Mark VIII Frequently Asked Questions Maintenance     List of Categories My car is running very rough and/or stumbles off idle. Who designed the oil filter location on this car? The Marquis de Sade? Where's the fuel filter? How do I change the air filter? What kind of oil should I use? What's the clattering noise I hear when I start my car? It goes away after a few seconds. What kind of gas should I use? What kind of sparkplugs should I use? How do I refill the coolant system? My car is running very rough and/or stumbles off idle. Spark plugs and wires often require replacement by the time your car reaches 60-70k miles. www.fastpartsnetwork.com has these, or some have used MSD wires, which have lower resistance, part #32219. Copper plugs are recommended by many, but do require more frequent changes than platinum plugs. When attempting to change the plugs, be sure to have a LONG socket extension (10" is a good start), as the plugs are DEEP in the heads. Who designed the oil filter location on this car? The Marquis de Sade? Getting the oil filter out is a bit of an art. There's a good description of how to get it out here: Oil Filter Removal Where's the fuel filter? In the passenger side front wheelwell. The directions for replacing it are here: Fuel Filter Replacement How do I change the air filter? The air filter 'box' should have two bolts on top, then there are two bolts on the bottom which are difficult to see from the top. Once all four bolts are loosened, the box should come apart so you can replace the filter. What kind of oil should I use? Many club members use synthetics, such as Mobil 1 or Amsoil. 5W-30 is the weight recommended by Ford. What's the clattering noise I hear when I start my car? It goes away after a few seconds. This is common on the Mark VIII, and is caused by oil leakdown, causing the secondary cam tensioners to rattle. The 'fix' from Ford costs about $1200, and requires serious disassembly of the front of the motor. While annoying, it typically will not cause damage. Installation of a pre-oiler will stop this, and some have had luck with various oils and anti-drainback filters. What kind of gas should I use? Premium fuel is recommended for the Mark VIII. What kind of sparkplugs should I use? Several vendors recommend copper plugs for optimum performance. Motorcraft AWSF-12C (colder plugs) or AWSFA-32C (standard heat range) or Autolite 764 (standard heat range) are recommended, with the factory gap setting of 0.054". How do I refill the coolant system? Engine Coolant Refill Procedure When the entire cooling system is drained and refilled, the following procedure should be used to ensure a complete fill: NOTE: It is imperative the following procedure be adhered to. Failure to do so could result in damage to your engine. 1. Remove coolant reservoir pressure cap. 2. Remove the engine coolant outlet tube fill plug on the engine. 3. With the engine off and cool, add a 50/50 mixture of recommended cooling system fluid and water to the coolant outlet tube fill neck until the reservoir is full. NOTE: DO NOT FILL COOLANT SYSTEM THROUGH COOLANT RESERVOIR. COOLANT WILL NOT ENTER ENGINE, WHICH CAN LEAD TO ENGINE DAMAGE. NOTE: Avoid spilling coolant on the front end accessory drive belt, as this will allow the belt to slip and become noisy. 4. Reinstall the pressure cap to the coolant reservoir. 5. Continue filling at the engine coolant tube fill neck slowly while allowing air to escape. 6. Reinstall the engine coolant tube fill plug when the system is full. 7. Select maximum heater temperature and fan speed settings. Position control to discharge air at A/C vents in instrument panel. 8. Start engine and allow to idle. While engine is idling, feel for hot air at A/C vents. NOTE: IF AIR DISCHARGE REMAINS COOL AND ENGINE TEMPERATURE GAUGE DOES NOT MOVE, SHUT ENGINE OFF IMMEDIATELY. This is an indication of low coolant level and/or air pockets in coolant system. Allow engine to cool and repeat the previous steps. 9. Allow to idle until normal operating temperature is reached. Hot air should discharge from A/C vents. The engine temperature gauge should maintain a stabilized reading in the middle of the “NORMAL” range and the lower radiator hose should feel hot to the touch. 10. Shut off the engine and allow to cool down. 11. After the engine cools down, recheck the engine coolant level. Fill reservoir to the COLD-FULL level as required. 12. Check for leaks at the draincock, block plug and vent plug. 13. Recheck the engine coolant level, using the recommended procedure, after one or two occasions of vehicle use. Fill to COLD-FULL level as required. Was this page helpful?     F.A.Q Software supplied free of charge by PerlScriptsJavaScripts.com Copyright 2001-2010 Calvin Louie/www.markviii.org. Use without permission prohibited.