Thanks to TCCA Member June H. Han for writing this page, and allowing the TCCA to post and add to it.



The Taurus Car Club of America, Bill Garrett and June Han accept NO responsibility for anything that goes wrong if you attempt these repairs. This is here only as reference material and to help you out.


OIL AND OIL FILTER CHANGES

  • Use a full synthetic oil for best results and protection. Synthetic oil will not break down as quickly when hot and will flow much faster for those critical cold starts. If you are going to use a conventional(dino) oil, make sure you do the oil change every 3000 miles or 3months for maximum protection. The best conventional oil to use is going to be Mobil, Pennzoil, or other well known oils. If you are using a synthetic oil, make sure you do your oil changes every 3000-5000 miles or 5months which ever comes first. For a full synthetic oil, the best oil to use will be Mobil 1. Now, there are many oils that can be classified as premium synthetic oils on the market that offer extended oil change intervals. Amsoil and Synergyn are example of companies that offer such oils. If you decide to use these oils, follow the recommendations from the oil company which is usually every 12000miles with a filter change at 6000miles. Reguardless of what the oils say, I ALWAYS change the oil at 3000miles.
  • As far as oil filters go, the best oil filters that you can use for your Taurus are going to be are going to be the Mobil 1 or Amsoil synthetic fiber filter. Both filters filter down to 10 microns and both filters have an efficiency rating of 98%. Both filters because they are made of synthetic fibers opposed to the normal cotton fibers, are more durable, has a high storage capacity, and cleans more effectively. If you decide to go with a premium synthetic and extended oil change intervals, make sure that the filter is changed every 6000 miles or 6 months.

    INSTRUCTIONS FOR CHANGING YOUR OIL AND OIL FILTER

    You can save yourself a considerable amount of money if you do simple maintenance yourself. The "Oil Change" is one of the easiest and most common maintenance jobs that will be done. This job consists of draining the old motor oil, replacing the oil filter, and adding new oil.

  • Pull or jack the front of the car up into the air, making certain the emergency brake is on.
  • Place a pail or some type of container under the oil pan drain to collect the used oil.
  • Remove the bolt plugging the oil pan. The oil pan is right next to the Transmission.
  • Once all the oil has drained, replace the bolt.
  • Look up just above the oil pan (into the engine compartment), and you will see a cylendrical object.
  • This is the oil filter. Twist it counterclockwise to remove it. An oil filter wrench may be needed.
  • Check the old filter to make sure the gasket is present.
  • Sometimes it will stick to the engine making oil leak crazily everywhere. (Double Gasket)
  • Use your finger and smear a light coating of new oil on the gasket of the new filter.
  • Twist the new filter back on. Twist until it is tight. DO NOT USE AN OIL FILTER WRENCH TO TIGHTEN IT!
  • Drop the car down to level ground WITHOUT turning it on.
  • Pour 4 quarts of new oil into the valve cover (where the oil cap is).
  • Check your oil. Add more until it is about 1/2 quart over "full".
  • Start the car, and allow the new oil to circulate. The extra oil will be in the oil filter.
  • Check the oil again. Add until it is "full".




    • TIRES

  • Make sure you inspect your tires and check the air pressure every week. This is important since by inspecting the tires, you can check for abnormal wear patterns which may suggest suspension related problems, or you may be able to find early signs that the tires is about to fail or even if the tire has been damaged by debris. Also, check the air pressure every week since that may suggest if a tire has been damaged. If three tires read at 33psi and one tire is at 22psi, there is a good chance that a nail or other sharp object has punctured it. Also, make sure you that your tires are probably inflated since if a tire is underinflated or overinflated, you reduce the surface area of the tire that contacts the road reducing traction. Also, an underinflated or overinflated tire is more likely to fail since with an underinflated tire, it's building up more heat and an overinflated tire may fail from excessive pressure. Always set the tire pressure at about 2 psi lower than the maximum recommended pressure to allow for expansion once the tire warms up.
  • Make sure you rotate your tires every 6000 miles to allow your tires to wear evenly. For instance, the driver side front tire is going to wear much faster than the passenger rear tire. When rotating your tires, do it in a criss-cross pattern. For instance, more the front driver side tire to the rear passenger side, and the front passenger side tire to the rear driver side. This will allow all tires to wear as evenly as possible if done every 6000 miles like recommended. Also, you do not rotate your tires regularly, that will void your limited new tire warranty as well.





    • BRAKES

  • Every 15000 miles or so, make sure you have your brakes inspected by a qualified mechanic of technician. This is important since they will tell you how much life is left in your brakes. Also, an experienced technician can often times alert you to hidden serious problems and malfunctions within your brake system as well.
  • When changing your brake pads, avoid carbon kevlar pads. Those pads will not work very well when cold, are extremely noisy, and have been known to cause brake failures. This is because carbon kevlar pads often times reach such high temperatures that it causes the hose in your power brake system to deteriote and fail.




    AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION FLUID

  • For your automatic transmission to last as long as possible, you will need to have the whole system flushed out every 21000 miles according to Ford. It's highly recommended that you use a full synthetic Automatic Transmision Fluid since just like synthetic oil's, they don't break down as quickly whent hot, and runs much cooler as well. Also, they offer protection that conventional oils can't offer. However, using a fully synthetic ATF fluid on a transmission that is not mechanically fit can cause problems. If you have a high mileage transmission, it is recommended that you stick with conventional ATF untill you rebuild the transmission. This has been confirmed by the local BP Procare, my Ford Dealer, and a local mechanic. Also, when having your transmission system flushed, make sure that you change the filter as well.

    CHANGING THE TRANSMISSION FLUID AND FILTER



  • Jack the car up and secure the emergency brake.
  • Locate the transmission pan.
  • Put a long container under it, or a fluid-proof tarp.
  • Remove all the bolts holding the bottom of the pan onto the car.
  • After the bolts are removed, and the fluid stops leaking out, remove the bottom.
  • Empty the collected fluid as there will be more coming later.
  • Use a sharp knife instrument and scrape the gasket from the ends of the pan.
  • Also remove any gasket parts stuck to the transmission under the car.
  • Use a cleaning agent to clean the bottom of the pan. I used soapy water.
  • Dry the pan thoroughly with a non-lint containing material.
  • Remove the clip (or screw) holding the filter in.
  • Pull the filter down to remove it.
  • Make certain the O-Ring came off on the filter. If not, reach up and get it.
  • Install the new filter.
  • Put the new gasket on the bottom-pan you removed.
  • Install and screw in the pan.
  • Remove the bolt from the engine to the side of the tranny to let the rest of the fluid drain.
  • Refill the transmission with new fluid. It takes over 10 quarts.




    SPARK PLUGS



  • If you have a car that does not use the newer platinum based spark plugs, make sure you change them every 12 months or 30000 miles. If your car uses the newer platinum based spark plugs and you have the vulcan 12 valve OverHead Valve engine, it is recommended that you change them at 60000 miles. On the Duratec 24 valve Dual OverHead Cam engine, it is recommended having the spark plugs changed at 100,000 miles. I have no idea why the plugs need to be changed sooner on the Vulcan engine. When changing your spark plugs, it is highly recommended that you use original factory OEM spark plugs for the best reliabilty and compatibility. For increased performance, you may want to try Bosch Platinum +4 spark plugs since they claim to increase your power by making a bigger stronger spark. When you change your spark plugs, it's also recommended that you change your spark plug wires at the same time. For the best performance, go with high quality spark plug wires such as MSD or Magnecore since those wires are specially designed to reduce electrical resistence and are shielded better which yields a stronger spark theoretically increasing power. This becomes increasingly important as you start modifying your vehicle.




    COOLING SYSTEM AND BELTS



  • Check your hoses and belts at least every 15000 miles. It's important to replace hoses and belts that are starting crack before they break or start leaking. Also, take a look at the coolant color every 15000 miles as well. A dark discoloration could mean a cracked head gasket. It's best have your cooling system flushed out and replaced with a 50/50 mixutre of antifreeze and water every 30,000. Take a look at the fluid color to determine whether a power flush needs to be done. If the corrosion nonexistant or very mild, it's a good idea to flush it out using water instead of power flushing it since that car be hard on the radiator. If you run into an emergency with the coolant low, use water, but make sure you refill it with a 50/50 mixture to avoid corrosion.


    • CHANGING COOLANT



  • Get a rubber hose from an autostore. 1/4" is about right.
  • Run the car to warm the fluid a bit, not much.
  • Attach the hose to the spout under the radiator. There is a knob above it.
  • Put the other end of the hose in a big bucket.
  • Turn the knob on the spout under the radiator.
  • After the fluid finishes draining, close the valve again.
  • Unplug the hose running from the coolant resovoir to the coolant cap.
  • Suck on the end or something to get the fluid to drain from the tank. Do NOT swallow any!
  • Reattach this hose.
  • Pour some radiator flushing fluid into the radiator. This can be gotten from any auto store.
  • Add water until the coolant system is full.
  • Run the car for 15 or so minutes.
  • Turn off the car and immediately drain the same way as before.
  • If the soapy water draining out is excessively dirty, repeat the soaping process again.
  • Fill the system with just water.
  • Run the car for about 15 minutes again.
  • Drain the water.
  • Keep doing this until there are no soap or bubbles in the coolant.
  • Finally, fill with 50/50 water/antifreeze.





    • MICRON CABIN AIR FILTRATION SYSTEM



  • For those of you guys lucky enough to have the micron cabin air filtration system, the filter element itself must be changed every 15000 miles to be effective. Currently, the only company that has filters that fit are Motorcraft and they cost $22 or less each.





    • PCV VALVE



  • The PCV valve must be changed every 60000 miles on all 1st and 2nd Generation Taurus' and 3rd Generation Vulcan's. On the 3rd Generation SHO's and Duratec's, the pcv valve must be changed every 100,000 miles. The valve can simply be unplugged and replaced.




    FUEL FILTER

  • The fuel filter should be replaced every 20000-30000 miles. This is important because if it get's clogged up, it could lead to causing your fuel pump to burn out. Rarely there is no sign that tells you the fuel filter needs to be changed, so you mush remember to do. Also, if you suspect that you have filled up with a bad batch of gas, have it changed immediately. The best way to avoid filling up with bad gas is to avoid getting gas when those tanker trucks are refilling the tanks at the station.


    • REPLACING FUEL FILTER



  • Activate the fuel shutoff switch in the trunk.
  • Run the car until it dies. This will relieve pressure in the lines.
  • Jack up the car.
  • The fuel filter is on the passenger side in the middle of the car.
  • Use a wratchet or screwdriver to loosen the clamp all the way.
  • Using a small flathead or needlenose pliers, remove the 2 clips from the fuel lines.
  • Make sure to get another set of clips with the filter in case you break the old ones.
  • Note which way the filter's flow is going. There should be an arrow somewhere.
  • Pull the fuel line off the ends. Some fuel will leak out.
  • Move the filter out of the clamp area.
  • Dispose of the old filter properly. There will be gas inside.
  • Put the new filter in the clamp area and tighten the clamp.
  • Attach the fuel lines to the new filter, and attach the clips.
  • Start the car to make sure it works.




    AIR FILTER

  • If you are using just a standard paper based air filter. There is no set interval to change the filter at. Everytime you do an oil change, check to see how dirty it is. If it's dirty, then change it.
  • If you are using an oil impregnated air filter such as a K&N or Autophysics filter, check the filter every 9000 miles and reoil it with the special oil that you are supposed to use on the filter. Once a year, take the filter out and clean it, let it air dry completely, and then reoil it. Check to make sure that the filter isn't damaged in any way or else it will let larger than acceptable particles into the engine.

    REPLACING PANEL AIR FILTER



  • Locate the airbox in the engine compartment.
  • Pop the clips holding the box top on.
  • Pull out the old filter element.
  • Drop in the new filter element.
  • Replace and reclip the top of the airbox.

    • CLEANING THE CONE AIR FILTERCHARGER



  • This will work on K&N, AutoPhysics, or any other brand.
  • Remove the filter from the intake tube.
  • Pour the soap in the cleaner kit into warm water and soak the filter in it.
  • Dump the water.
  • Let the filter air dry until completely dry.
  • Use the oil in the kit to reoil the filter.
  • Spray lightly to cover all filter areas visible.
  • Spray some inside the filter to coat the inside.
  • Reattach the filter to the car.





    • POWER STEERING



    This was provided by M. Tolentino from Todd's Message Board.

    Power Steering Flush for 1994 Taurus GL 3.0L (should apply to most all years & models)

    Difficulty Factor: 3 (1 = Easy, 10 = Difficult)

    Tools and Supplies Needed:

  • 1 Gallon Size Bucket or Container
  • 2 Jack Stands
  • 1 6’ Long 5/8" or 9.5mm Inner Diameter Hose
  • 1 5/8" or 9.5mm Cap
  • 1 4 Piece of 5/8 or 9.5mm Outer Diameter Metal
  • Tubing & Clamps
  • (NAPA sells a Hose repair kit for $3.35 that includes the connector & clamps)
  • 1 Turkey Blaster w/extension tube or Hand Pump
  • 2 Quarts PS Steering Fluid
  • 1 Can of Sea Foam Trans-Tune”
  • 1 Pair of Pliers and a Screw Driver
  • 1 Wife or Girlfriend Assistant A Big Plus!

  • 1.Raise the front of the vehicle to get the front tires off the ground. This will make it easier to turn the steering wheel and will not grind down your tires. Remember safety first! Fully apply the parking brakes, block rear wheels and use those jack stands!
  • 2.Using the baster or pump, remove enough fluid from the PS pump reservoir until the fluid level is below the low-pressure inlet. This will prevent the fluid from spilling out when removing the hose.
  • 3.Remove the low-pressure inlet hose by removing the clamp. TIP: I’ve heard of guys breaking the plastic inlet nipple while trying to remove this hose. Be careful! I got mine off by using a wide tip flat head screw driver, and placing the tip on the top edge of the hose and tapping down gently on the end of the screw driver with the heal of my hand, working it down from one side of the edge to the other.
  • 4.Cap the inlet nipple on the reservoir. Connect your extension hose to the low-pressure hose using the tube clamps if necessary. Place the end of your extension hose into your capture bucket/container.
  • 5.Work the steering wheel from end point to end point to pump out the fluid. Turn the steering wheel slowly as to not create a mess and taking it easy on the rack seals.
  • 6.Reconnect the PS system and refill with fluid starting with the pint of the “Trans-Tune” then adding your PS fluid. NOTE: The fluid cannot re-enter the system unless the pump is spinning. Some people do this by removing the accessory belt and turn the pump by hand. I thought this as a lot of extra work and decided to start the engine instead. This method is fast and furious! The fluid enters the system very quickly. This is where a helper would be handy. Have your Trans-Tune and 1 quart of PS fluid opened and ready to pour! Have your assistant startup the car and pour in the Trans-Tune followed by the PS fluid. Don’t overfill! After the fluid level tapers off, have your assistant slowly turn the steering wheel end stop to end stop to remove the air from the rack. You’ll need to watch and add fluid during this process.
  • 7.After you feel that the system is completely filled, top off the fluid until just about a half inch over the inlet tube or in other words, until the “full cold” level on the dip stick. Cap the pump and with the engine still on, continue to work the steering wheel from end stop to end stop to let the Trans-Tune do it’s magic! Do this for about 5 to 10 minutes or until you feel is adequate.
  • 8.Turn off engine and drain as described in steps 2 through 5. Be careful, fluid may be HOT!
  • 9.Refill the system as described in step 6 omitting the Trans-Tune.
  • 10.Check fluid level periodically during the next weeks.


    NOTES: If you decide to replace the stock spring hose clamp with the screw type, don’t over tighten it and crack the inlet nipple. The one good thing about those stock spring type hose clamps are that prevent over tightening.


    If you’re looking for an all-purpose hand pump, K-Mart has one for under $4.00! Great deal on a useful item. I’ve used it to pump out my PS fluid, Coolant and Trans Fluid so far.