I have an 89 Ford T-Bird SC. Has 124,000 miles on it.
Asked by NightThief Apr 16, 2012 at 09:49 PM about the 1989 Ford Thunderbird
Question type: Maintenance & Repair
I was recently driving it and it just died. i swapped the battery out and it started right up. lasted about half a day and died again. i turn the key and i have no power what so ever. tried jumping it and a new battery. dome light works is about all. anyone have anyidea what could be wrong? tried jumping the solenoid and it just cranks over and over. i couldnt get a spark when i pulled one of the plugs. im stumped
5 Answers
Check your distributer cap and see how it looks if your not getting a sparke. If it has some acid on just get a pice of sand paper and clean it up.
I would also have the alternator checked. The part about it running for a half a day with the new battery in it makes me suspect that your alternator went out as well.
Pretty easy to test your alternator. 1. charge the battery, then read your battery voltage with a digital voltmeter. Should be around 12.5 or so. Then start the car. Measure the voltage on the battery again. Should be up to 13.8 or so. If not, alternator or regulator not charging. 3. Pull headlights on, with engine running, voltage should hold steady. If it drops, bad voltage regulator.
Also, you mentioned no spark. Could be your electronic ignition module has quit. Sometimes those will leave you with no spark and drain your battery. With the ignition on, engine not running, use a digital voltmeter, measure voltage to the coil. Should have 12.5 +/- volts at the coil. Crank the engine over, should still show voltage. IF you have voltage, then do coil test. Unplug coil wire from center of distributor cap, hold near a ground. On the - side of the coil, use a jumper wire and touch that terminal to ground. Spark should jump from coil wire to ground each time - side of coil is grounded. (key on, engine not running) If no spark, bad coil.
