Good manual ?

[cooder]

Hello i just traded for a 97 taurus 100.000 miles on it.It runs very well and hope to keep it that way.What manual is a good one at a good price?I need to repair rh rear window motor and have a air bag lite on 42 code.Other than that i need to service fluids etc.Does the motor oil need to be motor craft 5w20? I dont know how it was taken care of it is the vulcan engine,oils not black but dark in color.checking trany fluid today.Any other things i should check at this point that any body knows of let me know.Thanks.........Cooder

[GPFred]

I have a 98 Taurus and found that the Haynes manual is a good one. It covers most things you can do on your own and accompany pictures with the various jobs. You can order an owners manual for the car from Amazon or Ebay. I believe I use 5W20 in mine and I have yet to have any problems with cranking on very cold or hot days, no leaks or burning of oil at 122K. Be sure to check the power steering and brake fluids as well. The tranny should be serviced every 60K miles if I recall. Good Luck with the new(used) Taurus, I've enjoyed mine and have had few mechanical issues.

[rdh2]

Originally Posted by cooder

Hello i just traded for a 97 taurus 100.000 miles on it.It runs very well and hope to keep it that way.What manual is a good one at a good price?I need to repair rh rear window motor and have a air bag lite on 42 code.Other than that i need to service fluids etc.Does the motor oil need to be motor craft 5w20? I dont know how it was taken care of it is the vulcan engine,oils not black but dark in color.checking trany fluid today.Any other things i should check at this point that any body knows of let me know.Thanks.........Cooder

I have an '02 Vulcan. I prefer the Ford Factory Service Manuals. I have them on CD or DVD and they are invaluable. For me, the detail is greater than in a Chilton or Haynes.

The air bag code and service may need to be done by a professional.

I would change the trans fluid and filter - but DO NOT do a power flush.

I use 5W20 or 5W30 oil. Others may disagree with using 5W30, but I have 156,000 miles and no engine problems.

Just my

Bob

[cooder]

Sounds good thanks.

[Dave_s]

The Haynes manual is good, but as with all manuals it for some jobs it includes unnecessary steps, and for some it does not give enough detail. I don't use a manual often, but I am lucky enough to have a mechanic I can call with questions (and when I get stuck). This forum is a great resource, especially as an addition to the manuals. The Ford manual is great but may be out of your price range.

[tripletdaddy]

Which method to use to change your trans fluid is almost as controversial as whether to use natural or synthetic. There are several posts on this and how to do it on the forum, for example http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbul...smission+fluid
You need to decide for your situation what makes the most sense. I think the concern over a power flush, especially with an unserviced trans is cutting loose debris that will plug things up. There is also controversy on changing fluid on an unserviced trans as new fluid will clean the build up and will be bad. The consensus always seems to be to always change your filter no matter what method you choose. Good luck
This is a good reference on how to flush your trans. http://http://www.taurusclub.com/wik...ission_at_home

[way2old]

You can purchase the OE repair DVD on the popular auction sites for very little. Or you can purchase an Alldata subscription for about 25$ a year. SOme searching of various parts house sites may reveal a lot of free information also. Click here for example.

[Willyum]

I recently read in a newstand mechanic's magazine that Ford is now recommending Mercon V for all current and previous Ford automatics.
Has this word gotten around?