Lincoln Town Car Heating / Cooling

kidlightning

Hi everyboby,

Recently bought a low mileage black 87 Town Car. On my first few drives I noticed that the heat didn't work. All the heater hoses get hot (both sides of the heater control valve) etc and the heater core is warm to the touch. Based on information by an old Ford mechanic I dropped the glove box and found strange looking device. The body is a cylinder made of blue plastic with two mounting wings, and two vacuum hoses leadig to it, one small one in black vinyl and one larger one in clear vinyl. A cable from the HVAC panel connects to it. According to the mechanic the function of this device is to measure the temperature of the interior air and pass the information onto the automatic climatic control system. He says that the device is bad and providing bad information to the system the air is already warm enough which is why I am getting no heat. When I bypased the device the heat worked fine...I just couldn't turn it off.

So obviously I want to replace this device. My problem is when I call the Lincoln dealer I have no idea what to call the part and there is no part number stamped anywhere on the device, just a build date. Anyone know what to call this thing or better yet a part number?

Thanks in advance,

Matt

nwraaa

Matt,
Go to the Lincoln dealer. At the parts counter, they have a parts list for the heater components which they can pull-up on the computer. They can select each part on the list and pull-up the pictorial for the part. Describe your part to them, face-to-face, and they should be able to find the part number and get the part for you.

lavergne

Hello, I have the same problem as you with my heater control on the Lincol Town Car 88. Did you figure out what's the name of the part you need to repair it? Is that difficult to repair or to find that sensor?

I really need that heater to work this winter but I want to repair it myself.

Please let me know.

Steve
steve.lavergne@hotmail.com

diyerr

I have a 1996 Lincoln Town car. The climate control system is blowing full hot all the time, regardless of the temp set in the unit. In my research on the internet, I've read about other with the same problem who have replaced the control head and didn't solve the problem. Luckily it's winter here, so I can live with it for awhile. :-)

Have you encountered this problem before. Would you be able to point me to the solution?

I've also read about diagnostic procedures for this unit. Is there a guide I can access with these procedures to help me determine the health of the control head before investing in the replacement?

Thanks - DIYERR

kidlightning

Yes, the unit is called a control head. I replaced mine and it was very simple. The biggest problem was finding a Lincoln dealer who would work with me. Most of them wanted to say "That car's too old..we have no parts for it, go to a junkyard." Fortunately I work at a parts store so I told one dealer if you want my business, work with me. He found the part in five minutes and had it to me the next day. It was like 30 bucks with a twenty percent trade discount. I'll try to find the box for the part and get the part number. I think its still out in the garage.

The fix was very easy. I think there were eight screws that hold the dash pad to the car (Two are in the vents at the windshield). Some required a stubby screw driver. The part itself was a matter of two vacuum lines and a couple bolts. I think it took twenty minutes start to finish to do the job.

As for the other issue of heat only working on "high" I am not sure I understand your problem but here's what I do know based on working on other Fords I've owned. There's a part called the "Blower motor resistor" usually mounted on the AC box under the hood. Trace the wires from the heater controls to the BMR. When the fan is set to "high" current goes to one tab at full strength. When you turn down the fan the blower motor resistor cuts current to lower fan speed. If your heat works only with the fan on high, I'd bet tap water to a case of Corona it's your blower motor resistor. This is normally about a twenty dollar part and takes ten minutes to replace if you are even borderline handy. You should be able to get one at a decent parts house (Carquest, NAPA etc. as opposed to Pep Boys, Auto Zone, etc) or you should be able to track one down on line by using "Blower motor resistor 1988 Lincoln Town Car"

Good luck.

M

diyerr

Sorry, I wasn't clear. The system will only emit "high" heat; the fan and various floor, panel, defrost settings change appropriately. The only climate control problem is that regardless of the temperature set in the unit, it only provides hot air even when set at the lowest temp.

I read another post on a different site where the person replaced the control head and it didn't fix the problem, so if there are diagnostics available that will help me determine whether the control head is really bad or not, that would help.

Where did you get a control head for $30? The initial price I was given was over $600. The car is a '96 Lincoln Town Car.

With this additional info, does any further advice come to mind?

TIA - DIYERR

tecdoc1

I have a 96 Town Car, my wife and I use it to keep the good cars off the road in the winter. This is no good without heat. Even with the heat turned off you hear what sounds like a vacuum motor cycling under the dash. On the odd occasion it cycles and stays in the proper orientation you get copious ammounts of heat; heat runs without any regard to thermostat (climate control) setting. Has anyone experienced this? I can't get it to the shop till Monday and I'd like heat before then.

Thanks in advance.
tekdoc1

cwss4joe

My 1988 Lincoln Town Car Blower Motor stops working at times. If the switch is left on, it would suddenly come on. Sometimes it takes a few days before it starts working again. When I first purxhased the car several years ago, in order that the heat work, my mechanic removed the vacumn hose that is attached just under the glove box so that hot air would flow through the system. He told me I would have to reconnect the hose whenever I wanted the air condition on, in order that cold air flow through the system. I do not believe that this has anything to do with the blower motor not working now, but I thought I'd mention this as well..
Is the problem with the blower motor due to the resistor that controlls the blower motor speeds. If so, where is this resistor located?
I appreciate your help.
Sincere thanks,
cwss4joe

euphonium

Perhaps the windings on the motor are corroded. Apply Carbon Tetrachloride to the windings to clean the corrosion off.

70chyss

hello everyone i have a 93 town car not long agothe blower fan quit i can wire it direct and it works but it has affected the radio also the radio has power but the sound will quit then comes back on is these two connected any help would be great thanks Barry

w9r1

Just purchased a 99 Town Car Executive. Car has 87k miles. Climate control is acting a little strange. Fan motor speeds up slows down and sometimes stops altogether. Seems to also be affected by acceleration and sudden stops. Any ideas where to start?

Ed

izaclown1

Usually (my 2000 & 2002 TC, my 2000 Villager), it is the relay or the sensor. It is around $150.00 - $200.00 at the dealer. The part is like $50 or less.

w9r1

Which relay or sensor are you referring to?

ed

izaclown1

Climate control sensor or fan relay.

db9

Maybe this is too late to be of help but is sounds like you have a blend door that is stuck. Go to lincolnsonline.com and under the Tech section look for a fix.

ridehog

I have a 2005 TC Signature, 38000 miles. On Auto, the heater/blender doors seem to be making a constant groaning noise under the dash. After I turn the car off, the groaning goes on for maybe 15 seconds as I assume the doors reset. I am going to ask the dealer about it when I take in there next month, but my guess is any adjustments or repairs to the system itself may require removal of the dash etc with eternal noises and squeaks to follow because of that. Has anyone had this problem or have any suggestions? Appreciate any help.

jwg35815

My fan comes on when on "automatic", runs for a while then shuts off. It comes on again after a while then shuts off again. This repeats. If I turn the fan on manually, on high only, It will stay on. Is there an overload fuse of some kind when on automatic?

euphonium

When set for "Automatic" there may be a sensor that determines when the fan should be ON or OFF so as to keep the cabin temp constant.

MANUAL operation enables you to be the sensor and operates accordingly.

rmens

My engine light is burned or has been removed... anyone knows how to replace it..
Is it an easy process?
Thanks

dilbert65

Ridehog,

I have a 2006 TC Signature Limited with 20,000 miles that is doing EXACTLY the same thing. I dropped the glove box and felt the passenger-side blend door actuator while it was making the noise and confirmed that it is the source. I even went as far as removing the actuator. The blend door itself moves smoothly, but the actuator motor moves in a very jerky manner. I'm not sure if this is normal or not.

Did you get any help from your dealer? I plan to mention it to my dealer, but am wondering if they did anything for you or if it is considered a "normal" noise.

If the dealer won't do anything, I was thinking about putting a piece of foam over the actuator to try and quiet it down.

gstatus530

Hi i have a 1991 lincoln towncar when i turn the a/c control lever into low it doesnt work but when i set it to hi or auto it starts right away but makes a cliking noise on the inside of the dashboard can anybody please help me .

lincoln84

I have a 1984 lincoln towncar, signature series. I have problem with my airconditioner. when I start up a hill and put stress on the engine, my airconditioner turn to heat. can anyone tell me what to do to solve the problem. I would appreciate all any information I can get.

w9r1

Can't say for sure, but I had a similar problem on an 1987 Caprice. Tried all kinds of stuff and burnt up a couple of AC compressors along the way. Finally, after having the AC compressor go out whilst crossing the Everglades, I had everything replaced new, but it kept on doing the same thing. When it was being tested by the guys at the shop they noticed that the fan would lope whenever the engine was revved. The viscous fan clutch was shot. This was keeping the engine fan from turning at high speeds or under quick revs (e.g. downshifts), which caused the engine to overheat, and also the AC not to cool.

Just a thought.

Ed

94tcar

hey guys i seized my ac compressor and now i just want to bypass it what should i do for the belt i know its 75 inches that i need but will i be able to just purchase any size belt? or is there a quick and easy way to go about that

ridehog

Dilbert I asked the dealer about it. The service writer told me that the blender doors reset themselves back to a default position when the car is turned off so the a/c does not blow hot air when the car is started in warm weather. Might be BS but he explained that's what the groaning is all about. He said most of them do it. I've driven it another 7,000 miles and it's not any better or worse. I still have a few thousand on the factory warranty and it's a tossup to let it go the way it is, or let someone take the dashboard apart in an attempt to quiet the noise, and then live with the squeaks and groans that will no doubt bring. I just live with it so far. I've moved to another city and may have the new/;local dealer take a look at it. If I do I will post on here.
Tom/Ridehog

flb_37714

I have a 94 towncar when i turn the climate control oin auto it the blower will only work if set @ 60 degrees or if i manually turn the blower switch to high any ideas on where to start

ronslakie1

If your blower only works on high the problem is that the variable resistor is burned out. I have had this problem on several vehicles and it is a relatively easy and inexpensive repair. I do not know the location of the resistor in the Town Car but in many vehicles it is behind the glove box.

nwraaa

The blower resistor is located under the hood, on the fire wall, on the passenger side of the car. Lincoln/Ford has redesigned this resistor and it requires that the wires be cut to install the new resistor. If you live near one of those "Pull Your Own Part" salvage yards I recommend getting one off of a junked car. The repalcement in this case is a snap-off snap-on fix.

bbuis

Hey All,
Today my father arrived home and stated that this morning as he was leaving for work his fan stopped blowing while putting his car into reverse. It has not came back on for the rest of the day. When i turn a/c on you can hear vents open but no matter what setting the fan is on it will not blow. What to do, What to do?? Its 90+ right now and really don't want my father driving around with no a/c. PLEASE HELP!!

91tc

Before buying a kit to seal and refill the ac system on a 91 lincoln town car is there a way to check if it's not the freon that has leaked out. That the compressor is not recieving an electric start signal for the clutch to kick in or if the compressor is not working. Will the obd-1 tell me what's the story with the a/c. If yes how do I read the a/c code on this car without a scanner. A scanner cost about $35. I'll get one if I have to. Also the coolant resevoir is all the way down to the bottom, but the temp guage reads ok. Can I just add water to fill it up to the fill line or should it be antifreeze. Will that help to cool the vent air which is warmer than the outside air. Is there a way to test if the compressor still works without filling the system all the way with freon. The floor vent has no response, but the ac, vent, floor/def, and def all work? The a/c blows warm air and when I first tried it this year the max a/c worked (warm air)at a higher rate but then after a few minutes and now it only works at the same rate as the a/c?

nwraaa

You may have to take the car to an A/C auto tech to get it working properly. If the compressor is not working it may mean that the low pressure switch has kicked in. An engine code scan insturment for that model will not help with the A/C. R12 refrigerant was initially used in that car and now cars are using 134A. It is always good to keep the engine coolant at the proper level, but in your case it will not cause the A/C to cool the car.

91tc

Thanks for your help.

I want to avoid having to take the car to an a/c shop because, I just spent alot of $ ( the full resale value of the car ) for, towing, electrical diagnosis and the replacing of a major electrical part ( the engine was turning over fine but there was no response from the engine for starting ) and a full tune up.

I found out afterwards that there are no adjustments on this car with a full tune-up. I could have easily done the tune-up myself.

I pressed in the freon loading pin ( it looks like a tire air valve ) and there was no release of freon, so it seems that all the freon is gone from a leak in the a/c system. I found a replacement for the r-12. It's called freeze12.

They say it's 100% environmentally safe and it's approved by the EPA as totally legit and legal and it cost alot less than r-12. They also say it works very well.

What's the likely a/c area where the freon leaked out? With no freon in the a/c system the compressor won't turn on and that's what set off the low pressure switch, right?

For $50 with shipping, you can get their Freeze12 ( r-12 replacement ) a/c refill kit. It has 36 oz of freeze12, 2 oz of oil, 2 oz of leak sealant, conversion filler valve and hose, and pressure guage. The Town Car takes 40 oz.

They also have a major leak sealant for $20 more. I am hoping that the regular sealant will be enough.

They also say that you can simply add the freeze12 to the system with no other preparations because freeze12 is so compatible with r-12.

Where is the low pressure switch so I can reset it or does the low pressure switch reset itself when I fill the system with freon.

Will the 2 oz of sealer do the trick so the freon stays in the a/c system?

Should I add more than 2 oz of sealer or 2oz of oil for a better running a/c? You can buy extra 2 oz cans of oil or sealer for $5 each.

Do you recommend the freeze12 major leak sealer which sounds very good and it seals leaks in metal too. Could the compressor be one of the areas where the freon leaked out?

I was referring to the regular ( not the a/c ) vent air temperature being cooler by adding water to the very low coolant reservoir.

91tc

Is there a way to test that the compressor works ok before filling the system with the whole kit? I wouldn't want to waste parts of the kit if the compressor is not ok.

Would just 1 or 2, 12 oz cans of freon without the oil or sealer give enough system pressure just to test that the compressor does work or goes on? You can buy the freeze 12 in single 12 oz cans for around $5 each.

What are the different ways that the compressor won't work; clutch, electrical short, a leak, etc?

I have read here and there about adjusting the air gap if the clutch is not kicking in.

nwraaa

You will have to find the leak or leaks in your systems. I am not familiar with Freeze 12. At the auto parts store, you should be able to buy a product with a color agent which you put into your system. After the system is pressureized, the color agent will leak out in the area where the system has failed. You can override the low pressure switch by disconnecting it and placeing a small wire in the contacts at the wire end of the connector. Since the system has to have oil in it as well as freon I would not run the compressor for more that a few minutes at a time with the wire in the connector. It has been my experience that most leaks in the 91 Town Car A/C system are at the compression seal fittings in the tubing and at the compressor. The compression seal fitting areas are oily and the area behind the clutch on the compressor is oily when they are leaking. I believe that your best bet is an A/C tech. Do you have the tools to work on the system? For example: tools to seperate the compression connectors, a vacum pump, pressure gages, etc.

paulw3

I am trying to get the answer to question number 30. I am having the same problem but can't find the answer?

nwraaa

Check the electrical connection to the motor. There are several other items that you have to check. Check the A/C blower fuse under the dash, there is a A/C relay that you have to check under the hood and then there is a A/C motor resistor under the hood.

doryc11

I inherited a 93 Lincoln Towncar Signature series. The A/C would only work on high then it started blowing out the dash and floor vents when you accelerated but would go back to the vents when you slowed down. Now the A/C will not blow out the vents at all, it will only blow out on the dash and floor vents. I replaced the A/C heater control and it blew out the vents for about 5 minutes then started blowing out the dash and floor vents again. Any suggestions?

91tc

I've never worked on an auto a/c system.
I'll be checking those a/c tools out.
I'll figure out where the low pressure switch is. Would one 12oz can of freon be enough to do the color leak test for a few minutes at a time? How much time in between the 3 minute testing to be safe for the compressor? I will be checking out the areas you mentioned for the leaks. Would those areas still show signs of oil or would they be dried out by now? This is the best ? What % of any leak or the ones that you mentioned, be sealed by regular leak sealer? Does the sealer work? Would it be ok to add 2 cans of regular leak sealer to the system and would it do a better job than adding only 1 can of sealer. To what degree can a/c leaks be sealed with a/c leak sealer additives. Have you used them, have they ever worked? Is there a kind that works the best? They say that Freeze12 is very compatible with r-12 so you don't have to do alot of the prep that's needed when changing from r-12 to r-144. I haven't gotten the Freeze12 kit yet. I'm sure there is some prep, but maybe not much, other than to add the 1 can of 12oz freon, 1 can of 2oz sealer, 1 can of 2oz oil, and more freon to 40 oz. system pressure, as it says on there website. They also sell an optional heavy leak sealer to add into the system, that they say will seal larger leaks in rubber, plastic, metal, etc. But it's expensive. What is the vacuum pump needed for? Is that used to increase the system to working pressure using air instead of freon for leak testing, and for evacuating the system? You have helped alot so far on this subject.

bbuis

Hey paulw3, i had to change the ?blower motor resistor? << i believe that's the proper name lol !! That fixed the problem Good Luck!!

hfxlimo

I have a 2001 town car. My a/c clutch was engaging too often.Went to a/c shop,no leaks,recharged system,lots of cold air,a/c clutch still engaging too often. Causes the engine rpms to increase while engaging. Replaced a/c clutch relay fuse with no results. Any suggestions to my problem?

dclimocar

Is the ac blower, around $70. relaced that on mine about three times already. my car is a 98 with 340,000 miles

doryc11

I inherited a 93 Towncar and the AC will only blow out of the dash and floor vents. I replaced the AC/Heater dash control. I was told there may be a vacuum leak, can anyone tell me where the vacuum hoses are located. If anyone knows anything else this could be your advice is appreciated.

lpmart

What is the best way to get to and replace a heater blender motor in a 94 town car. Thanks

salata87

In my 99 town car fan only working on highest blowing, when manually trying put on lower position after while go to highest blowing. Auto trying switch to lower but without success.Any advice is appreciated.

ayame1999

My 1993 town car overheats when I turn on the air condition. The temperture gauge goes up after the a/c is on for 15-20 minutes and when I turn the a/c off the temperture returns to normal in 2-3 minutes. The car doesn't overheat no other time.

kebell41

My heater and AC work fine except the airflow will not change from defrost to any other setting wether on auto or manual. I've read online that this may be the plenum door not moving. If this is the case then I need to have some information on how to tackle this problem. I have a 1993 Lincoln Town car Executive with the climate control. Thanks for any and all help.

ribstone

This appears to be a vacuum leak, but it is really hard to find. Any suggestions?

doryc11

I replaced the AC/Heater control in the dash and it now works perfectly. A friend took the control out first and tested the vacuum going into it and it was good. I bought the control off of EBay.

bosompal

A/C blows cold then will blow a warmer and moist feeling air. Any suggestions on my problem?

rockin5

I smell antifreeze ony when the climate control system is activated..any suggestions?

nwraaa

You smell antifreeze because the heater core is leaking. This is an expensive fix because the dash board has to be removed to get at the heater core which only runs $50.00 to $70.00. Labor and hoses under the hood, $900.00. I use radiator stop leak and I have had no problems.