No-Go Power Seat 1978 Town Coupe

[Dave from LA CA USA]

Howdyall:

It appears that I will have to replace the entire mechanism on the driver's side power seat.

It moves forward, but not back. Someone moved it so far forward that the steering wheel hits my sternum.

A trip to the "pick a part" boneyard revealed about three or four 1977-79 Mark Vs, and none of my car's body style.

So, the question is: Will a Mark V mechanism work? How about a Ford LTD? Anything else?

If not, are the mechs the same on both sides, so I can just switch the good one on the right to the replace the bad one on in the left, if that's necessary?

Also, what's entiailed inthe job? It appears to be pretty simple -- unbolt the seat, take out the old stuff, put the new stuff in place.

All thoughts sought and greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

DAVE

[megaforcer]

Dereck probably knows more about these cars but I would say that if the seat is moving one way and not the other it could be the switch. I just had a Town Car with the same problem, the seat would move forward only. I went to a junkyard and got another switch, after I replaced it the seat would only go back and not forward, so I just got a brand new switch from the dealer and everything worked fine. Just my 2 cents.

[Dave from LA CA USA]

Don't think the switch is the problem.

The tracks are all [expletive]ed up. The wires are trashed, the tracks are thrashed, I think a bad install at the factory. Maybe too much whatever the night before in Michigan.

I think I'll need to replace the mechanism.

But thanks for the input.

dave

[Vitas]

I have many times freed up what is essentially a mechanically bound situation on my 1966 - 1977 Lincolns. The visible parts may look ugly, but so what.

Do you hear a click when you press the switch to go forward or backward?

If you need to know if parts interchange, you can call the Green Sales tech number:

http://www.greensalescompany.com/

ask for the part numbers of the different cars that you are trying to compare, and if they match, bingo.

[Dereck]

Howdyall:

It appears that I will have to replace the entire mechanism on the driver's side power seat.

It moves forward, but not back. Someone moved it so far forward that the steering wheel hits my sternum.

DAVE

Hi Dave

If the seat moves forward but not backwards it is virtually as certain as death and taxes that the switch is at fault.

The switch simply reverses the motor polarity so if the seat moves one way the wiring must be okay, I suppose there is an outside chance the motor is somehow binding up when trying to reverse, I would do some wire jumping on the back of the switch before hoying out your motor assembly.

Regards

Dereck

[Dave from LA CA USA]

I already took it to a shop and they told me that the switch was fine but the mechanism was all bound up.

Hence, removal is needed.

They didn't remove and replace at the time because they couldn't find parts, and I needed the car to drive.

Now I have an additional car, so I have time to work on it.

dave

[Dereck]

Hi Dave

If the motor has gone so far forward that it has jammed, it may be possible to remove the motor assembly and free it up by hand, I had to do this on my trunk pull down motor when the switch failed in the continuously on mode.

Regards

Dereck

[Dave from LA CA USA]

thanks Dereck!

I'll try that, but I still would like to know: if it comes to it, can I just switch around the passenger/driver seat mechanisms so I'll have a working driver's seat?

dave

[Dereck]

Hi Dave

The later Town Car motor assemblies are the same on both seats but I really do not know if the 70s are the same, they certainly look the same.

Regards

Dereck