North American Turbocoupe Organization



88 turbocoupe program ride control
jason Offline
Junior Member
#1
im looking for information on ford diagnostic processes for my 88 thunderbird turbocoupe
specificly the program ride control system
just a little about whats going on here it has an ittermitant operation for the firm setting i cleaned the switch and found bad continunity with the switch plug that was repaired last month has been fine .
now for a week its fine one day the next its blinking randomly and no firm setting
the switch stays in firm
1988 tc loaded complete restore built 2.3 t5 8.8 and a pretty paint job
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Pete D Offline
Administrator
#2
take a look at this article:
http://turbotbird.com/faqs/#Programmed%2...20Problems
Pete Dunham


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jason Offline
Junior Member
#3
thanks pete i do really appreciate it
1988 tc loaded complete restore built 2.3 t5 8.8 and a pretty paint job
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anasazi4st Offline
Senior Member
#4
Jason:

I had similar issues, and discovered the problem to be the PRC relays. They're located inside the trunk on the right side of the package shelf (back under the rear speaker). There's a drop-down hinged panel that has both the ABS and PRC computers bolted on to it (flat square aluminum boxes). IIRC, just in front of the PRC on the right you'll find the two relays, one for FIRM and the other for SOFT (Normal).

For YEARS I tried replacing the sensor switches found on top the shock towers...I must have a dozen or so of them, some new and some from salvage yards. When the system would refuse to switch back (usually from FIRM) I'd try swapping in a new sensor. Little did I realize the problem all along was the RELAYS!

You'll have to climb into the trunk (empty it if it isn't already--like who has an empty trunk, right?) to fully access the PRC stuff. The relays are held in place with a clip/tang arrangement, new ones are readily available (I got mine from NAPA for about $5 each--again, IIRC). Haven't had a problem since--and this has been a 20 year old issue.

Hope this is a help to you.
Another proud dues-paying member.

1987 Turbo Coupe w/T5OD, 8.8 axle, grey smoke; most options. Got it in 1991 with 41K miles: 3 turbos, 2 heater cores, 3 T5OD full rebuilds, 6 clutches, 1 head gasket, 2 Teves II ABS units, etc. later....
88chickentc likes this post
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jason Offline
Junior Member
#5
HI THANKS FOR THE INFORMATION ANASAZI4ST BUT ITS FIXED NOW
AND IT WAS BOTH RELAYS CAUSEING THE PROBLEM
WOULD YOU HAPPEN TO HAVE THE NAPA PART NUMBER ?
THE CODE IT HAD SET WAS FOR THE LR ACTUATOR AFTER HAVEING NO LUCK TROUBLESHOOTING THE SYSTEM I GOT A PRINT ON THE SYSTEM CIRCUT AND DISCONNECTED THE MODULE AND TRIED ACTUATING THE RELAYS MANUALY WITH A STAND ALONE POWER SOURCE I FOUND THE RELAY JUST DIDNT CARRY THE LOAD TO SWITCH ALL 4 ACTUATORS SO I SWITCHED THE RELAYS OUT WITH ONES I HAD FROM AN INTERIOR HARNESS SINCE I COULD NOT FIND REPLACEMENTS .
BEING THEY ARE ALL 20+ YEARS OLD I WOULD LIKE TO FIND NEW ONES
1988 tc loaded complete restore built 2.3 t5 8.8 and a pretty paint job
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anasazi4st Offline
Senior Member
#6
Jason:

I researched my receipt and the NAPA part # is: MPE AR243SB.

They were around $18 each. Could be a bit more now, that was in October 2013.

The actual description is an A/C Automatic Temp Control Relay, but it's pretty much a standard part (I have the same ones on my aftermarket alarm I had installed on the car twenty some years ago).

You can find them online for as little as under $10, if you don't mind digging on the Internet a bit. There should be part numbers from the manufacturer printed on the relay cover. I bought a couple of extras to keep around.
Another proud dues-paying member.

1987 Turbo Coupe w/T5OD, 8.8 axle, grey smoke; most options. Got it in 1991 with 41K miles: 3 turbos, 2 heater cores, 3 T5OD full rebuilds, 6 clutches, 1 head gasket, 2 Teves II ABS units, etc. later....
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