New super Coupe owner from College Station Texas

90blacksc

Registered User
I just purchased a 1990 black super Coupe from the original owner with 76,000 miles. I have a few questions about some issues that I have with the car. As in the power brakes and the automatic seat belts. I'm not sure where to post these since I can't post and no specific sections. Look forward to learning Lots from you guys
 
Nice to see you.

Most times, you can find what you need by searching. Otherwise, it helps to describe your exact issue(s) best you can. Example - Seat belts....chatter? How to use? Light is on....?

About the ABS, see: http://www.sccoia.org/articles/anti-lock-braking-system/

About which areas...start here: General SCCoA Forums - and then pick one. Typically, I think most use the Technical Forum, or if just something casual, then use the Non-Technical forum.

Others should be self-explanatory. Note that certain forums require paid access. Also note that PM (private messaging) requires at least ten posts.

Good luck w/your SC!

Ken
 
Sorry was trying to post too fast. Thanks for the info.

With the brakes the abs and brake lights are on on the dash. The brake pedal is really firm and have to press hard to stop. I've read a few things on it. Just not sure what is the most common part to fail with the ABS.

The issue I'm having with the driver side windows that it will roll down fine. When I go to roll it up I hear a clicking in the door. If I use my hand to help pull the window up it's fine .

Also with the factory head unit. It powers on but is stuck on the tape function and won't change. It will turn on and off. I have the premium sound option.

Thanks for any advise.
 
Just not sure what is the most common part to fail with the ABS.

Sounds like the accumulator...made of unobtainium, you should check w/Victor at http://spinningwheels-sc.com - says in stock, so you may want to hurry. Be sure to read thru that link I added above. Info on how to install new accumulator is here: http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?109556-accumulator-instalation

The issue I'm having with the driver side windows that it will roll down fine. When I go to roll it up I hear a clicking in the door.

That might be the plastic clutch in the motor - see: http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthr...r-quot-cam-quot-replacement-process-with-PICS - or the entire motor. I'd remove yours, inspect the gears/plugs and if not destroyed, replace the motor. Use the want to buy section, eBay, RockAuto (check for discount codes here), etc.

Also with the factory head unit. It powers on but is stuck on the tape function and won't change. It will turn on and off. I have the premium sound option.

Pretty common - likely blown capacitors. See: http://www.35thatr.org/Radio/RadioRelatedPages.htm - might end up just swapping in something aftermarket.

What about the seat belts?

Note that it looks like search here is borked since the recent forum/site update...in the mean time, just use google. Example search string: sccoa window motor replacement
 
The driver side seat belt latch dies not move. It us stuck in the all the way open position towards dash. When I open the door I hear the motor run but the latch does not operate. The passenger side works fine. Any ideas
 
It does not move. It's stuck as if the door is open. When you open the door it sounds like a motor is running to move it but does not move
 
I'd start by getting some white lube into the slot along the top of the door where it travels, front-to-back. Might just be stuck from dried grease.

If you get a flashlight and look into that slot, you can see the slide...that's where you want the lube to go.

If you like taking things apart, you can remove the trim that covers the slide and do an inspection. The motor and slide canister is inside the body, below the side window, next to the back seat.

Still no joy, you might need to replace the entire mechanism. See: https://www.tbscshop.com/seat-belt-track-driver-side-1989-1993/

Good luck.
 
Are you sure it 'runs hot'? How do you know?

Do you have a code tester? IR temp gun?


The temp gauge runs almost to the hash mark before the red on the far right. I do not have a code tested. Or IR temp gun. Not sure what's going on. Should the fan kick on before getting that hot? Could it be a relay? The fan motor runs with the a.c. on so I know the fan it's self should be ok.

Sorry for so many questions. This car hasn't been on the road much over the last 28 years
 
There are a few tools that can make owning/repairing an SC less of a mystery - a code reader is one of them.

Good news is the required reader for your '90 SC is not that expensive. $35 should be enough. You need one that works with Ford OBD I.

If you just want to throw parts at it, I'd start with a ECT sensor ($20~$30 from Autozone as an example). It sits on a standoff next to the DIS module, front pass. side, near the A/C compressor, front right corner of that valve cover with a 2-wire connector that faces down.

1" socket required, as I recall. Be gentle w/the connector retainer clips as they are brittle by now. Work on a cold engine, being sure to add water to the standoff as required to help avoid an air pocket (it's a pain to get all the air out of the cooling system when opened, and it can lead to false sensor readings). Don't forget to apply a small amount of connector grease to the pins.

Still no joy, the next suspect would be the IRCM - lots of info on it here if needed. Not available new that I know of, but eBay has uses ones if you know the part number.

Other items to make your SC life easier include factory manuals. The 4" thick shop manual and EVTM are usually found on eBay as well.

As for the temp gauge, I'd be sure to check the push-on connector at the sender - it's located near the thermostat housing, upper front engine left. Remove the connector and clean/shine it up and the post on the sender. Gently squeeze the connector so it has a firm grip on the sender post when pushed back on. Connector grease is your friend there too.
 
There are a few tools that can make owning/repairing an SC less of a mystery - a code reader is one of them.

Good news is the required reader for your '90 SC is not that expensive. $35 should be enough. You need one that works with Ford OBD I.

If you just want to throw parts at it, I'd start with a ECT sensor ($20~$30 from Autozone as an example). It sits on a standoff next to the DIS module, front pass. side, near the A/C compressor, front right corner of that valve cover with a 2-wire connector that faces down.

1" socket required, as I recall. Be gentle w/the connector retainer clips as they are brittle by now. Work on a cold engine, being sure to add water to the standoff as required to help avoid an air pocket (it's a pain to get all the air out of the cooling system when opened, and it can lead to false sensor readings). Don't forget to apply a small amount of connector grease to the pins.

Still no joy, the next suspect would be the IRCM - lots of info on it here if needed. Not available new that I know of, but eBay has uses ones if you know the part number.

Other items to make your SC life easier include factory manuals. The 4" thick shop manual and EVTM are usually found on eBay as well.

As for the temp gauge, I'd be sure to check the push-on connector at the sender - it's located near the thermostat housing, upper front engine left. Remove the connector and clean/shine it up and the post on the sender. Gently squeeze the connector so it has a firm grip on the sender post when pushed back on. Connector grease is your friend there too.

Thanks I'm going to work on narrowing it down this weekend. I want to drive it
 
There are a few tools that can make owning/repairing an SC less of a mystery - a code reader is one of them.

Good news is the required reader for your '90 SC is not that expensive. $35 should be enough. You need one that works with Ford OBD I.

If you just want to throw parts at it, I'd start with a ECT sensor ($20~$30 from Autozone as an example). It sits on a standoff next to the DIS module, front pass. side, near the A/C compressor, front right corner of that valve cover with a 2-wire connector that faces down.

1" socket required, as I recall. Be gentle w/the connector retainer clips as they are brittle by now. Work on a cold engine, being sure to add water to the standoff as required to help avoid an air pocket (it's a pain to get all the air out of the cooling system when opened, and it can lead to false sensor readings). Don't forget to apply a small amount of connector grease to the pins.



Still no joy, the next suspect would be the IRCM - lots of info on it here if needed. Not available new that I know of, but eBay has uses ones if you know the part number.

Other items to make your SC life easier include factory manuals. The 4" thick shop manual and EVTM are usually found on eBay as well.

As for the temp gauge, I'd be sure to check the push-on connector at the sender - it's located near the thermostat housing, upper front engine left. Remove the connector and clean/shine it up and the post on the sender. Gently squeeze the connector so it has a firm grip on the sender post when pushed back on. Connector grease is your friend there too.

How do you add water to the stand off? Once removed do i feel with water? I changed out the thermostat could I have a air pocket in the system already?
 
How do you add water to the stand off? Once removed do i feel with water? I changed out the thermostat could I have a air pocket in the system already?

New info that changes things...let's start over, then get to air in the system.

Why did you change the thermostat?

What thermostat did you use?

Did you use 50/50 anti-freeze?

What other parts did you change? Pls. list -everything-.
 
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New info that changes things...let's start over, then get to air in the system.

Why did you change the thermostat?

What thermostat did you use?

Did you use 50/50 anti-freeze?

What other parts did you change? Pls. list -everything-.

I used a 160° thermostat. The was was running hot on the way from picking it up. 1st instinct was the thermostat was stuck closed. I used 50/50 antifreeze. I haven't changed anything else
 
I used a 160° thermostat.

Ouch - that's a large mistake...I wouldn't fire it up until corrected. These engines rely on stock specs for thermostat (unless they've been chipped and can be tuned against something lower, but I've not heard of anyone using less than a 180° stat even when going that route).

If the fan isn't cutting in (it's two speed, by the way), then it can run hot. See my previous comment about the ECT/IRCM, but a code reader can help decide what to focus on without just guessing and throwing part$ at it.

Resist the temptation to use basic troubleshooting instincts and repair tactics with these cars - they are different animals and rarely respond well if you take that risk.

When you said it was running hot from when you picked it up, did that include the fan not working correctly before you opened the cooling system to change the stat? I'd not worry about an air pocket now if it didn't...you can deal with that later.

I would install a new stock 195° stat [ see comment #6 in this previous thread: http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?63644-180-degree-thermostat-Why&p=418314#post418314 ], but not until you have more info on why the fan isn't working correctly, as there may be other reasons to have the cooling system open again (and other parts needed) and you don't want to go thru the process of bleeding all the air more times than necessary.
 
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Ouch - that's a large mistake...I wouldn't fire it up until corrected. These engines rely on stock specs for thermostat (unless they've been chipped and can be tuned against something lower, but I've not heard of anyone using less than a 180° stat even when going that route).

If the fan isn't cutting in (it's two speed, by the way), then it can run hot. See my previous comment about the ECT/IRCM, but a code reader can help decide what to focus on without just guessing and throwing part$ at it.

Resist the temptation to use basic troubleshooting instincts and repair tactics with these cars - they are different animals and rarely respond well if you take that risk.

When you said it was running hot from when you picked it up, did that include the fan not working correctly before you opened the cooling system to change the stat? I'd not worry about an air pocket now if it didn't...you can deal with that later.

I would install a new stock 195° stat [ see comment #6 in this previous thread: http://www.sccoa.com/forums/showthread.php?63644-180-degree-thermostat-Why&p=418314#post418314 ], but not until you have more info on why the fan isn't working correctly, as there may be other reasons to have the cooling system open again (and other parts needed) and you don't want to go thru the process of bleeding all the air more times than necessary.

I'm not aware of the fan not coming on before then. I couldn't tell you if it was running or not. I know it was about an hour into the drive when the a.c. stopped blowing cold. So at that point I turned it off and rolled the windows down. Shortly after that I noticed the temp gauge climbing. As I was pulling in my neighborhood.

This last time starting it I did notice the coolent in the resovorer starting to bubble alittle and shut it down
 
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This last time starting it I did notice the coolent in the resovorer starting to bubble alittle and shut it down

That was either simply trapped air, or head gaskets/cracked head(s). What color was the coolant in the reservoir when you picked the car up? Does it look like chocolate chum and smell like exhaust now?

I don't suppose the previous owner had any theories? Why did they want to sell the car?
 
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