Devin's 2017 MKZ

[DeviLSh]

That is a great recommendation Izzy - I didnt even think about the handles. Leaving those in (and the exhaust tips) in conjunction with the grill trim&emblem might be just enough chrome to balance it all out. 

 

I intend on having a vinvyl/wrap shop cover the trim. So yes, reversible. They have done a few aviators and other cars that have similar designs, and the pricing is pretty close to buying the black label parts from Ford/Lincoln, without the need of removing parts. Will likely go that route so it can be reversed or removed, if disliked 

[DeviLSh]

First oil change complete, picked up 6qts up amsoil from a buddy for the MKZ and the LS, and tackled both this weeked. Filter up top in the engine bay makes for a pretty non-messy experience!

 

 

 

 

Finally recieved all my installation hardware for the H&R spring install, will hopefully get around to that soon. Doing fresh mounts, strut bearings, and spring pads with the springs & sways. Not looking forward to the front sway bar install, as I will have to lower the front sub frame a bit, which may me messing with downpipes, steering rack, etc. 

 

[DeviLSh]

Hey all, and Happy 4th - finished up the H&R Spring, Steeda Sway bars, and CpE RMM install last weekend before taking a quick vacation. Front took me and a few friends most of Saturday (7-8 hours) using a jack, and rear took me about 5 hours on Sunday (alone). Learned that the MKZ is jusssst too heavy for the 5,000lb quickjack I have. So getting the car up in the air, and removing all the underbody panels accounted for about 2 hours. (the metal muts that secure all the panels are a PAIN to get off without breaking). But thanks to some stuff on FFS forum, steeda install guidance, and some online searches we got everything done. You do need to lower the front subframe and steering rack in order to get the front bar out & in. Otherwise the front struts, and rear is straight forward. 

 

Overall - Ther car feels, handles, and looks fantastic. Very happy with the spring & sway combination. I knew what to expect from the springs as I had them on the last MKZ, and the rsb as well, but the front sway bar and the summer tires really tie the whole car together. Enjoy the pics and let me know if I can answer any specific questions. 

 

Springs, Sways, and OEM install hardware: Mounts, pads, bushings, subframe bolts, strut bolts, etc. Goal was to do a full refresh and replace any high strung/corroded bolts. 

 

Steeda supplies you with black bushings for the front bar, and red for the rear. Both bars come in their grey finish and have zinc plated brackets. I had both bars re-coated to a satin black, I then painted the bushing brackets, and sourced a set of black bushings for the rear for consistency. Steeda sources their bushings from Energy Suspension, just have to search the part # and I.D. size to confirm. NOTE - Energy sells them for a much better price than Steeda should you need replacements. 

 

Final form of rear setup shown in the foreground of this pic. 

 

About Mid-day progress pic with the front end up in the air. (Dont mind my ever-dormant S4 project) 

 

 

@ just under 45k mi, the car's front and rear mounts looked pretty rusted/corrded/tired. Common? 

 

 

New springs on and everything torqued down.

 

 

 

Sway Bar Comparisons - Front goes from 26 to about 29mm, and rear bar goes from about 23 to 26mm. 

 

 

 

Not a lot of progress pics for the rear. But here is one of everything back on. New spring pads and anti-squeak hardware was probably overkill, but I like replacing parts while I am in there to avoid any coincidental failures during install and peace of mind. Also put new top mounts on the shocks since I had these out to lower the rear subframe enough for spring removal. You have to unbolt three bolts on the lower control arm, the shock, and each side of the subframe in order to droop the setup enough. Getting these bolts all back in and lined up can be tricky, bot its doable. 

 

Also realized my rear pads are getting close to work and the rotors are not wearing smoothly. Next project perhaps. 

 

 

After a test drive, and next-day alignment, she was all ready for some pictures. Looking forward to a good detail and proper photoshoot. 

 

(Note her older sister in thebackground in this shot) 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For the CPE RMM - the car shifts and launches HARD. It feels very planted and very firm, I love it. Anyone have an idle speed recoemmdations? Want to mess around with the XCAL4/Tune to see if I can make it a bit more tolerable. At idle with the A/C on it is def a bit noticebale. And you really feel the engine when acclerating with this installed. Not a mod I would recommend for the purist/comfort seeking. But the performance FOR ME, outweighs the change in comfort. 

 

Thanks for checking in, let me know what you think or if there is anything I can provide! 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[drolds1]

As always, nice work, Devin.

[DeviLSh]

Oh! Forgot to ask - anyone know how I can do the headlight calibration with new ride height? I bet I need to DL forscan or something, but just chekcing it isnt built into the car's radio/cluster before I go through all that. 

 

Thanks

[Multitask]

not sure, but maybe the dealer will do the adjust for a fee?  ?

[DeviLSh]

I have some paint bubbling on my hood, pass side, right where it meets the fender that I want looked at (possibly handled still under warranty?) Maybe ill take it in for both items. Not sure why a 2017 is already showing signs of paint failure ? 

[Blackhawk]

On 7/7/2020 at 5:08 PM, DeviLSh said:

Oh! Forgot to ask - anyone know how I can do the headlight calibration with new ride height? I bet I need to DL forscan or something, but just chekcing it isnt built into the car's radio/cluster before I go through all that. 

 

Thanks

Should be a screw on the headlight to adjust level.

 

http://www.fordservicecontent.com/Ford_Content/vdirsnet/OwnerManual/Home/Content?bookCode=O34133&countryCode=USA&languageCode=en&marketCode=US&viewTech=IE&chapterTitleSelected=G1546980&subTitleSelected=G1547004&topicHRef=G1557703&div=l&variantid=4019&vFilteringEnabled=False&userMarket=USA

[Loki-MKZ]

Any updates? VERY interested in how this is going. ?

[DeviLSh]

Couple updates - 

 

Car ran a 12.6 at the track a few weeks back. Was hoping for a bit quicker, but very happy with it regardless. Car is still the fastest car I have ever had, and on the street its insane and surprises me every time I drive it.  

 

Pretty happy overall with the car right now, might still do some de-chroming, brake upgrade, or maybe exhaust down the road, but nothing urgent for me as I have some other projects that need attention from me. 

 

Starting to get cold in Chicago area, so its time for the summer tires to go, washed the car today and cleaned the wheels, tomorrow I will put the stock wheels/rubber back on. Took some pics to enjoy the clean paint before it gets dirty 12hours later ? 

 

Enjoy some fall pics of the MKZ, the springs and ride height have settled a bit since the last set of pics which were fresh after install. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

And two of my "other lincoln" project. Just finished the custom diff (LSD and 4.10's) install on it, so the character has definitely changed. Driving the LS and MKZ back to back is always so interesting. ?

 

 

 

 

 

[drolds1]

Ah, Devin.  The LS pulls at my heartstrings.  Still miss mine.  IDK if you've been on the site lately,  but Lawrence passed on earlier in the year.  But a part of him lives on in your LS, which you've been a great steward of.

 

BTW, a 12.6 is nothing to sneeze at.?

Edited October 25, 2020 by drolds1

[CDW6212R]

Beautiful pictures there, thanks. The car is fast obviously, I think most people would love that any day. The exhaust looks a hair small for the power level, are those 2.25" pipes?

 

The wheels fit wonderfully from what I see, great choice on sizing. With most cars I always wonder if the tires are big enough, or can be larger. The 245mm is not wide, the AAWD is a must for sure. With the car at stock ride height, I would wonder about a 255mm tire, but the stock 8" rim isn't ideal for that. I wonder if it's might be possible with the right wheels like yours, and being lowered a little like that? ANy thoughts on how close your tires are now, to the fenders and inner suspension etc?

[DeviLSh]

@CDW6212R I do believe the stock exhaust O.D. is 2.25", keep in mind that is per bank, as it is a true dual system. There is a Ford Edge sport custom kit out there at 2.5" and the Ultimate performance downpipes are 3". As I ponder on what type of full setup i'd do, im trying to think if 3" is worth it. Also, not crazy how these cars sound with exhaust, just kinda blah and flat to me, so Im after performance more than sound - maybe some weight savings too as stock systems are generally pretty heavy. 

 

Thanks for the love on the wheels, I was really happy with total fitment. I am pretty sure 255's would work, I opted for stock tire sizing because I wasn't sure if the extra 0.5" in width and lower ET (et45) vs the stock wheels would get me too close to fenders. I also went for a really good summer tire, so I exchanged that for contact patch. The MPS 4S are really sticky, almost no wheel spin whatsoever. I could prob get away with a bit thicker tire, or even a 5mm spacer front and rear. The car has rubbed ZERO with this setup. On bumps, corners, loaded and unloaded, not one rub. 

[CDW6212R]

It's hard to argue with having no issues with new wheels and tires, I'd enjoy that for a long time.

For the exhaust sound if you kept the stock mufflers it shouldn't change a lot. Almost all aftermarket mufflers are much louder than all OEM's, so some people opt for an OEM muffler they like(like a GT500), and upgrade the rest. I might do that for an MKZ, I'm less interested in loud mufflers than I was long ago. I keep trying aftermarket types to hunt a tame sound, but they all turn out to be pretty loud. OEM mufflers all have a Helmholtz chamber inside of them, that kills a lot of volume and drone. I wish someone would produce just that special chamber in a resonator, small enough to be possible to add to any car.

[shtaka]

On 7/8/2020 at 3:56 PM, DeviLSh said:

I have some paint bubbling on my hood, pass side, right where it meets the fender that I want looked at (possibly handled still under warranty?) Maybe ill take it in for both items. Not sure why a 2017 is already showing signs of paint failure ? 

What's the follow up on this? I have some pitting on my hood. My car is magnetic grey metallic..

[DeviLSh]

On 12/7/2020 at 10:47 AM, shtaka said:

What's the follow up on this? I have some pitting on my hood. My car is magnetic grey metallic..

I don't have an update on this yet - it hasn't worsened but it is noticeable and annoying. Will try to get a pic. 

 

 

[DeviLSh]

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

Ended up doing the chrome delete a few weeks ago. Did the lower grill trim, window trim, and rear bumper lower trim. I left the mirrors, door handles, and upper grill alone, for now. Two initial driveway pics (stock wheels are back on for winter, and I dont hate the look with the lowering springs actually!) But I am looking forward to the darker wheels being back on in the Spring as I think it will flow nicely with this new look. Let me know what you think, and if I should keep going with the doors/mirrors. I think I want to, and leave the grill as-is, its a nice pop. 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Question - Foglight/Lower DRL Delete - I simply dont like them, I love the ones in the headlight as they are solid and bright, but I find the lowers to be off-color, and dated with the single LED's spaced out. How can I turn these off permanently, I will likely then use vinvyl to hide the lense. 

[bbf2530]

12 minutes ago, DeviLSh said:

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

Ended up doing the chrome delete a few weeks ago. Did the lower grill trim, window trim, and rear bumper lower trim. I left the mirrors, door handles, and upper grill alone, for now. Two initial driveway pics (stock wheels are back on for winter, and I dont hate the look with the lowering springs actually!) But I am looking forward to the darker wheels being back on in the Spring as I think it will flow nicely with this new look. Let me know what you think, and if I should keep going with the doors/mirrors. I think I want to, and leave the grill as-is, its a nice pop.

 

Next Question - Foglight/Lower DRL Delete - I simply dont like them, I love the ones in the headlight as they are solid and bright, but I find the lowers to be off-color, and dated with the single LED's spaced out. How can I turn these off permanently, I will likely then use vinvyl to hide the lense. 

 

 

Hi Devi. Your MKZ looks nice.

 

Regarding the front LED's/DRL's : We can turn all of them off in the Driver Information Center settings. However, we can not pick and choose which to turn off. It is either all or none. 

Therefore, if you want only the lower ones off, you would need to do some electrical modification to remove them from the lighting circuit.

 

Since you are already thinking about doing it, perhaps a good quality vinyl overlay would do the job of hiding them completely, if done very carefully to completely cover the lenses.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

[DeviLSh]

Thanks!

 

yeah, I love the uppers - dont care for the lowers (they dont match and it bothers my OCD) Turning them off in the settings menu gets rid of the uppers which I think look really good. 

 

I might be able to borrow coding from a fusion but I tried that in my last MKZ and did not have success as the MKZ may have had different coding/modules. I am also just not tech-inclined and the thought of coding modules really scares me. So I was wondering If I could cover the lenses with vinyl (risk bleed out or heat from the lights?) OR mechanically alter the circuit by unplugging, but I'd imagine this will generate an error. 

Edited December 10, 2020 by DeviLSh

[bbf2530]

20 minutes ago, DeviLSh said:

Thanks!

 

yeah, I love the uppers - dont care for the lowers (they dont match and it bothers my OCD) Turning them off in the settings menu gets rid of the uppers which I think look really good. 

 

I might be able to borrow coding from a fusion but I tried that in my last MKZ and did not have success as the MKZ may have had different coding/modules. I am also just not tech-inclined and the thought of coding modules really scares me. So I was wondering If I could cover the lenses with vinyl (risk bleed out or heat from the lights?) OR mechanically alter the circuit by unplugging, but I'd imagine this will generate an error. 

 

Hi Devin. You can try unplugging them. If it works, problem solved cheap and easy. If it generates an error, just plug them back in and look for another solution. Covering them, as both you and I mentioned above, would seem to be the easiest, especially since you are planning on doing that anyway.

 

Saw your post in the Fusion Sport Forum. I don't think there is a FORScan setting that will turn off only the bottom lights. However,  I am not 100% sure.

 

EDIT - Just as an FYI (which may help your OCD). The reason they do not "match", is because the uppers are only accent lighting, while the lowers are meant to illuminate the road.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

Edited December 10, 2020 by bbf2530

[DeviLSh]

Here is the hood paint lifting: 

 

[bbf2530]

33 minutes ago, DeviLSh said:

Here is the hood paint lifting: 

 

 

 

Hi Devin. You should contact Lincoln Concierge about that. This is a known issue on some earlier model vehicles with aluminum body panels. In some cases, it had to do with contamination in the dies used to form the hoods. It lead to corrosion on the aluminum and consequent paint peeling.

 

Ask to have your complaint kicked up the ladder, if/when you are first told they are sorry they can't help because you are "out of warranty".

 

I also added an EDIT about the LED's in my previous reply about the LED's. ?

 

Keep us updated and good luck.

Edited December 10, 2020 by bbf2530

[DeviLSh]

Thanks - would you recommend I do a dealer visit first? Or "Write a letter" type of thing?

[bbf2530]

3 hours ago, DeviLSh said:

Thanks - would you recommend I do a dealer visit first? Or "Write a letter" type of thing?

 

Hi Devin. It can not hurt to "...do a dealer visit first". Perhaps the Dealer will be willing to work with you. If the Service Writer says they can't do anything, ask to speak to the Service Manager. If still no help, then calling Lincoln Concierge would be your next step.

Obviously, be insistent (but polite) about the issue, and ask to speak to the person the next level up when you get nowhere with the current customer service person. Writing a letter would be your last resort, if you get nowhere and still want to carry it that far.

 

Since you are out of warranty, there may be nothing Lincoln will do. However, it is worth it to try, since it is a "known" sort of issue with some aluminum body panels.

 

Let us know how you make out and good luck.

Edited December 11, 2020 by bbf2530

[bnewt]

On 12/10/2020 at 10:27 AM, DeviLSh said:

On 12/10/2020 at 10:27 AM, DeviLSh said:

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

Ended up doing the chrome delete a few weeks ago. Did the lower grill trim, window trim, and rear bumper lower trim. I left the mirrors, door handles, and upper grill alone, for now. Two initial driveway pics (stock wheels are back on for winter, and I dont hate the look with the lowering springs actually!) But I am looking forward to the darker wheels being back on in the Spring as I think it will flow nicely with this new look. Let me know what you think, and if I should keep going with the doors/mirrors. I think I want to, and leave the grill as-is, its a nice pop. 

 

 

 

 

 

Next Question - Foglight/Lower DRL Delete - I simply dont like them, I love the ones in the headlight as they are solid and bright, but I find the lowers to be off-color, and dated with the single LED's spaced out. How can I turn these off permanently, I will likely then use vinvyl to hide the lense. 

 

What are you going to do with the chrome that you removed?

I just purchased a 2020 MKZ, black with monochromatic package.

Not crazy with the all black appearance, but it was about all that I could find with the 3.0

I like some chrome to make it pop

Edited December 12, 2020 by bnewt