1986 Lincoln Town car help

[porschpow]

Wait, are yo talking the fron or rear of the car?

yeah pull that back a bit. Also try and feel on the inside (as in on the side facing the exhaust and driveshaft) for ragged holes.

[tjc78]

Front

[porschpow]

Here is the car, it is the only pic I have

[RobertB]

The AOD is a finicky animal and if it hasn't been rebuilt and has over 100k it's a ticking time bomb. Yea, some guys have gotten 200k or more on those things but I think that's the exception rather than the rule, closer to 140k before a rebuild is max what I've usually seen on the things.

Heh, I got a little over 300K on my AOD before it had to be rebuilt. Of course, I gave it regular fluid and filter changes and used synthetic transmission fluid. And most of those miles were highway miles. After the tranny was rebuilt, the installers added an in-line transmission filter spliced in just before it went to the cooler in the radiator.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo

[gadget73]

The AOD holds up well with fluid changes, not being overheated, and proper TV cable adjustment. 87+ has this plastic bushing that falls apart and causes the trans to lose pressure and self-destruct. 86 does not have this, so you're OK there. They will not survive towing in overdrive, and they really appreciate a fluid change on some sort of schedule. An external cooler helps too. The pre-86 version was also somewhat weaker so it tended to not live as well. 89+ is the best of the bunch as far as transmission case and internals go.

[RobertB]

89+ is the best of the bunch as far as transmission case and internals go.

Ah, mine is a 1990 CV. I do have an 88 Colony Park, but it doesn't get as much mileage as my daily driver.

Truly,
Robert Bernardo

[sly]

check for coolant pooling on the timing chain cover behind the water pump (what the fan is bolted to). Also, check for any dripping below the car.

[sly]

I will look into the HVAC!, Thanks
How will I tell if the pump is leaking?
Good call on the knocking and tapping, if the car has 68k on it, it better not do that!
Ill ask the guy when he did (if he ever did the timing chain and gear) PLASTIC!?!?!?! I don't think you are supposed to mess with that till after100k
So if it shifts hard, that must mean something is up?

If it shifts FIRM it means that it's good and has been rebuilt. If it's jerky... something is up. If you can't feel it shift at all and you can hear the revs climbing during shifts, it means something is wonky.

[84GrandMarquis]

Good call on the seats, and YES i think i did hear somethign about the brake pedal thing!!!!
As for the odo numbers, never knew that, but it makes sense!
I hears AOD's are good tranny, first time I heard about them ebign like that, I heard its not even worth changing the tranny fluid and filter (if there is one)
How do you post pics?

Sorry! I see you figured out how to post a pic already. And that's true they did get better, just in the earlier ones I've seen, people don't seem to have such good luck with them. By dad had an 85 that had to be rebuilt at around 150 or so, his 90 did make it to about 200 before a rebuild. But hopefully you'll have better luck with this one if you buy it

[porschpow]

Oh, yeah i think I know what your saying, theres is a little valley on top of the timing cover where antifreeze can pool, right?

As for the tranny, the 86 are a good thing for one thign but they are weaker than the other years, right? LOL damn, can't win!

[gadget73]

86 is the first year that the guys that build them for high performance applications will even begin to consider as being a usable core. In a stock application, with proper maintenance they don't really last any less time than a properly maintained one. A late one will burn up from a lack of service before an early one that is cared for will.

[porschpow]

Hey guys, that 86 didn't turn out too hot, I had to pass.

However, there is a guy that is selling his Uncle's 88 Lincoln Town car (1 owner car). One of the clues is that it is a one owner car is because it still has the old New Jersey plates (light blue ones).
anyway, he claims it has 87k mile on it. The leather interior seems pretty fair and it has a black carriage top with charcoal paint.

He did say that the two front windows are not working ( i think it could be the gears). I think these are common problems with these cars IIRC

The other issue is that that water pump needs to be replaced because he says it leaks. Now normally this wouldn't freak me out seeing as how changing the water pump is an easy job (relatively speaking), but my friend said something interesting. He said be wary of it cause you don't know if he has been driven while it overheated, which can cause other problems (headgaskets, engine ceasing up, etc). Is there any degree of truth in this. Is it worth looking into or should I pass?

[mrltd]

Yeah, lots of truth. Low mile cars can be basket cases. My new car is a good representation of that. Been overheated a bunch, HG failed, heads are all crusted and a mess from never getting driven hard. Most of the issues point back to the fan clutch being bad. And low milage for this age can be near 200,000 miles. lol.

That being said.... The motor itself seems solid, it takes a whole lot to kill these motors. I've run my one motor out of coolant a few times and it never siezed. If the coolant isn't a mess, you can probably get away with just the water pump.

[porschpow]

Im hoping, dude. He is asking 1700 dollars, I estimate "if" i took this to a garage it would be a couple hundred to fix the door windows,

as for the water pump 3 hours labor plus the pump id say 300 dollars, so i figure i should go no higher than 1200. I think this seems like a logical approach.

Are there any signs that I can tell it was overheated?

[porschpow]

Here is the ad

http://newjersey.craigslist.org/cto/3738869257.html