A MONTH AGO I BOUGHT AN 88 FORD THUNDERBIRD. IT'S A 6 CYLINDER WITH A 3.8 ENGINE. IT RAN GREAT THE FIRST 3 DAYS I HAD IT. ON THE 4TH DAY I STARTED HEARING A NOISE, BEST DESCRIBED AS A RATTLE, A FRIEND OF A FRIEND LOOKED AT IT THE FOLLOWING DAY AND SAID, "IT'S NOTHING TO WORRY ABOUT, THE HEAT SHIELD HAS JUST COME LOOSE AND NEEDS TO BE TIGHTENED UP". ON THE 6TH DAY, WHILE HEADED TO THE STORE, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AND IT IMMEDIATELY LOST POWER, AND DIED. I COASTED TILL I GOT TO A PLACE WHERE I COULD PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. I TRIED RESTARTING IT, AND A COUPLE OF TIMES IT STARTED AND RAN EXTREMELY ROUGH FOR A FEW SECONDS, THEN DIED. I ENDED UP HAVING IT TOWED HOME. ANOTHER FRIEND CAME AND LOOKED AT IT, CONCLUDING IT WAS THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER. HE DRILLED HOLES IN IT,(A TOTAL OF FOUR), AND IT STARTED RIGHT UP. IT RAN GREAT FOR 3 DAYS, THEN TODAY, WHILE ON THE HIGHWAY, IT STARTED SLOWING DOWN, EVEN THO I WAS GIVING IT GAS, THEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME BACK ON. I EXITED, PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, AND TURNED IT OFF. AFTER SITTING THERE ABOUT 5 MINUTES, I RESTARTED IT AND THE LIGHT WAS OFF SO I CONTINUED TO HEAD HOME, TAKING THE BACK ROADS INSTEAD OF THE HIGHWAY. AFTER ABOUT 5 MILES THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON AND IT LOST POWER AGAIN, SO I PULLED OVER AGAIN. AFTER ABOUT ANOTHER 5 MINUTES, I STARTED IT AGAIN, THE LIGHT WAS OUT AGAIN, IT RAN FINE FOR ABOUT ANOTHER 5 MILES, BEFORE HAVING TO PULL OVER AGAIN. I FINALLY GOT HOME, FIVE MILES AT A TIME. IT WAS RUNNING FINE AND THE LIGHT WAS OFF WHEN I GOT HOME, I REVED THE ENGINE A FEW TIMES,THEN TURNED IT OFF FOR ABOUT 10 OR 15 MINUTES. ONCE AGAIN, A FRIEND CAME TO LOOK AT IT. HE TOOK IT FOR A TEST DRIVE, TWICE!. BOTH TIMES HE TEST DROVE IT, HE DROVE IT FOR AT LEAST 30 MINUTES, AND IT RAN PERFECTLY FINE. IT DIDN'T LOSE POWER, NOR DID THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COME ON. ANY IDEA'S, CLUES, HINTS, OR SUGGESTIONS?
Optional Information:
1988
Ford THUNDERBIRD 3.8
Already Tried:
NOTHING SINCE TODAYS PROBLEMS.
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