20 Most Recent 1986 Ford Thunderbird Questions & Answers

No that sounds like the player is just old and most likely needs the tiny drive belts replaced.

depending on the location of the switch some are on the pedal arm and others are on the master cylinder. If its on the pedal arm then yes its a jam nut and you adjust the depth and if its on the master cylinder or in the line then no there is no adjustment.

If the headlight switch is replaced, and it doesn't solve the problem, check the bulbs in the dash behind the gauges.

Normal, fuel lines are constantly pressurised for instant start.

the fuel pump relay is mounted in the trunk, behind the back seat and on the passanger side. The relay base is green in color. It sounds like the fuel pump relay is stuck on, the secondary circuit is always on. Check/ replace the relay.

there are 2 fuses boxes in cab and 1 in engine bay we test the fuses, we dont change them out willy nilly. even better, is to measure the voltage at at the radio. the power pin is 12vdc, keyon if not the fuse is blown or the wire is cut. end story. my guess is car wiring was hacked long ago with stereo upgrades or other hacks, (alarms,etc) old cars are like that, hacked.

Could be in need of tune up, spark plugs & wires, coil packs, fuel filter,&/or ECM/PCM (computer) going bad.

have a load test done on the battery as it has a dead cell and will not charge. Alternators need a voltage from a battery to energise the stator ( what you get from the jumper battery) as there is no residual magnetism in an alternator and as soon as you switch off that magnetism is lost and so the alternator will not charge .

Check all cables and wires that go to and from the alternator that there is no corrosion or break in them. If you are sure that both the Voltage Regulator, Battery and Alternator are good. The current from the battery is not reaching them.

I assume everything else works so start with the schematics and determine which fuse(s) and circuit(s) these power windows are on. Find the fuses. If these are OK, check wires for shorts, breaks and/or loose connections. If they are OK, check power window switches, then you'll probably have to deal with the window motors and connections.

best is to check with kelly blue book .com cars.com nada.com

Transmission fluid should be checked with the engine warmed up and running in Park. The dipstick is always near the back of the engine bay, and is VERY long when you pull it out. Transmission fluid should be red. It should not be brown.Changing transmission fluid is much more difficult than changing engine oil. Engine oil can be changed by removing a plug and draining it out. Transmission oil can only be changed by removing brackets, removing the pan (think of a shallow oven pan bolted to the bottom of the transmission) and letting all the fluid drain out. A transmission fluid change should ALWAYS include a new filter and gasket as well. This is one best left to a shop with the proper tools.

change fuel filter

Check the coil and inginition module, they may be failing as the engine warms up. Also check you have the correct gap on the new spark plugs.hope that helpsTerry

Fuel vaporizer????

Replace the ignition tumbler--i.e. get a new ignition set with new key. This will require removing the plastic trim around the steering column and removing the old ignition set. It's a good DIY project, but you should get a Haynes manual for 83-88 T-Bird/Cougar. Try going to a junk yard for the replacement part. Crown Vics, Cougars, Grand Marquis', Lincolns all have the same type of set for those years.

I would check that the engine oil level is high, then I would check that the pressure is high enough by plugging a gauge into the oil pressure switch socket after removing the oil pressure switch.

There is a possibility that the oil pressure switch is bad, or the oil pump has failed, unfortunately.