Things are going down hill!

[AmpTrooper]

Well, I fixed my seat. It needed repositioned as the guy who owned it before me was well over 300#s and had the seat moved back. I do however, need to cut some of the new seat frame that they built in order to make it shorter as I feel that I am about to stick through the roof.
I also fixed the Drivers side window by putting in a new motor and took car of some missing screws and whatnots that had been left out from the dealership working on it for so many years. Stupid dealerships!
Anywho, I have been fixing all the little minor things like that as everything else is fine. Well, mostly.......

I knew it was going to need a radiator. I fixed the little leak that it had but, I think it was left too long and has done it's damage. I'll probably replace that myself. Radiators are not very hard to install. Famous last words!!!
So the real problem is this:
Last week I started my car in the rain. It started just fine. Then, it shut right back off. I did this several times before finally stomping on the gas and holding it there for a second. Once I did that it stayed running.
But, I noticed that as I was driving it felt as if the car had plenty of power and then just looses just a little bit of power. So you can kind of feel that it is moving fine and then just for maybe a half a second it slows. Doesn't really slow any but it give me the sensation that it is. I figured because of the rain that it was my distributor cap. So, I went to go get a new cap yesterday. Well, the distributor that is on it is not the original one. That sucks and is probably good too. The "super smart guy" at auto zone said that it looks like a high performance distributor and he has no way of telling which one it is.
So, I was going to take the cap off and check as they are usually marked on the inside or around back where I can't see it but then things changed. It was perfectly sunny yesterday and my Mark VI started doing it again. Would start and then shut right back off. I have to hold the gas for a few seconds to get it running. Then today I started it while sitting in my drive and it backfired. Not loud but it did it just as I turned it off. And it was hard to start again. So, i am thinking my distributor is fine and maybe it is something else. I thought timing because of what it is doing when I drive it but, I am not sure. Could be a lot of things and I can't do a lot of work on it because of my leg and hip. SOOOOOO, I have it scheduled to go into the shop! And deal with their wacky pricing and lack of care for my car. IF THERE IS ONE SPOT ON MY WHITE LEATHER!!!!!!!
That is unless any of y'all have an idea and it is something I can fix.
Please help before I end up trading her in for that magical Continental on Craig's List!

I know I should have posted this in the "Other" area for older Lincolns but, I figured it wouldn't get much notice there and I need help ASAP as this is my daily driver and it is scheduled for the shop on Thursday at 11am. If, it needs to be moved because it is not a Mark VIII then I fully understand.

 

[tixer]

It sounds to me like the timing may be off. at the base of the distributor is a clamp with a single bolt that keeps the timing. I'm wondering it it was just loose enough to allow the distributor to shift slightly.

alternatively, is your car new enough to have Ford's solid state ignition module? If you see the part pictured below mounted directly below the distributor, you do.

If that part says "Motocraft" on it, replace it. they fail at random, somewhere between 60 and 120k miles.
Usually they prevent the engine from running entirely, but I had one behave similarly to yours. (I've replaced it three times, on my '86)

They require a "special" tool to remove, but aside from that, they aren't a bad job.

 

[driller]

I thought timing because of what it is doing when I drive it but, I am not sure.

Old school timing light would surely indicate any timing issues with the distributor.

If it did have the early solid state ignition module, that could be it also as I have replaced them frequently back in the day.

 

[billcu]

+2 on that module, I forget what they're called, but I had to replace one on a pick up once.

If it's not that, you'll have a spare.

Sorry, it's off to the right forum with this thread now. We're Lincoln people, we read all these posts anyway.

We need this in the right forum for future searches and users.

 

[AmpTrooper]

That is fine. I figured it would get moved after I posted it. Fully understandable!

Well, i can't find anything that looks like that module except for something that is attached to the carb and I know that can't be what your talking about.

You know, I thought about this and just because I take it to the shop and have them do a diag to it (89$) does not mean I have to let them fix it! If it is something that I can do with my disability then heck, I'll use the info and from the diag and fix it myself. Don't think I would be able to stay bent over like that long enough to do a bunch of timing stuff. Either way, I really love my car and I get told everywhere I go that they have not seen one of that platform in such nice and original shape. I enjoy that other people enjoy the car as well and want to do anything I can to preserve that and keep this car in tip top shape. I was however wanting to put the money into getting some bigger white wall tires and professionally having the paint touched up. But, what are the looks without the engine!
Still, I agree with y'all. I think it has something to do with timing. Just seams to fit the symptoms.

 

[tixer]

Here's what mine looks like. never mind that I have the newer engine, I'm pretty sure that my old '85 that had Throttle Body fuel injection still had one of these "ignition modules" also. Yours is just a bit older yet though, so if it doesn't have one of these, it'll probably have an ignition coil somewhere.

No making fun of the dirty engine. 332,000 miles.

 

[AmpTrooper]

Dirty engine, Dirty engine, you've got a dirty engine! :laugh: :laugh:

Yeah, my engine looks nothing like that except for the block.
I have the carb with the big air filter and all. My distrib. area looks nothing like that either. I'll try to get a picture today.

 

[tixer]

I'll get out the scrub brush over lunch...

here's the slightly older version that I've stolen from some random person's cardomain website. (thanks, dude!) The ignition module is again outlined in red.

so if yours looks entirely different from this one, I'm going to go back to the "slipped timing" argument.

Also, the Windows 7 "snipping tool" is the best thing ever.

 

[XLRVIII]

TFI Module is what it is called.

They frequently die due to heat.

 

[SCTBIRD1173]

It's been awhile since I've had an older Ford but I thought with carbureted engines you didn't have a TFI module just a Duraspark box, usually mounted to the inner fender well area. It looks like this:

 

[AmpTrooper]

Thanks for posting that picture! That is my engine but, the distributor has been replaced with a high performance and it looks more like something that comes off of an old Chevy truck or something. I was going to get a picture today but today was not a good day for pain for me. No sleep last night and I have a blister on my residual limb. Not fun at all.
There is a new development with the car though. I drove the kids today to the dentist and my wife to the mall (that cost me almost $400!). We had the windows down and kept smelling what my wife called a fish smell and I thought it smelled like a nursing home. It was neither. It IS my engine! What the heck would cause that?! I am at a loss now.

 

[tixer]

do you have any friends who would put a fish on the intake manifold when you weren't looking?

it's a classic..

 

[budpytko]

Do you have a cat on that car? Sounds maybe like it's giving you THAT smell and could also be the reason for your other problem too.

 

[psychostang]

If you have rotten egg smell, you either have a very rich mixture or the catalytic converter is clogged.

 

[AmpTrooper]

I hope it is nothing more then a catalytic converter! We do not have to pass any emissions test here so I can just knock that filter out and be good to go! Better then spending a small fortune replacing it. Besides, the engine will breath better without it.
You know, come to think about it, I was given a 82 Honda Accord about 8 years ago. The guy said I could have it cuz it didn't run and he (being the head tech at the Honda Dealership) could not get it running at all. It has similar problems. It wouldn't start at all at first. I had to rebuild the carb as it was shot. After that and doing all the normal stuff like filters and spark and so on. It would start and sometimes run but most of the time it would shut off soon after I got it started. I kept going over things in my head. Reminding myself on the process of an engine running and the only thing I had not tackled was the exhaust. First thing there is the converter. So, looking up how much that would cost I decided on a drill and a 1 inch paddle/hole drill bit! Messed the drill bit up pretty good but got all of the carbon filter out of there and I turned around the next week and sold that well running Honda for $1,500.00. Still, it is a lot of work either way for me to do but, I think I can handle laying under the car better the leaning over the hood for long. I think I am still going to let the shop run the diag. That will tell me everything that is wrong and I can decide what to do then.
I will know tomorrow.
I hope there is not much because I really want the wide white wall tires!

 

[AmpTrooper]

So, two things. First I could not take my car in because, as I got my son into the bar he looked at me and said "I think I have that feeling! I may need to...!'
I said "GET OUT GET OT GET OUT!!!!!!!!!" He JUST made made it! So close!!!
Sucks he got sick but, I am glad that it didn't end up in my car either!
Poor kid has been sick for 2 days now.

Second, I changed my wife's spark plugs in her car. The same shop I was about to take my car too just did a diag to her car a few days ago. You know how new cars have the big plastic engine covers, well, they lost a bolt to the main on and then they cross threaded two others and just left it loose! They also, said that the intake gasket (easy fix) was leaking pretty bad. So, I took a look and noticed that there were marks on the bolts as if someone had removed them. Sure enough, they were loose! VERY loose! I don't play that kind of a game. I tighten them back down. So, here is my thought. If they are not going to do things right and not have respect for their customers and their cars then there is no way they are going to touch my car. I really enjoy my ride and plan on keeping it till I die and I want to be driving it too.
The shop is Firestone Auto Service. Their tires suck and so does their work!
I have decided to follow up with the custom car shop down the road. I may have to pay a little more but, they have a great rep and are known for their work on classic and custom cars. I think they would look at my car and understand that I am love my car and am trying to care for it the best I can where I think Firestone would be getting in and out of my white leather with dirty hands and not put the protector on the fender when they lean over my white pearl paint. I just don't think Firestone cares and the custom shop will.
I think I am going to try to disconnect the cat. converter and see it that is the issue. There is definitely a smell sometimes ti smells like nasty burnt oil and other times it just has an old kind of smell (for lack of better words).

 

[tixer]

wow. that shop sounds seriously shady. A shame, too. Back when I lived in small-town Wisconsin, the Firestone shop was genuinely top-notch. everyone there knew their stuff, and I don't think any of their techs were younger than 20. They took very good care of my Mark until I moved to where I am now.

this is the second time your custom car shop has come up. they sound like the right place to go. Are they the sort of folks to give you a consult? I wouldn't be entirely surprised.

 

[SCTBIRD1173]

Reminds me of a recent conversation with my cousin, a Senior Master Technician for Ford. Asked him how he can work in an industry that 98% of people are careless HACKS...

I could NEVER trust my cars (or house) to anyone else. Why is it that no one takes pride in their work anymore? As much as I love doing all my own work sometimes I'd LOVE to pay someone to do a job as good as I can so I can have just a bit of free time...

Good luck to you Amp!

 

[AmpTrooper]

I finally took my car to the custom shop. They deal with classic cars and are familiar with working on cars like mine. Heck, they had a Cobra on the lift while I was there! Not sure if it was real but it was getting fully redone. I see pretty nice classics out there all the time. So, hopefully they will get it all taken care of. I should hear something back tomorrow. I hope it is something simple.

 

[driller]

Good luck! :thumbsup: