My 1985 Town Car Sig.

[sly]

it could also be a blown spark plug. had to replace one on the 93 vic that was having blow-through. tapping like a bent rocker arm.

[Piece-it pete]

Thanks guys. If the weather holds I'll check in this weekend!

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

Broke 30K on her this AM!

To celebrate I'm going to check that ticking, mount the studded snows, take a look again for the clunk, maybe install new rear brake cylinders, maybe the pulloff diaphram...

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

Suuuuure I am Did get the studs mounted though.

I've been told that the clunk may be the motor mounts, the only thing I didn't change on my front end.

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

Picked up a Motorcraft TPS for $35 del'd! Yay. It's seemed to run rougher since the original failed and I put in a jy one.

Pete

[Piece-it pete]

Look at that BEE-OO-TIF-UL car at the top of the page

I'd like to thank God, my mom, that one teacher in second grade...



....and the fine folks here at GMN, without whose help that car wouldn't even be in my life right now, seriously.

She's been making me sad lately (although it's been cold and I've been a wuss - my fault). She runs but poorly. I changed the TPS and now I'm getting some pinging under hard accel and a little bit of hesitation off the line.

Pete

[88T5TC]

Weird I changed TPS on my 88TC sat night getting pinging anything over 1/2 throttle 3rd 4th and 5th gear.... please post if you find fix for it i have been trying to figure it out since I did a double check on setting, timing is dead on and still doing it never did till TPS swap.

[marquisman]

Whoooooo! Congrats on potM mang! Your linc looks good up there.

[Piece-it pete]

Thanks!

88 if I figure anything out I'll post it. I think I'm going to find a used OEM and swap it.

Pete

[88T5TC]

Pete try unpluging your spout connector and see if pinging stops. I unplugged mine and with timing laid back it didnt ping plugged it back in and pings.

[Piece-it pete]

I'll try it, thanks!

Quandry time and I welcome youalls input.

I may be about to restructure debts. Part of this will entail straightening out the vehicle situation.

Keeping my 03 is a no brainer. This 85 though.... I may replace it.

Yes I've done a sh*tton to it and it does start every time, even when it was cold. HOWEVER......

1) never could get it to idle right, and it's tapping up a storm.
2) got a darn thunk and slight shimmy in the front end I can't figure out. One lower ball joint is tack welded on (my fault).
3) tranny wouldn't shift into OD till it warms up a little. Have a replacement handy but there it is.
4) brake pedal has always been soft in the 'feels like the booster' way.

Cosmetically there's a few issues too - the top is bad (big one!), there's a (very little) bit of rust, other minor things. Dash pad cracked, a number of minor issues interior-wise.

I know it doesn't sound that bad. But in aggregate to make it 'nice' the top alone will be upwards of $750 and that doesn't effect the way it runs! Let alone all the niggling little things and the things I've undoubtably forgotten. She's just looking a little worn out overall.

I also may be moving father from work.

Some may have noticed I've been coming around this way. I can pay to have 1,2, and 4 diagnosed. Perhaps I'll start there. I'm just really having a problem spending more on a car I'll never have nice, and is really functionally worthless, if you know what I mean.


I have a couple of options. 1) Fix it. Sell this for whatever I can get and either 2a) buy another panther or 2b) buy something else entirely, an econobox. Again all comments enabling and otherwise appreciated

Gosh I'm being wishy-washy. I want Faded Glory but...

Pete

[88Vic]

When my Lincoln was ticking it was a hole in the downpipe where the smog pump tube attaches, had it welded up and sounds fine now. I should have just kinked the tube and had the pipe patch welded without it, make it easier to delete in the future but it'll more than likely be sold before I ever do that. My finances don't allow for a new transmission right now unless I can get my minivan sold. If only someone would buy it.

[L1011tristar17]

It's too bad to hear that about the '85. Those cars do have great potential. If you keep the Lincoln at least you already know what's wrong with it and what needs to be fixed. You don't always know that kind of information about the car you would replace it with.

[gadget73]

try a full brake bleed on all 4 wheels to flush the fluid through if you haven't. Also check the adjustment on the rear shoes. if they're not right, the pedal feels mushy.

Listen around for the tap noise. Exhaust leaks can sound like valvetrain if its a small leak. I've been absolutely convinced of top end noises that were actually leaky manifold gaskets. A piece of hose as a stethoscope works wonders for pinpointing stuff.

Change the fluid in the trans if you haven't. It might motivate the trans to work right, especially if someone did something goofy like putting the wrong fluid in there.

[Piece-it pete]

Thanks guys. I think the ticking is the exhaust manifold gasket. Could that have something to do with the rough idle? I have changed the pan fluid/filter in the tranny with V. I've bled the living crap out of the brakes with some but not near total good result, and I do know I've got a seeping cylinder on the pass side. I could kick myself for not changing them when I rebuilt the rears, and now know the disc swap is the way to go.

I'm going to keep updating my list with remembered problems and suggested solutions (if app) if no one minds, it's helping me decide. And scheme

List of suck!

Shop = diagnostic, not repair.

1) never could get it to idle right, and it's tapping up a storm. [idle - shop. tap/tick, exhaust man gasket?]
2) got a darn thunk and slight shimmy in the front end I can't figure out. One lower ball joint is tack welded on (my fault). [shop]
3) tranny wouldn't shift into OD till it warms up a little. Have a replacement handy but there it is. [flush and/or change]
4) brake pedal has always been soft in the 'feels like the booster' way. [bleed more when cylinders done. Shop]

As I remember I'll add:

*Heater core
*ATC service (I'm having to turn the temp up more over time)
*Dbl check stereo wiring

Cosmetic:

*Top
*Spot rust & overall fading
*Dash pad

Pete