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| You, Your Panther Platform Vehicle, Fuel Mileage and Your Wallet. |
| Thread Statistics: Users to Post: 2 | Total Posts: 4 | Total Views: 1904 |
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MesaCVLXS
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• Mesa, AZ, USA |
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• Registered on 12/8/2012 |
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• 13 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
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 Posted:3/9/2013 11:05 |
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I know that add on items for Panther Platform vehicles have been discussed in many threads. However, given the current high cost of fuel, here's a few things I would like to discuss and recommend.
I have a 2001 Crown Victoria LX Sport. It did okay around the city on gas mileage, but there was room for improvement. When it comes to spark plugs, I have always been a stickler for using OEM plugs. That is, until I did some research after learning about E3 Brand Spark Plugs. This company is headquarted out of Michigan, and has done a lot of research and development to achieve a quaility product. I first used E3 spark plugs in my 1992 Buick Roadmaster, equipped with a 5.7 V-8 and Throttle Body Injection. After installing E3 spark plugs in the engine, my fuel mileage increased an average of 2.5 MPG. That's HUGE. Also, there was a noticeable gain in performance. After recently installing E3 spark plugs in my Crown Vic, I have noticed an increase in performance, and will know what the increase in MPG is the next time I fill the tank, but I do expect it to go up. They are $5.99 each at O'Reilly's Auto Parts. My vehicle uses E3.62 spark plugs. They are warranteed for 5 years.
I have also recently added a cold air induction kit made by AFE. I got the dry filter kit, as I live in the Phoenix, Arizona area, where it gets a bit dusty at times, and oiled filters attract too much dust, and aren't always kind to Mass Airflow Sensors. I chose AFE because it's a nice unit, costs less than K & N, and I got a smoking deal of $155 out the door from an Ebay dealer who is located in my area. Just so you know, AFE doesn't include the airflow tube that K & N kits do. If you are not going to install a Mass Airflow Sensor with a bigger diameter and a bigger throttle plate, there is no need to replace the factory Airflow tube. I am getting 1 more mile per gallon around the city since installing the AFE, the engine breaths better and has more pep, and have had no problems with check engine lights. The kit came complete with all the mounting hardware, and it's a very well made unit. If you haven't already removed your OEM airbox, you should look at the inlet to it. It's less than 2 inches in diameter. That's why your engine is starving for air.
Next week, I will be installing Walker FX OEM styled mufflers. They are just like their OEM Stainless Steel replacement mufflers, including coming with the mounting hangers installed, but contain one less baffle inside. My entire factory dual exhaust is stainless steel and all original. The original mufflers are clamped in the front, and welded in the rear. For those of you who don't know, you can cut the tailpipes off of the original mufflers, and either clamp them on or weld them to the new mufflers. I want to retain the original tailpipes that have resonators, as they help eliminate drone inside the vehicle when cruising. My Crown Vic is very quiet on the inside, and I plan to keep it that way. As for the Walker Sound FX Mufflers, I got them from a Walker Dealer who sells on Ebay for $20 less per muffler than what O'Reilly sells them for, and there was free shipping and no sales tax, so total savings was over $50.00 and it pays to shop around for the best price. Also, the Sound FX Mufflers are Aluminzed Steel. Here in Arizona, rust is never a problem and exhaust systems pretty much last forever. Could be a problem if you live in an area where they salt the roads in the winter, which pretty much rusts out everything on your car that isn't plastic or stainless steel.
As for Programmers, I pass. My vehicle has the most current calibration tune parameters avaiable from Ford, that was uploaded using a Ford IDS/VCM. I'm very happy with how the engine runs. If you have used a programmer to install a custom tune on your Panther platform vehicle and track fuel milage, you pretty much already know that your fuel mileage didn't go up, and most likely it decreased. I'm not looking to beat my vehicle to death, drag race it, or enter it in a NASCAR race. It's a family vehicle that I treat with respect, including keeping it well maintained. If I need the extra power, it's there. Otherwise, I drive the car without tromping it to the floor from red light to red light.
Who am I? Just some semi-retired ASE Technician, with 40 years experience, including decades of work on Ford P71 police vehicles. Hope this information helps. I'll be back next week for an update on fuel mileage using the new E3 spark plugs, and after installing the new Walker Sound FX Mufflers.
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MesaCVLXS
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• Mesa, AZ, USA |
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• Registered on 12/8/2012 |
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• 13 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
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Posted:3/11/2013 18:01 |
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Muffler Update: Monday, 3/11/2013. I finally got around to installing my new Walker FX mufflers today. Started off by cutting the tailpipes from the back of the mufflers with my saws-all, then used my air chisel to cut a slot on the front inlets of the mufflers after removing the clamps. I had to cut another piece from the passenger side tailpipe, then slid the mufflers onto the front exhaust pipes and installed the rubber hangers. I then used my mig welder to weld the mufflers to the front pipes, and then welded each tailpipe to the outlets of the mufflers. Came out very well.
The sound out of the pipes is what I expected for a muffler with one less baffle than Walker's OEM mufflers. It sounds just a little louder at idle, and a little more louder when you rev the engine, or tromp on it on the freeway. There is NO drone heard inside the vehicle, which is why I chose the Sound FX mufflers. With all the work I have described in this thread, the car has a noticable power gain and really gets up and goes. I'll be back when it's time to fill up the tank and I figure out how much the gas mileage has improved.
I know about the J-Mods for the transmission. However, I take issue with the removal of springs. I have to wonder what damage will be done to the servo piston when it slams against the cover. I don't need my transmissioin to shift so hard that it slams me into the back of my seat. I prefer to install a Trans-Go Stage 2 Shift kit for about $50. Comes with all the springs needed to firm up the shifts, plus doing what looks like the drilling out of ports in the valve body like the J-Mods recommend, and it also comes with a few other goodies as well. I have been using Trans-Go shift kits since the 70's, and I have always been satisfied with how the transmiissions performed after installingi their shift kits. Hopefully, I have that done by May or June. |
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XBUELL9
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• Big Rock, IL, USA |
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• Registered on 5/5/2013 |
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• 1 post |
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Posted:5/5/2013 18:00 |
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I always run Iridium plugs in my bike. I just got my Panther this last friday (3 days ago) and between driving back from the dealer 40miles in heavy traffic, going back and forth to work and my girlfriends house, and one totally spontaneous drive at 3am the morning after i got it, i put 6 gallons of gas in the car this morning w/ 138mi on my trip meter. Thats a LOT better than my Audi ever got. My car is a 2006, i'm the 2nd owner as the dealer i bought it from bought it from a police department right down the road from me @ 119k miles, so a 2006 with 119k miles, fully loaded, AND carpet flooring, all out the door for 4k. i'm pretty happy with the mileage though. It's good enough that i'll probably be driving it cross country this summer  |
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MesaCVLXS
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• Mesa, AZ, USA |
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• Registered on 12/8/2012 |
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• 13 posts |
• 1 Vehicle
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Posted:5/6/2013 09:48 |
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Your 2006 P71 Crown Vic, has the better Air Box and also has the knock sensor. It should get a little better fuel mileage than earlier models that did not. I'm not sure that when you put 6 gallons of gas in the car, it was to top off the tank, or just buy more gas. If it was to top off the tank, then your fuel mileage based on 6 gallons of gas divided by 138 miles equals an average of 23 miles per gallon. I have doubts about that. To be sure, when you top off your tank next time and then clear your trip odometer, double check the fuel mileage when you top off your tank the next time after that and get a reading from your trip odometer before resetting it.
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| cvn Forums > cvn Discussion > General Discussion |
| You, Your Panther Platform Vehicle, Fuel Mileage and Your Wallet. |
| Thread Statistics: Users to Post: 2 | Total Posts: 4 | Total Views: 1904 |
| You must be logged in to post in or subscribe to this thread. | Pages: 1 |
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