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'16 Lincoln LS- Kinda/Sorta


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http://www.autoblog.com/2015/09/03/2016-jaguar-xf-first-drive-review-video/

 

Being part of the LS-Mafia, when people ask "Hey what happened to the LS", I always point at the XF and it's probably the "What would have been" if Lincoln would have kept to it. Im waiting for the 5.0L (which will debut later in the year) before I purchase it but it's one of the vehicles I have my eyes set on. I still have the MKX and will probably get the newer one in 2 years, but when it comes to passionate driving my LS is by far my favorite and its wwaaayyy past the point that I need "something" to replace it (120K miles-I'm overdo) so it'll probably be the XF.

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I had a 2003 Lincoln LS V8 purchased new and I really loved it. I traded it in for a 2013 MKZ which is a really nice care but I never considered the “Z” the evolution or next step for the LS, it’s an entirely different animal altogether. The LS was a blast to drive and it really felt more like something I would put on as opposed to something I got in to drive. For years I kept hoping there would be an evolution of the LS but Lincoln marketed it in the beginning, released it, and abandoned it, in fact I’m not sure how they could’ve left it to rot on the vine more than what they did. Although it did share platforms with the “new” Thunderbird and Jaguar S-Type I’d always considered it Lincoln’s last allocated or unique platform.

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Its a shame and your right, its one of the last unique platforms. And back then they also made mention of having the "Navi-gross" off of it, but it was just too expensive for Ford to carry or sell at those prices. I bought my 3rd and last LS in '05 and back then the Ultimate listed for $52K only to make way for the incoming Zephyr just below it. Ironically thats the price this new XF is starting at now...11 years later. At least Jaguar has had good success with the platform, and the new XE seems to be garnering some really great reviews as well for a new platform and vehicle.

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Back then the only hi-po engine options were the AJ V8 limited to 4.2L SC, and Jaguar would not let Lincoln use that version due to internal competition. So the LS was stuck with a 3.9L NA version. And the only other option (4.6L DOHC) wouldn't fit on the production line. If they had the current ecoboost options available it would have been a slightly different story, but probably still not enough to save it.

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The 4.6L supposedly was too tall to fit, and they wanted something compact to allow them to have the low cowl, which is why they went with a double wishbone suspension which was another complex item. The pre-16 XF has a 5.0L V8 optional, and a 5.0L Supercharged so I guess they were able to squeeze that in there.

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It wasn't too tall - they put one in for the Car and Driver One Lap of America competition (from Roush with a supercharger) and only needed a small hood scoop for the supercharger. The problem was it wouldn't fit between the front suspension components from the bottom which is an assembly line requirement.

 

IMG_2749.JPG

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The LS was, in effect, a halo car built on a budget. World class suspension? Check. Exotic materials? Check. World class engine? Check-ish. Rental Fleet Taurus switchgear? Check. Pinto transmission? Check...

 

If they'd had the EB engines and the 6R transmissions available, if they hadn't stuck it in Wixom, and if they hadn't completely bungled the business plan, it could've been a contender...

Edited by SoonerLS
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My wife's 05 is in sad shape. One fender bender and some ditch slaloming last winter. We all know what it looks like inside given that she's regularly hauling the kids around. Now the rear end is getting really loose due to worn ball joints and tie rod ends. Unfortunately these parts are unobtainium for the rear end. Maybe the dealer can get them but I'd just assume make them myself before I pay dealer prices. Engine still runs like a top (it's a Ford after all). And yes, the transmission has been horrid from day one (just performance wise, never any mechanical trouble).

 

We've thought about getting something else, but the kids will ruin anything. A Crown Vic would have held up better and been cheaper to fix though. Lesson learned I guess.

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Pinto transmission?

Basically, yes, with a couple of extra gears thrown in. I didn't believe it when I heard it, but I asked someone we both know about it, and he confirmed it. He said when he was asked if he could provide the LS with a world class transmission, he asked if they could give it a world class engine if they had to start with a Pinto's 4-banger...

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Wasn't the auto transmission in the LS the same trans used in the 2005-2010 Mustang? BTW, I purchased a 2005 LS V6 new for $23k (listed for ~$34k). Great car, fun to drive, owned it for 8 years/100k miles. Only major problem resolved under warranty was related to the transmission. Prior to the warranty expiring the parking brake engaged randomly. No fix. This parking brake issue continued to occur randomly after the warranty expired. Happened on the interstate once and it was scary.

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Basically, yes, with a couple of extra gears thrown in. I didn't believe it when I heard it, but I asked someone we both know about it, and he confirmed it. He said when he was asked if he could provide the LS with a world class transmission, he asked if they could give it a world class engine if they had to start with a Pinto's 4-banger...

 

Interesting. I missed that discussion. Explains a lot.

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Yep. C3 - A4LD - 4R55E - 5R55E - 5R55N - 5R55S.

 

Basically the automatic for the Ranger throughout its lifetime. The LS was rwd and that was the only rwd auto trans option Ford had that wasn't designed to be bolted to a modular V8, so that's what the LS's less-than-4.6 engines got.

 

Despite the track record in explorers, its actually held up pretty good for me. 120,000 and still works as good as it ever did. I say that because I swear Ford programmed the shift schedule to fight the engine and driver at every possible opportunity. Also the lack of a dipstick makes it near impossible to change the fluid at home.

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Also those pinto 4 bangers are nothing to sneeze at. That's the cast iron "lima" 2.3 that was the engine used in the SVO Mustangs and Thunderbird turbocoupes. 200 hp out of a 4 banger in those days was impressive. They have excellent aftermarket support and I know of quite a few that hit the 500 hp mark. There was one guy running 8.x seconds in the quarter with a 2.3 Fox mustang running an insane amount of boost and ethanol.

 

I had one in a Ranger with a ported head, full intercooler, and turned up boost. That truck would really move. I'd take that engine over the duratec V6 or even the 3.9 V8 the LS was offered with.

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Speaking of gearbox evolution, the old Borg Warner 35 used in the late '60s and early '70s

was built locally in Australia and evolved into BTR 4-speed over drive box for most of its life.

Sadly, just as Ford Aust went over to ZF 6HP transmissions, a clever 6-speed auto internals

were developed by new owners DSI for the Koreans that could load into the 4-speed's existing case.

Edited by jpd80
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So Ford did use the 5R55S transmission in the 05-10 Mustang V6:

 

The 5R55S, minus the SelectShift feature, was used in models of the Ford Mustang from 2005 until 2010. The 5R55W appeared in models of the Ford Explorer and Ford Ranger from 11.13.2000 until 03/04/2002(Explorer) and 2011(Ranger). Mostly specific difference between 5R55W (wide shift) and 5R55S (synchronic shift) is a different overdrive planet gear ratio. Entry-level models of the 2008 Ford FG Falcon were the newest recipients of the 5R55 transmission.

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I say that because I swear Ford programmed the shift schedule to fight the engine and driver at every possible opportunity. Also the lack of a dipstick makes it near impossible to change the fluid at home.

 

SoonerLS and I know the person in charge of the LS 5R55 software (now retired) and I can assure you they did the best they could with the hardware constraints.

 

The reason it has no dipstick is there simply wasn't room in the V8 engine bay for one.

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I had a 5R55 in a 2009 Falcon Pick up, it worked OK but you could tell that the box was a little unsure on the 2-3 and 3-4 shifts.

a newer pick up after that had a ZF 6HP26, what a dramatic change the Zf is a gearbox that almost knew ahead of time what was needed.

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SoonerLS and I know the person in charge of the LS 5R55 software (now retired) and I can assure you they did the best they could with the hardware constraints.

 

The reason it has no dipstick is there simply wasn't room in the V8 engine bay for one.

I've heard that about the dipstick. I'm also sure the engineers and programmers did what they could with the tranny but apparently the hardware was too much to overcome. I seriously liked the shift schedule on a 2.9L / A4LD I had in an old Ranger better than the LS. We tried in vain for months to find one of the ultra rare 00-02 LS's with the getrag manual trans but had no luck so we settled for the 05.

 

The car was a nice idea but in retrospect I wish we would have gone with the Crown Vic.

Edited by Sevensecondsuv
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I've heard that about the dipstick. I'm also sure the engineers and programmers did what they could with the tranny but apparently the hardware was too much to overcome. I seriously liked the shift schedule on a 2.9L / A4LD I had in an old Ranger better than the LS. We tried in vain for months to find one of the ultra rare 00-02 LS's with the getrag manual trans but had no luck so we settled for the 05.

 

The car was a nice idea but in retrospect I wish we would have gone with the Crown Vic.

I believe they only sold 2331 manual transmission LS's from 00-02. Seems like I remember one coming in that needed a clutch and parts were unavailable.

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