What will it take to make my stang run like new?

[magnj]

So I bought this car knowing it was going to be a money pit. What I didn't know was that the engine was going to start knocking a few months after I got it home. Since the winter I have developed what I can best describe as a knocking sound coming from the drivers side valve cover area( I think). The owner told me she was "about to do the valve cover gaskets". There is some leakage but it doesn't look too bad. I'm not looking for a racecar, I'm looking for a fun weekend daily driver that gets acceptable gas mileage for a V8.

I intend to do the valve cover gaskets when I get out of school, but I'm assuming this noise is not because I have a leaky gasket and is more likely a rocker or something. The sound is loudest when the car is first started and is less prevalent when restarted the same day (because it is still warm I presume)

While driving it sounds more like a ticking and possible a header leak.

Am I looking at a few minor fixes or should I start looking for a shop to do a rebuild?

 

[S&B]

well I would just swap, find an 1999 or 2000 explorer 5.0 and swap that in there with a new cam you could probably get that done for 500 bucks.

if your not a patient man this car will be the end of you

 

[1991notchbackLX]

did the knock start right after an oil change? the previous owner may have put heavy oil in there to hide a knock, happened to me once when i was young and stupid

but yeah 5.0s are a dime a dozen, pick up an explorer short block or another HO motor and just save yourself the headache and swap it out if it'sanything more than a lifter

 

[bloopbloob]

haha these cars are all a definite money pit! even if you don't have problems, the mod bug will eventually bite, and you'll throw more money at it then you ever imagined you would.

first off, find out if it's an exhaust leak or your valvetrain making the noise, (and a leaky VC gasket doesnt cause noise like you described, thats not going to be your problem). it could be so many things though. just listen around the engine with a hose to your ear, it should help you narrow down the source. i have a similar problem right now, BAD tick (clacking) from my valvetrain. i've never really done this type of work before, but i'm trying now, but maybe you want to check out my thread in the tech section (search clacking engine) and see if any of that advice pertains to your problem also....? it sounds somewhat similar....

 

[stykthyn]

+1 on the explorer. I found one for 150 bones. 300 later to get everything re-done I have a fresh gt40 motor for a grand total of 450

 

[magnj]

Thanks guys. I do have patience luckily, I bought this car as a learning tool, I've never done this stuff before and I figured a mustang is pretty much a great place to start.
543
I'm fairly certain this noise which can be described as a tick or a clack as bloop described it, is coming from my drivers side valve cover. I will investigate further when I get home next week.

As far as an Explorer swap goes, is that something I can do myself or should I pay someone to do this and how much are they going to want?

 

[magnj]

Been looking around today, from the looks of it my best bet seems like it would be a pre-p head Explorer as I do not want to buy new headers. These seem to go for ~500 near me but are in the 75-100k mileage range, is it worth putting a 100k mi engine into my car, I feel like thats just another problem waiting to happen, or will a freshening up keep it running?

96 Explorer shortblock + custom grind cam + Tmoss porting + valve springs = ?
I'd delete smog and AC with no problems passing emissions correct?

 

[cenok is family]

Been looking around today, from the looks of it my best bet seems like it would be a pre-p head Explorer as I do not want to buy new headers. These seem to go for ~500 near me but are in the 75-100k mileage range, is it worth putting a 100k mi engine into my car, I feel like thats just another problem waiting to happen, or will a freshening up keep it running?

96 Explorer Longblock + custom grind cam + Tmoss porting + valve springs = ?
I'd delete smog and AC with no problems passing emissions correct?

DO IT!

rebuild it. it'll be about $100 for gaskets, $60 for bearings, another $100 for rings. shouldn't have to spend more than a couple hundred to get the block freshened up and the crank polished. if you don't want to spend that much, just put new gaskets throughout. a fresh gt40 motor with a custom cam and and a ported intake would pull pretty hard, i say do it

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

What will it take to make my stang run like new?

go buy a new 08' stang?

 

[magnj]

DO IT!
rebuild it. it'll be about $100 for gaskets, $60 for bearings, another $100 for rings. shouldn't have to spend more than a couple hundred to get the block freshened up and the crank polished. if you don't want to spend that much, just put new gaskets throughout. a fresh gt40 motor with a custom cam and and a ported intake would pull pretty hard, i say do it

I really want to. I'm thinking I'll find a motor, somehow get it into my basement lol and then work on it throughout the summer. For now my motor works its just knocking and will likely eventually die but can be driven just fine.

Is this something I can do without never having even done anything simple like swapping an intake? I mean I did the 5 lug swap fairly easily but i needed a fair amount of guidance, but i guess thats what you guys are for?

go buy a new 08' stang?

Even if I had the money, I could not justify that, with gas the way it is...There is however a Mini Cooper S in the future (~2 years)

 

[67coupe]

haha these cars are all a definite money pit! even if you don't have problems, the mod bug will eventually bite, and you'll throw more money at it then you ever imagined you would.

first off, find out if it's an exhaust leak or your valvetrain making the noise, (and a leaky VC gasket doesnt cause noise like you described, thats not going to be your problem). it could be so many things though. just listen around the engine with a hose to your ear, it should help you narrow down the source. i have a similar problem right now, BAD tick (clacking) from my valvetrain. i've never really done this type of work before, but i'm trying now, but maybe you want to check out my thread in the tech section (search clacking engine) and see if any of that advice pertains to your problem also....? it sounds somewhat similar....

I'd check your header bolts first.

 

[magnj]

k here is an update including a video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kDPzHcC43Q

I still can not pinpoint the nose 100% as the valve covers and headers are so close, im not sure if its coming from one or the other but it sounds like metal on metal, let me know what you think...thanks

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

header gasket fo sho, if it was a rocker it would sound like the engine was self destructing from the inside out.. been there done that a couple times.. another thing you need to do with that fan upgrade is do a 3g alt conversion, its fairly cheap and the whole car will run better, lights radio and just everything.. swap out the t-stat with a 180 unit, for better cooling as well, and do a full tune up on it, bigger maf off of a 94-95gt for cheap, k&n, some 3.73 gears, advance the timing to 13-14degrees and put new headlights in and a set of ponys with all new brakes, or a 5 lug setup with newer wheels or other units if preferred.

all this could cost you next to nothing if you have friends and the know how to do it, all this as well will make a big improvement in stopping (which foxes dont do well stock) run cooler, and run out alot faster than right now.

 

[magnj]

header gasket sounds a whole lot easier than building a new engine, even though I kind of like the sound of a new engine . I will definitely do valve cover and header gaskets as soon as I get a chance. 3g alternator I know I need and may tackle along with the AC removal later on this summer. Gears I know I want as well but thats something I can not do myself and from what I hear is in the ~$500 range. 5 lug conversion is halfway done, though I am using drums in the rear for now. Paint in the works as well in addition to caret and seats on the inside. Lots of work ahead, we'll probably be out of oil by the time I'm done .

 

[cenok is family]

NEW MOTOR!

 

[magnj]

lol, maybe. Money is tight now...especially as a college student

 

[magnj]

Update: Heh, I found 5 loose header bolts...no more tick

 

[Mr. Rustypwnz]

good job!!