87 Mustang - Keeping It Stock Of Make A Few Small Changes

jruppert · Dec 31, 2014

Hello,

I am in a position where I am not sure which direction I should take. What I have is an 87 Mustang 5 speed with 108,000 miles on it. It is all original, as far as I can tell. Overall, I would say the car is in pretty good shape. I would give the body a 7 or 8 out of 10. Because of the age, I am having issues with gaskets leaking. I would like to fix this. So my thoughts were to pull the motor out this spring and replace all gaskets. While I am at it, I may replace the clutch. It is not slipping but it does feel like it is on the end of its rope when it comes to adjustment. While the motor is out. my thoughts were to put on a set of gt-40 heads and intake from an Explorer. This is where I am not sure where to go. There is the possibility that I may put it up for sale in the summer. But I do not want to sell this with the oil leak.

What are your thoughts?

mikestang63 · Dec 31, 2014

What gaskets are leaking?

If you are planning on selling it, don't do anything to it as you will not get it back,

If you are planning on keeping it and are pulling the motor, replace the rear main seal- use the Felpro one with the Teflon insert for the crank. I would at a minimum change the oil pump, timing chain and gears, harmonic balancer and water pump. Pull a rod and main cap before you do anything to see what condition they are. If not scored or showing signs the motor is going, throw a new set of bearing in.

Up top, you can put a set of explorer heads on- swap the springs out as they won't support even the stock HO cam. Match the springs to your cam. I would put in a TFS1 cam and matching springs. While you are at it, swap the stock intake and throttle body for the explorer intake and 65MM throttle body. Use the explorer coolant intake tube so you can reuse your EGR coolant lines You can reuse the stock injectors or better yet use the explorer injectors as the spray pattern is better. Last, get a decent set of shorty headers off the Corral or Craiglist- I prefer Ford Racing, but Hedman and BBK are also decent.

Your car is Speed Density. You can run all of these changes and keep the SD setup ((i'd get a chip if any driveability isues arise), or take the time to swap to Mass Air, Mass Air swaps can be done for about $300 using an A9L mass air computer, a 89-93 or 94-95 Mustang Mass air meter and housing ( the 94-95 requires a $15 flange from Ebay), a mass air intake tube, mass air harness and some other wiring.

Everything is bolt on and will fit no problems, All of this will around $1000 if you shop around and you will have a nice little motor that puts out around 260 rwhp

jruppert · Dec 31, 2014

That is quite the response. Thanks for the suggestions.

What gaskets leak? All of them... literally. I have oil leaking from oil pan, timing cover, valve covers, rear main. I need to replace the pressure line going to the power steering pump. I bought the car back in September. It was garaged but I would say was not maintained well. I am the 3rd owner. When I say maintained, I mean that things werent replaced like they should. If I had owned this car for the past 10 years, the gaskets would not be leaking. What is nice about the car is that it is all original, except for the wheels. The underside is completely clean. No rust!! But after having this, there are some things I miss with my 94 that I had. So I thought about buying a 99 or newer GT.

I would like to replace the gaskets and get things cleaned up a little. If I sell or keep, either way, I think they need to be replaced. As far as the heads and intake goes, I thought that replacing these items would be great if I were to keep it long term. I know that it would fall short of my 351w that I built but I think it would be a decent start.

As far as the fact that it is all original, do you think anyone would care if these items were changed? I would imagine that someone would be more picky about the gaskets before the head and intake change.

mikestang63 · Jan 1, 2015

My advice if the motor is that bad, just swap in a used explorer motor. Chances are if the prior owners didn't do any maintenence and it is leaking out all the gaskets you could be looking at a tired motor or one filled with sludge. Explorer motors can easily last 200000 miles and are driven by soccer moms, not teenagers in mustangs.

Change the valve springs, cam, gaskets, timing chain, water pump. You'll already have the top end bolted on so no need to pull the heads. You can swap the valve springs with the heads on using either shop air or rope stuffed in the spark plug hole with the valve closed. Explorer motors are around $300-500 and it could be cheaper and better in the long run.

89oem · Jan 4, 2015

My .02 just leave it alone and sell it, if that's your plan. New owner can decide direction,

What you paid would have to be considered plus the cost to change would have to be added to price,

most leak at VC and look like crap with out new gaskets, but never have mechanical issues over 200k miles... maint may done oil changed, coolant etc just dont look it...

did they change the oil? how did it look when you changed it? Did you do a cooling flush? How did it look?

302 is a work horse and the gaskets are 25+ yrs old... gotta expect a leak or two...

jruppert · Jan 4, 2015

I paid $2200 for the car. Overall, the car isnt bad. It has decent paint job and zero rust. It has a new top and water pump. Since I have owned it, I replaced heater core, lower intake gaskets, wiper motor, front brake hoses. It needs a new driver door handle replaced, new power lock motor/actuators, new weatherstripping on doors/windows/and possibly header windshield area, the driver seat is a little rough looking (leather), and the top motor does not currently work. This is aside from the leaking engine gaskets.

I think the motor oil changes were done properly. When I say maintenance, I refer to the fact that all these gaskets are leaking. Had it of been my car, these would have been fixed a long time ago.

2000xp8 · Jan 6, 2015

I'd fix the gaskets (with the engine in the car) and then leave it be for now.

Or just leave it alone for now until you know what you want to do with the car. A clean black fox vert may not be the easiest to find again these days, especially at $2000. So think long and hard before you sell it. Pulling the engine will probably escalate, you sound detail orientated and before you know it, instead of spending a hundred bucks on gaskets and $50 in fluids, you will be investing in hundreds of nickel and dime BS.

If you keep it, forget the explorer parts and go straight to a nice aluminum head setup.

jruppert · Jan 6, 2015

What I would like to do is drop i a coyote. But that would require a lot of dough, which I do not have at the moment.

I agree with the fact that you dont see too many black fox verts around. I am on the fence.. Oh well.. maybe I will have a clearer direction come spring.

Thanks

89oem · Jan 6, 2015

.... a good option if you want coyote is a f150 engine to save on the $

jruppert · Jan 6, 2015

Yes.. I have thought this as well. Im surprised I have not seen more write up's of people going that route. They all appear to be with a Ford Racing coyote. But then this fox would not be original.

Mustang5L5 · Jan 7, 2015

jruppert said:
Yes.. I have thought this as well. Im surprised I have not seen more write up's of people going that route. They all appear to be with a Ford Racing coyote. But then this fox would not be original.

That's because it's not exactly plug and play.

They either fork over big money to pay a shop to do it, or DIY without considering putting together a step by step just due to the complexity of the swap and number of people not exactly lining up to fork over the $10K or so just for the engine, wiring harness and K-member.

To be honest...with used 2011 5.0's in the low 20's, it might be more cost effective and easier to sell a Fox and use the money for the Coyote swap to buy a 2011 GT.

Then again...i realize that's not the point of this hobby

jruppert · Jan 7, 2015

Maybe I will find a mark viii and go that route.

mikestang63 · Jan 7, 2015

Mustang5L5 said:
That's because it's not exactly plug and play.

They either fork over big money to pay a shop to do it, or DIY without considering putting together a step by step just due to the complexity of the swap and number of people not exactly lining up to fork over the $10K or so just for the engine, wiring harness and K-member.

To be honest...with used 2011 5.0's in the low 20's, it might be more cost effective and easier to sell a Fox and use the money for the Coyote swap to buy a 2011 GT.

Then again...i realize that's not the point of this hobby

I thought about a Coyote swap into my car, but for this exact same reason would rather get a used 2011 or 2012. For a few thousand more, you will have a car that has everything else- brakes, suspension, interior, comfort. The other thing is you will spend easy 10-15K on a swap and never get that back.

2000xp8 · Jan 7, 2015

It's so easy to get into a swap balls deep.
I was willing to do it because the suspension and mechanics of the car I had done long ago.
So essentially I needed an engine and k member.
The brakes, suspension, rear and TKO600 were all existing and re-used.

Starting with a stock car and doing a swap would be kinda crazy. That could easily add up to the 20 grand a good used new car costs.
Getting an engine and the trans in the car is one thing, but when the car is stock there is still a ton of money left to be spent to make it all right.
As of late I've started to feel that you start with the brakes and suspension and then goto the engine, so at least when you add power you don't get yourself killed.

Mustang5L5 · Jan 7, 2015

Isn't there a thread here titled "How i spent $40K on a fox body?"

jrichker · Jan 8, 2015

Some help with the door power locks... Save some $$ so that you can spend I elsewhere...

Follow this link to fix your door lock actuator problems

You will need the Adobe Acrobat viewer which is also a free download – http://get.adobe.com/reader/

http://www.stangnet.com/mustang-forums/attachments/door-lock-actuator-fix-pdf.88290/

Stuck with door lock actuators that don't work and don't want to pay the $50+ for a new one? Tried the junkyard ones and found that they last six months and freeze up?

A new actuator for less than $7. Fix one side for $20, do both sides for only $28. I don't sell parts, I don’t make any money off of the upgrade, I just tell you how to do it cheaply and easily.

By the way, i am still using the same $4 actuators I bought in 2002 and this is the second Mustang I have installed them in! Beat that with your fancy replacements!

jruppert · Jan 12, 2015

That seems like a lot of work then to just replace them with new units

87 Mustang - Keeping It Stock Of Make A Few Small Changes

jruppert

mikestang63

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2000xp8

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That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

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87 Mustang - Keeping It Stock Of Make A Few Small Changes

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