Build Thread 1978 Mercury Cyclone. The pig is in the pen.

Davedacarpainter said:

Do you have a box big enough for him?

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As a matter of fact I do,...it's the same box that you painted him in.

Davedacarpainter said:

Mike, what're you up to tonight?

Tell Kate, "Dave say hey" again for me.

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I tried to talk w/ you last night Dave,...You evidently weren't in the mood to mess w/ somebody who just had an argument w/ his wife, knowing I'd be all pi ssy?

In consideration of the above,..this day was spent as a peace offering between us. That translates directly to I didn't spend any time in the garage except this last hour.

The bugs keep going away,...others keep popping up.

#1. I have a bad light switch. At least I think that's what it is. It is the switch that came in the Ron Francis kit is all I can say about it,...One minute you got lights,..the next second, you don't. Push it back in and pull it back out a few times, and the lights might work, or they might not.
All I know is that it's a pain in the ass to get to, and I haven't got a freakin clue what it looks like as there are a few different models to choose from. If The one I have is the one that Summit sells ala carte,..then it isn't the best switch as per the reviews.

I drained some coolant and removed the T-stat. I put it in a pan of water on the stove and checked to see if it was opening and closing like it's s'posed to. It works exactly like it's s'posed to.

That leaves that stupid 1/4" line that bypasses the T-stat to blame for not letting the water get hot in the engine as air moves past the radiator...So,...I plugged it.

I put it back together and test drove it. Problem was,..the damn lights were flickering on and off, so I kept the car close to the house...(Still dangerous because it was too dark to see) I basically used street lights to see.

Everything mechanically seems healthy..the car blazes the tires still, and looks like it reaches and stays at 180 degrees.
I don't know if I said it last time,..but the inlet filter was 50% clogged w/ crap that must've been in the tank. Only thing I can think of is that it's welding scale that came off the inside of the welds where I put the inlet fittings, and sealed the old sending unit hole shut. The pump isn't making a bunch of noise right now,..so maybe that will be the tell tale when that filter needs cleaning.

So I gotta pull the dash partially apart to get to that freakin light switch. I'll start w/ the minimum access option first before I end up having to go to the extreme route of removing the dash top. I'm hoping that I can just remove the trim pieces that sandwich the grille mesh, remove that grille mesh, and hopefully have enough wire slack to get at that freakin switch from the front.

Like I said,..If I can get this mesh to pull forward enough to expose the whole switch top,...I'll be OK.

If not.....

jrichker said:

@madmike1157

First step...
Make a peace offering with you wife so the you can avoid the angry vibes that might be a distraction...
Take her out to dinner or buy her something small and shiny that she has been drooling over...It doesn't have to be expensive if you shop carefully.
You are going to need all the peace you can get.

Do you have a wiring diagram of the Ron Francis wiring harness that you can post? Yes/ No

Do the lights flicker when you hit a bump? Yes/ No They randomly flicker sitting still. Pulling the switch will sometimes get the lights to stay on, but they'll just as quickly start flickering w/o any provocation.

Can you check the power feed going to the lights and see if it is losing power? Yes/No Not w/o removing the dash top.

Is anything else doing strange things when the lights quit working, or is it just the lights? Yes/No Other than p ssing me off?...

Can you do a wiggle test of the wire connection going to and from the light switch? Yes/No Not w/o removing the dash top.

Is it all the lights or just the headlights or parking lights? Yes/No

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Haven't checked the tails,..but the headlights and parking lights go out at the same time.

droopie85gt said:

You'll figure it out. So far as I have watched your build thread, you always seem to figure it out! As far as I know just quietly like a scientist, no yelling, cussing, and throwing stuff like I do!

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Huh!.......( He don't know me very well do he?)

Noobz347 said:

... We only get the composed, abridged version I'm sure.

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And you of all people know that that is far from the case...

karthief said:

The cats know the tru mike, but they ain't talk'n.
Did the one grow his fur back?

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There was no cussing, yelling, or violent fits during that test,.....M.O.F. I'm lucky to still be here in this dimension after that.

Now,....This is what it's really like when things don't go my way...

http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/threads/it-sucks-to-be-me-somebodies-gotta-do-it.852422/

stanglx2002 said:

This was one of my favorite moments of you Mike. We have all been in this exact same situation yelling and screaming at our cars. Some of us just dont like to admit it.

I was doing the samething this pass weekend trying to take the POS march alternator bracket off to put the stock one back on. The bottom bolt goes into the water jacket, so when I tried to take it out... it pukes coolant over everything. To make it even better the bolt wont come out due to hitting the clutch fan . So out comes the angle grinder with a cut of wheel. Fixed that problem

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So,......A few things....

#1. I'm saying that you're actually the ghost of some long ago dead Mustanger that took a corner at 150, and died in a "James Dean" style fiery crash.
You've been a member since like 05,....You post a couple of posts every two years,..and then you vanish. Then, Like a ghost that needs some place to haunt, you reappear, moan a little,..drag a few chains,..and then POOF! Disappear for another 2 years.....Probably haunting the Corral,..or FEP,...or any of a dozen other Mustang websites in between re appearances.

I'm callin the Enquirer......I think we have a real instance of a re-ocurring phantasm here..

#2. If you had to cut the long bolt off to get it out,....how did you get a new long bolt back in?
Or do I have to wait another two years now?

#3. I don't think you'd want to have similar Yosemite Sam melt downs like I do in the garage.

You'd certainly have a neighbor that thinks he lives next to a crazy man..
Your blood pressure would be markedly higher..
You'd have to insulate the floors and walls, so that your wife wouldn't hear you and then come down stairs and tell you to stop acting like an idiot.

But then you're a ghost,.....Nobody can see you anyway.

stanglx2002 said:

Mike,

#1. Yes, I have been on and off this forum for years. There was also a huge change in the type of people that started to come forums about 5-6 years ago that were just idiots, so I quit for a while. I know you are understand that life happens, so my free time was greatly reduced. I chose my family-time over chatting on the forums...sorry Mike.

1. Getting married
2. Buying my 1st house
3. Having my 1st daughter
4. Having my 2nd daughter
5. Finally buying my 2nd house

#2. As I mentioned I was taking off the POS March Alternator Bracket that uses spacers to align everything, so when I cut the head of the bolt off I was able to remove the spacer and bolt. After removed, I installed a new bolt...sorry I didnt mention the new bolt

#3. True....You probably have me beat in the crazy man area for sure. I may yell at and the car and get mad, but that's what a beer is for right? I know Dave could point you in the right direction if you need help

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1. congratulations
2 " "
3 " "
4 " "
5 " "

stanglx2002 said:

Thank you!!

Now back to our normally scheduled televised program. Mike we need updates...

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depends on what the weather is doing on Saturday. Right now, it looks like a wash out. That'll be my cue to find out why my lights are flickering. Right now,..I'm real-l-l-l close to dumping that switch in favor of two toggles.