Ford Fairmont 1997 Problems

It has to be an automatic transmission fluid. Your local auto parts and accessories shop would be able to offer you a choice of suitable fluids, but one you could use is Castrol Transmax TQ 95.

Carmakers claim that you don't need to change the fluid or service the auto trans for "life", but what "life" means is anybody's guess.  Auto trans service specialists strongly suggest that the fluid be changed as often as every 20,000 km, much as it used to be. It's more critical if you are towing regularly, but 40,000 km on a car that is being driven normally would be a good guide to when you should consider having the fluid changed.

It won’t be the distributor or the spark plugs. If it happens when you turn the key to the start position to crank the engine it could be the starter solenoid.

When you say you have fuel, spark and air. How sure are you? These are not complicated engines and given all three of those things are present, the thing is kind of obliged to run. For instance, while you might be able to hear the fuel pump running (suggesting that fuel is being supplied) have you checked the fuel volume and pressure at the injector rail? Similarly, while there may be power at the coil packs, are the spark plugs actually doing their job?

Beyond that, you need to start looking for an alternative problem and, in engines like this one, you’d probably start with things like the crank-angle sensor which supplies information to the computer to allow the engine to fire. If this – or any other – sensor is dodgy, it can put a stop to play. An electronic scan might reveal more clues.