15' Lincoln MKS - Quick Daily

[InTheHills]

This is my plan for the new to me 2015 Lincoln MKS EcoBoost AWD with 81k miles. I purchased this car after it ran over a dead deer, the Ford Body Shop had her 95% of the way to fixed when the insurance company decided to ‘total’ the car. I got a pretty good deal on her at auction and my plan is to finish the bit of remaining work, use as my daily driver and improve as I go. I am putting this here for review and suggestions as well as to track my progress!



4 Wheel Alignment & Rotate Tires
Oil Change - Synthetic (used Wix Filter out of necessity)
Coolant was new with the new Radiator


Ford Dealer Appointment:
Crash Warning - On Startup
Adaptive Cruise Control - No Cruise Control At All
BG - Power Flush of Trans - TPU - RDU - Hopefully fill with Amsoil or Redline
Inspect Around Water Pump For Any Leaks
Seat air filter FS-104 & Cabin air filter FP68 - I cant find them anywhere


This Week:
Install K&N Drop In Air Filter
Clean Battery & Terminals
Titan (USA) Wiper Blades
Deep Clean & Detail
Add Weather Tech Floor Mats
Paint Correction
Ceramic


Next Week:
Install UPR Catch Can
GearHead Motorcraft CX2594 3BAR MAP, Motorcraft plugs at 0.028, & 170 degree thermostat
GerHead AO Tune - SCT x4
Log for GH to Review Engine Health
Anthony Trans Mounts


And then…
My plan is to enjoy the car as I improve cooling all the way through. I will stick to this order unless someone sees a fatal flaw, parts are simply not available or something breaks.

Step 1 - I think the GH Intercooler and EPP Hot Pipes should be high on the list and easier to install together.

Step 2 - I'm planning to throw all of the PP cooling at this via Schwartz Packages for the Trans, Oil Cooler and PTU (with drain installed)

Step 3 - PPE Catted Up Pipes as well as 3rd Cat & Resonator Delete. For now I am thinking about a H-Pipe, MagnaFlow Resonator and MRT Mufflers. I hate buzzy import sounds and drone so this will require much more research.

Step 4 - Phenolic Spacers & Meth Injection. I am most interested in Meth for the cooling and cleaning properties. However, I have exactly ONE e85 station within 80+ miles of my house and even that is 20 miles away. I understand the e30 would be amazing but I dont see how it would ever work for a daily driver in the Ozarks. So I may explore using a 50/50 Direct Port Injection Meth system such as Pro-Meth or Aquamist for power, cooling and cleaning.

As Needed -
When I need to do tires I will be going with the lightest decent looking 20x9 (or 9.5) +35 wheels I can find. The wheels will be wrapped in Continental DSW06 Plus -275/40/20 tires (don't tell my sister who is an engineer at Michelin LOL)

Which of these will match this silvery tan (Luxe Metallic) MKS the best? I am VERY open to suggestions here.
American Racing AR-924 in Graphite (23.15)
Touren TF01 Brushed Silver Gloss (TBD)
Ferrada F8-FR8 Machined Silver (24.eight)

When it's time for brakes I will be doing the Schwartz Wilwood 4 Piston Super-Light Upgrade and Whiteline Rear Bar at the same time.

If the Turbos go then I'll be doing GH Turbos with the EPP Dual Intake.

Now one big question… is there EVER a case to be made for doing the Water Pump & Timing Chain preemptively?

I'm not scared of the truth so hit me with it!

Gypsy

[InTheHills]

Long Overdue Update on the trip to the Ford Dealer... some good and some bad. This is the list that I asked them to do.

Ford Dealer Appointment:
Crash Warning - On Startup
Adaptive Cruise Control - No Cruise Control At All
BG - Power Flush of Trans - TPU - RDU - Hopefully fill with Amsoil or Redline
Inspect Around Water Pump For Any Leaks
Seat air filter FS-104 & Cabin air filter FP68 -

Crash Warning and Adaptive Cruise were fixed by doing some kind of software re-install of the forward facing camera? I dont recall exactly but I know that I only paid $90 to get rid of the error and have ACC again! We have LOTS of twisty 2 lane roads here and when you get stuck behind a slow poke it can push even the best of us towards madness. ACC takes most of this away. Set the cruise for 60 and let it follow the slow poke at their speed for 6 miles until you know where there is a safe and legal passing lane. Turn on the radio, crank up the volume and jsut hang out and wait! LOVE ACC.

They did the BG Power FLush on Trans. From here on out ill do the drain and fill at oil changes.

I was hoping the BG Power Flush would get the 80k miles of sludge from my PTU / RDU so I tried. Bo such luck. I got the old 'PTU is not serviceable and RDU must be removed from car to service'. Oh well. I have an AMSOIL order on the way to start my own slow flush of those.

Claimed that the water pump area was dry as a bone... Hopefully ok for a few more miles!

No Air Filters in sight.

But the one other thing I asked was about a thump or clunk I get on mid speed potholes. I also get a strange VRRRRR,VRRRR,VRRRR through the steering wheel randomly. It can happen anytime but usually in turns and it is alawys a series of 3 equal duration and length vibrations. Well they said Steering Gear / Rack n Pinion... at $2400. That was $1800 for the part and $600 for install. Ugh.

I am looking into Steering rack options. It looks like $1100 from Tasca, $400 from Detroit Axle and $350 from a wrecker with more miles than my car. I have also seen some talk of the R&P needing to be dealer programed after install. Im going to find the least expensive way I can to do this. I think my ideal solution would be to DIY the Detroit Axle but this is still TBD.

I did take her for an 80 mile loop to run a few errands. I LOVE this car. I even named this girl "JOY". I have always loved sleeper cars and this does take me back to my early days in South FL flying around in a tinted Lincoln Mark VII with a built 5.0. This Tanish Silver, Tinted, Stock looking MKS with Dysfunctional Veteran plates jsut flys way under the radar. Im sure I can get pulled over but I think I would have to be doing something VERY fun.

I have a bunch of stuff I can do while impatiently waiting for my package from GearHead.

Install K&N Air Filter & UPR Catch Can.
Clean Battery, De-Sticker, De-Badge
Deep Clean, Paint Correction & Ceramic

Oh I did go to Mexico and try some simple 0-60 test with nothing but my fumbling fingers and a cell. Id guess somewhere around 5.5 sec but one day ill pay up for Draggy.

[Broodingrage]

PTU not servicable? Hmmm, sure it takes a few extra minutes but a good mechanic with a suction pump can do a PTU fluid change rather quickly. Mine does a change with every other oil change. Oh, my ride is a 2013 MKS Eco. Do you have the Mag-adaptive suspention ride? Thats a fun replacement if it goes bad. I've also have done a number of things in my Year one of ownership; replaced the plugs, full cooling system flush to the new Yellow coolant (10 degree drop in average temps), suspention replacement, replaced moonroof motor (self), and just over this weekend I pulled out front light-touch heater control panel to "fix" my constant raising temp feature.

Good luck with your ride!