My 91 lincoln towncar stalls when warmed up.

It’s probably not the battery because you should hypothetically be able to run without a battery once it’s started.

I would guess that the alternator might be bad even though it tested out ok but there could also be some type of crazy power drain (or short) somewhere. One way to be sure of this is to run this test at night. Turn the headlights on and as the car starts to stall do the headlights dim? I would shine the lights against a wood fence or house so it’s easier to tell. If so, it’s probably an electrical problem. If not, you may have some other type of problem.

Does this always happen or did this just start? Did you run completely out of gas recently? Every time you run out of gas you suck up all the debris from the bottom of your fuel tank and shoot it down the fuel line. If this is the case, it would also be prudent to change your fuel filter.

Maybe your fuel pump is starting to go bad. There’s a ton of stuff it ‘could’ be on an older car.

Test the headlights to see if it’s electrical, then we’ll go from there.

@ bodyhead. Thanks for the response. Ok, I am pretty sure it is electrical in nature. The lights dim a little and even the dash. It must be a power drain. About 4 years ago I had to pull the engine to change a leaky oil pan and I am wondering if I yanked on the wiring harness too hard by accident. Is there a way to trouble shoot where the short is if so?

It sounds like your alternator might not be putting off enough power. Do you have any extra gear hooking up in that thing? When you tested was the radio on? Was your heat on?

If you yanked something hard enough to create a short, you should probably see it grounding out with a small spark. But still, alternator would be my first suspect. (thought it would probably kill a fuse if there was a short)

Is this a new alternator? (or newly refurbished as the case may be?) Also, did you take it to two shops of the same name or did you take it to two competitors. A competitor might have a different type of machine. I always get my stuff at Advance Auto Parts (or if I want something really nice I go to Napa) and avoid AutoZone like the plague if I can help it.

No extra gear. The radio was not on but the heat was on full blast. I kind of hear a shorting sound in the dashboard when I am driving. It is so faint no one else seems to really hear it, I think I am crazy hahahha. I took the alternator to competitors, murray’s and autozone right across the street. It is an older reman. ~7 years.

You aren’t the only person having this problem.

Hey I’m not sure I was clear there. When the car is off (even with it working properly) the lights will dim slightly when you turn off the engine. The lights would have to dim in a major way for you to be sure it’s electrical.

If you are 100% sure that your alternator is working properly, you may want to start checking some items in the fuel system.

How do check O2 sensors and the other stuff mentioned on that website you linked for me? Should I just replace them all since it is an old car?

OMG I just read the last part of that website. It stalls when in gear only. And I have been having problems with the tranny when going to overdrive. Sometimes it does not shift into overdrive when I exceed 40mph.

sounds like a vacuum leak….mstar. if your car isnt shifting right , like you describe, your looking at a tranny rebuild.