Robert L. Wells

My 89 Towncar had severe power drop after moderate acceleration and then
shakes up and down violently when taking off from stoplight. Engines makes
fairly loud clunking noises. I go to check timing chain slop and engine can
rotate clockwise ok but freezes solid in trhe counterclockwise direction.
Anyone know if I should be able to turn the crakshaft of this 5.0L
engine
counterclockwise? Clockwise(normal engine rotation) it turns with the normal
resistance one
would expect from compression etc. In the counterclockwise it stops
immediately and doesn't budge. This is with spark plugs installed. Ford
dealer thinks this indicates I broke my crankshaft yikes.... Anyone seen
this before?

Any help would be appreciated,
Thanks,
Bob

 

Tom Adkins

Robert L. Wells wrote:
> My 89 Towncar had severe power drop after moderate acceleration and then
> shakes up and down violently when taking off from stoplight. Engines makes
> fairly loud clunking noises. I go to check timing chain slop and engine can
> rotate clockwise ok but freezes solid in trhe counterclockwise direction.
> Anyone know if I should be able to turn the crakshaft of this 5.0L
> engine
> counterclockwise? Clockwise(normal engine rotation) it turns with the normal
> resistance one
> would expect from compression etc. In the counterclockwise it stops
> immediately and doesn't budge. This is with spark plugs installed. Ford
> dealer thinks this indicates I broke my crankshaft yikes.... Anyone seen
> this before?
>
> Any help would be appreciated,
> Thanks,
> Bob
>
>


Engines makes
fairly loud clunking noises.

This is probably your answer. A timing chain that has jumped won't usually make this
sound. Sounds like a rod knock or something equally destructive internally. You
probably have a broken rod hammering around in there. The rod is laying to one side
and allowing you to rotate in the clockwise direction but hitting a casting in the
counter clockwise direction. It depends on your meaning of "fairly loud". Pretty much,
a knock is death to a motor.
I hope I'm wrong, Tom Adkins

pickone@kato.com

On Wed, 16 Mar 2005 19:26:40 -0500, Tom Adkins
<newton5@remove.comcast.net> wrote:

>Robert L. Wells wrote:
>> My 89 Towncar had severe power drop after moderate acceleration and then
>> shakes up and down violently when taking off from stoplight. Engines makes
>> fairly loud clunking noises. I go to check timing chain slop and engine can
>> rotate clockwise ok but freezes solid in trhe counterclockwise direction.
>> Anyone know if I should be able to turn the crakshaft of this 5.0L
>> engine
>> counterclockwise? Clockwise(normal engine rotation) it turns with the normal
>> resistance one
>> would expect from compression etc. In the counterclockwise it stops
>> immediately and doesn't budge. This is with spark plugs installed. Ford
>> dealer thinks this indicates I broke my crankshaft yikes.... Anyone seen
>> this before?
>>
>> Any help would be appreciated,
>> Thanks,
>> Bob
>>
>>
>
>
> Engines makes
>fairly loud clunking noises.
>
> This is probably your answer. A timing chain that has jumped won't usually make this
>sound. Sounds like a rod knock or something equally destructive internally. You
>probably have a broken rod hammering around in there. The rod is laying to one side
>and allowing you to rotate in the clockwise direction but hitting a casting in the
>counter clockwise direction. It depends on your meaning of "fairly loud". Pretty much,
>a knock is death to a motor.
> I hope I'm wrong, Tom Adkins


why u hope your wrong

lets check how deep his wallet is

hurc ast

Robert L. Wells

Thanks for your answer Tom. Well I checked with a second Ford service
manager and he thinks it is definetely a rod or a cracked crank as he has
never seen an engine that was unable to be turned CCW that doesn't have a
cracked crank or bent | loose | busted rod. I guess for grins I will try to
see which shaft is "stuck in reverse". Nicest riding car I've ever owned,
ran smooth and quiet and then this... With 151k on it I don't think its
worthwhile to get it fixed unless I plan on a lot of work restoring the rest
of it (tranny rebuild etc). Engine rebuild probably $1200 plus part I'd
guess?

I thought of dropping the oil pan for a look but the service manual show
38 steps just to get the oil pan off!! Ford service manager says they
automatically pull the engine and then replace the gasket cause it takes
less time and they can do a better job and get a better look in the engine.

I've thought of getting a Town Car or Crown Vic of 97 to 00' vintage but
my wife has a 95' Crown Vic and it feels so darned confining. My head is 1
inch away from the headliner and there is no seat height adjustment.
Shoulder feels like its about to bump against the window. Plus I like the
nice classic boxy lines of the 89' not like those curves of the following
model years that make it look and feel like a compact car. Ugh....

"Tom Adkins" <newton5@remove.comcast.net> wrote in message
news:YfydnQ58EPZmUKXfRVn-ig@comcast.com...
> Robert L. Wells wrote:
> > My 89 Towncar had severe power drop after moderate acceleration and then
> > shakes up and down violently when taking off from stoplight. Engines
makes
> > fairly loud clunking noises. I go to check timing chain slop and engine
can
> > rotate clockwise ok but freezes solid in trhe counterclockwise
direction.
> > Anyone know if I should be able to turn the crakshaft of this 5.0L
> > engine
> > counterclockwise? Clockwise(normal engine rotation) it turns with the
normal
> > resistance one
> > would expect from compression etc. In the counterclockwise it stops
> > immediately and doesn't budge. This is with spark plugs installed. Ford
> > dealer thinks this indicates I broke my crankshaft yikes.... Anyone seen
> > this before?
> >
> > Any help would be appreciated,
> > Thanks,
> > Bob
> >
> >
>
>
> Engines makes
> fairly loud clunking noises.
>
> This is probably your answer. A timing chain that has jumped won't
usually make this
> sound. Sounds like a rod knock or something equally destructive
internally. You
> probably have a broken rod hammering around in there. The rod is laying to
one side
> and allowing you to rotate in the clockwise direction but hitting a
casting in the
> counter clockwise direction. It depends on your meaning of "fairly loud".
Pretty much,
> a knock is death to a motor.
> I hope I'm wrong, Tom Adkins

Tom Adkins

Hey Robert,
It's obvious your motor is toast. Weigh your options though. A reman motor is ~2K-
$2.5K with installation.(Consider a used motor?) What would it cost to replace the car
with something comparable.? How is the rest of the car? I would have recommended a
Crown Vic as a replacement but you shot me down ;)
Get some input from the www.lincolnsonline.com Towncar forum before you 86 your TC.
You may decide to keep it. It is hard to find a replacement today.

Regards, Tom (lucky 84 MK VII owner) Adkins