Tiger2
New Member
I am new to the SHO Forum but was a member of v8SHO.com for quite a while back in the days....
I used to be a crazy SHO enthusiast and have spent (wasted) more $$$ on these beasts that I will ever admit. I have purchased 11 of them all total, including two Gen 2's. In 2002 I purchased four brand new Yamaha 3.4 crate motors to insert into the most desirable SHO's I could find all across the country. A mechanic friend of mine pulled the old, cam-failed engines and replaced with the new crate motors. All four cars turned out great but how many SHO's can one guy drive?
Anyhow, my extended family got a great deal as I gave the cars to them to drive as long as they wanted them. Both drove them about 100K without one sign of motor problems (I did get the CAM's welded before the new crate motors were installed). Unfortunately, the original cars already averaged about 80K and ya-all know what happens to a taurus body between 150K and 200K. Yup, lots and lots of minor to intermediate problems. Last summer the two extended family SHO's got to a point of either needing transmissions, motor mounts and a zillion other relatively minor individual items but when added up compared to book car value spelled the end of interest in maintaining them. So they are now in a scrap pile somewhere in China.
The other two engines went into a '97SF and a '99White my wife drove. The good news is that the '97 had 80k on the clock when it got the new motor and now has 108K, hardly broken in. The '99 White had 103,000 when its motor was replaced with the new crate motor. Last month the '99 suddenly gushed oil out through the drivers side cam seal. Limped it after putting in 8 quarts of mobil one 5/30 oil on a 6 mile trip to my current mechanic. Had the seal replaced and though all should be fine as the motor still ran smooth as silk, original power, etc, etc. But 10 miles down the road I see a trail of oil behind the car in a residential neighborhood. Yup, same problem. Well, my tech has determined that there is so much blow-by pressure from one failed cylinder that there is no way to retain the oil seal. I will say this, however, the '99 White has had a great run as she now has 257,985 on the clock so about 150K on the new motor. But I love her and still am willing to spend some $$$$$ to fix her.
So here is my issue, in addition to the four crate motors I also purchased two 3.4L short blocks which I have still in the original crates in my heated garage. Unfortunately, when I bought these short blocks back in about 2003, I should have purchased a head bolt and gasket set for each. BIG MISTAKE as now I need the 20 piece set of head bolts and the complete gasket set to repair this motor. Transmission was overhauled 20K ago and the car should go a lot further before the typical other misc Ford Body Problems **** the beast.
Does anyone on this site have any information about where the head bolts and gasket sets may be found?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Tiger2
I used to be a crazy SHO enthusiast and have spent (wasted) more $$$ on these beasts that I will ever admit. I have purchased 11 of them all total, including two Gen 2's. In 2002 I purchased four brand new Yamaha 3.4 crate motors to insert into the most desirable SHO's I could find all across the country. A mechanic friend of mine pulled the old, cam-failed engines and replaced with the new crate motors. All four cars turned out great but how many SHO's can one guy drive?
Anyhow, my extended family got a great deal as I gave the cars to them to drive as long as they wanted them. Both drove them about 100K without one sign of motor problems (I did get the CAM's welded before the new crate motors were installed). Unfortunately, the original cars already averaged about 80K and ya-all know what happens to a taurus body between 150K and 200K. Yup, lots and lots of minor to intermediate problems. Last summer the two extended family SHO's got to a point of either needing transmissions, motor mounts and a zillion other relatively minor individual items but when added up compared to book car value spelled the end of interest in maintaining them. So they are now in a scrap pile somewhere in China.
The other two engines went into a '97SF and a '99White my wife drove. The good news is that the '97 had 80k on the clock when it got the new motor and now has 108K, hardly broken in. The '99 White had 103,000 when its motor was replaced with the new crate motor. Last month the '99 suddenly gushed oil out through the drivers side cam seal. Limped it after putting in 8 quarts of mobil one 5/30 oil on a 6 mile trip to my current mechanic. Had the seal replaced and though all should be fine as the motor still ran smooth as silk, original power, etc, etc. But 10 miles down the road I see a trail of oil behind the car in a residential neighborhood. Yup, same problem. Well, my tech has determined that there is so much blow-by pressure from one failed cylinder that there is no way to retain the oil seal. I will say this, however, the '99 White has had a great run as she now has 257,985 on the clock so about 150K on the new motor. But I love her and still am willing to spend some $$$$$ to fix her.
So here is my issue, in addition to the four crate motors I also purchased two 3.4L short blocks which I have still in the original crates in my heated garage. Unfortunately, when I bought these short blocks back in about 2003, I should have purchased a head bolt and gasket set for each. BIG MISTAKE as now I need the 20 piece set of head bolts and the complete gasket set to repair this motor. Transmission was overhauled 20K ago and the car should go a lot further before the typical other misc Ford Body Problems **** the beast.
Does anyone on this site have any information about where the head bolts and gasket sets may be found?
Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Tiger2
