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    I've come over to the "Dark Side"!

    Hi, Folks!

    Just a quick note of introduction..

    My name is Jon and as of last Friday I purchased my first Ford car (not counting trucks), a medium/light blue '88 Crown Vic' LX with just shy of 124,000 miles on the odometer. Owned by a local retired mail carrier before me, the big brute has spent most of it's life under a car port and is in pretty fair shape for it's age.

    Driving it home it was running a little rough, but after a couple of days of around-town runs and one highway burst it's seeming to smooth right out.

    despite it's fairly nice condition, the old gal is in need of a few minor (and apparently common) repairs:

    1. From everything I've been able to gather so far from this site, I have a Vacuum leak somewhere, causing my A/C and fresh air to vanish under acceleration and blow warm air through the defogger vents instead. Although the A/C blows relatively cool when the car is at a stand-still and idling, the compressor is a bit noisy and I'm guessing either the clutch or bearing is going out as well as the system probably needing a bit of a charge.

    2. My FRONT passenger window does nothing when toggled....Looks like I get to try this infamous window motor replacement I've read several threads about!

    3. The REAR passenger window motor will activate and run, but no window movement...The "Big White Gear" sounds like the probable culprit...*groans*

    4. Also, I noticed today that my windshield washer isn't working....Doh! Amazing that I'd overlook something like that when checking out the car and then having owned it for several days....Anybody got any suggestions on that one?

    Well, I guess that's plenty of foolishness on my part for the time being. I just wanna say that from what I've read so far, this forum seems well moderated with some incredibly knowledgeable members as well as surprisingly kind and helpfull to us "noobs".

    I'm looking forward to getting to know you guys!

    Later,

    -Jon

    1988 Crown Victoria LX -124,000 miles and slowly reviving!
    "We are monkeys with money and guns." - Tom Waits

    #2
    washer tank hose may be disconnected somewhere along the line or rotted apart and need replacement.

    usually if the window motor runs but no window movement is had, it's the nylon plugs that fit between the plastic gear and the regulator drive gear that pokes out from the motor. I had to replace ALL of them on my 88 MGM and replaced them with the snuggest fitting ball bearings I could find.

    The front window motor that doesn't make a sound is probably shot or just jammed. again with the nylon plugs. sometimes they shatter and gum up the works. you may just have to clean out the broken bits and put new in with some extra grease.

    The AC vent problem is usually either the "soup can" vacuum reservoir has a rusted hole in it and needs to be replaced, or the check valve between it and the vacuum tree is shot... or some other vacuum line is broken/cracked and leaking.

    all in all, it sounds like you found a good one. you may only be out about 30-40 bucks fixing these little niggles.

    Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former. -- Albert Einstein
    rides: 93 Crown Vic LX (The Red Velvet Cake), 2000 Crown Vic base model (Sandy), 2003 Expedition (the vacation beast)

    Originally posted by gadget73
    ... and it should all work like magic and unicorns and stuff.

    Originally posted by dmccaig
    Overhead, some poor bastards are flying in airplanes.

    Comment


      #3
      Thanks for the encouragement Slymer! Yeah, all-in-all It seems to be a solid car....Runs out smoothly wit only a bit of hesitation to "kick down" in passing gear...Nice smooth shifts and a nice ride. Gotta get rid of this "Premium Sound" cassette deck though!

      -Jon
      1988 Crown Victoria LX -124,000 miles and slowly reviving!
      "We are monkeys with money and guns." - Tom Waits

      Comment


        #4
        Welcome to GMN!
        '79 Continental Town Car
        '90 Crown Victoria LTD
        '94 Crown Victoria

        Comment


          #5
          Welcome.
          ~David~

          My 1987 Crown Victoria Coupe: The Brown Blob
          My 2004 Mercedes Benz E320:The Benz

          Originally posted by ootdega
          My life is a long series of "nevermind" and "I guess not."

          Originally posted by DerekTheGreat
          But, that's just coming from me, this site's biggest pessimist. Best of luck

          Originally posted by gadget73
          my car starts and it has AC. Yours doesn't start and it has no AC. Seems obvious to me.




          Comment


            #6
            Welcome!
            Pebbles-1968 Ford F250
            Pile of Junk! An Electronics Project Site (To get wet by)<---Clicky! NEW STUFF!!!!

            Comment


              #7
              Thanks for the warm greetings, guys!

              I hate to admit it, but I sorta came across you folks by default. While searching for info on my Vic', I ran across a "Crown Vic" forum first, but haven't been able to successfully join for some reason...Never could get it approved by an Admin. *shrugs*

              I'm a pretty firm believer in fate though, so this must be where I was supposed to "Fetch-up". *grins*

              I've always been a car enthusiast and when you live as rurally as I do, access to a forum such as this one can be great help...Especially when your ride of choice is sort of
              different from the current norm.

              The info I've found here has already been a huge help!

              -Jon
              1988 Crown Victoria LX -124,000 miles and slowly reviving!
              "We are monkeys with money and guns." - Tom Waits

              Comment


                #8
                welcome to gmn!

                sounds like the rear window just needs new bushings http://media.photobucket.com/image/w...r/100_8124.jpg

                the front motor may have some bushing pieces jamming it up, remove the motor and the gear and clean it out and test it

                washer pump might be dead, they fail from age, around 18 bucks for a new one

                check the juice can under the hood, it might be rotted thru

                1986 lincoln towncar signature series. 5.0 HO with thumper performance ported e7 heads, 1.7 roller rockers, warm air intake, 65mm throttle body, 1/2" intake spacer, ported intakes, 3.73 rear with trac lock, 98-02 front brake conversion, 92-97 rear disc conversion, 1" rear swaybar, 1 3/16" front swaybar, 16" wheels and tires, loud ass stereo system, badass cb, best time to date 15.94 at 87 mph. lots of mods in the works 221.8 rwhp 278 rwt
                2006 Lincoln Town Car Signature. Stock for now
                1989 Ford F-250 4x4 much much more to come, sefi converted so far.
                1986 Toyota pickup with LSC wheels and 225/60/16 tires.
                2008 Hyundai Elantra future Revcon toad
                1987 TriBurner and 1986 Alaska stokers keeping me warm. (and some pesky oil heat)

                please be patient, rebuilding an empire!

                Comment


                  #9
                  the switch may also be dead for the window in the front. the window in the rear sounds like bushing failure...no big deal.


                  washer pump probably died. mine comes and goes....i've been meaning to replace it but other things come up
                  sigpic


                  - 1990 Ford LTD Crown Victoria P72 - the street boat - 5.0 liter EFI - Ported HO intake/TB, 90 TC shroud/overflow, Aero airbox/zip tube, Cobra camshaft, 19lb injectors, dual exhaust w/ Magnaflows, Cat/Smog & AC delete, 3G alternator, MOOG chassis parts & KYB cop shocks, 215/70r/15s on 95-97 Merc rims

                  - 2007 Ford Escape XLT - soccer mom lifted station wagon - 3.0 Duratec, auto, rear converter delete w/ Magnaflow dual exhaust

                  - 2008 Mercury Grand Marquis Ultimate Edition - Daily driver - 4.6 2 valve Mod motor, 4R75E, 2.73s. Bone stock

                  Comment


                    #10
                    I wondered about the switch for the front window, but it won't activate from the driver's side window actuator OR the passenger side....Could both switches be out?

                    -Jon
                    1988 Crown Victoria LX -124,000 miles and slowly reviving!
                    "We are monkeys with money and guns." - Tom Waits

                    Comment


                      #11
                      Welcome to the site!

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Welcome!
                        Former panther owner
                        1981 CV 351 4bbl
                        1991 CV 302 EFI

                        Comment


                          #13
                          welcome to the site mang

                          1989 mercury grand marquis gs / 2014 ford focus s daily driver
                          302 lopo with ho upper/ aod with trans go shift kit
                          k code 3:55 posi rear/big brake swap tow package car

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Welcome from me too!
                            Lets Go Pens!

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Welcome!
                              "Shakedown"- 1991 Grand Marquis GS Dual exhaust, Magnaflow xl turbos, Rear anti sway bar, Outlaw 1 wheels, 43k miles
                              1985 GMC 1500

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