Wtf!!!

ND13

Okay, most know by now that I bought a used 1994 Mustang GT a few weeks ago, right?

Well, Friday I sent it out to be detailed. When it left, it ran great. When it came back, it ran like ****. So I figured, water in the distributor. Bought a new cap, rotor, coil(just because), wires and plugs. Still ran like ****.

Well after being at the Ford dealer since Monday, they call me and say it was the harmonic balancer .

I've never heard of a harmonic balancer going bad after having the engine detailed. Have any of you ever heard of that happening before????

Good news is that the engine checked out very good besides that. All eight cylinders measured 150 on the compression test. Bottom end is solid.

Since I've had it, it has gotten new tires, radiator, belts, hoses, ceramic brake pads, ball joints, coil, distributor cap and rotor, plugs, wires, and now a freakin harmonic balancer. It already had a new clutch and front struts, so I shouldn't have to do much else to it for quite a while..........I HOPE!!!!!!

BIZILL

maybe it was seriously out-of-balance and they knocked off a weight? sounds like bs to me...

RuSsMaN

How long (if you did) was it at the shop, out of your watchful eye? Maybe Paco dug a ride, Ferris Bueller style.

ND13

All the other parts were already on, so it was still running like **** when I took it to them. I've used this same service dept for a while and have never been taken advantage of yet. I send anything that I trade for, that my service dept can't fix, to them as long as it's a Ford product. I went by there Tuesday and they had 5 techs looking at it, all with that dumfounded look upon their grills. They had been looking for the usual suspects, too. WATER!!!!

ND13

RuSsMaN wrote:

How long (if you did) was it at the shop, out of your watchful eye? Maybe Paco dug a ride, Ferris Bueller style.

My detailer had it for the day, but he's an older guy that we've(the dealership) used for 15 years and this is the first incident of this kind of thing happening since I've been here(18 months).

Maybe it's just a coincidence????

Let me add that it's a one owner, well taken care of, southern car. The owner just moved up from Florida(not coastal). So it's a rust free car, too. It has 160K miles on it and before the detail, ran, drove, and felt like a 50K car. No rattles, smooth as glass at 80 mph on the hwy. It's bone stock and was never abused. Most of the parts were original that I've been replacing.

disneyjoe7

I seen one other balancer go bad the rubber that sit's between the outer ring to the inner ring can be loose, I wonder if they detailed the engine also. If so I think a cleaner or polisher could have damaged the rubber, sorry nothing but replacement will fix.

bvette94

What year mustang is it? is it a 302 ho. Is there a bad vibration in the motor? i use to own a few back in the day.

ND13

disneyjoe7 wrote:

I seen one other balancer go bad the rubber that sit's between the outer ring to the inner ring can be loose, I wonder if they detailed the engine also. If so I think a cleaner or polisher could have damaged the rubber, sorry nothing but replacement will fix.

Yes, the engine was cleaned and dressed.

Guess it was just it's time to go. It has already been replaced. I will pick it up around 10am Friday after they button it all back up. They said it was running like a champ, but they were closing and hadn't put it completely back together, but will first thing off. Luckily I get dealer cost and cut labor rates, so the total is supposedly ony $514. That same repair and the diagnostic time that they have in it would cost the average Joe about twice that much. So I guess I shouldn't be too upset.

ND13

bvette94 wrote:

What year mustang is it? is it a 302 ho. Is there a bad vibration in the motor? i use to own a few back in the day.

1994 5.0 HO, yep!!!

Super bad vibration. So bad, it didn't feel like it was hitting on all eight. It even sounded like a 6 thru the exhaust. That's why we were thinking electronics and water.

heading to the house. Be back online in an hour or so.

disneyjoe7

ND13 wrote:

Yes, the engine was cleaned and dressed.

Luckily I get dealer cost and cut labor rates, so the total is supposedly ony $514. That same repair and the diagnostic time that they have in it would cost the average Joe about twice that much. So I guess I shouldn't be too upset.

Ouch What a Ford Feeling, but honestly that sucks. :eek:

BlueMDPicker

fugitaboutit!
Damn, do you grind your teeth at night?

BIZILL

possibly a dumb suggestion, but perhaps when they dressed the engine with that slick stuff like armor all the serpentine belt was slippin' all over the place on the harmonic pulley, thus causing alternater fluctuations? or was that just stupid to have suggested?

halo

BlueMDPicker wrote:

The famous acronym comes to mind.

Found On Road Dead or (my fav) F*cked Over Rebuilt Dodge

polksda

and don't forget the classic:

Fix Or Repair Daily

ND13

First On Race Day

Wow!!! I don't see how a 160K mile car is being a bad car. Most of the parts I replaced were not even needed and were original parts. Just did it for peace of mind.

I'll put this 160K mile FORD up against just about any other 160K mile vehicle out there for tightness and being a reliable, everyday car. One little part and bam, it must be a lemon. It was running great before I replaced the electrical parts and I'm sure it'll be running great in the morning.

Maybe I should bring up the Honda CRX I had that went to **** with only 119K on it or the Toyota Supra I had that went to pot with 97K on it.

But see I don't limit myself to any single brand. After 15 years of dealing with just about every make and model out there I can honestly say that NO brand is without it's faults, NONE!!! I"d still buy another Honda or Toyota if the price was right and it was something that I desired. I won't write them off because of one bad experience with their cars.

shack

I've got a 93 5.0 that still runs great with 175,000+ on the odometer. That motor is near bulletproof. It should be since that short block has been around since the mid 60s and has been in millions of cars and trucks. By 94 most of the kinks had been worked out.

ND13

I wonder what all would have to be changed in it in order to install the 5.0 Cobra heads? I can get a new pair w/valves for around $1300. I'm sure that the cam would have to be changed, but I wonder what else??

shack

Noel, I have about 15 years of Mustang Monthly and various other Mustang mags. You are referring to the aluminum GT-40 heads Ford put on the 93 Cobra, right? I know I've seen that conversion several times. Give me a day or two and I can get you that info.

shack

I may have to go back a few years to find the specific articles on the GT-40 head swap. In the meantime here are a couple of links that might give you an idea of what you need. The first is not about the aluminum GT-40 Cobra heads but the GT-40P heads. It should get you pointed in the right direction.

http://www.mustang50magazine.com/techarticles/4379/index.html

From Ford Racing Performance Parts:

http://www.fordracingparts.com/parts/part_details.asp?PartKeyField=1772

http://www.fordracingparts.com/download/instructionsheets/FordInstShtM-6049-X303X305Y303.pdf

PolkThug

Ugh. The only times I've had problems with harmonic balancers was when my crankshaft got slightly warped.

SCompRacer

Get a Fluidampr.

SCompRacer

ND13 wrote:

I've never heard of a harmonic balancer going bad after having the engine detailed. Have any of you ever heard of that happening before????

Things happen. I've seen this with Chevy and Mopar too. Front seal leaks, age, amount of harmonics it has been subjected too (as Russ indicated) are contributing factors.

Some motors are externally balanced with weights on the balancer and flywheel. They will run extremely rough if they slip or come off.

The good thing is the ring didn't grenade.

ND13

Thanks Shackdaddy, that'll give me a great place to start.
PThuggy, they check thae crank for me. It was one of the first things they did after they couldn't find any water anywhere of consequence. One of the techs had seen cranks that had broken right in the center and still worked semi correctly....like run smoothly for a bit then not then good then not again.

Like I said before, the car is/was in remarkable shape for a 12 year old car with 160+k miles. The majority of the parts that I've replaced were still working fine. I just went ahead a did them because it was either convenient, cost effective, or just plain cheap to do. I drive almost an hour, one-way, to work, six days a week and don't feel like getting stranded on the side of the interstate when it's 5 degrees outside because of a $15 part. :rolleyes:

I'm pretty picky about the cars I'll buy. I ususally get to drive them for a week or two before making any decisions. It's a luxury that most don't get, I understand, but it's a perk of my position. I get to work 60-70+ hours a week for that perk. :rolleyes:

BlueMDPicker

Jeeze Noel, take a deep breath. I sure as hell wasn't calling your new ride a lemon. The good-natured kidding was keyed off your seemingly exasperated final statement. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

PolkThug

Pics!!!!! (You can't talk about your new ride, and not have a pic!)

audiobliss

PolkThug wrote:

Pics!!!!! (You can't talk about your new ride, and not have a pic!)

Amen!

halo

BlueMDPicker wrote:

Jeeze Noel, take a deep breath. I sure as hell wasn't calling your new ride a lemon. The good-natured kidding was keyed off your seemingly exasperated final statement. :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

+ 1 Relax bro. I was just bustin' yur nuts

heiney9

My best friend has 94 GT convertible with roughly 135K on it. It's been a farily good car. He's let some things go as he doesn't seem to realize they are worn, like shocks, motor mounts, etc. I believe he just had the exact same thing done to his, Noel. He was explaining the symtoms to me last week and I thought for sure a motor mount (or several) had gone south with all the vibration he was getting. He took it to the local Ford dealership and I think it cost him just shy of $1K. Only other thing is he's had a coolant leak for a few years now and no one can figure out where it's coming from, even after replacing 2 water pumps. And yes, all the usual suspects have been checked.

He put ram air, pullies, different gears and a throttle body on his. He claims he's keeping her for a long time and may start to do some engine mods. I will say the convertible is a bit unsettleing as creaks, vibrations, and cowl shake are really bad on this car. Lots of body flex. Seems all large body converts are like this, but it's definetly showing its age in that area.

H9

BIZILL

heiney9 wrote:

My best friend has 94 GT convertible with roughly 135K on it. It's been a farily good car. He's let some things go as he doesn't seem to realize they are worn, like shocks, motor mounts, etc. I believe he just had the exact same thing done to his, Noel. He was explaining the symtoms to me last week and I thought for sure a motor mount (or several) had gone south with all the vibration he was getting. He took it to the local Ford dealership and I think it cost him just shy of $1K. Only other thing is he's had a coolant leak for a few years now and no one can figure out where it's coming from, even after replacing 2 water pumps. And yes, all the usual suspects have been checked.

He put ram air, pullies, different gears and a throttle body on his. He claims he's keeping her for a long time and may start to do some engine mods. I will say the convertible is a bit unsettleing as creaks, vibrations, and cowl shake are really bad on this car. Lots of body flex. Seems all large body converts are like this, but it's definetly showing its age in that area.

H9

HAVE YOUR BUDDY GET STRUT TOWER BRACES AND UNDER-CARRIAGE SUB-FRAME CONNECTORS. THAT'LL STIFFIN UP THAT CHASSIS.

heiney9

BIZILL wrote:

HAVE YOUR BUDDY GET STRUT TOWER BRACES AND UNDER-CARRIAGE SUB-FRAME CONNECTORS. THAT'LL STIFFIN UP THAT CHASSIS.

Are you talking about after market strut tower braces? As his has some from the factory, though they don't look that beefy. The ones on my GTI are beefier they are aftermarket though. Under carriage sub-frame sounds like a good idea. I honestly think I'm the only one bothered by it. I don't think he notices it at all.

I've spent most of my life with smaller European cars namely Volkswagen/Audi and I just am used to a smaller more buttoned down feel. That's probably why it's so unsettleing to me. I'm used to tight and precise. Different strokes for different folks. I'll definetly mention it to him.

H9

BIZILL

aftermarket everything. he'll be ridin' on rails if he installs all of the above.