rayner601
Dedicated LVC Member
I have a VIN that I can't decode...1LNLM81W5SY741327
I can decode it through the 1LNLM. After that depending on the year it's either the next 2 or 3 positions. In the 1997 Service Manual 81 is Lincoln Mercury North America. In 1998 SM, it's 81w=Town Car Executive Series. Then the next 2 positions after the w don't match up to anything I have. The y is Wixom and the last 6 is the serial number. I found this on a computer punch card embedded in expanding foam on the rh side of the car, to the right of the pass airbag. I had to take the dash out to chase down a water leak and saw it there
The reason I am curious is I carfaxed the car before I bought it and it's clean, however there is a gap between 15,000 and 30,000 where there's no information, It's like it was just put up by the person who bought it at the auction @15,000. Does it sound like it may have been totaled and put back together with the front/rear of another car? Any help is appreciated. If you have a water leak on a 97 M8, and the windshield is good, check the seal between the evaporator case and the outside air intake. That's where mine's leaking from
Thanks
Joe
I can decode it through the 1LNLM. After that depending on the year it's either the next 2 or 3 positions. In the 1997 Service Manual 81 is Lincoln Mercury North America. In 1998 SM, it's 81w=Town Car Executive Series. Then the next 2 positions after the w don't match up to anything I have. The y is Wixom and the last 6 is the serial number. I found this on a computer punch card embedded in expanding foam on the rh side of the car, to the right of the pass airbag. I had to take the dash out to chase down a water leak and saw it there
The reason I am curious is I carfaxed the car before I bought it and it's clean, however there is a gap between 15,000 and 30,000 where there's no information, It's like it was just put up by the person who bought it at the auction @15,000. Does it sound like it may have been totaled and put back together with the front/rear of another car? Any help is appreciated. If you have a water leak on a 97 M8, and the windshield is good, check the seal between the evaporator case and the outside air intake. That's where mine's leaking from
Thanks
Joe
It wasn't so funny a few hours ago, but now it is seeing how I was worried I had a chopped up mark 8. I'd been pissed. I did find the water leak though. Was coming in through the outside air intake for the a/c. Now gotta fix that little problem. Also another thing. The 2 plugs that connect the trans harness, the 2 rear o2 sensors, speed sensor, gear position sensor, and tss can short out if you have had any kind of fluid leak. I just cut the plugs off, soldered and heat shrinked them. 
