# Ford has no parts!

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-has-no-parts/46381>\
**Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\
**Tags:** thunderbird, ford\
**Created:** [March 21, 2010, 1:00am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-has-no-parts/46381 "2010-03-21T01:00:36Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![eraser1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@eraser1998](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eraser1998)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-has-no-parts/46381/21 "2010-03-22T21:11:33Z")

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I’m just curious - what is there that is electrical on this particular throttle body other than the throttle position sensor? I admit, I’m not familiar with the details of this particular model, but I can’t think of anything else electrical on a throttle body.

[RockAuto.com](http://RockAuto.com) has Motorcraft throttle position sensors available for $36.79 ($60.89 if you want a Standard Motor or Airtex part).

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**Author:** ![tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f0a364/32.png) [@tardis](https://community.cartalk.com/u/tardis)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-has-no-parts/46381/22 "2010-03-22T21:32:29Z")

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The motor/electronics that control the position of the throttle plate. Here’s a drawing of it.

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**Author:** ![eraser1998](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/6de8d8/32.png) [@eraser1998](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eraser1998)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 3:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-has-no-parts/46381/23 "2010-03-23T03:58:28Z")

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Ah… I didn’t think that this thing would be an electronic throttle. Serves me right for driving ancient cars. 🙂

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**Author:** ![jayhawkroy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/jayhawkroy/32/33_2.png) [@jayhawkroy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jayhawkroy)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-has-no-parts/46381/24 "2010-03-23T23:09:27Z")

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Many times “just in time” turns into Just Too Late for consumers.

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**Author:** ![ken\_green](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/ken_green/32/816_2.png) [@ken\_green](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ken_green)\
**Post date:** [March 23, 2010, 11:54pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/ford-has-no-parts/46381/25 "2010-03-23T23:54:22Z")

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Even though the economy has recovered somewhat, and Ford did not take bailout money, you’ll still find the repercussions of the crash throughout the automotive industy. Not just Ford.  
All auto makers sublet the manufacture of many components you’ve never heard of, that make up an assembly or ‘parts’ you have.

In the throttle body you might have components from four or five different sources. The aluminum body, the plastic cover, the brass butterfly, the electric motor, the t.p. sensor, bushings, springs and gears might come from various places all over the world.

In the robust economy those suppliers could be working three shifts.  
When the economy went bust, so did some of those who made only a small percentage of those parts.

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