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    Marq did something wierd today....

    Sorry for the length but I want to explain exactly what the car is doing.


    Bought the car last Friday... (late 92 MGM, AODE Trans) drove it all week no problem, gassed it up last night... (I should mention, the gas in the tank when I bought it had been there a while, perhaps months)

    Drove the 15 miles to work, no problem. on the way home, it threw a CEL every time it coasted down hill. Step on the gas CEL goes out.

    Stopped at a traffic light and it bogged down big time... no power.

    after a minute it came back to what felt like full power. long coast down a 4 mile downslope and it barely moved when I hit the gas to make the corner. Also CEL is on down hill, goes out after I step on it again. (it's also raining and about 90% humidity)

    Get it home. it sits for about an hour and I drive it to a buddy's shop who has a code reader that will read an OBD1.. he's busy and can's read the codes, drive home... or attempt to. car could barely pull out of the driveway, top speed was like 10 mph just bogged out. after a minute, it starts to clear out and after a mile or so it's back to about 80%. up a long hill, floored it, and it smoothed out some.

    down the other side, CEL light on. almost to the driveway, without warning, one of the Cat heat shields departs the car, I heard it thump against the floorboards and then see it in the mirror.

    I immediately think, plugged and overheated cats. Drive it to the shop where I bought it, and shut down. talk to the owner a bit, go out, start the car and in park, it revs easily. He's thinking fuel filter.

    I go to start the car again and nothing.... no solenoid.. nada.

    Push it into the shop, on the lift. Underneath, the wires on the starter are loose, the heatshield that came off is the right front, next to the starter.

    Reseat the plug and it fires right up. pull out of the yard and I can squeal the tires. drive the mile an a half home. CEL comes on just as I pull in the driveway.

    Ten minutes later, have to run to the store. runs fine, good power and everything. It's about 5 miles to the store, just before I get there as I slow for a light, I get a hard downshift out of OD. get the CEL and then it goes out.

    On the drive back from the store, it's idling a little rough and acting like it's dropping a cylinder... but randomly.

    I also have to say that earlier in the week, it felt like I had some TC shudder at partial throttle. as of now, it's gone away. Also, I have the digital dash and when coasting, the instant MPG would go up to 80-90 mpg and down to 5 at WOT. average over the week around town has been 18.9

    Now, the mpg when coasting is about 28 and on the throttle (moderately, normal driving) it's about 12-14.

    I haven't pulled the codes (Can't find my damn test light) and I did fine a slightly chafed plug wire where two were rubbing together. I put some dielectric grease on the thin spot.

    One second, it's acting like cats, the next, a plugged fuel filter and the next it's fine.. then it shifts weird. Next step , I'm gonna disconnect the battery and clear the codes to see what it does.

    Any other suggestions other then changing the fuel filter?

    Could it have been the loose wires on the starter solenoid.. not getting enough voltage to the PCM? I'll report back in the morning after I've done the battery disconnect.

    Also bought a can of seafoam but haven't put it in the car yet because I want to wait till I'm ready to change the oil. Would it be okay to throw a third of the can in the gas tank in the meantime?


    Sorry again about the long post.


    Brian
    Last edited by Briglad; 08-21-2009, 10:40 PM.
    sigpic87 LTD Wagon

    #2
    Originally posted by Briglad View Post
    On the drive back from the store, it's idling a little rough and acting like it's dropping a cylinder... but randomly.

    and I did find a slightly chafed plug wire where two were rubbing together. I put some dielectric grease on the thin spot.

    One second, it's acting like cats, the next, a plugged fuel filter and the next it's fine.. then it shifts weird. Next step , I'm gonna disconnect the battery and clear the codes to see what it does.
    I would do a full tune up if the car sat for more than a month. Plugs, wires, air and fuel filters. Seafoam is a good idea, goahead and put it in the tank. If you can pull the codes that would give you a better idea about what's going on, but I think a big part of your problem will be the plug wires.
    1991 LTD P72 351 W Restored Century Police (Ongoing Project) Sergeant Vic.

    It's a dog eat dog world and I'm wearing milk bone underwear.

    Comment


      #3
      My '93 GMQ was experiencing similar issues before it got new plugs, wires, pcv and battery. The CEL never lit up though. Old gas and fuel filter will only lead to tears...
      '79 Continental Town Car
      '90 Crown Victoria LTD
      '94 Crown Victoria

      Comment


        #4
        might be an egr problem........worked on a 93 towny yrs ago with similar problems

        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


          #5
          Update:


          Cleared the codes this morning. Started it up and it seemed to run fine. Idle was a bit lopy but it reved fine. took it for a quick test run. Stalled a couple of times and I had to hold the brake and give it a bit of throttle to keep it running.

          Took it up a long hill (9% grade +) ran great, good power and ran smooth. at the top of the hill when I turned around, it didn't stall. long coast back down... just before I turned off to the house, CEL came on.

          Still running fine. pulled it in the yard and let it idle for a while, no problem.

          Might have gotten a bad tank of gas. I don't usually buy from where I bought the last tank. Put in some more this morning from another station along with 1/3 of a can of Seafoam. I have a 100 mile round trip tomorrow, I'll see how it does on that.


          Brian
          Last edited by Briglad; 08-22-2009, 10:59 AM.
          sigpic87 LTD Wagon

          Comment


            #6
            Clogged EGR channels on the early 4.6 are common and do what you describe. Probably also could stand a tune-up, especially if the wires are original.

            Info on cleaning the EGR channels:

            http://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00015.html
            86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
            5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

            91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

            1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

            Originally posted by phayzer5
            I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

            Comment


              #7
              I think I've narrowed it down to the fuel filter... Maybe.

              Put 2/3 of a can of Seafoam in the gas tank, the other third in the brake booster vac line. couldn't get her to stall out so I shut down.

              Let it sit for the 15 minutes and fired back up. a little smoke in the driveway and then lots when I tromped it. Did a hard pull up one of the local steep hills and it seemed to pull okay but anything above 3/4 throttle didn't do anything and I couldn't really get it to kick down. Got on the interstate and opened it up. Car seemed to run out of steam at about 90 mph. got off the interstate and when coasting, got the CEL again.

              Bottom of the hill, bogged off the light slightly (Also stalled when waiting for the light to change) CEL went off with the throttle open, on when coasting.

              Pulled off the main road onto my street (uphill) and it bogged bad. pulled into the yard and it revved freely and didn't stall at idle in park.

              Still can't pull the codes since #1, I can't find my test light and #2... where the !@##$%# is the plug on a 92 MGM? I knew where it was on my SHO but I can't find it on the Marq.


              Brian
              sigpic87 LTD Wagon

              Comment


                #8
                plug ought to be somewhere on the driver's side fender, probably near the air filter box. Might have a plastic cover on it that says EEC Test or similar.
                86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                Originally posted by phayzer5
                I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                Comment


                  #9
                  Fixed it!!!!

                  And it wasn't the fuel filter. Changed that and it still bogged out stalled at idle and the like.

                  Stopped by the parts store and spoke with the manager (He used to be a Ford Tech at the same dealership I worked for) Handed me a can of MAF cleaner and said try that.

                  Drove home, pulled the MAF out, sprayed the hell out of it, put it back in the car and went for a test drive.

                  There's now a rather nice black mark leading out of my driveway... Like I had a new car. No CEL.

                  All is right with the world.



                  Brian

                  Edit: Found my Damn test light... After the car was running fine again... Figures
                  sigpic87 LTD Wagon

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Update....

                    After ab out 20 miles yesterday, I got the CEL again and it started stalling. Also hard to start. then, Transmission went into what I think is 'Limp Home" mode where it's in second gear.

                    pulled my codes...

                    121
                    123
                    124

                    All Throttle position sensor related.

                    Would this also cause problems with the transmission. Perhaps keeping the car in limp home mode/2nd gear?

                    I checked the fluid and cold, it's just at the bottom of the stick. When I checked it last night, it was very hot since I had driven it in 2nd for several miles to get it home. I took a quick one mile run this morning and got it warm and the fluid was at the bottom of the crosshatch.

                    If this is just the TPS I'll be happy.


                    Brian
                    sigpic87 LTD Wagon

                    Comment


                      #11
                      It was the TPS.... Put in the new one and it drives like a new car right off the lot. according to the digital dash, got as high as 22 mpg on secondary roads (10 mile loop 45 mph or so average) Shifted fine and no more TC shudder

                      Happy again.
                      sigpic87 LTD Wagon

                      Comment


                        #12
                        yes, the TPS is key in the computer's engine and transmission management scheme. Without that it has no clue how hard you're on the throttle, so it doesn't tend to shift at all right.
                        86 Lincoln Town Car (Galactica).
                        5.0 HO, CompCams XE258,Scorpion 1.72 roller rockers, 3.55 K code rear, tow package, BHPerformance ported E7 heads, Tmoss Explorer intake, 65mm throttle body, Hedman 1 5/8" headers, 2.5" dual exhaust, ASP underdrive pulley

                        91 Lincoln Mark VII LSC grandpa spec white and cranberry

                        1984 Lincoln Continental TurboDiesel - rolls coal

                        Originally posted by phayzer5
                        I drive a Lincoln. I can't be bothered to shift like the peasants and rabble rousers

                        Comment

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