My car is a piece of crap and I need to know how to fix it

My car will crank, but not start. When it does start after it sits for awhile it will run for awhile before dying as if I stalled it and won’t start agian. I was told it could be vapor lock but it also sounds like its not running on all the pistons. It is a 1986 Ford Tourus, 5-speed manual.

Vapor lock?? Doubt it. Vapor lock is caused when the engine is hot…NOT cold.

It sounds like a fuel related problem though…not getting enough fuel. Is the 86 FI or carb???

It sounds like either a fuel pump problem as Mike suggested or a fault with the TFI-IV ignition module. At least that’s a couple of the most plausible possibilities. There are a number of other things it could be such as the ignition switch or the ICRM (Integrated Controller Relay Module).
Don’t dis the car just yet. It’s a 22 year old vehicle and things wear out.

There are a number of diagnostic steps that should be taken for either the pump or the module, although none of these are etched in stone.
Your first step is determining if the problem is fuel or spark related. Based on your complaint of rough running, etc. it sounds like it’s fuel related as per Mike’s suggestion.