1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

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NCline
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:48 pm

1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by NCline » Wed Mar 13, 2013 4:05 pm

My 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis has been quitting on me right as soon as I slow down. I've already had a new module installed around this time last year and since then I've had a new water pump, a coil (blk box located under hood on left side of car), new gas tank, gas tank floater, new alternator, new a/c, new thermostat, new fuel filter and new fuel pump. I have had a time with this car for the last 2 months. It's been a chain reaction of car failure. A week ago I had the fuel filter and fuel pump changed and the next day I was going up hill and had to stop (because of road work) and it just all of a sudden died, no spitting or sputter or anything - just plain out died and would not start. I waited about 15-20 mins. and the car started right up and drove home. Well, went down the road this morning and had to slow down because of red light and then car just plain out died on me and never started. It'll crank, but wouldn't start! I had the car towed to the garage and about 1-2 hours later I went to the garage to see if it would start and it started right up, so, I just left it there and explained everything to the mechanic. Seems like it's acting the same way it did when the fuel pump went out the first time. I had traveled a long way in the car and going up hill it died and then had to have it towed home and next day it started right up and drove it around a couple of days until it finally wouldn't start at all. Had fuel pump put in and first trip down the road it did the same ol' thing AGAIN...Please help if anybody knows what's going on with my car.

NCline
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by NCline » Wed Mar 13, 2013 4:09 pm

The Module is located on the right side, rather than the left....sorry about that

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Karl
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Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by Karl » Wed Mar 13, 2013 6:41 pm

A car that just instantly shuts of iss usually not a fuel pressure problem. That would usually it to start loosing power, stumble then die. Your problem sounds electrical.

Letting off the gas seems to do it. When you let off the gas, then engine actually moves under the hood. The same as when accelerating, just in the opposite direction. I suggest let the car idle, and start pulling on wiring harnesses. This would showa loose connection or a bad ground by causing it to stall or at least sort of skip.
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NCline
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Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by NCline » Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:35 pm

Thanks, Karl for your input! Yea, I do have some wiring problems with my right signal lights, they need to be replaced with new sockets (front and back). Other than that I don't know what other wiring problem there might be. I know when my car broke down on the highway - it would just die and not spit or sputter. Luckily, when it did break down, my friend's daughter lived right along the stretch of road we broke down on, yea, lucky us! Then I had to change my coil. That is when my mechanic came to my rescue and right on the side of the road installed the new coil. He told me to bring it to the shop so he could (add more screws to the blk box - only had 1 screw), in the meantime, the car ran, but eventually broke down and got it started the next day and drove it to the garage. HE said that he had to sand the area where the coil went because it wasn't getting enough juice, does that even sound right to you?...I don't know, but it worked up until I broke down on the interstate like 80 miles away from home AT NIGHT IN THE COLD!....LOL..the one night I didn't have winter gear packed...This time it broke down due to a bad fuel pump, I couldn't even hear the 'buzz' sound when you turn the key so that let me know it was the fuel pump. So, had all that changed and the very next day, drove the car and up the hill - came to a stop - car quits - started up after 15-20 mins. Drove it around town for a couple of days and then took it on a 5-7 mile trip - broke down and wouldn't start for at least 1 1/2 hour later at the garage. Started right up! So that's where I stand today...still haven't heard anything. He did say that it sounds like to him that something is getting hot and shutting off after I told him about all the new parts added including the fuel pump.

NCline
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by NCline » Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:49 pm

ALSO, I do have some hesitation in the car when I slow down. It had a bad jerk around 30 mph and around 50mph, but after all the new parts it seems to have gotten better. Just the other day I noticed it started doing it again, but not AS BAD. When the car is sitting idle, it'll rev up and die down, rev up - die down until it eventually quits. It's not all the time though. There is a 'leaking air' sound on the inside of the car that only goes away when I accelerate. Some say that - that is a vacuum leak...However, I did read on the net that vacuum leaks can cause a car to die, is this true? Either way, I highly appreciate any input! I'm trying to give all the information about my car so somebody might be able to diagnose the problem (IF I haven't already!). I know, I know...I need a new car, but my goodness, I don't think there's any out there that rides as good as the Grand Marquis. I'm spoiled AND broke! Haha...This sh!t puttin' old cars together is expensive!...Thanks!

NCline
Posts: 9
Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by NCline » Thu Mar 14, 2013 12:54 pm

Don't get me wrong! It's not the kind of hesitation or spit & sputter you'd find when your car was really breaking down due to a bad fuel pump or when you run out of gas. This only happened the other day when I went to slow down to go across the bridge. I have to keep posting new topics because last night I had typed all this stuff up and didn't save it, then tried to post it and found out that I hadn't signed into my account and lost all of it. Thanks!

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Karl
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Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by Karl » Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:29 pm

Yes. Corrosion under the module will make a bad ground. So that needed to be repaired.

A vacuum leak will cause a car to stall when it is at or near idle, not when driving a steady speed. If you can hear that sound, it would be very easy for the mechanic to find it. If he did not, then it may not be the sound of a vacuum leak then.
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NCline
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Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2013 3:48 pm

Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by NCline » Thu Mar 14, 2013 5:45 pm

This is an awesome site! So, do you think I should trade out modules then? At this time, I'm willing to try anything. I also got news from the garage about an hour ago...he said that he's left the car running for hours and not once did it shut off or die...my friend told him that it won't unless you drive it and come to a stop then it will shut off. He also did say that he'd check the module again and see if that may be the problem. It was the coil that the last mechanic sanded and had to work on, not the module. BUT this time last Spring I had a new module put on. You reckon' it's time for a new one?...Thanks, Karl!

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Karl
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Re: 1986 Mercury Grand Marquis keeps stalling, HELP!

Unread post by Karl » Thu Mar 14, 2013 11:20 pm

OOPS. Sorry. I meant the cleaning under the coil, not module.
No, i would not condemn the module.

I wonder if it could just be an idle problem. Again, a vacuum leak only effects idle. But also a throttle full of carbon. Both of these would not prevent it from starting right away.

The key is to have it act up for the shop it is at. Then, when it is not starting, they can check if the engine is loosing spark or fuel or whatever is making it not start. It HAS TO ACT UP for them.
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