1986 Ford Thunderbird engine

Hi nancy, well this could be a couple of things. The most common is the fuel pump. Need to check fuel pressure schrader valve located on the top of the engine. You should have 35 to 40 pounds of pressure when the key is on. If this is ok then you need to check the timeing chain, here is how you do this, and I am sure the moderators on this site will come back with lots of technical jargon and pics, but this is the least confuseing way. Remove the distributor cap watch the rotor have someone crank eng. Is rotor button turning? If yes chain is not broken, so now we need to see if the chain jumped. Remove the number one spark plug put your finger over the hole, crank eng until the pressure blows your finger away from the hole. Now take a socket and turn the crank pulley by hand until the 0 mark is lined up with the pin, now look at rotor set cap back on dist rotor should be exactly pointing to the number one spark plug wire. If yes timeing is not the prob. If not timeing chain must be replaced. There is another step to check for spark but if it is trying to start you have spark. After you find these things out if you don, t know what is wrong please write back and we will go further, thanks billymac

Hi nancy, I don, t know where to tell you to take your car, but I would not go anywhere they don, t have ase certified technicians.

Ask people you know where they get there car worked on. The best way to find a honest mechanic
is to talk to people. Call repair shops talk with them
if they seem short or evasive call someone else.

Don, t take your car to a mechanic until you both agree on exactly what he will charge to find thw problem. He will not be able to give you an exact amount of time to find the prob.

So just agree to a labor amount for him to try and diagnose prob. If he needs more time he can call you and get more time authorized. If you have a pep boys or large automotive store they will be more likely to follow the laws.

JUST REMEMBER YOU ARE THE CUSTOMER. AND YOU HAVE COMPLETE CONTROL OF THIS SITUATION. WRITE ME BACK WHEN THEY TELL YOU WHAT IS WRONG AND THE PRICE AND I WILL TELL YOU IF THEY ARE HONEST. GOOD LUCK BILLYMAC