1991 tbird sc

Jim

Registered User
anyone on this message board have one? Any major problems like replacing the head gaskets. The one that im looking at doesn't have the orginal engine it has a new one with 200 miles on it. And is there any other major problems with 1991 cause my luck with fords lately haven't been good at all.
thanks
 
Let me make a list...

Has the exhaust been replaced? If not thats the first thing you need to do, cause its almost gaurenteed the head gaskets will blow with the stock exhaust on. Cost for exhaust is about $500-600. Cost to fix blown heads is $1500-$2400. Automatic or 5-Speed? I had to rebuild my 5-Speed after 140,000mi...most AOD owners rebuild around 100,000. Cost is around $2200. How many origional miles on the car? After 100k or so, certin parts that usually fail on our cars are: ABS Accumulator ($100), Cam sensor ($35), Alternator ($150), warped rotors ($250 for all four and pads), Multi-Funtion Switch (controls headlights and windshild wipers...$80)....and other random things that haven't gone on me yet. This thing gets pretty costly to fix as far as the little things, but with a good exhaust, the engine is extremely solid. I've heard of SCs with 300k+ miles on them still going strong. Problem is, most people get so frustrated with the little repairs, they end up selling em. If you just take into account the cost of things that will likely HAVE to be replaced when you buy it, consider it as the cost your actually paying for it at. I love my car though its been a money pit for me, and dont think I would sell her for anything. Even if I eventally have to end up living in it. :D
 
If it's a brand new crate motor then you probably don't need to worry about headgaskets for quite some time (as long as you don't constantly beat the s**t out of it). If the engine was a cheap rebuild or from a scrap yard then you may want to have the engine looked into to prevent future problems.

My 89 SC has 113,000 miles on it, the car sat for nearly two years straight, and it runs great. In a year or so I may have the headgaskets done just to get them out of the way. I'm not even sure if the ones on the engine are the originals as there was no past mechanical repair history with the car.

Either way, just have the car looked at by a mechanic if it's something you're looking to buy.
 
Re: Let me make a list...

phycobob said:
Has the exhaust been replaced? If not thats the first thing you need to do, cause its almost gaurenteed the head gaskets will blow with the stock exhaust on.

I tend to disagree. My '89 SC went 180,400 miles on the original head gaskets, exhaust, etc...and it was from PA. Many others have surpassed this. There is or use to be an article on this subject (maybe in the FAQ) that basically said the worst part of the stock exhaust system was the resonator and the pinch after it. Others have said the stock down tubes are not the greatest because of the sharp bends.

The exhaust is not the greatest, but I would not say you are gauranteed to blow the head gaskets if you don't replace the stock exhaust. I feel the problem is more of an engineering problem. Do you know how many SC's have blown HG on the #3 cylinder (Passenger's rear I believe)? If not ask George O'neill and others will report it seems to usually blow on the #3. I've had long discussions about it with some people. I can't see the exhaust causing just the one cylinder to blow time and time again on so many different cars.

Also, I have read that some AOD transmissions have lasted 80K miles and some 160K. The AOD was rebuilt twice in my '89 back in '95 (~120K) as the shop did not do something right the first time and the rebuild did not last long. Its not really a given that at 100K miles you should have it rebuilt. If the car was kept up and the previous owner(s) were good about keeping the fluid changed and watching when to engage O/D (not letting it kick in and out in the city between every stop light) you should be good to go.

The brakes are easy. Front rotors run $30/each at AutoZone. Rears are around double that ($57). You should be able to pick up some high quality wagner brakes for ~$35 (front) and ~$30 for the rears. So for the brakes you would be looking at around $250 or less.
 
I will add that they are great car to drive. A little high maintenance, but you do what you gotta do to drive one of these beauties. All the little things mentioned above that are known to fail have failed on my car.......all at the same time pretty much. I replaced the motor, the supercharger, the ECM (which rarely ever fail), and almost every other sensor under the hood. I should be good to go for many years to come.......
 
I have to agree....these are great cars and more fun to drive than anything I have ever owned. They will nickel and dime you though. Here's my list...

Bought car in Jan 1995 with 99,000km
-Complete brakes, all 4 rotors and pads. Always hand torque the wheels. If you use an impact gun you may warp the brake rotors and need to replace them again. A mechanic tightened my new ones with an impact after I asked him not to do so and 2 months later I replaced all 4 rotors again from nasty brake shake.
- Rear shocks
- Ball joint
- Upper control arms. Pass side requires R&R of air conditioner. (Nice huh?)
- 2 Starters
- 1 water pump
- 2 batteries
- One A/C push button unit to control heating and air conditioning..mine had a meltdown. That baby was 100 bucks.
- Power windows un-glued from clips
- Head gaskets
- Door pins and busings on drivers side
- Wiper trans
- Wiper motor
- Coil springs

Now it's 2002 and I have 274,000km...so I guess it's been pretty good all things considered. I could have been a little nicer to it....it's held up to some tough miles and still looks like new.
 
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