Anyone DD theirs?

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Rocky's Wrench
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by Rocky's Wrench »

John Brennan wrote: Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:59 pm The only grounds I've added have been taillight matrices-to-body ground-- they pop up as an issue in lots of these cars. I would do it to any XR I own. The rest were matters of repair and maintenance, at least for me.
Part of the problem is the wire gauge used in the stock configuration isn't adequate for all the bulbs... So what happens when you have
too many amps for the wire??
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Rocky's Wrench
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by Rocky's Wrench »

Yes, I daily drive mine, which I got 6 months ago. After it sat in a field for 4 years. The day I bought it, we
stuck a battery in it, fired it up on 4+year old gas, and drove it around the block. Two weeks later, after a
new timing belt, an oil change, fresh coolant, and an accessory belt, It attended the 2018 Olympus Rally.
I've daily driving it since then...
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John Brennan
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by John Brennan »

Rocky's Wrench wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2018 10:38 pm
John Brennan wrote: Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:59 pm The only grounds I've added have been taillight matrices-to-body ground-- they pop up as an issue in lots of these cars. I would do it to any XR I own. The rest were matters of repair and maintenance, at least for me.
Part of the problem is the wire gauge used in the stock configuration isn't adequate for all the bulbs... So what happens when you have
too many amps for the wire??
Well, if something's going to happen, years and years later, I'm still waiting on it. Nothing ever has. What do you suggest?
This is my car, and these are my people!
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Rocky's Wrench
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by Rocky's Wrench »

John Brennan wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:12 am
Rocky's Wrench wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2018 10:38 pm
John Brennan wrote: Mon Sep 10, 2018 3:59 pm The only grounds I've added have been taillight matrices-to-body ground-- they pop up as an issue in lots of these cars. I would do it to any XR I own. The rest were matters of repair and maintenance, at least for me.
Part of the problem is the wire gauge used in the stock configuration isn't adequate for all the bulbs... So what happens when you have
too many amps for the wire??
Well, if something's going to happen, years and years later, I'm still waiting on it. Nothing ever has. What do you suggest?
You've already taken care of the problem, by adding the ground...
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by John Brennan »

Rocky's Wrench wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 12:14 pm
John Brennan wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:12 am
Rocky's Wrench wrote: Fri Nov 02, 2018 10:38 pm

Part of the problem is the wire gauge used in the stock configuration isn't adequate for all the bulbs... So what happens when you have
too many amps for the wire??
Well, if something's going to happen, years and years later, I'm still waiting on it. Nothing ever has. What do you suggest?
You've already taken care of the problem, by adding the ground...
Ah, got it! I misunderstood!🍻
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eaton53
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by eaton53 »

As of 10am today mine's in storage until the end of March, so obviously not.
There's a chance of a wintry mix at the end of next week, so it's put away just in time.

Car show season starts at the end of April, so come on Springtime!
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This one has a very bright and shiny future.
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Ed Lijewski
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by Ed Lijewski »

John Brennan wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 3:08 pm
Rocky's Wrench wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 12:14 pm
John Brennan wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 8:12 am
Well, if something's going to happen, years and years later, I'm still waiting on it. Nothing ever has. What do you suggest?
You've already taken care of the problem, by adding the ground...
Ah, got it! I misunderstood!🍻
The weaker and more common failure prone section(s) is inside the harness connector.

YMMV
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by trueblue1968 »

once upon a time.....
Next iteration Not so much.... :twisted:
TOO MUCH IS NEVER ENOUGH!........
....More to come :twisted:
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John Brennan
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by John Brennan »

Ed Lijewski wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 6:25 pm
John Brennan wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 3:08 pm
Rocky's Wrench wrote: Sat Nov 03, 2018 12:14 pm

You've already taken care of the problem, by adding the ground...
Ah, got it! I misunderstood!🍻
The weaker and more common failure prone section(s) is inside the harness connector.
That happened to me in 50% of the XR's I had for a long time. The ground issue, 100% (won't count the one I got new and only had for seven years). I don't know what qualifies it as weaker, or more common. :dunno

Absolutely worth checking 100% of the time, nevertheless. :cheers
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by Ed Lijewski »

The female spring connectors weaken over time. The male prongs accrete crud. Bulb contacts lose solder and grip.

Each and all are weaker and common failure prone points.

YMMV
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by milehighXR »

Bringing this back from the dead, just like my XR :headbang

I've been DDing mine again for the last 2 days. Once she passes smog, I'll be DDing while I restore the paint and body work. Then interior. Of the top of the wifes list is a muffler. She says its too loud :roll:

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I'm gonna fry when I show her that cartoon again :lol:
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by Ed Lijewski »

Only own Merkurs, so yes, they're DDed.

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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by john keefe »

Driving the Scorpio almost daily, now that I'm "semi-retired" (i.e., no one's knocking on my door lately) and not driving the big truck all around. Love the car. Great seats, points and goes just like a slightly larger XR. Nimble for a big car, improved the suspension a little, would just prefer a better power-train (e.g., Lincoln LS V6 & auto), cup holders, working switches, etc.. The 5.0L XR is a lot of fun, but it's not something you'd choose to live with daily. Too many "hard" comp suspension upgrades, poly mountings, etc..

Not practical like the Scorpio; much better setup for a track, which makes for rough driving on the streets, and it still needs a few items completed to get it to where I want. It would probably be a lot more fun/practical on the street if I could swap from the 3.64 rear to the 3.35, but it's a FMS VC 7.5", and I don't want to screw around with opening up the internals, making a mistake. It's more like the old muscle car you keep garaged and take out ocassionally, but glad you have the "nicer" sedan you can return to.
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by milehighXR »

Loved my Scorpios on the interstate, just no near as much fun as the XR. Of course the XR was my first car...
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EllieG
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Re: Anyone DD theirs?

Post by EllieG »

Sure do! Or at least my fiancee does. Bought an 85 automatic this June at 96500 miles and we're set to cross 100k any day now :D
Only real gripes are that the AC is mostly absent and the dash was cracked to pieces before we bought her (and we've got the blue interior so we're never gonna find a replacement). Thought the sound system was bad for awhile but it turns out we were just using a bad cassette adapter.
1985 Mineral Blue Automatic
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