You get in that car and just drive it. The mirrors work. It's not blowing oil out. The brakes are good. The headliner isn't falling down. All these things are just taken for granted in a car like that. I want the Mustang to be the same. It won't ride as good or look as new but I do not want to have ten or so things that I always hate about the car every single day because those things need repair.
These cars just won't go more than a couple thousand miles before the next thing breaks. I love them more than any car out there, and I swear on anything, they're the only car I would still own if I had all the money in the world and had to choose just 1. The good news is that yes, you can drive these every day and be happy as a clam with every part on the car working. You just have insist on fixing each thing as it comes up, and never allow the list to compound on itself. When one thing breaks, figure it out, fix it, and don't wait. Don't overlook the little things. When the ashtray door breaks, it's easy to say, "whatever, they always do," and then let it stay that way. But with that kind of attitude, after a couple years, it's the ashtray door, a power lock, one of the windows won't go up straight, the center console won't properly latch, the A/C won't stay charged, the throw out brearing squeaks, etc... Then you get in it one day and realize that you hate the damn thing and would rather not drive it. Good thing I love them so much. I'm always tinkering, looking for, and taking on the next issue.
I guess the only thing I've given up on is the minor oil leak on the rear of motor on both turbo cars. It seems higher powered/boosted cars just can't completely stay sealed. Not sure if it's the rear main or lower intake gasket, but I've tried all the tricks I know of, and they won't stay sealed for long. Oh well on that one. It's just a few drips on the garage floor. My N/A cars never had an issue with this. I think it's either pressurizing the lower end and blowing out a gasket or the rear main seal gets crushed when the motor makes monster torque regardless of how stout the block/rotating assembly is. Have tried for years... Will keep trying.
I've had my car since new it's used a quart of oil between changes (1500 miles). This is not the same engine but after building this engine it has always done the same. With the oil coming out of the front now though it using the same amount but at 1000 miles. This has to stop. I am confident the car will run forever like this but I can't take it. It reeks of burning oil all the time and is a mess. I'd like some input, please.
They say "if you can't tie a knot, tie A LOT!" I suggest using all of the gaskets up front, save possibly the lower intake gasket-to-black cork end gaskets, and use plenty of RTV... just not so much that it will break off and gunk up the inside of the motor.
-Fix clutch cable. This may include a new cable and firewall adjuster. Already have the aluminum quadrant installed although MM says that an aluminum quadrant made for adjustable cables won't work with the MM cable. Not sure. I need to adjust it first and see if that fixes the problem.
I've run the MM cable with an aluminum quadrant forever. Definitely need a firewall adjuster with any aluminum quadrant, though. I also do not recommend the smaller radius quadrants out there, like the UPR among several others, that are meant to lighten the pedal. I like the cable to have plenty of movement so a pressed pedal can fully disengage a clutch while not having too much pressure on the t/o bearing when the pedal is up.
While cranking the car in gear with the clutch pressed the car wants to move forward. Also, in a parking lot or at a stop light, if I take the car out of gear it can be difficult to get back in. It feels like you are hitting a wall. It only does it with the car running so I'm almost sure it just needs adjusting.
Yep. Stop driving until this is fixed, or you will pay for it in synchros. You don't run a twin-disk do you? They are the biggest pains in the ass to keep fully disengaged. Seems the airgap between the floater and the disks changes by temperature, and once contact is made and too much heat generated, warpage occurs and prevents full disengagement. If you have a single disk, see if you can get the firewall adjuster out enough to stop the rolling on a completely level surface. You should be able to rev to 6k without any rolling on a level surface. If you can't, something is wrong.
-Order some of the good oil drain plug washers. (having trouble finding them) My car uses so much oil I am trying to eliminate every possible spot that could leak. A year or so ago I found a fellow mustang guy that found the holy grail of drain plug washers and it fixed his leak. I can't find him or the clip I made of the washers. I actually found these online at Summit and they were in a pack of 4. Can not find them now and don't remember any details. The only thing I definitely remember is they were not available at any parts store.
I'd be interested in this one, just out of curiosity. I just run a standard washer.
-Door lock actuators again (100% sick of these).
Not too bad unless you don't have a badass rivet gun that you need for the special order rivets they use.
-New door mirrors (LMR $175 with free shipping....RockAuto $153 plus shipping)
Damn, really? My last mirror replacement on my Saturn was like $40 total. I wonder why they're so much.
My black car needs paint badly. I just can't bring myself to pay California rates. Gonna find a good guy back east after I'm restationed in December.
