Motorweek - Retro Review: '03 Mercury Marauder

[kevm14]

No, 8.8.

A 2003 Marauder is not really significantly newer than a 96 B/D-body. If you can find an 03 Marauder in good condition for a good price, the same can be said for a B/D-body.

I just don't see the necessity. And LS-swapping a B/D-body is going to be a lot less work than a Panther. The B/D-body already has the 8.5" axle (some weak-ass trim/engine cars had the 7.5" but I pretend those don't exist), which is fine for anything I'd be doing with it.

Also, the reason the condition of a 1987 G-body is so different from what I can find in a 7 year newer B/D-body is a combination of ownership care/maintenance and possibly overall design quality (90s era was just better all around, from paint and interior to powertrain). I think age is actually less of a factor. Getting 200k from a stock 90s powertrain is not hard, or amazing, but 7 years prior, it was kind of an accomplishment. Yet, the longevity/quality difference between a mid-90s car and an 03 Panther, is basically zero. And a lot of that is because the Panther was old as hell in 2003, despite some updates.

[Adam]

That's not an advantage. That's just more cams.

You didn't ask what advantage it has, only what it offered.

[Adam]

Getting 200k from a stock 90s powertrain is not hard, or amazing, but 7 years prior, it was kind of an accomplishment.

My '94 Fleetwood has 215K on it. My '85 Monte was blowing blue smoke at 115K.

[kevm14]

Wow it's almost like exactly what I said is true. Weird.

[bill25]

My '85 Monte was blowing blue smoke at 115K

My '85 made it to about 130K before the blue smoke...

[kevm14]

At the risk of contradicting myself, that blue smoke MAY have simply been valve guide seals. If both of your engines were tuned up properly for the majority of their working life, I'd not expect actual ring issues. In Adam's case, who knows, with that giant carb.

I am happy to report that despite having a Gen I 350 in my Caprice, I have no internal issues like that. I know my engine does not make the compression it once did, but I've never seen a single wisp of smoke from the exhaust. Not on startup, not while driving, and not even after sitting for extended periods. What I will say is it leaks oil like a sieve (1,200 miles per quart).

I will also say that the junky 89 9C1 I had for 24 hours with only like 106k on it, DID blow blue smoke on decel. That engine was not in good shape. It was an L05.

[Adam]

At the risk of contradicting myself, that blue smoke MAY have simply been valve guide seals. If both of your engines were tuned up properly for the majority of their working life, I'd not expect actual ring issues.

I can pretty much guarantee it was valve stem seals. The OEM ones were made out of rubber, which would harden and crack after many heat cycles (100k?). The after market ones (and maybe the later OEM ones) are made out of neoprene or nitrile or something which are much more durable. Not sure when they switched to those, but it must have been after '85 from pure anecdotal evidence. Maybe when they went to 1 piece rear main seals in '86?

[kevm14]

Or roller lifters in 87 (well I don't know about the L69 but this was fairly universal across GM V8s)? And yeah, I bet my Caprice has those.

[Adam]

Or roller lifters in 87 (well I don't know about the L69 but this was fairly universal across GM V8s)? And yeah, I bet my Caprice has those.

Yes, the L69 got roller lifters in '87. They didn't change the rated output, though.