Finally! (Project SHO)

[ViPER1313]

My friend and I finally got the SHO we bought 2 weeks ago back to Germantown MD. After various schemes to have it towed back failed, we decided we would give it a crack and try to get it running. The car was missing the battery tray and several wires under the hood, and the fuel pump was not priming when the key was turned. Picked up the wires and a tray at a junkyard, went down Wednesday to put it all together. We connected the radiator and jury rigged the fan and overflow bottle, installed the battery and missing wires, filled up all the fluids and turned the key - success. And it ran surprisingly well - no smoke (the one cylinder must not have bad compression - the car doesn't smoke, uses no oil and the head gasket is fine.) Turns out the guy just didn't wire the car correctly.

We then noticed the antifreeze gushing out of the junkyard radiator the guy had picked up. It was leaking beyond hope - no stop leak in the world would have fixed it. After considering filling it up every 10 miles, we decided we would call it a day and come back with a new radiator.

Today we drove another 2 hours down to Fredericksburg, equipped with a new radiator and cap. Installed it, topped off the antifreeze, did an oil change, saw no leaks, and off we went. Went to a gas station, found out the gas cap was MIA - oh well, just have to add it to the list of parts it still needs. Still no smoke, and the car was holding temperature just fine.

Cruised back up 95, 495, got 1 mile from 270 and ~10 from his house, then rush hour traffic hits. For the last 100 miles the car has been purring - no smoke, accelerates fine, brakes fine. My friend who is driving in front of me, stops, I stop, traffic starts moving but he doesn't. I see him fumbling for the ignition. 20 seconds, 30 seconds, then he gets out. DAMN IT. Push the car off to the side of the road in rush hour traffic. Turns out, the car has a bad idle air controller, so when you let off the gas at idle while it is warm it stalls. Which in itself would be no big deal, except that I semi-killed a fusible link that connects the alternator to the battery when I hooked the unmarked battery cables up backwards (I was wondering where the smoke came from :roll: ), making its charge weak and semi-killing the battery (it still had enough charge to start my car, although barely). This resulted in a 20 minute Mexican fire drill of batteries in rush hour traffic, a couple rude honks, and a tow truck showing up just as the battery installation was complete.

It is now 4:30, and getting dark (a major problem considering the headlights, grill and headlight panel are being held in by 2 screws and some zip ties, and have no resemblance being aimed correctly), but the car is running again. The car stalled 3 more times in traffic, but started up each time and made it the 10 miles. So now it is done.

Things the car needs:
-Gas Cap
-IAC cleaned
-New headlight panel (cracked)
-Clutch / PP / TOB (clutch holds and the transmission shifts fine but throughout bearing is screwed and sounds like a chainsaw every time you hit the clutch - still has some life left in it)
-Headlight clips (can't find the right ones at any auto parts store)
-Left right tire patched (has a slow leak - probably a nail in it)
-Tires balanced (vibrates like whoa above 60)
-Various bolts and screws
-Headlight bulb
-New radiator overflow tank
-Wiper blades
-Seat covers (cause the seats are jacked)
-Stereo

Total cash output so far:
-Car - $150
-Battery tray / ICM (not needed) / wires, fuses and bolts - $40
-Fuel pump (not needed) - $68
-Exhaust Hanger (not needed) - $5
-Package of lug nuts (1 missing) - $11
-Antifreeze / oil / filter - $40
-New radiator and cap - $155
-Gas to travel to car - $60
-------------------------------------------------------
Total = $529

Pictures coming soon...

[ScottyB]

ah the joys of beaterdom :thumbup:

[ViPER1313]

Things the car needs (bold fixed):
-Gas Cap
-IAC cleaned
-New headlight panel (cracked)
-Clutch / PP / TOB (clutch holds and the transmission shifts fine but throughout bearing is screwed and sounds like a chainsaw every time you hit the clutch - still has some life left in it)
-Headlight clips (can't find the right ones at any auto parts store)
-Left right tire patched (has a slow leak - probably a nail in it)
-Tires balanced (vibrates like whoa above 60)
-Various bolts and screws
-Headlight bulb
-New radiator overflow tank
-Wiper blades
-Seat covers (cause the seats are jacked)
-Stereo
-Gauge dimmer switch
-Rearview mirror installed (got one at junkyard)
-Taillights fixed (don't turn on with headlights but brake lights work)
-Front plate mounted
-Brakes bled

The car will now hold an idle while warm and runs like a bat out of hell. The brakes are a little mushy, the interior lights are rigged with a paper clip, the right headlight is not alligned properly (although with zip ties it is damn close) due to the broken header panel and missing alignment screws, and the taillights don't come on with the headlights, but overall the car is doing alright. Couple more BS electrical and maintaince things worked out and the car will be awesome.

[ViPER1313]

Update:

Got car inspected - they failed it for CV joints, tint, a burnt rear taillight, leaking PS rack and tie rods (they seemed fine to me, I will fight this.) They failed to see that the parking lights were broken and a rim was dented though .

Things the car needs (bold fixed):
-New front axles / CV Joints
-Bulb for rear taillight
-1 new rim (dented - cause of vibration and tire leak)
-Bottle of stop leak for steering and a change to PS Fluid as opposed to ATF (only on a Ford would they use Type F ATF for PS fluid :roll: )
-Tie rods????
-Gas Cap
-IAC cleaned
-New headlight panel (cracked)
-Clutch / PP / TOB (clutch holds and the transmission shifts fine but throughout bearing is screwed and sounds like a chainsaw every time you hit the clutch - still has some life left in it)
-Headlight clips (can't find the right ones at any auto parts store)
-Various bolts and screws
-Headlight bulb
-New radiator overflow tank
-Wiper blades
-Seat covers (cause the seats are jacked)
-Stereo
-Gauge dimmer switch
-Rearview mirror installed (got one at junkyard)
-Taillights fixed (don't turn on with headlights but brake lights work)
-Front plate mounted
-Brakes bled - will need to be done again or the brake booster needs replacement?? The pedal does not start to work until about half way down, but when it does it feels fine and the brakes will lock if enough pressure is applied - no pulling either.

I promise pictures will follow 8)

[.RJ]

(only on a Ford would they use Type F ATF for PS fluid :roll: )

Or a bmw, or several others......

Just remember to RTFM. Not all pumps are designed to take standard ps fluid.

[ViPER1313]

I ran PS fluid for a year before I realized it was the wrong type according to the manual - no ill effects, it actually felt better than the ATF in there now. Other people have claimed the same thing for the SHO. If I stick with the ATF should I still put PS stop leak in there?? I figured the PS fluid would be thicker and help stop the leak.

[Nick325is]

I've got ATF in the BMW although I have heard of people running PS fluid with no problems.


Nick

[Chris]

I've got ATF in the BMW although I have heard of people running PS fluid with no problems.


Nick

so did I... until I ripped that shit out :twisted:

[JohnC]

I'm gonna move this to the Tech Forum...

[Sijray21]

TTIWWOP :evil:

[ViPER1313]

I'm gonna move this to the Tech Forum...

Good call

[ViPER1313]

Teasers:




The car is bleeding



Yeah, that failed inspection


Interior gauge lights - yeah, that passes inspection in Frederick County


The car is begging us for help

[HAULN-SS]

black is def the way to go with an SHO

[REED]

what is the deal with the sideview mirror - it looks all funky

[ViPER1313]

[Jeff]

I agree with the writing on the car...please...

[CaptainHenreh]

Yep, looks like a taurus.

[HAULN-SS]

swap your interior into that car and DD it

[ViPER1313]

Such haters - $40 in seat covers, install the stereo we have sitting around, clean the carpets and it will be damn nice. I think its in decent shape for having 193k miles.

[Mike]

it will be damn nice.

for a taurus.

I think its in decent shape for having 193k miles.

i think it looks like a pile. my civic has nearly 200k as well and doesn't look half as bad.