1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Engine, fuel system, cooling system, heating, carburetors, exhaust, transmission, wheels, and other items related to the moving the car.

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Buckeye Steve
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1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Post by Buckeye Steve »

I just bought a very nice 78 Mark V with a 400 ci engine at an estate auction. Got it at a good price. The owner had a body shop & he did an excellent repaint of the car in its original color. It has a nice matching leather interior. But the car has been setting for about 5 years. It had 93k on it. It does not run obviously (ran when parked). I want to get it up & running. SO far I've purchased plugs, rotor, dist. cap, fuel filter and wires to do a tune up. I know it probably needs new antifreeze and a flush. Probably need new belts. And a good Motorcraft battery will be ordered shortly.
SO now the questions.
I know I'll need to inspect the gas tank for rust and swamp gas. What's the best way to do that? If I have to replace it, do they make a after market tank?
On the trans, should I just go ahead and change the trans fluid? If so, what type is recommended?
And what else should I look out for? I believe that the car was maintained well but just sat for a while so there must be some items I'm overlooking.
Thanks
Buckeye Steve
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action
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Re: 1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Post by action »

Bringing a car back from the dead - Something I wrote for some one else on a different forum

OK dramatic title for getting an old(er) car that has sat for some time to be road worthy and more. What follows is a general guide to bring your car back from the dead.

So you have found your ride, it ran when it was parked. (LOL) Negotiated a deal with the seller and got your new (to you) ride transported to your possession! Now the fun begins.

Most cars that have been sitting for any length of time almost always did not have any maintenance during that time and not much in the months or more before it was parked. And during the selling process maintenance may have one of the things that was neglected. I usually assume nothing other than neglected maintenance, get it running – Start the maintenance cycle from zero at this point!

Change all fluids and filters – Engine oil, transmission oil, coolant, air filter, fuel filter, crankcase filter if equipped – drain & blow out old fuel if needed. Replace cooling system hoses as needed. Repack wheel bearings with new grease seals if possible on your vehicle. Rear axle fluid should be good forever. Brake fluid not so much and covered below.

Do a tune up of sorts – Replace: spark plugs, points/condenser/ rotor if equipped, spark plug wires, distributor cap & fan belts if there is any question about condition. Inspect carburetor (if equipped) use spray cleaner on outside if needed. Remove idle mixture screws (count the turns to re-install in the same position) and spray cleaner in the idle circuit. If necessary remove carb top and inspect float bowl for debris or varnish. Clean as needed.

Miscellaneous – Tires: they have a date code. https://www.edmunds.com/how-to/how-to-r ... -tire.html If older than 10 years replace as soon as possible no matter what the tread condition. Brakes: Remove wheels and inspect brake linings for enough material and check to see there are no hydraulic leaks. Repair as needed. In addition you may want to flush the fluid. Brake fluid can absorb water or moisture. If that happens, rust will form on the inside of a wheel cylinder or caliper causing braking problems. Battery: if older than 5 years expect to replace if it is still functioning. Clean tight cable terminals are what is needed for the best electrical performance

Now your ride may up on the periodic maintenance however there are now cosmetic needs that have likely been lacking.
Wash the car and use LOTS of water. This may seem like a no brainer, and the ride has been sitting for a long time, flushing dirt and debris is the goal. Pay attention to areas that water builds up and should drain. Many vehicles are built with rubber drains that may be hardened or get plugged. Make sure the water drains away from the vehicle.

Clean and condition the vinyl roof or convertible top if so equipped. Again flush with lots of water first to remove any dirt and debris.

Clean rubber pieces. Weather strips are very expensive. If the weather strips are still usable, use a rubber conditioner for all existing weather strips & hoses that have not been replaced. Doors, deck lids, cowl and any outside gaskets like door handles, antenna base, deck lid lock gasket.

Vacuum the interior. Again may seem like a no brainer and the vehicle has been sitting for a long time. The goal is to get the dirt out of the carpet and upholstery. Dirt will be an abrasive that cuts into the fabric.
Phoenix - Yeah, it's hot, however it's a dry heat
2006 Lincoln Navigator Limited 5.4l 3V
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII 2DR Coupe Diamond Anniversary 4.6l DOHC, 4R70W, 3.07
1970 Continental Mark III Triple Black 460 4v, C6, 2.80 (Used for Woodward Dream Cruise or just generally stored in Michigan)
1966 Lincoln Continental 4DR Convertible 462 4v, C6, 3.00
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4DR Breezeway 410 4v, C6, 2.80
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Re: 1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Post by action »

Buckeye Steve wrote:
I know I'll need to inspect the gas tank for rust and swamp gas. What's the best way to do that?
If I have to replace it, do they make a after market tank?

On the trans, should I just go ahead and change the trans fluid? If so, what type is recommended?

And what else should I look out for? I believe that the car was maintained well but just sat for a while so there must be some items I'm overlooking.
Thanks
Buckeye Steve
To your questions -
If you suspect bad fuel, it will no longer smell like fuel. Pop the cap and take a smell.
Next you can disconnect the fuel line at the fuel pump or in front of the carb, with battery charger on, crank the engine and pump the fuel into a container. Then examine. Due pump in at least a couple of pints as the lines may be clean and not the tank. Note debris will not mess up the pump in most cases.

If the tank is rusted and not leaking, it can be cleaned and coated. Not sure if a replacement is available.

Once the engine is running and you want to change the transmission (highly recommended) make sure the fluid is warmed up then drain. Do drain the torque convertor is as well. All total you will get 15 to 20 quarts out of the system. Use the fluid shown in the owner's manual. Not sure if it is Type F or Mercon III/Dexron. In addition to the owner's manual the transmission fluid type will be stamped into the dip stick. Assuming the stick is original.

By the late 70s most vehicles were built NOT to rust. Keep clean and dry for the most part and you will be good.
I think the biggest issues will be dry rotted rubber - hoses, seals, weather strips any thing that is rubber, plastic or vinyl

Action
Phoenix - Yeah, it's hot, however it's a dry heat
2006 Lincoln Navigator Limited 5.4l 3V
1996 Lincoln Mark VIII 2DR Coupe Diamond Anniversary 4.6l DOHC, 4R70W, 3.07
1970 Continental Mark III Triple Black 460 4v, C6, 2.80 (Used for Woodward Dream Cruise or just generally stored in Michigan)
1966 Lincoln Continental 4DR Convertible 462 4v, C6, 3.00
1966 Mercury Park Lane 4DR Breezeway 410 4v, C6, 2.80
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TonyC
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Re: 1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Post by TonyC »

Tip on coolant flushing: We are talking a 43-year-old engine. That means 43 years of crap built into the block's coolant passages that no "typical" flush will take out.

Now, I'm assuming the 400 has drain plugs in the block where the coolant circulates. Find them and remove them when you do a flush; that is the best way to flush your car's entire cooling system. If nothing comes out when you remove the plug, or if coolant drips out as opposed to pouring out, then you have some very serious buildup in there that will require some serious pressure-flushing to clear out. You will really want to do that involved pressure-flushing if you want to keep that engine running properly; if there is enough crap in the block's passages, that means the coolant will not be carrying off enough heat, leaving the oil to do more of that job than it's meant to. That in turn can cause eventual heat damage to pistons, rods, bearings, and even cylinder walls. In fact, while you are doing the flushing, insert a small magnetic probe into the drain-plug holes periodically, as some of the rusty crap will clog up at the drains and not flush out with the running coolant, damming up the expulsion of coolant and debris. Luckily, rust debris is magnetic. Ask me how I know about this.

---Tony
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1966 Continental Sedan, affectionately known as "Frankenstein" until body restoration is done (to be renamed "General Sherman" on that event)
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tomo
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Re: 1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Post by tomo »

Congratulations on your purchase. If you use the Full Editor, you can post photos from your computer on this site and everyone likes to see a nice car.

Action's write up is very good and you should follow it. Take your time and spend some of the money that you saved on the purchase to make the car safe and reliable. Here are my additions to his great list.

Because the car has been sitting for 5 years, I would replace the master cylinder, wheel cylinders and calipers. Dot 3, 4 and 5.1 all absorb moisture and can cause rust in the cylinders. They will then leak as the rubber seals pass over the rough spots. The rubber hoses deteriorate from the inside, so I would also replace them. While you have the brakes apart, address any rust areas that have appeared. Rust on the discs or drums can cause erratic braking.

I would then inspect the shock absorbers and take it in for an alignment check (if you are buying new tires, do it when you get the tires).

Buy the shop and body manuals. I also like to have the parts catalogs for the body and chassis. They help when you are working on te car and need to know how something was put together.

After all of this is done, you should be able to enjoy your car for a few years with no or little trouble.
Tom O'Donnell
Palatine, IL
1953 Capri Sport Coupe
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Dan Szwarc
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Re: 1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Post by Dan Szwarc »

From an old post:

Subject: Barn find from 32 yrs ago
Barry Wolk wrote:First thing is to turn the engine by hand by the flywheel of the center crank bolt. If it turns drain the oil out of it before you try to start it and suck a bunch of water in the bottom of the oil pan into the engine for distribution everywhere.

Second, drain the gas tank and blow out the lines before installing a new filter. Now remove your spark plugs and turn it over to see if you get the fuel pump to work. Once you verify fuel to the carb you can move onto spark. If you have that it should start, but could have carb problems from sediment or corrosion.

If it doesn't run right check for a vacuum leak at the intake manifolds.
Buckeye Steve
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Re: 1978 Mark V 400 ci engine & car revival

Post by Buckeye Steve »

OK, You ask for a pic. Here it is. Will be doing the tune up this week end. Just got the Faxon Manual.

Buckeye Steve
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