89 Aerostar conversion van in need of help!
#1
12-13-2010, 12:17 AM
89 Aerostar conversion van in need of help!
i just purchased a 1989 ford aerostar conversion van. It has only 36,371 original documented miles and literally was owned by a 89 year old woman and she drove it to do volunteer work 2 days a week and to church. the paint is shot and the body has some dings but all in all the car is in really decent shape. Her kids felt that it was time to no longer allow her to drive and go places on her own due to her health. they were trying to sell the van on craigslist for 2 months with no luck. they were asking 1500.00.... they were paying to store the van somewhere because she went into a nursing home months ago. so they sold the van to me for only $700.00! She hadn't driven it in several months.
it starts everytime, but it is running really ruff and i noticed that there are a couple of disconnected vacuum lines just hanging in the engine compartment on the drivers side. the vehicle has absolutely no get up and go at all and it sounds like a tank??? I can only assume that the vacuum lines are to blame or maybe just part of the issue. can someone please help me? I think i just need to get my hands on a vacuum diagram. I bought the book 1990 Aerostar electrical & vacuum trouble-shooting manual. it is absolutley worthless on the vacuum side! Hardly any usable info regarding vacuum lines and where they get connected to and from.
any help would be greatly appreciated.
I also notice that when i drove it home, the front drivers side was smoking as if the front caliper was stuck and grabbing on the rotor. I have not driven it since but need to get it on the road asap. any suggestions?
Talk about a Saweet deal! :supz: :supz:
The damage done to the front bumper cover!
it starts everytime, but it is running really ruff and i noticed that there are a couple of disconnected vacuum lines just hanging in the engine compartment on the drivers side. the vehicle has absolutely no get up and go at all and it sounds like a tank??? I can only assume that the vacuum lines are to blame or maybe just part of the issue. can someone please help me? I think i just need to get my hands on a vacuum diagram. I bought the book 1990 Aerostar electrical & vacuum trouble-shooting manual. it is absolutley worthless on the vacuum side! Hardly any usable info regarding vacuum lines and where they get connected to and from.
any help would be greatly appreciated.
I also notice that when i drove it home, the front drivers side was smoking as if the front caliper was stuck and grabbing on the rotor. I have not driven it since but need to get it on the road asap. any suggestions?
Talk about a Saweet deal! :supz: :supz:
The damage done to the front bumper cover!
#2
12-13-2010, 02:11 PM
nice van
autozone site has the vac. diagrams
have to create a login
under repair guides/emission controls/vac. diag.s
http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...528006dbcd.gif
autozone site has the vac. diagrams
have to create a login
under repair guides/emission controls/vac. diag.s
http://repairguide.autozone.com/znet...528006dbcd.gif
#4
01-12-2011, 10:02 PM
Ok i did the oil change, spark plugs, plug wires, cap, & rotor. She runs like a raped ape now! To my suprise they were all the original parts. I also had a suck front caliper. I replaced it too. Tomorrow I am replacing the muffler. I am also tinting the windows hopefully tomorrow.
I still have a few bugs that i need to get worked out.
1) i have no heat???? it is winter and the breeze coming off the atlantic ocean is bone chilling.... I have to haul my kiddies around in this thing. i need heat! I thought well maybe they had bypassed the heater core and just looped the hose back to the return. Nope wasnt done. I can hear the blower motor. If i switch it to vent its fine, when its on heat it puts out next to no heat whatsoever. any ideas?
2) power windows get stuck when rolling up and down. It goes down partially then stops I have to push them the rest of the way up and down! it sounds like the gears start stripping!
3) you have to literally slam the passengers door to get it to close. is there any adjustments?
I still have a few bugs that i need to get worked out.
1) i have no heat???? it is winter and the breeze coming off the atlantic ocean is bone chilling.... I have to haul my kiddies around in this thing. i need heat! I thought well maybe they had bypassed the heater core and just looped the hose back to the return. Nope wasnt done. I can hear the blower motor. If i switch it to vent its fine, when its on heat it puts out next to no heat whatsoever. any ideas?
2) power windows get stuck when rolling up and down. It goes down partially then stops I have to push them the rest of the way up and down! it sounds like the gears start stripping!
3) you have to literally slam the passengers door to get it to close. is there any adjustments?
#5
01-13-2011, 05:32 AM
Ok i did the oil change, spark plugs, plug wires, cap, & rotor. She runs like a raped ape now! To my suprise they were all the original parts. I also had a suck front caliper. I replaced it too. Tomorrow I am replacing the muffler. I am also tinting the windows hopefully tomorrow.
I still have a few bugs that i need to get worked out.
1) i have no heat???? it is winter and the breeze coming off the atlantic ocean is bone chilling.... I have to haul my kiddies around in this thing. i need heat! I thought well maybe they had bypassed the heater core and just looped the hose back to the return. Nope wasnt done. I can hear the blower motor. If i switch it to vent its fine, when its on heat it puts out next to no heat whatsoever. any ideas?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
are both the input and output hose on the heater core hot? if not, take off the outlet hose at the block and blow back thru it and core with water hose and nozzle. not too much pressure, keep it under 20 psi to keep from blowing out the core. they plug up.
can also be the foam seal around the heater core or the blend door is not sealing completely.
engine may need new thermostat, old one stuck wide open.
core face on cold air side can also be plugged with leaves, bugs and junk
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
2) power windows get stuck when rolling up and down. It goes down partially then stops I have to push them the rest of the way up and down! it sounds like the gears start stripping!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
take off door panels and spray the tracks and gear mech with a good lube derust spray such as PB Blaster to cut all the old rust and hardened lube. no WD40 stuff is like super glue
spray the window frame fuzz guides on sides and top in upper door with silicone spray and the edge of the glass, slides easier.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
3) you have to literally slam the passengers door to get it to close. is there any adjustments?
I still have a few bugs that i need to get worked out.
1) i have no heat???? it is winter and the breeze coming off the atlantic ocean is bone chilling.... I have to haul my kiddies around in this thing. i need heat! I thought well maybe they had bypassed the heater core and just looped the hose back to the return. Nope wasnt done. I can hear the blower motor. If i switch it to vent its fine, when its on heat it puts out next to no heat whatsoever. any ideas?
>>>>>>>>>>>>>
are both the input and output hose on the heater core hot? if not, take off the outlet hose at the block and blow back thru it and core with water hose and nozzle. not too much pressure, keep it under 20 psi to keep from blowing out the core. they plug up.
can also be the foam seal around the heater core or the blend door is not sealing completely.
engine may need new thermostat, old one stuck wide open.
core face on cold air side can also be plugged with leaves, bugs and junk
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
2) power windows get stuck when rolling up and down. It goes down partially then stops I have to push them the rest of the way up and down! it sounds like the gears start stripping!
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
take off door panels and spray the tracks and gear mech with a good lube derust spray such as PB Blaster to cut all the old rust and hardened lube. no WD40 stuff is like super glue
spray the window frame fuzz guides on sides and top in upper door with silicone spray and the edge of the glass, slides easier.
>>>>>>>>>>>>
3) you have to literally slam the passengers door to get it to close. is there any adjustments?
may have to repeat several times.
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01-13-2011, 05:50 AM
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#10
02-14-2011, 08:18 PM
Got one for ya that I need some help with. my aero has been running like a champ. All of a sudden today I was driving home from work and all of a sudden I realized it was smoking like hell! I immediately pulled over to check it out. Found nothing. I was only a few blocks from home so I kicked on the hazards and made it home. Once I got there I realized that she was leaking oil from what looks to be between the engine and tranny? Any ideas? I kinda have a feeling it is the rear seal.... If it is the rear seal, is there any easy way for me to do it myself? Will I have to drop the subframe/engine/tranny to do it? Please anyone?
#12
02-14-2011, 11:16 PM
That could be either the rear main seal or the transmission input seal. I've heard of the transmission seal letting go suddenly, as it's under pressure, while the rear main seal is not pressurized.
Replacing the rear main seal is actually pretty easy; you need to drop the driveline from the rear differential up to the engine. Then you pull out the old seal and install the new one, and replace everything. (Sounds easy, but there is a lot of grunt work involved.)
Transmissions are really complicated things, and this one requires a special tool to align the input shaft after you replace the seal. Some brave souls on this forum have repaired them before, and they might be able to help you out if that is the problem.
Replacing the rear main seal is actually pretty easy; you need to drop the driveline from the rear differential up to the engine. Then you pull out the old seal and install the new one, and replace everything. (Sounds easy, but there is a lot of grunt work involved.)
Transmissions are really complicated things, and this one requires a special tool to align the input shaft after you replace the seal. Some brave souls on this forum have repaired them before, and they might be able to help you out if that is the problem.
#13
02-15-2011, 11:25 AM
I recently had to replace the right front door on my Aerostar. I got a used one from an "automotive recycling center" that allows you to go into then yard, and pull your own parts.
The window on the new to me door would go down about 6 inches, twist slightly, and stop. I pulled the window regulator out, swapped the regulator from my original door, greased the regulators, and motors (both of them, and sprayed some silicone lubricant into the window tracks in the door.
I noticed slight improvements, but not much improvement. I then reached inside the door, and pulled the front window track slightly back, and took the back window track out, of the junkyard door. I sprayed the back window track out of the original door with a lot of the silicone spray, and put that one back into the door. After doing that, the window goes up and down quickly.
I think by pulling the front window track back, it removed a lot of the slop in the fit of the window, and prevented the window from twisting, and getting stuck.
If your window goes only a little bit, and the back of the window stops, and jams, see it you can make it go all the way down by pushing down on the back edge of the glass while lowering the window with the switch. If you can get the window to go down this way, the cure may be pulling the front window track inside the door back.
The window on the new to me door would go down about 6 inches, twist slightly, and stop. I pulled the window regulator out, swapped the regulator from my original door, greased the regulators, and motors (both of them, and sprayed some silicone lubricant into the window tracks in the door.
I noticed slight improvements, but not much improvement. I then reached inside the door, and pulled the front window track slightly back, and took the back window track out, of the junkyard door. I sprayed the back window track out of the original door with a lot of the silicone spray, and put that one back into the door. After doing that, the window goes up and down quickly.
I think by pulling the front window track back, it removed a lot of the slop in the fit of the window, and prevented the window from twisting, and getting stuck.
If your window goes only a little bit, and the back of the window stops, and jams, see it you can make it go all the way down by pushing down on the back edge of the glass while lowering the window with the switch. If you can get the window to go down this way, the cure may be pulling the front window track inside the door back.
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