New to the LS6. Advise

[CALL ENDED]

Hello I just put a deposit on a 2004 Lincoln LS 6. It has 93000 miles. $2,750. Car is in mint condition inside and out. I was wondering is there anything specific i should look for with this car before I fully purchase it? Also after I purchase it is there anything I should try to maintenance other than the standard tune up. For example, the plastic elbow under the manifold, commonly go bad.

[shorod]

The PCV elbow (rubber, not plastic) is a common issue. If the car has any sort of misfire or power issue, you should assume it will need that elbow and valve cover gaskets which should be taken in to account with the purchase price. Also, make sure the transmission shifts fine and doesn't have a hard clunk when shifting from Park to Reverse. Try the climate control on all temperatures and on both sides to make sure both sides get hot and cold appropriately.

Also, take it on the highway with the radio off to check for sounds a bad wheel bearing or suspension noises over expansion joints or road imperfections. Bearings and suspension parts are getting a bit more difficult to find for these cars.

-Rod

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Hey rod. Thanks for the info. Sooooo I've had the car for about 4 days. When I test drove the car I didn't drive but more than 5 miles. Everything seems straight.
When I drove it home it was 40 miles away by the time I got there I heard the loud no ways of a wheel bearing in the front needing to be replaced.
When I turn the steering wheel left to right slowly I hear a slight whining noise coming from the rack and pinion area. Not the power steering pump. I've read that there is a rotary valve inside the pinion and can cause the sound.
Last night my wife brought the car home will the check engine light on code P 04 20. Catalyst system efficiency below threshold. So possible new catalytic converter.
Shortly after I got the code the transmission starts to clunk from neutral to drive. Shifts smooth between other gears but mainly when I'm selecting a year I feel it. Also when the car is coming to a stop and shifting out of its final gear I get the same type of Clunk like it releases the transmission hard.
So now that I own the car I have to figure these issues out.
Any input on the situation would be greatly appreciated thanks

[shorod]

The only experience I have with the power steering on these cars was one time the electrical connector for the variable assist was disconnected and caused hard steering.

I wouldn't jump to condemning a catalytic converter based on the P0420 code. If the converter is determined to be bad, you'll want to make real sure there are no other issues currently contributing to it's demise, such as a misfire or leaking valve cover/spark plug well seal.

The transmission noise sounds suspiciously like the common valve body failure that there was a recall for. You might check to see if the recall was ever performed on your car.

-Rod

[CALL ENDED]

The misfire would throw a code correct? I'll look at the valve cover gaskets. But the dealer I bought it from put 20$ in gas on it. They probly didn't know it needed 91 octane or higher. That would lean it out. That could be why I have the code? But I have since put the correct octane in and from what I've read the O2 sensors frequently run self tests to make sure the readings are correct. wouldn't the most current test that the system ran on itself read the new octane and turn off or would I need to reset the computer by disconnecting the batt?

[shorod]

A misfire won't necessarily throw a code right away. It could take several sequences of misfire before specific codes would be set. Similarly, the ECU will need to see several cycles without a P0420 reported for the code to clear on its own.

-Rod

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Ok. Thanks. I'm going to flush it to start.
Today I accelerated and between 3Rd and 4th it started shuttering pretty bad. I let off the gas it got in gear and then it was gone.
Do you think the shuddering is from a misfire under hard load or tranny? Felt like tranny

[CALL ENDED]

Ok. Thanks. I'm going to flush it to start.
Today I accelerated and between 3Rd and 4th it started shuttering pretty bad. I let off the gas it got in gear and then it was gone.
Do you think the shuddering is from a misfire under hard load or tranny? Felt like tranny

[CALL ENDED]

Ok so I've been looking around and it seems as if the valve body is the same thing as the shift solenoid. Also do you have a location or a link to where I can find information on the TSBs and how do I find out if it was done on my car

[shorod]

You should be able to either contact your dealer to confirm whether or not the recall has been completed based on your VIN, or type you VIN in to the recall search at SaferCar.gov to see if there is an open recall on your car.

-Rod

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Ok. Thanks for the info. If there is a recall that hasn't been done. Can I take it to any ford/lincoln dealer? Also are the recalls going to be free for me?

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Also I have a friend that works for ford. He says he will flash the ecm and tcm for me for free. I'll post on the progress after reflash. I don't think it's that but maybe

[shorod]

Yes, an active recall should always be performed free of charge.

-Rod