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Cougar Support Group - Bigger & Better

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Comments

  • pattepatte Member Posts: 35
    I did notice you posted twice in July about the dash rattle and a question about the Cougar S production. Unfortunately, many of us are totally ignorant over the details of production and, quite frankly, if one of us don't experience a similar problem - we don't respond. Or if we only catch up every two weeks it's too late. (I thought daexpert did answer in part to you. My kitty had the A/C lurch and squeek which others shared.) Anyway, it is sad, but true that valid posts get ignored and then the discussion goes on to errant flying rodents and gack dripping trees. And nobody likes to feel invisible. (Okay Badulah: We'll forgive you this time - but next time we're docking your pay.)
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I never mean to ignore a post. Truthfully sometimes this seems like a full time job to me and Lefty. I know it looks like production is slow going right now, but we do have our hands full with the production of the new site, Cougarfest, and a few other things. Sometimes posts slip by, it makes us feel bad, but its just really hard for us to always keep on top of everything. Sorry...
  • benisembenisem Member Posts: 30
    In general, I would just like to say that this is my favorite place on the web. The only reason I can say that is because of the people whos hare this space with me and our common love of our car. Perhaps one must note the fact that summer brings upon vacations and lack of goofing off at work time. I would like to thank Badulah and Lefty for creating this niche in the web and allowing me to feel extremely welcome here.

    Also, thank you Badulah and Pritesh for your feedback on my sunroof. I still am not sure what I will do but I will keep you all posted.
  • spartan93spartan93 Member Posts: 16
    badulah: I, too, experienced a stalling situation last night. I was approaching slowing traffic on the highway. I went into neutral to coast. I noticed it had stalled when I put it back in gear and tried to accelerate again. I was able to re-start it right away without pulling over, though. I thought it was a fluke or something I did. A little concerned now.

    coolchick: Thanks! I'll look for that next time. Hope it's just a little oil to fix it.
  • fredlyfredly Member Posts: 201
    Badulah,
    Bucking stalling, etc, I have experienced this too,
    did you happen to get a CE light?

    Well it turned out for me is that there was a Loose MAF wire
    It was very scary, I'll tell ya... of course this happened during
    an autoX and I had to be pushed off the course, how embarassing.

    ohh speaking of which, I have photos... gotta run and get em
  • camelardcamelard Member Posts: 171
    While I agree with Benisem that the seeming lack of interest at the moment is due to summer holidays, Scratch3 has a good point. While we have sections for Maintenance and Mods some problems don't fit neatly into either. To highlight urgent problems could we have a fast track "Cougar Support Group - Help Please" topic.

    This would allow all of us to do a quick scan to see if anyone else has had the problem, and those with the expertise to address them more quickly.

    Just a thought.
  • camelardcamelard Member Posts: 171
    I haven't experienced the bucking, stalling thing with my Cougar but I have with two previous cars:

    78 Celica: This was caused by the fuel filter which it turned out had to be replaced every 10K km. I ended up carrying a spare with me.

    83 Lynx: In this case it was the ignition module. It had to be replaced five times before the dealership would concede that the car had an electrical problem.
  • daspafdaspaf Member Posts: 5
    Mine would sputter after a warm start (drive car, let it sit 30-40 mins, restart, drive). It might last any where from a couple of seconds to a couple of minutes. Eventually it would go away though. The service guys said it is a known problem with this engine (v6) and FMC engineers were working on a fix.
  • fastback2fastback2 Member Posts: 55
    I happened to be looking through ntsha's TSB listings on the cougar and discovered one which seems to be pertinent to some recent posts(TSB #8054). From the summary, it looks like the hard start problem may be caused by the fuel injection system.
  • marinus1marinus1 Member Posts: 1
    If have a 99 Cougar with ATX. I have brought my cat in several times due to shifter problems. It seems that the sensor on the brake does not enage the shifter release all the time, Does anyone else have this problem ?
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    All:
    Thanks so much for all the responses to my stalling problem. I have since removed the superchip and I have not had any further problems. This does NOT mean it was caused by the chip, I just removed it in order to rule out the possibility. I will check all the connections on my KKM intake to be sure everything is attached properly. I made an appointment with the dealership this coming Monday to have this problem addressed ASAP. Before I drop her off I plan to remove the KKM as well, this way they can't give me any flack about the mods. Since I am closing fast on 36,000 miles, I want to get everything taken care of this week. Not to mention I don't not need any problems while driving out to Cougar Fest Y2K next month.

    Does anyone think that vapor lock could have cause something like this?

    marinus:
    I personally do not recall anyone having this problem. Hopefully someone else in this group will be able to supply you with a little guidance.

    benisem:
    Thanks for the support!! Sometimes Lefty and I really need the encouragement. Thanks again!!


    HAVE A GREAT AND SAFE WEEKEND ALL!!!!!!
  • ptailorptailor Member Posts: 42
    Benism:

    Let me know if you have any questions about the sunroof. I had quite an ordeal with mine that you may be interested in hearing about.
    tailor@home.com
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    ptailor:
    I wold be interested in hearing your story. You should post it for all to see.
  • pattepatte Member Posts: 35
    but from the heart. I would also like to chime in with Benisem and express my thanks to Badulah and Stageleft for the great job you guys are doing. This my also my favorite site and it is because you two keep us informed, entertained and keep things positive. Thank you!!!!
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The other day I was driving along and I see a decked out Civic with a HUGE exaust pipe. I thought, lets have some fun. I gunned it and passed the Civic. The Civic also guns it and was never able to pass me. Finally, I slowed down and just drove "normal" speeds. As the Civic passed he revved his engine twice at me and drove off. What does that mean in racing language? I really never do stuff like this but I couldn't resist.

    The next "event" was this morning going to get breakfast. I was driving and some Cavalier(sp) passed me going about 75mph. We end up at the light together and I knew I needed to be in the right lane(I'm in the left lane) to turn into McDonalds. So the light turns green and I floor it. He also does and I was ahead the entire time. I guess that was my fun for the weekend.
  • mws0520mws0520 Member Posts: 45
    I too want to express my appreciation to Stageleft and Badulah for all that they do. But Badulah, sleeping in until 11:00 on a Saturday? Do you realize how much drive time you are missing out? Have you ever taken your Cougar out for a sunrise drive on a summer morning? Awesome.

    Glad to see all is well.
  • shedevil1shedevil1 Member Posts: 3
    Hi fish8,
    a car with a modified exhaust system is used for racing cars. Cosmetically it a HUGE exhaust and a loud deep hummmm. When a racer wants to challenge you, they will usually rev there engines from a dead stop and that is your clue that they want to race you. Glad to hear you beat the racer....
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    shedevil:

    I've got an automatic with a little over 6K on her now. So far mechanically everything is working beautifully. Since it's the end of the model year and they'll be wanting to lower inventory, you should have a little extra bargaining room. My kitty stickered around $22K, but we closed the deal at $18.5K, but there was a $1K rebate at the time. You should be able to do better than I did.
  • scratch3scratch3 Member Posts: 8
    I would definately go with the auto shift. I have the manual and would have to say it is quite poor It has problems with stiffness and grabbing. These were noted in the Car and Driver reviews. I went with MTX thinking better performance but if I had the chance to make the choice again I would go ATX.

    I agree with CoolChick on the price. Although you will pay about $900 more for ATX

    good luck
  • jrp6977jrp6977 Member Posts: 87
    To MWS, are the new and distinctive seats in the "Sun and Fun" special edition Cougar, the new seat design for the 2001 model year?
  • blaneblane Member Posts: 2,017
    shedevil:

    If you already know how to drive a five-speed, buy it! You'll get the best performance out of the engine that way. (Unless, of course, your daily commute is in extremely heavy traffic.) Try both transmissions in hilly terrain before you make up your mind. Both are reliable, as is the rest of the car.

    You should easily get 10% off the price of the car including options. Walk into the dealership with ALL of their costs on paper, and work up from their cost, not down from the sticker price. Here's one good place to determine the dealer's cost:

    http://www.edmunds.com/newcars/2000/mercury/

    Lots of good reading here too:

    http://www.edmunds.com/edweb/consumer.html

    Happy shopping.
  • fish8fish8 Member Posts: 2,282
    The Automatic is fine. I have an auto and I have been very happy with it. The manual is faster and it gets the most from our Duratec engines. It really boils down to personal preference. Also, thanks for the racing info. I try not to play around that much because it is dangerous and illegal. But, when you drive a car like the Cougar sometimes you have to drive it the way they intended. I really like to baby my Cat though, by this I mean not stomping on the gas or braking hard.

    Have you made your decision on a Cougar? The dealer where I get my Cat serviced had a yellow Cougar and it looked pretty cool. I have Spruce Green and love it because it really hides dirt!!!!!!;-)
  • sulimansuliman Member Posts: 4
    badullah,
    Your enigine stalling has nothing to do with your mods. I've got no mods on my cougar, and my engine stalled twice. The second time it stalled, i was going about 60 mph in neutral when the engine just stopped. The check engine light came on and the the check battery light came on. I had to pull over the side of the road and restart the car. I haven't had that problem happen to me in over a month. Let me know if the dealer finds anything wrong.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    patte & MWS0520:
    Thanks for the kind words!!

    MWS0520:
    Yes I have been out for early morning drives, but recently the weather here on the east coast has been really crummy. The only thing these mornings are good for is sleeping.

    shedevil1:
    If your looking for performance, go with the manual. If your looking for a smooth ride and a good car for high traffic commutes, get the automatic.
  • benisembenisem Member Posts: 30
    Check this out--it's from the July 31st issue of Autoweek:

    http://www.geocities.com/silicon_valley_cougars/cougars.jpg
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    shedevil1:
    Glad to hear you finally made your decision. Just be sure the dealership doesn't try and stick you with any advertising fees. I have heard of some dealerships charging their customers with this added charge. Be sure you know what every little fee is for before you sign anything.
  • coolchickcoolchick Member Posts: 174
    Hey, I might have enticed a new person into the CSG here :)

    Was at a parking garage waiting for the attendant to bring my car up, and a gal comes in with her Silver Frost kitty and is waiting for the guy to come take hers down and we started chatting, so I told her about this site. The more, the merrier!
  • krnchkrnch Member Posts: 127
    My neighbour just bought a 2000 Mazda MPV. I don't know whether or not I should tell him that it has the same engine as my Cougar. Maybe I'll wait and see how he likes it.

    BTW, my car rocks!

    Andy.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Krnch:
    O Yeah? Well my car is better than yours!!
    Na Na NaNa Na!

    I still don't understand why they put our engine in to the MPV? A high revving engine in a mini-van??
  • ptailorptailor Member Posts: 42
    The MPV is VERY underpowered with the 2.5L duratec. From what i've heard, it may get the 3.0L version for the next model year. (The 3.0L Duratec, and 2.0L Zetec are also found on the new Mazda Tribute)
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I have heard MPV owners complain about the performance of the vehicle. The 3.0 should be better suited, but is this also a high revving engine? DO you think this will be any better?
  • krnchkrnch Member Posts: 127
    I have read reviews that complain about the MPV being underpowered with the 2.5 Duratech. I find this hard to believe. True, it may not be a stop light drag-racer - but its a van, not a sports car. One of my biggest pet peeves is watching minivan drivers with a 'Sport' sticker on the tailgate weaving in and out of traffic with total disregard to theirs' and others' safety. If you want a sports car, do not buy a van. A sticker does not a sports car make. Higher power engines in vans just encourages this nonsense, IMHO, unless you're towing something. In this case, the 2.5 Duratech may be a little weak.

    My 66 cents (eh Camelard?).
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    I second your thoughts about the "Sport" vans. I hate to see that myself. I guess people will pay more for anything as long as it's marketed correctly. I think if that's the case, Ford should come out with their concept drag Windstar.
  • ptailorptailor Member Posts: 42
    The MPV weighs in around 3600pounds. Try to pack in 7 passengers and it won't be a fun drive. I totally agree with the "sports" vans comments also. But when you try to merge onto a highway with an underpowered car, things can get quite ugly.

    My mom has the previous model MPV. It has a 3.0l engine that makes 155hp, and 190ft/lbs of torque. It's really nice to drive when empty. But once you pack in the family, there isn't enough muscle.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    I see Ptailor's point, but I agree with Krnch's sports comment as well. Nothing like packing in the wife, kids, the family dog, heading out on the highway at break neck speeds and cutting off every single other vehicle on the road. There is an older guy around here with a decked out Dodge Mini van (Race Boy Muffler included). He drives like a nut. If I want sports car performance, I will buy a sports car. If I want to haul people and cargo, I will get a mini Van and drive it accordingly.
  • esbrockesbrock Member Posts: 88
    What has the CSG become? Anyone considering mini- vans should be posting in an entirely differnet forum. Don't mean to offend anyone but COME ON A MINI-VAN.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    well ESCUUUUUUUUUUSE us!!!:
  • ptailorptailor Member Posts: 42
    Hahaha. Well conversation on this board has been quite sparse lately.. we need to talk about SOMETHING.. :-)
  • jayhawk5jayhawk5 Member Posts: 70
    Ah yes- I just returned from vacation out in Colorado, and made the 8 1/2 hour drive from Kansas to Ft. Collins (and back) in my mom's mini van. Let me tell you, it was not fun. The whole time I was in the mountains I kept thinking how great it would be to have my car there. I made sure and let my parents know how miserable it was driving it, and how great my cougar is. Went for a drive today, and remembered how much fun it is to drive my car!! Man, am I glad I don't have a mini-van!!
  • jjmorrisjjmorris Member Posts: 13
    Badulah, why do you call the Duratech a high-revving engine? It is certainly capable of high RPM's, but unless you are accelerating pretty hard you don't need 'em. In normal city driving I keep the RPM's 2000-3000 when cruising. I would call VTEC's and the rest of that low-torque crap high-revvers but not the Duratech.
  • ptailorptailor Member Posts: 42
    Would you consider the Zetec to be a high-revving engine?
  • mws0520mws0520 Member Posts: 45
    jrp6977 - regarding the seats in the zinc yellow Cougar. They are neither the 2000 MY nor the 2001 MY seats although they are much closer to the 2001 seat (in terms of design). They are black leather (unique to the yellow Cougar) and have the Cougar logo (in yellow) embroidered on them. Hope you like them.
  • jrp6977jrp6977 Member Posts: 87
    MWS: I think the seats in the "Sun and Fun" zinc yellow Cougar are much better looking than the '99 and'00 model. I have yet to sit in them to check comfort. Now, if you'd just fix that tilt wheel...The 2002 Mountaineer looks like a winner too. Its too bad Mercury isn't getting a version of the Escape/Tribute though. How about a bigger coupe to complement the Cougar? Just a thought...
  • lmigliorelmigliore Member Posts: 148
    I consider the Duratec 2.5 to be a high revving engine because you have to spin it to get any power. The torque peak is something like 4500 RPM. This is fine in a manual transmission Cougar but I suspect it's a real dog in a minivan with an automatic. I had a Plymouth minivan with a 3 liter Mitsubishi that had the torque peak at 2500 RPM or so. This was a splendid engine in that application, and the van got up to speed very quickly even though it was all done once you were up to highway speed.
    I would prefer a 3 liter in the Cougar but I understand that Ford ain't throwing much money our way.
  • jimcal1jimcal1 Member Posts: 11
    Currently I have 215/50R16 tires. If I put on 225/50R16 tires the radius (and circumference) of the wheel will go up by 1.63%, if I understand the numbers correctly (the side wall gets 5mm higher). Since I assume the speedometer and odometer are tied to wheel revolutions, this suggests that something needs to be recalibrated.

    Right? If so, what and how? Thanks for any help.
  • fredlyfredly Member Posts: 201
    OK I'm offended....this van topic...

    I drive a 91 Astro RS.. And its more than capable...
    It did come with the H.O. Vortec V6 w/ 4.10 gears..

    But then again Astros aren't really minivans... as they are the only
    mid-size van built on a truck chassis.

    BTW I held off a lil Punk in a lowered VW yesturday on the highway ;)
    in the van....

    But I still love the cat!
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    jimcal1:
    I too am interested in changing over to a 225 series tire. I will do some investigation on this and let you know what I come up with.
  • stageleftstageleft Member Posts: 391
    Jmcal:

    BTW, how many miles do you have on your tires, and which ones came OEM on your Cat? (BFG's or Firerocks?)
  • sulimansuliman Member Posts: 4
    Does the BF in BFGoodrich stand for Bridgeton/Firestone? If they do I'm throwing my tires away and getting michellin's.
  • badulahbadulah Member Posts: 961
    Correct me if i'm wrong, but B.F.G. is a totally separate company.

    I personally have never owned a set of BFGs, but my best friend runs them on his Mustang and he swears by them.
This discussion has been closed.