BillThunderbolt
New LVC Member
I need help and hope someone here can provide it.
Or point me in the right direction.
In order to give the proper background I will have to bore you with the entire details, hopefully someone will have patience and lend a hand.
Here is my story:
I purchased a non-running 9/92 Town Car Cartier with 200,000+ miles for $200.00.
The car is in decent cosmetic shape so I decided to fix her up.
I got it started and found blown head gaskets, thereby starting my repairs.
1. Installed 68,000 mile engine from 1998 Mustang GT, using only the long block.
2. Install 1993 Mark VIII electric fan & new radiator, removing mechanical fan.
3. Changed clock spring to repair non-working horn and hopefully fix flashing air bag light.
4. Drove car for a couple of thousand miles with "check engine light" from an EGR code, and the air bag light still flashing and a door ajar light staying on. Everything else worked fine except once or twice the brake pedal would literally push up on my foot while braking moderately, jamming the brakes hard all by itself.
5. One night while driving car home from work (head lights on, a/c, and radio playing) I experienced a loss of power. First I had a beeping noise from the climate control area and the a/c shut down, than I lost the cluster lights and I figured I was at a complete battery discharge condition. (Battery light never came on though). I turned off the headlights, and was able to slowly drive the car to the nearest off ramp (I was on the highway). I coasted to a stop, had someone pick me up, and returned with a fresh battery 30 minutes later.
6. Installed brand new battery and drove home. By the time I made it the few miles to my home, the battery was discharging again.
7. Did voltage check and alternator was working okay, but had a crack in the case. Just for good measure, I replaced the alternator.
8. After replacing alternator started the car and the digital cluster, climate controls and radio would not work. After a few minutes of running they came on all by themselves. I shut the car off and restarted it several times to try and reproduce this condition. Finally they would not come on at all.
9. Found and replaced blown 15 amp fuse in under dash fuse box and fuse in the back of my aftermarket stereo and both worked fine.
10. Tried to start car the next day and the cluster and climate controls would not work again, the radio was okay. Fuses under dash were okay, so I checked the under hood power distribution box. I jiggled it and the car shut off. I noticed that the fusible link going to the black/orange wire connected to the power distribution block looked corroded. I touched it and it fell apart in my hand.
11. Replaced fusible link and re-did battery cables as well.
12. Car would not start.
13. The stud from the power distribution center was bent and there was a small crack in the plastic in this area. I took the power distribution center apart and looked under it for problems. I found the main power strip was somewhat bent. I bent it back into position and it seemed fine.
14. Than I noticed something I thought was completely wrong. Someone had striped away (mid wire) the insulation from two of the wires under this box and jumped them together. The insulation was merely cut away and a jumper wire wrapped around the exposed areas and than tied off to itself at both ends. This wire was loose and there was evidence of corrosion at each end (the wire was an insulated wire except for the ends) The circuit that was jumped was an orange/yellow wire that comes out of the harness and goes to the 30 position on the anti-lock brake relay to the black/orange wire that gets power fed to it from fused side of the 50 amp (red) fuse in the power distribution box.
15. I removed this wire and the car would not start.
16. I placed another jumper wire in place and the car started and ran, alternator charged, cluster and climate controls worked fine etc. I disconnected the jumper while the car was running and it stayed running and everything worked fine. I shut the car off, it restarted and ran fine. I tried it a couple of more times and than it would not start. I jumped the wire, it started and ran, disconnected it and it stayed running again.
17. Wanting to correct this problem by driving the car to a shop I decided to do the following: I shut the car off, reassembled the power distribution box and ran a jumper wire on top from the power side of the 50 amp red fuse to the 30 position of the anti-lock brake relay (the same locations as before but on top connecting to the blades of each item) The 50 amp fuse immediately blew.
18. After replacing the 50 amp fuse I tried starting the car, no luck. I jumped the two circuits again using a simply test light (the test light bulb came on as well), tried the ignition, and the car started right up. I took off the test light, and the car kept running.
19. I shut the car off and ever since that I have been unable to get it to start again, no matter what I try to do. Nothing I had done previously will work.
20. My current condition is: The previously jumped wire cannot be jumped without popping the 50 amp fuse. Trying to jump the circuit with the test light results in the test light coming on, but the car not starting.
With the car locked and turned off it takes quite a while for the anti-theft light to go out. I have not had the patience to watch it for longer than a few minutes, but after leaving the car a while it is out upon my return.
When opening the door with the key fob switch, the anti-theft light flashes. I insert the key into the ignition and put the car to the "run" position without trying to start it and the power antenna extends, the anti-theft light goes out completely and I have power to my aftermarket radio, but no power to the digital cluster or climate control.
When trying to start the car with the key, the radio turns off, the antenna retracts and the anti-theft light flashes with no engagement of the starter.
The battery is brand new, putting out 12 volts, 100% charged and there is no difference if I try to jump start in addition to the battery.
The actual ignition cylinder where you insert the key is loose and can be moved independently of the internal mechanism, but the car has been like this the entire time I've owned it.
I'm sorry this has been so lengthy, but I wanted to explain this in it's entirety in an attempt to get help.
I am clueless at this point and I really do not know of a capable shop that will not charge me 100's of dollars to start tracing and changing parts.
Anyone.........Help please..................
Or point me in the right direction.
In order to give the proper background I will have to bore you with the entire details, hopefully someone will have patience and lend a hand.
Here is my story:
I purchased a non-running 9/92 Town Car Cartier with 200,000+ miles for $200.00.
The car is in decent cosmetic shape so I decided to fix her up.
I got it started and found blown head gaskets, thereby starting my repairs.
1. Installed 68,000 mile engine from 1998 Mustang GT, using only the long block.
2. Install 1993 Mark VIII electric fan & new radiator, removing mechanical fan.
3. Changed clock spring to repair non-working horn and hopefully fix flashing air bag light.
4. Drove car for a couple of thousand miles with "check engine light" from an EGR code, and the air bag light still flashing and a door ajar light staying on. Everything else worked fine except once or twice the brake pedal would literally push up on my foot while braking moderately, jamming the brakes hard all by itself.
5. One night while driving car home from work (head lights on, a/c, and radio playing) I experienced a loss of power. First I had a beeping noise from the climate control area and the a/c shut down, than I lost the cluster lights and I figured I was at a complete battery discharge condition. (Battery light never came on though). I turned off the headlights, and was able to slowly drive the car to the nearest off ramp (I was on the highway). I coasted to a stop, had someone pick me up, and returned with a fresh battery 30 minutes later.
6. Installed brand new battery and drove home. By the time I made it the few miles to my home, the battery was discharging again.
7. Did voltage check and alternator was working okay, but had a crack in the case. Just for good measure, I replaced the alternator.
8. After replacing alternator started the car and the digital cluster, climate controls and radio would not work. After a few minutes of running they came on all by themselves. I shut the car off and restarted it several times to try and reproduce this condition. Finally they would not come on at all.
9. Found and replaced blown 15 amp fuse in under dash fuse box and fuse in the back of my aftermarket stereo and both worked fine.
10. Tried to start car the next day and the cluster and climate controls would not work again, the radio was okay. Fuses under dash were okay, so I checked the under hood power distribution box. I jiggled it and the car shut off. I noticed that the fusible link going to the black/orange wire connected to the power distribution block looked corroded. I touched it and it fell apart in my hand.
11. Replaced fusible link and re-did battery cables as well.
12. Car would not start.
13. The stud from the power distribution center was bent and there was a small crack in the plastic in this area. I took the power distribution center apart and looked under it for problems. I found the main power strip was somewhat bent. I bent it back into position and it seemed fine.
14. Than I noticed something I thought was completely wrong. Someone had striped away (mid wire) the insulation from two of the wires under this box and jumped them together. The insulation was merely cut away and a jumper wire wrapped around the exposed areas and than tied off to itself at both ends. This wire was loose and there was evidence of corrosion at each end (the wire was an insulated wire except for the ends) The circuit that was jumped was an orange/yellow wire that comes out of the harness and goes to the 30 position on the anti-lock brake relay to the black/orange wire that gets power fed to it from fused side of the 50 amp (red) fuse in the power distribution box.
15. I removed this wire and the car would not start.
16. I placed another jumper wire in place and the car started and ran, alternator charged, cluster and climate controls worked fine etc. I disconnected the jumper while the car was running and it stayed running and everything worked fine. I shut the car off, it restarted and ran fine. I tried it a couple of more times and than it would not start. I jumped the wire, it started and ran, disconnected it and it stayed running again.
17. Wanting to correct this problem by driving the car to a shop I decided to do the following: I shut the car off, reassembled the power distribution box and ran a jumper wire on top from the power side of the 50 amp red fuse to the 30 position of the anti-lock brake relay (the same locations as before but on top connecting to the blades of each item) The 50 amp fuse immediately blew.
18. After replacing the 50 amp fuse I tried starting the car, no luck. I jumped the two circuits again using a simply test light (the test light bulb came on as well), tried the ignition, and the car started right up. I took off the test light, and the car kept running.
19. I shut the car off and ever since that I have been unable to get it to start again, no matter what I try to do. Nothing I had done previously will work.
20. My current condition is: The previously jumped wire cannot be jumped without popping the 50 amp fuse. Trying to jump the circuit with the test light results in the test light coming on, but the car not starting.
With the car locked and turned off it takes quite a while for the anti-theft light to go out. I have not had the patience to watch it for longer than a few minutes, but after leaving the car a while it is out upon my return.
When opening the door with the key fob switch, the anti-theft light flashes. I insert the key into the ignition and put the car to the "run" position without trying to start it and the power antenna extends, the anti-theft light goes out completely and I have power to my aftermarket radio, but no power to the digital cluster or climate control.
When trying to start the car with the key, the radio turns off, the antenna retracts and the anti-theft light flashes with no engagement of the starter.
The battery is brand new, putting out 12 volts, 100% charged and there is no difference if I try to jump start in addition to the battery.
The actual ignition cylinder where you insert the key is loose and can be moved independently of the internal mechanism, but the car has been like this the entire time I've owned it.
I'm sorry this has been so lengthy, but I wanted to explain this in it's entirety in an attempt to get help.
I am clueless at this point and I really do not know of a capable shop that will not charge me 100's of dollars to start tracing and changing parts.
Anyone.........Help please..................