1988 Lincoln Town Car

[nfldfordltd]

I'll pressure test it if I can get a tester unit to try. I'm not feeling taking it to a garage at this point, I need my money more than that.
I was going to check for codes but the battery in my code reader is dead. Went to get a 9V battery and the shop never had any left...maybe the battery truck will come to town tomorrow lol..I know it's going to throw a lot of codes as a lot of code-producing apparatus have been eliminated from the car already.
I'll check the plugs tomorrow, I guess I'll see if an injector is stuck open or if it's running too lean by looking at them.

[gadget73]

you can pull codes with a jumper wire if you need to.

http://www.grandmarq.net/oldfuelinjection/page13.html

[nfldfordltd]

I'd have to use a test light to do it that way as my 88 doesn't have the CEL.
I'll be able to do it in about 12 hours once I get finished work and family duty for the day...lol

[nfldfordltd]

Got a battery for my blinky tester today.
The results are: (KOEO)
22 map sensor (new). Car shuts off when it's unplugged from either vacuum or electrical.
63 TPS voltage out of range. Voltmeter test shows 0.9V at closed throttle, ~4.1V at WOT. Needle was smooth throughout movement of throttle. Suspect cause to my brain.
33 EGR closed. Tried with it both hooked up and unhooked, no difference to the way it runs. Test was with it unhooked.
29 VSS. Not sure this would cause the problems I'm having...
KOER test:
94 Air diverter solenoid malfunction. Connected to the thermactor system? if so, that's all gone off the car anyway.
44 Thermactor malfunction. Smog pump and stuff has been disconnected since 2010. Can't see it being a problem now, five years later.
33 EGR inoperative. Same as KOEO test.
74 Brake on/off switch not actuated. BFD IMO LOL.
The thing about the KOER test that made me raise my eyebrows was at the beginning of the test, the tester flashed the same number of times as the number of cylinders in the engine. But, instead of eight flashes, I only got four. Maybe it's only firing on 4 cylinders??
Hopefully my fuel pressure tester will arrive tomorrow so I can focus on that. If that checks out OK, I'm going to focus on ignition. I'll start with pulling individual spark plugs to observe the burn patterns and compare them to each other. Plugs are only about a year old with less than 5,000 miles on them so if there's anything wrong with them, it should have happened since Tuesday when the car started being a dick.
I'm not much of one for complex diagnostics, I like it when simple trouble happens if any at all.

[gadget73]

if you had unplugged the MAP, that'll be why it has 22 as a stored code.
Same with the TPS. This could have been an issue any time between the last time the codes were cleared (or the battery was dead) and today.
33 probably means there is a vacuum problem on the EGR valve. If it doesn't open, it won't cause you running problems. It might fail emissions inspection but thats a different issue.
29 would be why your cruise doesn't work, if it doesn't work. Also not real important. The car does not need this to idle clean.

44/94, smog crap, ignore this
33, see above
74, also BFD


THe blinky thing at the beginning I wouldn't worry about. If it was running on 4, you'd know it.
None of those codes would make me suspect anything in particular. Might be worth trying a cylinder balance test. Once the engine running codes are pulled, goose the throttle. The idle should pick up and you'll hear it get a little rough. It will shut cylinders down one at a time to see which one is working and blink the cylinder number(s) that aren't doing what they should be.

[nfldfordltd]

I'll try that cylinder balance test tomorrow before I do anything else with it. I assume that will tell if injectors are working on certain cylinders as opposed to spark?
Main thing I see is the need to get a good fuel pressure test done. Hopefully that tester kit arrives tomorrow (right now I think the airline has it lost...ugh) so I'll be able to see if the pig is getting enough gas or not.
4.1V of juice at the TPS @ WOT is enough to run it properly you think?
Hope it doesn't rain tomorrow

[gadget73]

it doesn't really know which isn't working. If both injector and spark are working, the cylinder works. If either are not working, then it doesn't work. You're sort of on your own to figure out which it is, or if its a low/no compression thing.


4.1v seems right. It runs off a 5v reference voltage, and the sensors typically do not hit the full 5v.


Just another thought, but wonky spark stuff can do this too. Bad TFI or pickup can have some really non-specific running symptoms though generally they tend to get worse as the engine warms up.

[nfldfordltd]

I read up on the balance test after and learned a lot about what it does. I understand it a lot better now than I did.
My dad sent me a spare TFI that I should have today so I'll try changing that to see if it causes any change in the way it runs. Honestly, it feels a lot like the plug wires are wrong, but they really shouldn't be as they weren't removed since a year ago. There is no difference in symptoms with respect to the temperature of the engine. It's the same broad flat spot regardless if it's hot or cold. Bad PIP should produce a code, no?
In any event, it's a case of hurry up and wait for stuff to arrive so I can diagnose the problem. I have lots of spare parts and tools here, just not what I need as per usual...haha
Oh well, Life in the North.

[nfldfordltd]

Fuel pressure test is done (three times for good measure).
I have 17 lbs at idle and with throttle. No retention of pressure after it's shut down.
Flow seems good, I'm getting about 250 mL (or 1 cup) of fuel at the front end of the inline filter when I run the pump for 10 seconds. Pressure looks like an average water tap running (corroborates the 17 psi at the rail)
There is no external leakage anywhere from the tank to the injectors.
Only places left to look are:
1. Fuel pump (I don't trust made in China crap)
2. Fuel Pressure Regulator (I did unhook and plug the vacuum line to it, never made any difference)
3. Fuel line between the filter and rails (internal obstruction)
Please school me if I'm missing something...

[gadget73]

ok then, thats definitely tells the story.

The only way I could think of to test if its the FPR is to disconnect the return line and plug it to see if the pressure comes up, or feed the return into a container of some sort. If its dumping lots of gas out the return line, then the FPR is not working properly. If you're not getting fuel return, then it has to be pump side.

If it was a restriction in the line, you can power the fuel pump without the engine running and the pressure will slowly come up. In the self-test connector, ground the fuel pump relay trigger wire and turn on the key. The pump will run steady, and with no demand from the engine the pressure will come up if its a clog in the line. Personally, I find this highly unlikely.



I'm going with fuel pump since it doesn't retain pressure. Could be the line in the tank is split too, but it seems to me there is something wrong back in the fire juice can.

[nfldfordltd]

I disconnected the return line and it was dry as a bone. I tried both pumping gas into a can and plugging it to observe higher pressure, the pressure still never rose above 20 psi.
I'm going to get 2 more 5 gallon cans and drain the tank using the continuous pumping method you described and drop the tank to have a look at the pump. May even try my original pump to see if it helps.
So much for this weekend...lol

[nfldfordltd]

So I got it all up and running properly again.
Turns out the Chinese fuel pump was fell apart inside the tank. The hose was just barely onto the steel line where it goes through the pump hanger. So loose in fact, it flicked off while I was pulling the pump from the tank. It had to be drawing air as well as fuel, which acted like a split hose. The rubber boot and fuel pump itself was really loose on the bottom of the hanger as well.
I put the old pump back in for the time being until I can get a new good quality pump as the old one is still a CH low on pressure, like about 30 psi at idle, up to about 33 psi when the gas is goosed. Still runs a lot better than it did though.
Thank Christ that's over.

[gadget73]

it wouldn't have been drawing air, it would have been spraying fuel out around the loose hose. That would definitely make it have low pressure.

[nfldfordltd]

1992 Signature Series armrests

Liking the storage compartments and concealed cup holders already!

[87gtVIC]

nice. That is something I seen eons ago at the yards and always forget to look for them again when I go. I am gonna write it down this time.