some help with a 1988 crown victoria

R

richard j

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Apr 1, 2007
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my friends mother has a 1988 ford crown victoria. it starts and runs in neutral. it will not start in park, it acts like the timing is off. it will start in neutral but will die if put in reverse. it will stay running but roughly if put in od, d but will die when put in 1st. the throttle valve cable clip broke and it was replaced. what else could be wrong to cause these problems? could the torque converter be locked possibly? is there any sensors that need reset? any help would be appreciated. thanks.
 
I don't think that there is much interaction between the on board computer and the transmission on the earlier models.Never the less,you could try unhooking the battery cables for about 5 minutes,that will clear the computer and then see if it acts any different.When you say"it seems like timing" when you try to start it in park,what is it doing,backfiring,just cranking?If it starts ok in neutral,the timing should be ok,just shifting to park has no affect on timing.I've never had a torque converter "lock up",I don't think that would be it.Has the car sat broke down for a long period of time?
 
They had computer chips in the '88 crown victoria? I thought GM was the first to put them in cars in '91 or '92.
I wouldnt think the timing was messed up when it starts fine in neutral either.

Peter
 
When you start it does it rev up ok in neutral? If it only stalls out in gear I would check the vacuum modulator valves, not sure might be two, one on top by the carb and another at the transmission.
 
we unhooked the battery overnight the night before last. it runs in neutral but not the smoothest. when trying to start it in park it jumps around like crazy but never fires up. it only starts in neutral but dies when put in reverse or low. he is going to try a new neutral safety switch today i think. we were just wondering if there was some button on something somewhere that needed pushed or something else that needed to be unhooked for a few seconds.
 
Sounds a lot like timing to me. Runs fine untill you out a load on it, then stalls. I had a 88 extended cab s-10(my first truck) and it did the same thing. It was timing. :cool:
 
I think we just had to twist the cap on the thingy ma jig to get it back on. :D
 
stockman242 said:
They had computer chips in the '88 crown victoria? I thought GM was the first to put them in cars in '91 or '92.
I wouldnt think the timing was messed up when it starts fine in neutral either.

Peter
Click to expand...

GM had an early on board diagnostic system on 82 Corvettes and Camaro's,the Zs for sure but I think the TBI cars had it also.Ford had it for sure on '87 Mustangs but I'm not sure what other models had it.
 
richard j said:
we unhooked the battery overnight the night before last. it runs in neutral but not the smoothest. when trying to start it in park it jumps around like crazy but never fires up. it only starts in neutral but dies when put in reverse or low. he is going to try a new neutral safety switch today i think. we were just wondering if there was some button on something somewhere that needed pushed or something else that needed to be unhooked for a few seconds.
Click to expand...

I don't know of anything else to try,it almost sounds like it's trying to start in gear but if neutral is in the right spot that doesn't seem likely.
 
There's been computers in cars since the mid-70's...

Anyways, it isn't a transmission problem, it's an engine problem, probably ignition related. Check the usual parts (plugs, timing, etc).

Then again, it's a 20 year old Ford and may not be feasible to fix.

-dan
 
in the book it says something about the torque converter clutch being locked but nothing about how to unlock it. it runs too good for the timing to be off or messed up when its warmed up. getting the clutch unlocked would fix the problem possibly. thanks for the help guys. keep the suggestions coming.
 
If it is a problem with the torque converter,it's probably going to have to come out.I'm not much help on automatics,I hate working on them and usually just replace them with one from a junkyard when I do have trouble with one.
 
The only other thing that I can think of and I don't think it would hurt to try,if you take the inspection cover off,give the torque converter a couple whacks with a decent size hammer,or a wood block would probably be even better.If it is clutches in the converter locked,it might jar them loose.Whack it a couple times,then turn the engine over a couple times and then give it a couple whacks on another side.If that doesn't work,I think your probably looking at removing it to fix it right.
 
the torque converter should be good. the throttle valve cable clip broke. thats when the trouble started. the torque converter clutch is locked and it needs to be unlocked. at least thats what the book said the problem could be.
 
dano said:
There's been computers in cars since the mid-70's...

Anyways, it isn't a transmission problem, it's an engine problem, probably ignition related. Check the usual parts (plugs, timing, etc).

Then again, it's a 20 year old Ford and may not be feasible to fix.

-dan
Click to expand...

I don't think most cars actually had computers in the 70s,maybe high end cars,American cars started with emmisions systems and electronic ignition and some systems for monitoring engine performance but nothing that actually changed the timing and fuel intake as the car was driven.That started when they started with fuel injection.
 
+1 on that mongo. i asked his dad last night if he knew what ford stood for besides the ones i could post here and he laughed and said yes. i'm a chevy or gm fan myself.
 
i dont think any cars had computers in the '70s FWIW. in fact i'll go so far as to say no they did not.

now an '88 is gonna have one though.
 
Sounds like there are multiple problems. Sounds alot like a 72 Chrysler I had.

Is it fuel injected? Sounds liek injector clogging or if carbed like jet clogging or choke problems. Also sounds like ignition problem as mentioned.
 
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