Hey again everyone!
I finally got my battery and started the Fairmont. The motor is strong, transmission is solid, but I've noticed some things I wanted to ask about...
1) I've been told by the previous owner, they believe the voltage regulator needs to be replaced. I learned a lot from Dad working on his '79 F-100 (which we still have but hasn't been run in a few years), but there's some things I'm fuzzy on. The car started pretty easy, but the alternator light wanted to flicker from time to time. After it was running a while, I shut the motor off. I was going to crank it up again to turn it around, it didn't want to turn over, but it almost did. I pumped the gas a few times, it acted like it wanted to turn over, but didn't. I tried a third time and nothing. You turn the key, the lights on the dash stay on, but you turn the ignition, silence. I decided to let it cool off. I came back out an hour later and started it easily. The alternator has been rebuilt according to the previous owner, but the voltage regulator needs to be replaced. Can a voltage regulator going bad cause it not to turn over when the motor is warmed up?
My Dad's '79 F-100 has a good voltage regulator on it. Could I replace the Fairmont's with the one on my Dad's truck or is it not interchangeable? If not, can I buy a new one or does it have to be used?
2) The brake light stays on all the time. The E brake isn't engaged. What's going on with this?
3) One half of the right taillight is out. Is it fairly simple to replace the bulb? I ask because I've heard the Fairmont's taillights are glued on.
4) Since the previous owner doesn't know when the oil was changed last (it hasn't been years or anything like that though), I'm going to change the oil. Does the inline-6 take 10W-30? How many quarts? What size oil filter? Is the rule of thumb for oil changes still 3,000 miles?
That's all I can think of. Thank you guys in advance for any help! :-)
Tommy
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