New SHO owner with some QUESTIONS!!

[pjb84]

Hey guys. Just picked up a 94 SHO ATX w/ 135K miles. I am truly amazed how fast this car is. I smoked at Mustang GT on the turnpike while driving it home today and embarrased a ricer civic. I stopped for a bite to eat on the way home and got some random dude checking out my SHO and saying how nice it is. I love it!

Anyways..I was hoping someone with some more knowledge of these cars would be able to help me with a few things. I would GREATLY appreciate it!

1. The bottom buttons on the auto climate control are all cracked and broken. Can I buy a whole new module? Will another one just plug right in?

2. The drivers side window will not roll up or down by the driver or passengers switch. Could this be the motor or perhaps a loose wire? IT worked when I test drove the car and all of a sudden doesnt work.

3. The right rear passenger window will not roll up or down from the drivers switch but WILL work from the passenger switch. Could this be a bad switch or loose wire on the drivers side only since the passenger switch still works?

4. The famous which mufflers to get question. Judging by my research on here it seems that magnaflows are the way to go for the best sound with no rasp. Do I NEED a resonator pipe at all or can I just remove it all together? The Magnaflow resonators are a bit pricey. I think I remember reading that you can use a glasspack for a resonator?

5. Cold air intake. It looks like SHOShop is closed down and not selling parts anymore. Where can I get a good CAI for my SHO? Or should I just make one?

6. I wanted to get these bright HID bulbs for my SHO:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8500...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

has anyone tried these?

 

[Eastcoast SHO]

welcome, and start saving some pennies for those rainy days, the auto climate buttons are pretty common to break i believe, you can find some hard button HVAC on ebay and they will plug right in, on your window switches it is most likely dirty connections, give them a good clean, mufflers are by preference on my 94 i had borla cats back and absolutley loved them unfortunatly they are hard to find, you can get a dynomax cats back for the sho from summit for like $250, but someone on here with more experience will give you better details on some of these things, and i would have a 60k done if you dont know if the PO had one done recently

 

[DJSHO91]

I have tried to answer each of your questions. The answers are not the end-all by any means, simply my suggestions based on my personal experiences:

1. The bottom buttons on the auto climate control are all cracked and broken. Can I buy a whole new module? Will another one just plug right in?
I had the same problem and I got a used hard-button replacement from RCM that has worked great. SHO Source also offers good quality unit offered.

2. The drivers side window will not roll up or down by the driver or passengers switch. Could this be the motor or perhaps a loose wire? IT worked when I test drove the car and all of a sudden doesn't work.
It sounds like the Driver's side(main) switch is bad. All of the other window switches operate only those specific units.

3. The right rear passenger window will not roll up or down from the drivers switch but WILL work from the passenger switch. Could this be a bad switch or loose wire on the drivers side only since the passenger switch still works?
See answer to #2

4. The famous which mufflers to get question. Judging by my research on here it seems that magnaflows are the way to go for the best sound with no rasp. Do I NEED a resonator pipe at all or can I just remove it all together? The Magnaflow resonators are a bit pricey. I think I remember reading that you can use a glasspack for a resonator?
It all comes down to personal taste. You will find as many owners against one make as another. The one thing that is common is that the resonator will be a major factor is controlling the rasp factor. A glasspack can be used, but probably won't make as much change as the Magnaflow. Install your mufflers 1st and see how they sound. Then decide how much, if any, further change you need.

5. Cold air intake. It looks like SHOShop is closed down and not selling parts anymore. Where can I get a good CAI for my SHO? Or should I just make one?
The standard SHO intake is a CAI. There have been many posts and tests that state any changes really don't offer any improvement over the stock system, outside of a louder sound. Most simply go with a change in the stock element and there is even questions if that is necessary. My thoughts are it isn't worth the $$s for little-to-no effective change.

6. I wanted to get these bright HID bulbs for my SHO:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/8500...ptZMotorsQ5fCarQ5fTruckQ5fPartsQ5fAccessories

has anyone tried these?
I have tried these before. They don't really give you any change(outside of maybe a slight color change) over the stock system. Clean lens and good quality bulbs and, possibly, new wiring harnesses/relays provide your best bet.

A few other changes I would suggest, as best "bank-for-the-buck" investments, would be adding sub-frame connectors and 96' Big Brake" package. The SFCs really tighten up the chassis and make the SHO feel like it's 100s of lbs. lighter and tighter. The brake package replaces one one of the true weak-link aspects of the Gen 1 and Gen 2 models.

Good luck and let us know how things go.

 

[shobote]

Exhaust; your stock exhaust is stainless steel; if it is not rotted or leaking, no reason to go with an aftermarket exhaust which is aluminized and will rot out in just a few years. There is very little to be gained over the stock exhaust powerwise, and most aftermarket SHO exhausts I have heard sound like rice farts.

CAI; although they probably do not show dyno numbers much different than stock, the tip in throttle response improved after installing the ebay CAI ($100) on mine, it also removed few extra pounds and it cleans up the engine bay nicely.

 

[deercrusher]

i don't want to rain on your parade - and congratulations on being a sho owner BUT i think the mustang was holding back. Just letting you know so next time you try it against a mustang you aren't surprised. They have more hp and torque in stock form and are lighter cars.

 

[SuperHO]

meh, save your money on the intake. throw a high flow air filter and leave it alone. if you want more sound, pull out the silencer cone. as for exhaust, i've found that just about every bolt-on kit sucks. if you're gonna do exhaust, go custom. being an ATX, i'd do maintenance, suspension work and then save my nickels for a trans rebuild.

 

[shobote]

Depends on what year Mustang; the SHO was faster than the 5.0 Mustang which was only around 190 hp IIRC.

 

[93rev2sev]

Ya...SHOs can't beat Mustangs.

As far as lighting...Please don't use those blue bulbs. They scatter the light and BLIND oncomming traffic. All I recommend is to use good quality standard bulbs and refinish your headlight housings or use new housings for a sable and make sure they are aimed correctly.

I've used 220 grit sandpaper to clean up the contacts on the main window switches.

The factory intake is a CAI. Tests have proven that even those "In-fender" CAIs do not show gains.

 

[DJSHO91]

Depends on what year Mustang; the SHO was faster than the 5.0 Mustang which was only around 190 hp IIRC.

That's right. Any stock Mustang 5.0 or GT prior to 1997/1998(around) was HP rated less than the comparable SHO model. The highest V8 rating of that era was 215hp. It wasn't until the late 90s that Ford redesigned the 4.6 to a rating of 260hp. Thru 1995 the as-equipped average weight of each was very close. The only rated area of difference in this era was torque. However, if you were to catch a stock Mustang GT in a rolling start the SHO would rev more easily and pull away from the Mustang.

 

[pjb84]

Thanks guys. Looks like I will be keeping the stock CAI and just removing the silencer, going with louder mufflers and stainless tips mostly for looks and sound.

On the window..Ive discovered something weird. The front passenger window DOES work when my drivers side door is open...maybe a pinched wire?

Something else I've discovered...I think one of my gaskets is leaking, maybe the rear valve cover? I was revving my SHO up in the driveway and I started getting smoke from burnt oil coming off the motor. This never happened/happens when driving the car normal..maybe the revving high allowed some of the oil to come out from bad gasket?

Or is there another common weak spot on these motors where oil may leak? I know it needs a tranny pan gasket/filter change and I am doing that on Monday.


THANKS for your comments guys...oh and the Mustang was an 03 GT...maybe he was holding back I dont know...but I passed him in my SHO and we where going pretty good up to 110.

 

[DJSHO91]

On the window..Ive discovered something weird. The front passenger window DOES work when my drivers side door is open...maybe a pinched wire?
QUOTE]

All of the window switches are wired seperately(power lead). There are just duplicate power leads from the driver(master) switch. This is so that if the driver's switch goes out, the others can still operate.

 

[Irish Pride]

WOW!!! I cant believe i'm the first one to post this!

 

[pjb84]

WOW!!! I cant believe i'm the first one to post this!

lol If I go outside and take some pics will you help me? :woo-hoo:

 

[Irish Pride]

lol If I go outside and take some pics will you help me? :woo-hoo:

do you want me to hold the camera?




just kidding. what do you need help with?

 

[pjb84]

here you go. sorry about the lighting..almost dark here.

135K on the odo..was planning on taking some better pics once I get her all detailed...shes a mess but is cleaning up good. lol

I'm hoping someone may have some ideas about my oil leak...see post #10

 

[Irish Pride]

I always tell people that you judge a cars history by the condition of the interior. It looks like you have a nice one there. Dont worry about the mileage either. 135k is nothing for these motors.