It's pronounced "mare-coor"

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I figured i'd make a little progress thread on my '88 Merkur XR4Ti, although i don't know how much "progress" it's going to get since it's my DD and i have to keep it reliable and streetable, so no long term down time etc. I'll basically just throw up some pics of it as i tinker around with it. For those who don't know, they came with pretty much the same 2.3L turbo 4 cylinder engine as the SVO/Tbird Turbo Coupes and are rear wheel drive with an IRS rear end. Mine's a 5 speed and i got it with 103k miles on it. They were built by Ford of Europe in Germany and imported here and sold from '85-89 at the Ford/Lincoln/Mercury dealerships. "Merkur" is German for Mercury (or so i've been told).


Here it is as i got it:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P8180010.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P8180008.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P8180009.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P8200011.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P8180017.jpg


Here it is with the snow tires on it:
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P3290012.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P3290010.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P3290011.jpg

Here's the engine bay right now (desperately needing detailed):
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/enginebay.jpg



So far all i've done is mostly maintenance type things. I've removed the A/C, swapped in an LA3 ECU and big VAM (vain air meter) out of an '88 Tbird TC and put a K+N on it. I put a manual boost valve on it and it's set at about 16psi right now but without an intercooler it runs more like 10psi. Plans are to intercool it and get a full 3'' exhaust from the turbo back and see about running a safe daily drivable 20psi.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I replaced the valve cover gasket and media blasted it and gave it a new coat of paint while off:
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/PB200046.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/PB200053.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/PB200055.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/ValveCover3.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/ValveCover2.jpg

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

The drive shaft is a 2 piece design that has a rubber coupling...some call it a rotoflex, most of the Merkur guys call it a Guibo. Mine decided to blow 2 chunks out while going down the highway so that got replaced (a third piece was on its way out):

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P4020010.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P4020012.jpg

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I've got 2 sets of origina Merkur wheels for it (the fat spokes and the weave looking ones you see above) but i also have some 15'' Enkei rims that are getting polished and will be going on. I was hoping to have these on before the cruise in but we'll see...

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P2290004.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P2290005.jpg

[mustang8998]

That has to be one of the cleanest Merkurs I've seen. Looks good.

Do you think there us a way to use a T-bird T/C intercooler? If it can be done, I have one.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

It can be done...both in the stock TC location and in front mount style. The general consensus is that the top mount is almost useless...barely better than nothing at all. I've got a TC intercooler and a huge Volvo intercooler, but i don't think the Vovlo unit is going to fit. The TC unit will definitely fit with some custom bracketry work...my biggest hurdle is getting it plumbed. I don't have a welder or space to do it in so i'm constantly buggin people who do weld or have a garage.

Oh, it's also one of those "10 foot paint jobs"...lol. It's got a lot of chips especially in the front but it's original black paint.

[cstreu1026]

Man where did you find one that wasn't rusted to hell? I always thought those were cool cars and the 2.3T is easy to work on.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Man where did you find one that wasn't rusted to hell? I always thought those were cool cars and the 2.3T is easy to work on.

It was actually posted here on the board for $1200 and nobody wanted it. I got it from evilorng i think his screen name is (Will). Blue Book is $2500, i really can't believe it never sold.

[DOPE3]

very nice i havnt seen one in a long time keep it up looks great

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Actually it was $1500 but he was really cool on the price

http://www.stangbangerz.com/forums/showthread.php?t=31797&highlight=Merkur

I'll be bringing it to the cruise in this Sunday for anyone who wants to see it.

[kaik1969]

Those are neat cars. we all used to call them "x" rattees , just change the 4 to an "A" (xrati).

[Black92LX]

There is a Turbo Coupe sitting down the road from me that hasn't moved in 2 years. I really wish I had the jack to take it off their hands and do a transplant in my 92.

Those 2.3 Turbos are a blast.

[2l8iwn]

very nice car, we are finishing up are 2.3t swap. Its in the projects sections. ill have more updates on my brothers car this weekend. We are thinking of going volvo ic with a ranger radiator. It should all fit with minor mods. If you havent been to stinger-performance.com yet i would check it out as they are at the front with mods for the 2.3t's.

brandon

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

very nice car, we are finishing up are 2.3t swap. Its in the projects sections. ill have more updates on my brothers car this weekend. We are thinking of going volvo ic with a ranger radiator. It should all fit with minor mods. If you havent been to stinger-performance.com yet i would check it out as they are at the front with mods for the 2.3t's.

brandon


I've got a Volvo intercooler i'll sell ya cheap if you need one, it's not gonna fit in mine without some major mods. And yeah i've been on Stinger drooling over their parts. I'm probably going with their 3'' exhaust.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Today i got myself a Saab 900 radiator to swap in. It's smaller and lighter than the stocker and comes with duel fans and does a better job cooling than the stocker so it's a win-win. The radiators in these cars bolt up to the bottom of the frame by ears on the sides of the radiator...so to install a different one you need to make a cradle to support it and bolt it up to the frame. If you install it just right you'll have a 4-5 inch gap between the top core support and the top of the radiator which is perfect to fit a front mount intercooler in (or at least run the pipes through for shorter piping).

I'm no "Kevin Doe" when it comes to my engineering though :lol:

Here's the radiator and the bracket
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P4230021.jpg

Here's the bracket attached. I still need to add some gussets but it's 95% done
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P4230022.jpg

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I did some detailing on the engine bay today in prep for Sunday. It's still no show car but it's a lot better.

Before:
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/enginebay.jpg

After:
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/enginebayafter.jpg

[Mike]

Very very clean.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

I got bored the other night and got sick of looking at faded paint on my stock rims so i threw a can of Rustoleum at'em and here's what i got:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P426003.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/P4260037-1.jpg

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Here's a little update on the XR...i decided to swap back to the stock ECU and VAM because i don't have enough intercooler to run it how i want it, so i switched back and i got an intercooler off a Volvo and rigged it up. This is probably the most pathetic and ghetto mod i've ever done to any car...and i'm almost ashamed to even share pics of it, but here it is:

http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/Frankencooler.jpg
http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee275/EVIL85SSP/Merkur%20Pics%20and%20Videos/Frankencooler1.jpg


Total cost:

Intercooler = free
pipes and clamps = $1.49
90* radiator hose coming off the turbo outlet = $7
metal exhaust pipe adaptor to hook the turbo outlet 90 to the IC = $1.91
Lowes Hardware Racing plumbing check valve to convert the bypass valve into a blow off valve = $6

Total:
$16.40

I would've had it under $10 but the check valve broke my budget :lol:

All it all it was worth every penny...it pulls MUCH better with it on there, even in a not so great location. At the very least it's still better than the SVO/Turbo Coupe top mount intercooler, as this one won't heat soak as easily since it's not sitting over top of the turbo.

[1992MustangDW]

acually I think tht is cooler than a big front mount kinda sleeperish.

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Damn i totally forgot about this thread. Unfortunately the XR is gone to a new owner way up North :(

So, i guess delete it unless people wanna look at it?