Preventive Maintenance Suggestions

HOTLNC

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Daughter #2 is moving to Portland OR. That's a whole bunch of miles from her dug in the Texas soil mechanic. I'm in the process of "updating" her 95 Cougar 4.8L single cam motor in prep for me not being there when it pukes and dies/or will not start one rainy morning.

I'm replacing:
Water Pump
IAC valve (cost more than the Water pump!)
Serpentine Belt
Rear Tranny Seal -- slight leak

I'm thinking about replacing:
Plugs and wires have about 50K on them. Platinum 4 plugs.
Alternator -- still charges
Battery -- about 2 years old

Servicing:
New Coolant
Oil/filter Change
Clean and re-oil K&N air filter
New Mercon V in Tranny


Any other suggestions? The car has 105K miles on the odo.
 
OK, all done.

The IACV sits on the drivers side of the intake manifold. Compared to a Mark's IACV, it is easy as pie to replace.

The Fuel filter has trapped black mud. It needed replacing.

The water pump is easier than the Mark -- you don't have to remove the alternator. R&R serpentine belt.

The thermostat is on the block next to the alternator. Not as a hose dongle as on the Marks.

R&Red the 3rd member's oil with suction as recommended. That worked great. Thanks for the suggestion.

The torque converter held a little over 6 quarts. The Tranny held 4 or so. I replaced a quart of the Mercon V (50 bucks for 12 quarts!) with Lucas treatment (10 bucks for a quart!)

R&R platinum fours and installed new plug wires (guaranteed forever silicone wires.) No surprises.

R&R rear brake pads and all brake fluid. Used suction method. Front pads are new. BTY: using a hand pump to generate the vacuum sucks (no pun intended.) I use a venturi effect "vacuum pump." So long as your compressor can do 90 PSI it gives consistent vacuum.

The jury is still out on replacing the battery and alternator. If the daughter wants to spend the money on the parts, I'll do that before she heads out.
 
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Sounds like a job well done.

Just do a charging system test and give the battery a good load test and you should be OK.
 
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