Sway bar and new gauges installed!

[Fourth Horseman]

Just wanted to pass along a note of thanks to everybody who provided such good advice re: the upgraded rear sway bar and also the gauge replacement (for real, working Autometer ones).

I had today off so I spent it installing these on my car (finally). The sway bar install was a breeze, even doing it by myself. I haven't had much chance to test it out yet, but what little driving I did with it definitely felt different. The rear end seems much tighter than with the stock bar. I'm sure once I get a chance to play with the car a bit I'll really notice it.

The gauge replacement was much more difficult. I pulled my car into my father's garage (which has a heater) and let the car warm up before I tried removing the gauge panel again. This time it came out without too much fuss. Wiring in the new guages using the original wiring harnesses was a snap, as was replacing the sender unit. All of this along with the sway bar replacement took maybe 3 hours (with oil change). The trouble came when it was time to put the gauge panel back in.

I've not cursed so loudly while working on anything in quite some time. It took me over two hours to get that b*tch back in place. Arrrrghh! Horrible. Honestly, had I know how much trouble the whole thing was going to be I probably would not have done this upgrade. Still, now that the new gauges are in place I'm really happy. I love being able to see exactly what my oil pressure is at all times. Very slick!

So, after a lot of grunt'n and cursing I'm way happy with the results! Just wanted to say thanks for all the helpful advice everybody passed along. It definitely made the whole job go much more smoothly!
:up:

[Petrograde]

Congrats! :up:
You'll love the sway bar the first time you take a 90 degree turn at 45 mph!!

As far as the gauge panel goes..... I've had mine off twice, and never had any problem whatsoever putting it back on. Maybe your panel is slightly tweaked?

Tom

[TripleG]

Just wanted to pass along a note of thanks to everybody who provided such good advice re: the upgraded rear sway bar and also the gauge replacement (for real, working Autometer ones).

The gauge replacement was much more difficult. I pulled my car into my father's garage (which has a heater) and let the car warm up before I tried removing the gauge panel again. This time it came out without too much fuss. Wiring in the new guages using the original wiring harnesses was a snap, as was replacing the sender unit. All of this along with the sway bar replacement took maybe 3 hours (with oil change). The trouble came when it was time to put the gauge panel back in.

:up:

I wasn't following the thread so can you tell me the brand and where you got the gauge replacement?

I have the swaybar installed. Unfortunately, I have on my winter tires, so I not getting the full enjoyment, yet. :P Can't wait until spring.

[Kelly]

I wasn't following the thread so can you tell me the brand and where you got the gauge replacement?

I have the swaybar installed. Unfortunately, I have on my winter tires, so I not getting the full enjoyment, yet. :P Can't wait until spring.


Auto Meter ULTRA-LITE
#105-4327 JEG'S

[Smokie]

Just wanted to pass along a note of thanks to everybody who provided such good advice re: the upgraded rear sway bar and also the gauge replacement (for real, working Autometer ones).:up:
Congratulations Fourth. The sway bar is one of the upgrades that I wish to do, enjoy, Let us know how it feels when you put it to the test.:up:

[Fourth Horseman]

Congrats! :up:
You'll love the sway bar the first time you take a 90 degree turn at 45 mph!!

As far as the gauge panel goes..... I've had mine off twice, and never had any problem whatsoever putting it back on. Maybe your panel is slightly tweaked?

Even though every thing looks normal after my accident repairs, they had the dash out to do their work and I don't think everything went back exactly like it was when it was new. The gauge panel was a cast iron b*tch to replace. But it's back now and I won't have to worry about it again unless a gauge light needs replacing or something. Hopefully won't have to worry about that for a while. :)

Hopefully I'll get a chance to test the sway bar out this weekend. Whoohoo! :up:

[RF Overlord]

Way to go, Fourth! :up:

Just out of curiosity, what are you getting for oil pressure readings?

1. Cold start-up...
2. Warm cruisin' (40-45 mph)...
3. Warm idle in gear...

[woaface]

So the sway bar just improves the handling characteristics of the vehicle? Makes me wonder, is there any one part that makes the Marquis steering so vague and mushy? I'd love to fix this...

[RF Overlord]

is there any one part that makes the Marquis steering so vague and mushy?

James: Vague and mushy steering can be any number of causes...

1. Under-inflated front tires and/or over-inflated rear tires
1a. Low-performance tires with soft sidewalls...
2. Worn tie-rod ends
3. Worn front sway-bar bushings
4. Worn/broken front sway-bar end-links
5. Out of alignment (most common)

...just to name a few...

[woaface]

James: Vague and mushy steering can be any number of causes...

1. Under-inflated front tires and/or over-inflated rear tires
1a. Low-performance tires with soft sidewalls...
2. Worn tie-rod ends
3. Worn front sway-bar bushings
4. Worn/broken front sway-bar end-links
5. Out of alignment (most common)

...just to name a few...That car has been mushy since we bought it, I think it's made to be like it is. (The average buyer at purchase time was 60 some years) I've got higher performance tires, and I keep 'em inflated correctly. I also had all that stuff looked over just last week and I was told it was fine. I was thinking maybe it's the steering system, the suspension...something like that? I just wanna know what kind of parts are around, and what it would take to get it tighter. For example, I can be doing 80 or 90 down the interstate and shake the wheel left and right maybe one minute or more either way were it a clock...nothing happens.

[jgc61sr2002]

The suspension on a stock GM is spongy. It is some what firmer with the handling package and the firmest in the Marauder. :D

[TripleTransAm]

To address the sponginess, you have to start by addressing the alignment specs. With good caster and just the right amount of camber, you can start to get better road feel back through the steering (at the expense of a little more steering effort, but what the hey...).

Then there are the springs... G.Marquis spring rates are most likely selected from the "pamper" range rather than the "roadholding" specs. Add the right amount of sway bar control to keep things tight.

And then there's the tough part. The steering box probably has this over-assisted characteristic dialed in from the factory, not to mention probably having a ratio that's good for the silver-haired set and not so good for quick handling. You have the recirculating ball setup, I believe... although I'm not familiar with Ford's version, the General Motors recirculating ball units had an adjustment to take up slack. Playing with this would sometimes make the steering a little more sensitive to movement (ie. quicker to react) but there's pretty much nothing you can do about changing the ratio. Perhaps a CV PI box has a different ratio and you could swap that unit in?

[HwyCruiser]

James,

I drove a 2000 GM GS with the sports suspension for about 2 years and I think that's just the way its made. I loved it for the highway trips... smooth as glass.

The Marauder is definately much more "engaged" with the road. At first I thought it was a bit rough with all the heaving expansion joints and delaminated blacktop we call highways around here as compared to the GM, but I got used to it. Pothole avoidance is now half the fun!

Maybe look into poly bushings?

-JD

[TripleTransAm]

Good point... I forgot about the bushings, soft ones will definitely soak up a lot of road feel!

[woaface]

Thanks all, I'll definitely be looking around.

As for highway stuff...I'm scared *****less on many sections of I-85 and all of I-385 because they're all cut up and even at the speed limit, I don't know what's going to happen next. I'll look into a few of those things.

Would it be easy to get springs from say a wrecked Marauder and have them installed? I have to look around at a thing or three.

[Fourth Horseman]

Way to go, Fourth! :up:

Just out of curiosity, what are you getting for oil pressure readings?

1. Cold start-up...
2. Warm cruisin' (40-45 mph)...
3. Warm idle in gear...

Running six quarts of Mobil 1 5w30 synthetic I top the gauge out at 100 psi at cold start and idle. In about 2 to 3 minutes that drops down to about 75 psi at idle. When fully warmed up at idle it makes 25 psi. I don't recall what it read warm at cruising speeds, but I'll check that tomorrow going to/from work and let you know. About 70 - 75 psi comes to mind, but I can't recall for sure, so don't quote me on the warm/crusing numbers.

[RF Overlord]

Running six quarts of Mobil 1 5w30 synthetic I top the gauge out at 100 psi at cold start and idle. When fully warmed up at idle it makes 25 psi.

Those are the exact numbers I've been getting, also using M1 5W-30...

Thanks, dude!

[TAF]

I can't believe it...I'm actually going to "chime-in" on an quasi oil thread...

but, mine...warmed up at idle (like stopped at a light) is just a hair-smige past the mark between the 25 & 50 (I have the OEM face on my working oil gauge)...which I equate to around 38 PSI...

Your thoughts on this?

[SergntMac]

Would it be easy to get springs from say a wrecked Marauder and have them installed? I have to look around at a thing or three.
While you're looking around, remember that the Marauder has a differrent frame now. Some things may not hook up the same as your GM.

[Fourth Horseman]

Update:

Had a chance to look closely at mine on the commute to work this morning. This is the first time I've gone any distance with my car since installing the new sender and gauge.

At idle, fully warm it shows just a hair under 25 psi. I'd call it 23 - 24 psi.
Crusing at around 55 - 60 MPH @ ~1900 RPM (stock gears) it reads right on the mark between 50 and 75 psi.

[Fourth Horseman]

I can't believe it...I'm actually going to "chime-in" on an quasi oil thread...

but, mine...warmed up at idle (like stopped at a light) is just a hair-smige past the mark between the 25 & 50 (I have the OEM face on my working oil gauge)...which I equate to around 38 PSI...

Your thoughts on this?

Well, I'm certainly no expert on oil. Do you run the same weight that RF and I do? Perhaps you're running a slightly heavier oil that's resulting in more pressure? In any event, I don't think more pressure is anything to worry about, is it?

The guage faces on OEM match the hash marks on the after market guages exactly, don't they?

[jgc61sr2002]

James - Look for springs from a GM with the handling package. They will give a firmer ride and better handling.

[TAF]

Well, I'm certainly no expert on oil. Do you run the same weight that RF and I do? Perhaps you're running a slightly heavier oil that's resulting in more pressure? In any event, I don't think more pressure is anything to worry about, is it?

The guage faces on OEM match the hash marks on the after market guages exactly, don't they?
I do run Royal Purple 5W30 full-synth...

I don't know the answer to the "real" AutoMeter gauge, whether the face markings match.

[RF Overlord]

James - Look for springs from a GM with the handling package. They will give a firmer ride and better handling.

^^^what jgc said^^^

One more thing, though...if you put firmer springs in the front, I strongly suggest you do the same in the rear, otherwise you'll upset the F/R balance, and possibly end up with WORSE handling...both ends are designed as a team, and changing only one end can result in an unpredictable or potentially dangerous handling characteristic...

[lorelie]

what's wrong with the original autometer gagues that it came with?

Just wanted to pass along a note of thanks to everybody who provided such good advice re: the upgraded rear sway bar and also the gauge replacement (for real, working Autometer ones).

I had today off so I spent it installing these on my car (finally). The sway bar install was a breeze, even doing it by myself. I haven't had much chance to test it out yet, but what little driving I did with it definitely felt different. The rear end seems much tighter than with the stock bar. I'm sure once I get a chance to play with the car a bit I'll really notice it.

The gauge replacement was much more difficult. I pulled my car into my father's garage (which has a heater) and let the car warm up before I tried removing the gauge panel again. This time it came out without too much fuss. Wiring in the new guages using the original wiring harnesses was a snap, as was replacing the sender unit. All of this along with the sway bar replacement took maybe 3 hours (with oil change). The trouble came when it was time to put the gauge panel back in.

I've not cursed so loudly while working on anything in quite some time. It took me over two hours to get that b*tch back in place. Arrrrghh! Horrible. Honestly, had I know how much trouble the whole thing was going to be I probably would not have done this upgrade. Still, now that the new gauges are in place I'm really happy. I love being able to see exactly what my oil pressure is at all times. Very slick!

So, after a lot of grunt'n and cursing I'm way happy with the results! Just wanted to say thanks for all the helpful advice everybody passed along. It definitely made the whole job go much more smoothly!
:up:

[lorelie]

what's wrong with the original autometer gagues my maurader came with?

[RF Overlord]

what's wrong with the original autometer gagues my maurader came with?

Lorelie: Welcome...

The voltmeter is real...the oil pressure gauge is a fake. It always reads 60 lbs no matter what...

[lorelie]

what's wrong with the original gagues.

[RF Overlord]

what's wrong with the original gagues.

I'm sorry...I thought I just answered that...

There is nothing wrong with the stock voltmeter. The stock oil pressure gauge is a fake. It does not read the actual oil pressure; as long as your motor has more than approximately 6 lbs of pressure, a switch closes and the gauge reads 60...to get a real reading, you need to replace the stock gauge and sender with part #4327 from AutoMeter...approx $55 from Summit or Jegs...

[Fourth Horseman]

lorelie, in addition to what RF said, above, I replaced the volt meter along with the oil pressure gauge so that they would both match. The fonts on the gauge faces for the OEM units don't quite match those of the after-market Autometer gauges. You can take them apart and swap faces, but I thought it was just easier to get the $35 volt meter and swap them both at the same time.

[TripleTransAm]

Do you run the same weight that RF and I do?


Loaded question... how heavy are you?

;)

[Fourth Horseman]

Loaded question... how heavy are you?

;)

I'm getting there, let me tell you. Time to hit the stairmaster... :depress:

[RF Overlord]

Loaded question... how heavy are you?

;)

I resemble that remark...it's RF OverLORD, not OverLOAD...bastage...