1989 Lincoln Town Car 5.0 302 V8 from North America

Summary:

Geeez what a fine automobile!

Faults:

Alternator, coolant temp sensor, alternator wire harness, exhaust.

General Comments:

I love my Town Car. No other car in the world is as beautiful as this car. When you pull up in this car you get noticed. What a class act!

I bought this car for $550.00. It was filthy and missing some cosmetic parts! After much shampooing, compounding, ebaying and adding new thick white wall tires, this car looks like it just rolled off the line. I had 3 people make offers to buy this car from me, but I would never sell it.

To get this car running, I needed to replace the alternator. Thought I had it fixed until it broke down in the drive through line at Taco Bell... very embarrassing. Turns out a wire was damaged underneath the insulation of the alternator harness, and the car was only running on the battery.

I was also having trouble with the check engine light coming on a cold start. After learning how to get the code out of the OBD 1 system, I put a new coolant temp sensor in and the car now runs like a top. God bless the over the counter Haynes manual!!

I do notice a few things I cannot figure out yet. The A/C will go hot and the air blows out of the bottom on acceleration, and will go back to normal once cruising speed has been reached. Also, the transmission will shift hard around 45mph. I don't care if it breaks, I would install a new one in a second.

This car has just enough power. Nothing spectacular, but it will move it you need it to. My car does not want to go into a passing gear from 40-55 unless I really floor it... it just "lug lug lug's" until you reach speed. This car loves to cruise on the highway... just set the cruise, sit back and enjoy the ride.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 18th July, 2009

25th Jul 2009, 23:29

"I don't care if it breaks, I would install a new one in a second."

Install a brass bushing on your throttle valve, to prevent premature transmission failure. Visit grandmarq.net's 5.0/5.8 tech forum for more info.

23rd Mar 2010, 04:26

The reason why the A/C turns to heat and blows down to the floor is because of a vacuum leak. All the blower doors are powered by vacuum actuators. Same thing happened to my Town Car. I had to replace the coffee can looking thing under the hood on the drivers side under the hood, because that is a vacuum reservoir and had a leak. If you can find the vacuum leak and fix it, it will solve that problem.

1st Sep 2011, 16:36

"The A/C will go hot and the air blows out of the bottom on acceleration, and will go back to normal once cruising speed has been reached."

In some cars the AC is automatically turned off when accelerating hard. Now if your AC is a bit compromised, you might feel hot air coming out of the vents. I would check the AC charge in this situation.

1989 Lincoln Town Car Signature Series 5.0 Liter V8 from North America

Summary:

Excellent car. Ford did a good job. They sure don't make em like this anymore!!!

Faults:

The car had sat for about year, and was senior owned, so as a result it was not TOO badly beaten, but was not taken care of, and I had to replace a lot because it had sat for a long time.

At 84600 miles had to replace exhaust brake lines and belts.

At 84600 miles changed the oil, which was very dirty (it looked like it hadn't been changed in years!)

Through the miles I have put on the car, I have replaced a lot, which I think is mostly due to it sitting, and to the lack of servicing it got.

I replaced an air filter, and fuel filter.

Replaced spark plugs at 88890 miles, which some of them were very carboned, and some were even filed off.

Transmission went at 88890. It wouldn't shift into overdrive (if you have experienced a similar problem, please advise me.) Transmission shifts OK in regular drive, but is now experiencing some late shifting.

Now the check engine light blinks and the car jerks.

General Comments:

Despite the many problems I have experienced with the car, I love it. I would buy another one tomorrow if I had the chance.

I very highly recommend it.

Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? Yes

Review Date: 26th May, 2009

27th May 2009, 20:40

In response to your Overdrive transmission issue, my cousin, a self taught expert on all things automotive to a fault, says that there is a rubber grommet in the shift linkage that wears out and needs to be replaced with a (more durable) one. This is available through Ford, but I believe the trans will still need other work once it has gotten bad enough to not shift into OD. The grommet is preventative. The shuddering may well be the trans also, as it has a torque converter lock-up, and I have experienced that in a number of the 5.0/302 - AOD power trains. Once you get past that, I can't think of a better car...