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I have a 88 Ford Taurus, it has an issue with Oil leakage.

A few months ago, the car stopped running and coasted to a stop. It would not crank  but it makes a high whirring noise each time I put the key in the ignition. It stalls, but won't crank and I had to get it towed.

I've heard that the engine might've thrown a rod, there's a problem with the starter, or the issue is distributor cap/module answers. I've shelled out money and consistently hear conflicting reports from many mechanics. What is the most probable problem and what signs should I look for?  

i have an idea...

i have worked on 88 ford taurus models...

look at the car... its a fine car..  its 24 or 25 years old...   i am a mechanic... i know love of cars... i still have cars from the early 70s..  in fact a 70 ranchero and a 71 vw van.. and a 76 ford van..  

a 25 year old taurus is going to be a money pit..   its your money pit.. but with the cost of some used cars being fairly cheep.. you really might thing about something newer..

the 1999 and up taurus models are a very similar model with a lot less flaws..

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back to car repair..

there are a LOT of things  that it could be...   and you have posted some info that is confusing to me...

first...    DOES the engine starter motor turn the motor when you turn the key to the cranking position????   this does NOT mean RUNNING..  does the engine turn with the starter as commanded with the key..

yes or no..


if when you turn the key to the cranking position.. and you only get a whirring noise.. perhaps the starter is not engaging the flywheel...  it could be coming loose.. check the 3 mounting bolts where the starter is bolted to the face of the transmission bell housing..    please verify the ground cable that attaches to the head of the double ended bolts is tight.. and that the bolt is not loose holding the starter in..     what.. yep..    the starter bolts are usually shaped like this.. ////////|H|///////
so you might have to remove a nut and a bracket to get at the actual bolt holding the starter to the bell housing..



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if it does crank..    does it start... does it run at all...   like if you keep the engine revved up slightly????

you could have a dirty throttle body that needs cleaning.. a dirty or broken idle air control valve..   either of those or both will cause idle problems where it will stall..


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so... dirty throttle body bore...   dirty or bad idle air control valve...   the ignition switches  tend to fail also.. but not as often as other models..   the main and fuel pump relays can fail...    when the car is operated below 1/4 tank repeatedly the intank fuel pumps take a huge decrease in their life span...  the starters do fail... especially on cars that have a stalling problem..  or a long cranking problem..    the head gaskets have been known to fail on the 3.0 and 3.8 motors.. as do the timing cover gaskets.. if the antifreeze gets into the engine oil and the engine is operated .. the engine IS TOAST..  antifreeze will destroy the main, rod and cam bearings..   the power steering rack and pinions can leak.. as can the hoses and the power steering pump..  and then there are the TRANSMISSION ISSUES...

the newer taurus models have ignition coil failures.. heater hose and core failures... the egr pressure transducer and EGR vacuum solenoid..  if overheated .. they will suffer head gasket problems..  but other than than.. they are really decent cars for a taurus..  the transmissions are for some reason better..  at least in the ones that i have seen..