Hello everyone I have returned with a 2015

[MelectroK]

Hello everyone, after selling my 94 I have not been present much. However I have just acquired a not so SHO, Ford Taurus Interceptor. Though its not as fancy inside, I understand the powertrain is the same as you all here. So hopefully you will all welcome me back my lesser vehicle for service and maintenance concerns and will still be as helpful as you all use to be.

I realize the search option is there, so I am not bypassing it. I just got the car and I am attempting to get things going and on the road as soon as possible. I am quite out of the touch with the new technology and terminology and have may questions right off the bat. Maybe some of you can help point me in the right direction to previous posts, or terminology to use to search for, or just answer if its simple enough, and I will try to get caught up with these things in short time.

1. I changed the oil, I believe this same oil circulates the turbos, but do I have to drain it or change it separately to get it all out or to make the change.

2. What special attention should I give to anything in the powertrain that tends to be week or troublesome, and what to look for to prevent major failures. I am thinking along the lines of the automatic transmission in the gen2's and needing to take care of them to make them last, or the differential pins that can come apart.

3. What is with the spark plugs? I pulled off the coil pack and just seen a small spring and tiny electrode. What fancy pants thing is this and where can this boomer learn how to check or change them?

4. What is good service manual to get and how to obtain schematics. Is there a recommended manual to use or and online location they can be found?

5. What is the big mods these days?


Lastly, how do you guys post picks now. Like in my Sig. I use to use photobucket like the other boomers but now they want $400 a year to do so. What is a good way to link them. In the mean time my new car can be seen here.

https://app.photobucket.com/u/melec...ab6a46/p/7c9dd982-751a-4023-9591-4c938c0e2d02

Thanks all,
Melectrok

 

[Majestic]

Oil all comes from the same place for the engine and turbos. Use Motorcraft filters and oil every 5k miles. Get the PTU serviced ASAP. Plugs are coil on plug, so the plugs are down in the engine under the boots. They aren't much fun to change. Many options are available for a tune to wake the car up. Check out the tuner forum section but stay away from SSI and Livernois. You can upload pictures directly to the site.

 

[RonPorter]

No, Photobucket is not $400/year. They tried that a few years ago. They've since gotten new management/ownership, and are reasonable. Their most expensive, for Unlimited, is $12.99/month, with an annual option. I have the Intermediate Plan, $7.99/month (I paid for the Annual, a bit cheaper) which allows Unlimited hosting, and 250GB storage. It's worked well for me.

Other folks like Flickr, which I've not checked out recently.

 

[Jordan_R]

Answers in bold

1. I changed the oil, I believe this same oil circulates the turbos, but do I have to drain it or change it separately to get it all out or to make the change.
all the same oil
2. What special attention should I give to anything in the powertrain that tends to be week or troublesome, and what to look for to prevent major failures. I am thinking along the lines of the automatic transmission in the gen2's and needing to take care of them to make them last, or the differential pins that can come apart.
Maintenance is key. Service PTU/Trans/Rear diff and you usually won't have any major issues.
3. What is with the spark plugs? I pulled off the coil pack and just seen a small spring and tiny electrode. What fancy pants thing is this and where can this boomer learn how to check or change them?
Spark plugs are under the coil packs. Not sure what you are seeing?
4. What is good service manual to get and how to obtain schematics. Is there a recommended manual to use or and online location they can be found?
Not sure
5. What is the big mods these days?
World is your oyster on this. Open your wallet big enough and the sky is the limit

Lastly, how do you guys post picks now. Like in my Sig. I use to use photobucket like the other boomers but now they want $400 a year to do so. What is a good way to link them. In the mean time my new car can be seen here.
Use Imgur as it's free hosting and I've used it for several years no issue.

 

[zoomlater]

Welcome back

 

[MelectroK]

Oil all comes from the same place for the engine and turbos. Use Motorcraft filters and oil every 5k miles. Get the PTU serviced ASAP. Plugs are coil on plug, so the plugs are down in the engine under the boots. They aren't much fun to change. Many options are available for a tune to wake the car up. Check out the tuner forum section but stay away from SSI and Livernois. You can upload pictures directly to the site.

does the PTU get changed seperate from the the trans. I am getting a coolant flush and a transflush, plus I will be changing diff fluid.

 

[Majestic]

does the PTU get changed seperate from the the trans. I am getting a coolant flush and a transflush, plus I will be changing diff fluid.

Yes.

 

[Kevin81]

does the PTU get changed seperate from the the trans. I am getting a coolant flush and a transflush, plus I will be changing diff fluid.

PTU is sort of like a diff that sits between the catalytic converters. Yours should have a drain plug. To refill, remove the front passenger wheel, you can access the plug with a long extension, then fill with a hose and pump, or longer hose and gravity. Do this asap.

 

[gwrabbit]

Gonna parrot what everyone else says down below. I've had my SHO for about two years now, put close to 50k miles on it and the biggest expense I had with my car is getting the front strut assemblies replaced which was around $980. Could I have done them by myself? Possibly, but I don't want to screw around with spring loaded weapons of mass destruction quite yet. This happened at around 108k miles for me (it seems like a lot of the suspension components begin to show their age at around 85-90k but I also drive on back roads for work, so YMMV). I'm at 123k miles and the only issue that I know of is a bad bushing in the rear and a bad catalytic converter.

With that being said...

• Do regular oil changes. I try to get them done around 3500 miles, 4500 max. It's very simple and cheap. Oil Filter is like $5, 6 quarts of Castrol Edge from Walmart is a shade under $30. $35 oil changes sound great to me!
• PTU is a weak point on these cars. I usually have my shop do the PTU every 25-30k miles.
• RDU (Rear Diff) gets done at around 30k miles or so.
• Transmission flush at 25-30k miles.
• Coolant done a couple of times a year. I usually have it done before every winter/summer. Your water pump will love you.

Oil changes and PTU should be your priorities IMO. Regular oil changes will help ensure you don't have disgusting oil running through your turbos and PTU fluid changes will ensure it doesn't blow up on you. I don't have a tune on it yet and the only upgrades I have are a K&N drop in filter and a Corsa Exhaust.

These are reliable vehicles as long as you stick to the maintenance.

 

[Ecoboost_xsport]

Shameless...plug? (never gets old, guys, LOL)

https://shoforum.com/index.php?threads/ecoboost-ptu-rdu-trans-drain-plugs.141735/page-3#post-1553433

 

[Kevin81]

Shameless...plug? (never gets old, guys, LOL)

https://shoforum.com/index.php?threads/ecoboost-ptu-rdu-trans-drain-plugs.141735/page-3#post-1553433

Heyooo!

 

[MelectroK]

Any information available about servicing the PTU. Seems to be a big topic

 

[FREAK_SHO]

Any information available about servicing the PTU. Seems to be a big topic

Please use the search function on the subject. There are a multitude of threads on the subject from simple drain and fill to complete teardown to see what's inside. And it all covers non-pp and pp cars.

 

[Kevin81]

Any information available about servicing the PTU. Seems to be a big topic

Its the link posted directly above this post.

 

[Toolman]

Lastly, how do you guys post picks now. Like in my Sig. I use to use photobucket like the other boomers but now they want $400 a year to do so. What is a good way to link them. In the mean time my new car can be seen here.

Thanks all,
Melectrok

I just use the “Upload a File” button and upload directly from phone. Like this:

 

[MelectroK]

Ah I see this boomer needs to get woth the times.