Common Problem Areas W The 4.6's?

[90lxwhite]

My dad bought a 97 gt convertible 5 speed he intended to flip but due to a recent accident in his DD he is going to hang on to it for awhile and drive it to work(about 5 miles). It has 100 and some odd thousand miles and has a rear main seal leak. He is going to change the seal and probably replace the clutch at the same time. What are some common problem areas to look for with the modulars?

 

[Three50won]

As long as the car is maintained, taken care of, and not beat on then you shouldn't have any issues outside of basic maintenance. Sometimes the IAC or TPS sensors may go bad but those are easy fixes. If you have the intake manifold with the plastic coolant crossover then those tend to leak...so you'll have to change that out if it happens. Otherwise just enjoy the car.

 

[90lxwhite]

As long as the car is maintained, taken care of, and not beat on then you shouldn't have any issues outside of basic maintenance. Sometimes the IAC or TPS sensors may go bad but those are easy fixes. If you have the intake manifold with the plastic coolant crossover then those tend to leak...so you'll have to change that out if it happens. Otherwise just enjoy the car.

I appreciate it.

 

[silversmith82]

If its a 97 it will be NPI unless someone not too bright swapped it to a 99/00 PI intake which means it should have the metal crossover. Still can warp and leak under the tstat, even the metal crossover ones but if its not leaking, don't worry about it.

Just basic stuff. Plugs, wires, fluids, filters. The rear main seal is a pain in the nuts like they all are. Doing the trans pull is not bad at all if you have a lift. The stupid nuts on the passenger header collector are terrible if they're corroded. Everything else is just a matter of unbolting and removing and its all easy to get to. Trans is heavy, like 120+lbs heavy so make sure there are two of you and a trans jack would be helpful.



Also make sure to replace or at least resurface the flywheel that is in there, don't just bolt a new clutch to an old flywheel. They are cheap from Ford, $140 for a new iron one and you can get a Luk or Valeo clutch for $120 which is identical to OEM. OEM pilot and throwout too and when I say OEM, I mean OEM from a dealer, not FRPP. They are different oddly enough. Might want to have a new clutch fork and pivot ball handy too while the trans is out.

Also, do the spark plugs. Modulars like to run 1 range cooler than OEM. For Autolites, OEM=Autolite 104 so I recommend (and run) 103s. Coppers are fine, no need for platinums unless you don't want to do it every 30k which I'm guessing not since its a flip. Wires should be OEM Ford Motorcrafts which you can get on Rockauto for $50. Make damn sure they are torqued properly too. Yes, laugh at me for suggesting to torque spark plugs but the aluminum heads in these motors are notorious for blowing out the threads or spitting plugs. Not so much the earlier 96-98 motors as the 99-03 4 thread versions but it can still happen. Just a tiny dab of antiseize on the plug and then torque to 15 ft lbs. A magnetic spark plug socket and a 10" wobble extension makes doing the plugs on this thing a half hour job.

Can't think of many other "problem" areas... these motors are very stout and well maintained they'll last 150k+ easy, most Taxis in NYC ran them in the Vics and they routinely went over 300k no problem. Generally the stupid crap like sensors and other stuff including rust issues get these cars before a motor failure at least in my experience.

 

[TeamCaffeineGT]

90lxwhite,
I have had my 01 GT for the last 12 years. In all that time I have not run into too many problems.
-The fuel pump went out on mine just recently
-The power brake booster developed a leak and I replaced that.
-The rear pinion seal and the trans output shaft seal developed leaks and I have replaced those.
-The Factory 6 disc cd changer tends to jam and give a CD Error message.
-The coil on plug rubber boots crack and can develop misfires.
-As Three50won indicated the IAC and TPS can fail, however (knock on wood) mine have not.

Other than normal wear and tear items the SN95 is a very reliable vehicle! The engine really doesn't develop leaks and I don't think leaks from the rear main are as common as the push rod 302s.

Best of luck!

 

[silversmith82]

His car is a 97 so no COPs to worry about ftw! I have 0 idea why ppl convert to COPs honestly when a brand new set of OEM wires is $50 and there is 0 benefit from running COPs other than a cleaner bay. And one can just relocate the coil packs and hide the 96-98 wires to achieve the same effect without firing the 99-04 COPs at double rate in a 96-98 wasted spark system.

 

[1987stangman]

On the NPI motors some of them at higher mileage will start to have failing valve guide seals. Had that issue on my 96 GT at 150k which I ended up swaping in a PI engine anyway.

As far as that car went when it was still NPI the only issues I had was the stock plastic intake and on mine it had a rubber hose for the heater xover under the intake and it split one day. Also had to replace a split radiator and that was all for many years.

The NPI intakes will eventually leak no doubt Bout it. Ford revised it in 01' I do believe as my 00' came with the plastic xover and I had to replace it last February at 99k

 

[silversmith82]

All the plastic intakes leak. The 99/00 ones crack at the crossover and it happens earlier but even the metal crossover ones will warp and leak under the tstat. Just a matter of time although we are talking about 75-100k miles time. Its only $215 for a new intake and $25 for Fel Pro gaskets and its a simple change. With as good as the PI intake is, as well as being feather light, its worth it to me.