2002 Lincoln LS - Won't start

Lol, if only I had much of a choice. My parents bought a few used cars at an auction but my siblings kinda claimed all but the Lincoln
 
Darwin tools ... what happens when I .... :eek:
 
Lol! I didn't like the other cars. I really do want to get this one fixed up though because I like most aspects of it
 
Right on. It's a love hate relationship with limited parts.
For now, try and get that battery out and on a charger, clean up the terminal connections and try again.
If it starts but runs flat again a day or so later, it's the charging system next to look at.
These Lincoln LS'es are very much known for needing batteries and alternators. One takes out the other. Sometime a brand new OEM battery solves the issue. The LS does not like it when the battery is weak. Too finicky. On board electronics need to see a steady regulated voltage at all times. It'll do weird things if not.
 
Will do. Thank you everyone for your input. I'll likely do as much as I can tomorrow and update this as needed
 
Yeah I just went through this today with one of mine. Had another already charged OEM battery handy, swapped the two. Sat too long, buried under snow and ice. Not driven enough. Supposed to be a spare ready to go LS for my wife if issues with her own while I'm gone at work each week.

Not much good leaving her a no start as a spare.
We get butt f*ck minus stupid overnights here in Canada, so a bit too frosty some mornings.





.
 
Easy way to test alternator:
1. At night, with engine not running, parked in front of a garage door or wall, turn on the headlights and note their brightness.
2. Start engine.
3. If the headlights are brighter, your alternator is working.

Easy way to test battery:
1. Get a cheap voltmeter and hook it up to the battery so you can see it while cranking the engine. If the voltage drops below 10V while cranking, it's no good. [Pulling the fuel pump relay will allow longer crank times and more accurate results.]
 
Well the thing is, both of those options won't work at all without a jump or without first charging the battery. (Lights and cranking it)
 
Michael04 said:
Well the thing is, both of those options won't work at all without a jump or without first charging the battery. (Lights and cranking it)
Click to expand...

And this tells you (assuming that the post clamps are tight on the battery and not too corroded) that you need a new battery at the very least. Your Ford dealer probably has the lowest cost battery that will fit. Some auto stores will also have the correct battery, but many may try to sell you an incorrect one that will fit, but will be unsafe.

It could be that your battery is your only problem, or it could be that you have a bad parasitic drain and/or failed alternator (the alternator could even be the source of the parasitic drain). It's important to find and eliminate either of these two problems that you may have, because they could kill the new battery in a day or two.
 
you would need to know the exact model number to know if its "correct" or not.

the easiest way to tell if it is for sure the wrong (and dangerous) battery is if looking at it, it does not have an air tube connected between it and the rear bumper
 
1LoudLS said:
...the easiest way to tell if it is for sure the wrong (and dangerous) battery is if looking at it, it does not have an air tube connected between it and the rear bumper
Click to expand...
Or if it does have the vent connected, but also has another vent on the other side that isn't plugged off.
 
A quick search for group size 66 batteries seems to indicate that the dealer is still the lowest cost.
 
Can you post a picture of the battery (installed in your trunk)?
 
IMG_1189.JPG

IMG_1190.JPG
 
Michael04 said:
Noted. The battery in the car is a "Napa Legend." Any idea if that's the correct type?
Click to expand...


Although a battery, potentially not the correct one for this car.
For safety reasons because the battery is inside the car in the trunk, it must vent to the outside.
At the Negative terminal there should be a nipple where the vent tube is slid onto.

33646-62dd8c43677321396b0967bc130b75b3.jpg


Call your local Ford Lincoln dealership,
tell them you'd appreciate a good deal, their best cash price on the correct OEM battery.



... on a separate note: Don't ever do this !!!



Don't cut into the highest AMP'ed wire from the battery to the starter. Very silly !!!

instead,
1) Key for trunk is same key as doors and ignition. Trunk mechanical lock, doesn't need power.
2) There is a positive terminal post under the passenger side wheel well.
3) Could always plug 12V into the cig lighter, enough to pop the trunk.
4) Could always fiddle a screw driver in the rear seat locking mechanism and pop it.
 
Michael04 said:
Unless I'm mistaken, it seems like the battery I have has that tube
Click to expand...

Technically not the right battery, but it is close, and may be close enough. You do have the vent connected, which is good. The only concern left is that it looks like it is a group size 65N, instead of the called for group size 66. The difference between a 66 and a 65 is that the 65 has two vent connections. If both of those connect internally, then you could just plug off the unused one and be good to go. If they don't connect, then you would have to tee in another vent line to the other connection. (They probably do connect, but I would want to be sure.) I don't know what the difference is with the 65N.

Anyway, is there an open tube connection near the positive post, like the one at the negative post?

I think this is fairly moot, unless you are set on replacing it with another Napa battery.
 
Michael04 said:
I'm not seeing a second tube type thing near the positive
Click to expand...
So, the current battery is (or was) probably safe. The thing is that it has been run down to very low voltage (well below the minimum threshold) several times. That has done damage to the battery. If you were to find and fix the other problem(s) and tried to keep this battery, it would kill the alternator.

While we are one the alternator subject, you have a 1st gen LS, so you really can't use an aftermarket alternator, if it does need to be replaced.
 
So I most definitely need a new battery. And I need to find the problem that killed this battery to begin with. From what I gather here that problem could be poor wire connections to the battery, bad alternator, or some random appliance drawing power when the car was out of use?
 
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