the transmission in drive - something I don't normally do, as I keep it in neutral at lights. All of a sudden, the car decided to do a brake stand.
crazy2.gif


The issue was later resolved through the dealer, and by Ford on newer models. But the instrument cluster on the '06+ was a pain. I had a '07 Grand Marquis two years ago, and the fuel gauge kept failing. The odometer also kept blanking out, until it was finally replaced under warranty.

I'm looking for a daily driver now, and decided to settle on an '03 LS with the EHP. It's also a Job 1, meaning I get to have some of the de-contented goodies.
thumbsup2.gif




Yeah, Im not crazy about the whole Drive By Wire set ups..

We had a issue on the 2005 Xg350L with the Drive by wire, I was at a stop sign, and went to hit the gas, and there was nothing, i mean the car was not going over a 800RPM idle, so i had my foot on the gas to the floor because i have no idea what was going on as i am idling across the intersection, then all of a sudden the gas works, as my foot is to the floor, and the car TAKES off, good thing there was no cars in-front of me, because this could of been bad!. Ofcorse i took it to the dealer, and just like everything else they say, "can not duplicate problem" so the problem must not be there...
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
I wouldnot go near an early two valve Ford Modular those things used to fail like clock work! My Dad worked for a truck company that had a few and most of them went through 2-3 motors while under warranty.


If by early you mean '91-'92, then yea they had some bearing supplier problems back then. They were pretty much bulletproof by '94 though. I've seen '94-'95 Tbird/CVs with near 300,000 miles on the original, still good running engine. I've seen several 300,000+ mile '97-'98 F-150s and they run like 50,000 mile engines once they get a tune up.
 
Originally Posted By: Ben99GT
Originally Posted By: JohnBrowning
I wouldnot go near an early two valve Ford Modular those things used to fail like clock work! My Dad worked for a truck company that had a few and most of them went through 2-3 motors while under warranty.


If by early you mean '91-'92, then yea they had some bearing supplier problems back then. They were pretty much bulletproof by '94 though. I've seen '94-'95 Tbird/CVs with near 300,000 miles on the original, still good running engine. I've seen several 300,000+ mile '97-'98 F-150s and they run like 50,000 mile engines once they get a tune up.


I haven't seen any issues with the earlier 2V 4.6L's either, other than valve seals causing them to smoke. They are pretty [censored] bullet proof IMO. Most Vic's I've seen go to the junk yard still have running engines, but the bodies are shot, or the transmission is gone, or something other than the engine has failed.
 
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