This post is going to be a little scattered due to the late hour and the high level of frustration at this point. I recently went shopping for a Mustang, initially looking for a good Fox Body in my price range but everything I came across was too far away to bother with or in generally shoddy condition. That's when I came across my 97' for $2500, all in all it looked like trouble, but it looked like trouble I could handle, a clutch adjustment, some suspension work, some body work and that would be about it...ok history lesson over.
Here's where I am now. After driving her home and having a few hairy moments once I got her up to freeway speeds I replace my brakes, front struts, tires, and got it aligned. My road manners improved greatly but I had a nagging worry so I dropped it off with a mechanic my parents go to only for him to call me and leave a simple message, "Sell it and move on".
My oil cooler has been leaking for who knows how long, my rack and pinion assembly is shot, and the tranny is now difficult to shift. Also the clutch that I thought needed adjustment is currently adjusted all the way (it engages and disengages roughly 1" from the floor). From what I've found out more recently the car has had some major front end damage to go with everything else.
Onto the question. The mechanic doesn't seem to be willing to budge from a simple sell it and move on so I can't get a solid feel for what I need to do here, I'm dead set on fixing it.
Can the oil cooler simply be replaced? Where is it located?
Seeing as my engine has been taking water I'm assuming I'm going to end up replacing freeze plugs and a head gasket, will a flush and the replacements be enough or should I look at a full rebuild/a good used engine?
As to the clutch I was told the clutch was new but after everything else I've found I'm not sure if it really is, if it is new and the clutch is adjusted all the way out what would cause the engaging issues?
I'm assuming the difficulty shifting is going to be resolvable only by having the tranny rebuilt (yes I'm willing to do the engine but I've never cracked open a tranny in my life so I figure I'll let the professionals handle that one).
If I do end up going the replacement route I've heard rumors that I should go with an engine out of a Mark VIII if I can find one.
Again kind of cluttered and I apologize, I tried throwing a little spacing in there to make it more readable and less eye straining.
Here's where I am now. After driving her home and having a few hairy moments once I got her up to freeway speeds I replace my brakes, front struts, tires, and got it aligned. My road manners improved greatly but I had a nagging worry so I dropped it off with a mechanic my parents go to only for him to call me and leave a simple message, "Sell it and move on".
My oil cooler has been leaking for who knows how long, my rack and pinion assembly is shot, and the tranny is now difficult to shift. Also the clutch that I thought needed adjustment is currently adjusted all the way (it engages and disengages roughly 1" from the floor). From what I've found out more recently the car has had some major front end damage to go with everything else.
Onto the question. The mechanic doesn't seem to be willing to budge from a simple sell it and move on so I can't get a solid feel for what I need to do here, I'm dead set on fixing it.
Can the oil cooler simply be replaced? Where is it located?
Seeing as my engine has been taking water I'm assuming I'm going to end up replacing freeze plugs and a head gasket, will a flush and the replacements be enough or should I look at a full rebuild/a good used engine?
As to the clutch I was told the clutch was new but after everything else I've found I'm not sure if it really is, if it is new and the clutch is adjusted all the way out what would cause the engaging issues?
I'm assuming the difficulty shifting is going to be resolvable only by having the tranny rebuilt (yes I'm willing to do the engine but I've never cracked open a tranny in my life so I figure I'll let the professionals handle that one).
If I do end up going the replacement route I've heard rumors that I should go with an engine out of a Mark VIII if I can find one.
Again kind of cluttered and I apologize, I tried throwing a little spacing in there to make it more readable and less eye straining.