Repairs
Spark Plugs
Having good spark plugs makes a big difference. Without it you will loose good fuel and power by not fully burning all of the fuel/air in the cylinder. I'm ashamed at the condition of my plugs when I took them out. There wasn't much electrode left on it. After I changed them I felt a noticible difference right away and fuel consumption changed a little too.
A few things to remember when changing the plugs is to make sure the plugs match up exactly or you could trash the pistons and ringsin the engine. The Ford dealership gave me the wrong ones! They looked the same and the computer listed it so I took them, but when I compared them they were different. The length was the same but the new one had more threads. If I would have put them in they would have gone into the cylinder too deep and punched a hole in the pistons when I started the car.
Remove the cap rail and the senser on topleft.
The plugs are deep inside so you will need pliers to remove the boot and a spark plugs socket 5/8". Be careful about dirt around the hole. It's a good chance that any dirt that falls in will fall into the cylinder when the sparkplug is removed.
Spark plugs should only be hand tightened + 1/4 turn with wrench. Reseat the boot tightly and inspect for head damage or wear.
You'll see that the top electrode is not only worn down but is now arcing to the bare metal. Very bad! The plug is an "AZFS 22F." Click for close up.
Brakes
Being able to stop is just as important as accelerating.
I choose to use stock rotors from UAP auto parts. They're heavier and don't run as cool but are alot cheaper and work well. Rotors are $24 bucks, pads $35 for 2 sets, $34 for 4 drum shoes. Calipers and drums last a long time if you take care of them.
This is not meant as a mechanics guide but as a reference to estimated costs and what is involved. Refer to a chilton or Haines manual for detailed repair guide.
Don't trust the jack. Support the car with something under the frame and struts.
Extend the support out to rest the caliper on.
Old rotors can be turned down to a minimum thickness but for $24 bucks, these ones are not worth it. The edges and center shows the amount of wear and the middle shows the groove lines where pads were worn down to the rivets. High quality slotted or grooved rotors will run you $100 - $200 dollars each, but they will last longer, lighter and run cooler. So getting them refurbished is better then pitching them in the garbage. Drilling holes in factory rotors is not a good idea!
Put on two lugs to hold it on till your ready with the caliper.
Watch out for brake fluid. It is very unforgiving! If it gets on paint jobs you might as well throw it away as it will destroy painted surfaces. Soaked brake pads are garbage. Make sure you take the retaining clips out before removing pads.
Clean the caliper well, grease spacers and then paint. It looks pretty good. I wanted to match the rims. Next time I'll match the body.
Remember to disconnect the emergency brake cable from the back before starting and block the wheels from rolling.
Painted drum
Finished
After all is installed the brakes need to be bleeded. You need two people and a good sense of feel to adjust pressure and get all the air bubbles out.
All four can be done in a day with patience and the proper tools. I finished in an afternoon and let the calipers and drums dry overnight. The next day I installed and bleeded the air out.
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