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    broke down. what to check first?

    Riding along in my '87 mgm, and after buying gas and groceries, it shuts down. I coasted to a stop, counted to 10, and cranked. Nothing. What should I check first? Should I let it cool down for a few hours? I'm visiting Mom, so my only diagnostic tool is a spark indicator. Perhaps I should buy some ether.
    1987 Grand Marquis LS two door, trying to get to the 60,000 mile mark.

    #2
    Check simple stuff. Coil connection. Got gas?


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    2000 Grand Marquis LS
    2000 F150 XLT 6 inches of lift.
    1987 Bill Blass Mark VII - Sold
    1985 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park- SOLD. to a little old lady
    Mercury Owners Group member
    Save The Whales, Restore an Old Station Wagon!!

    Comment


      #3
      I'm far from an expert but I'll do what I can to help. I'd guess that you lost fuel or spark, you just have to find out which one and why.

      Originally posted by jim View Post
      I coasted to a stop, counted to 10, and cranked. Nothing.
      What exactly do you mean by nothing? Does it literally do absolutely nothing, or does it crank but just not fire up?
      Do you still have electric in your car? Like lights, stereo, and shit? If so, I believe that would rule out battery/charging problems. But if not I would start with a visual inspection of the battery and alternator cables and connections, maybe even take your battery to a parts store to see if it's dead (if possible). How hot was it when the vehicle shut off? Maybe it's some kind of "thermal lockout", or whatever it's called, of the TFI module... I dunno.

      If you have electric, put the key in and turn it to the on position (before starting) and see if you can hear the fuel pump kick on. You're problem could be fuel related...

      One morning I got into my car to go to work, pulled out of my complex, and boom, the car died (still had electric though) After some help from the forums here, I was lead to the fuel pump relay as a possible culprit. I replaced that and it fixed the problem. I don't know if that's the same as your situation, but it's the first thing that came to mind.

      Best of luck to you!

      Comment


        #4
        Tfi module. Good possibility


        Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
        2000 Grand Marquis LS
        2000 F150 XLT 6 inches of lift.
        1987 Bill Blass Mark VII - Sold
        1985 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park- SOLD. to a little old lady
        Mercury Owners Group member
        Save The Whales, Restore an Old Station Wagon!!

        Comment


          #5
          You said you got gas, is it possible you got a tank of bad gas? When you turn the ignition on do you hear the fuel pump prime? I don't know much about 302s but if there is a pressure relief valve on the fuel rail try pushing it and see if fuel squirts out. That will at least tell you that you got fuel at the rails. To check for spark, pull one of the plug wires off and hold it next to ground and see if you get spark as someone cranks.
          Last edited by Mr Bean; 07-04-2015, 09:22 PM.

          Comment


            #6
            If the engine turns over but won't start when hot, thats typical TFI failure mode. If it starts again once it cools off, its either TFI or the pickup in the distributor. Both can die in the same way and with the same symptoms. You'd also see no spark if this happens. They don't always come back when cold either. The one I had go bad just shut off clean and that was it.

            If its bad gas, a honk of starter fluid in the throttle body will make it run for a couple seconds.
            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
              Yes. A TFI left me stranded once too. Need a special tool too.


              Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
              2000 Grand Marquis LS
              2000 F150 XLT 6 inches of lift.
              1987 Bill Blass Mark VII - Sold
              1985 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park- SOLD. to a little old lady
              Mercury Owners Group member
              Save The Whales, Restore an Old Station Wagon!!

              Comment


                #8
                Gentlemen, thanks for the replies. After sitting from 4:30pm to 10:00pm, electrics are strong, and cranking was vigorous. "Nothing" means nary an indication of a cylinder firing. A inductive spark test on one wire shows none. My time was limited tonight. I'll revisit in the morning. I'll then listen for the fuel pump at run, before start.
                85MP, I'm unfamiliar with TFI failure. What tool is needed? Some nearby parts stores offer loaner tools. I hope one of them is open Sunday.
                1987 Grand Marquis LS two door, trying to get to the 60,000 mile mark.

                Comment


                  #9
                  Most store probably sell it. It has a small socket, on one side. Be sure to REALLY clean the dizzy part the TFI mounts to and apply thermal paste (like the stuff used on computer CPU's)! I think it is a 5.5mm hex socket but someone here can confirm. 7/32" socket should also work but getting to both screws may be interesting. You may have to pull the dizzy to install. What year/model are we talking about??


                  "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

                  "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

                  "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Just ask for a TFI tool at the parts store. Depending on your distributor position sometimes you can turn enough to get to it sometimes it has to come out


                    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
                    2000 Grand Marquis LS
                    2000 F150 XLT 6 inches of lift.
                    1987 Bill Blass Mark VII - Sold
                    1985 Mercury Grand Marquis Colony Park- SOLD. to a little old lady
                    Mercury Owners Group member
                    Save The Whales, Restore an Old Station Wagon!!

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I'd honestly just buy one. The last one I bought was like 10 bucks. For that much you can just chuck it in the glovebox and know you'll never need it again.
                      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


                        #12
                        Miamibob, I have a 1987 Grand Marquis LS, with a 302 cid engine.
                        Last edited by jim; 07-05-2015, 12:11 AM. Reason: typo
                        1987 Grand Marquis LS two door, trying to get to the 60,000 mile mark.

                        Comment


                          #13
                          If the TFI is the problem some 7/32 sockets will fit into the holes where the TFI bolts are but many have too wide of sidewalls so getting the tool might be your only option if you can't find a socket that will fit.
                          Also, to remove the TFI you may need to turn the distributor or even remove it, depending on its orientation, to get at the TFI bolts. If you do, make sure to mark where the rotor is pointing before you move or remove the distributor. If you remove the distributor, when you put it back in if you have the rotor pointing to the mark you made (before removing it) the rotor will turn as you drop the distributor in and you will end up being one tooth off. If that happens just take note of what way the rotor turned then point the rotor just before the mark so that when it turns while dropping it will end up right on the tooth.

                          Make sure you don't have spark before messing with TFI/distributor. If you have spark, and the fuel pump primes when you turn the key on, then check the fuel pressure, even without a gauge you should be able to tell at the schrader valve on the fuel rail if it is very low, however you may not be able to tell if it is marginally low.
                          Last edited by VicCrownVic; 07-05-2015, 12:40 AM.
                          Vic

                          ~ 1989 MGM LS Colony Park - Large Marge
                          ~ 1998 MGM LS - new DD
                          ~ 1991 MGM LS "The Scab"
                          ~ 1991 MGM GS "The Ice Car"

                          Comment


                            #14
                            O'Reillys sells a TFI tool if I remember right...

                            I was going to say check your fuel pump and eec relay - but if no spark-time to check TFI and coil.
                            -Nick M.
                            Columbia, SC

                            66 Squire, 89 Colony Park, 90 TC, 03 TC, 06 TC, 07 TC (2x)
                            03 BMW 540iT, 07 Toyota Tundra SR5 Dbl Cab/5.7 2WD

                            Comment


                              #15
                              Here are some samples of one would look like:

                              Click image for larger version

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                              "Hope and dignity are two things NO ONE can take away from you - you have to relinquish them on your own" Miamibob

                              "NEVER trade your passion for glory"!! Sal "the Bard" (Dear Old Dad!)

                              "Cars are for driving - PERIOD! I DON'T TEXT, TWEET OR TWERK!!!!"

                              Comment

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