Multiple SHO issues: PLEASE help!

[Nebuchadnezzar]

Greetings, I've got a slew of issues with my SHO, so I'll just fire them off. If anyone can answer any / all of the questions, feel free to jump in.

I've got a '93 ATX with 130 grand on the clock. I have no history on the car (other than the salvage title, she was destroyed about a month after it left the dealer, then later rebuilt).

I think I've got an electrical problem, possibly in relation to a speed sensor or something. Sometimes, while driving, my power steering will get a mind of it's own. Sometimes I get full boost on the highway, sometimes I get very little boost while I'm in parking lots. It's never consistent. Powering down the car and starting it again will reset the VAPS to normal.

Also, the ATX is starting to puke. Sometimes while accelerating, the seems to shift way, way, way early. I'm in fourth gear before I hit 35 mph. Sometimes on the highway, the trans decides it needs to downshift very very hard. Feels like it's trying to grab first. It literally hammers my torso against the seat belt! I have a good feeling that this can't be good for my motor mounts.

Sometimes the tranny takes its sweet time getting into second during a slow acceleration, and when it does engage, it either hammers into gear, or slips back out for a moment, then back into gear.

On to the clunking. I know I've got at least one bad motor mount, perhaps more. I don't know how to tell which ones are bad, and I cringe when I read the price tags at the shoshop. Can anyone tell me how to *really* diagnose these?
Sometimes when I brake hard, there is literally a very loud clunking noise. I can feel the clunk in the floor board. It feels like someone is hitting my subframe with a sledge hammer. When I accelerate (immediatly after the hard braking) there is a subsequent clunk. I can duplicate the clunking by starting from a stop, letting the car roll a couple feet while in gear, and hammering on the brakes. A buddy said the sound appears to be coming from the driver's side wheel. Any ideas anyone?
If I go down a dirt road, there is another rattling noise that directly correlates with the bumps that I'm hitting. It sounds like some one is shaking a bolt around inside of a coffee can. From the underside of the car, I cannot locate any loose parts.
Quick question about CV halfshafts: Is it normal to be able to move the halfshaft back and forth (toward and away from the wheel) about a millimeter? Also, while the car is off the ground, if I grab a wheel and rotate it back and forth, there is a rather loud metallic sound coming from the tranny... I wonder how much of that is normal.

I'm sorry for the very generic descriptions of the noises. I'm actually fairly mechanically inclined, I just don't know how to describe the noises any better than that.

Please help!
Please either post here or email me directly.

Thanks!
-Ryan
[email protected]

 

[Mike Kopstain]

I think I've got an electrical problem, possibly in relation to a speed sensor or something. Sometimes, while driving, my power steering will get a mind of it's own. Sometimes I get full boost on the highway, sometimes I get very little boost while I'm in parking lots. It's never consistent. Powering down the car and starting it again will reset the VAPS to normal.

Also, the ATX is starting to puke. Sometimes while accelerating, the seems to shift way, way, way early. I'm in fourth gear before I hit 35 mph. Sometimes on the highway, the trans decides it needs to downshift very very hard. Feels like it's trying to grab first. It literally hammers my torso against the seat belt! I have a good feeling that this can't be good for my motor mounts.

I can almost garantee that this is the Vehicle speed sensor. It controls both torque converter lock up and power steering control. The thud you feel when slowing down is the Torque converter being forced to unlock.

It's not too hard to fix and it is only a $35.00 part from Carquest.

 

[sdpatt]

The clunking from braking and accelerating is most likely worn subframe bushings. You can check for failed motor mounts by opening the hood, putting your left foot on the brake pedal, putting the shifter in DRIVE and applying gentle throttle. If the front edge of the engine rises more than about 1", your front mount is gone. Do the same precedure in REVERSE to check for the rear of the engine to raise to test the rear mount. One last thing: there are much more economical parts sources for the SHO than the SHO Shop.

 

[naval-avi8or]

As Scott said look for your parts elsewhere. The shoshop is way overpriced. The only thing I 've bought from them is the tappet depressor and holding tools they were actually cheaper on that item only.

<small>[ April 18, 2002, 11:47 AM: Message edited by: naval-avi8or ]</small>

 

[Nebuchadnezzar]

naval-avi8or:
As Scott said look for your parts elsewhere.

I wouldn't mind if someone happened to drop some names of places to find cheap parts...

 

[luigisho]

For aftermarket replacements Autozone, Rock Auto, NAPA, etc.. are commonly used. For Ford oem parts nobody I've seen beats Torrie's prices at fordpartsnetwork.com. I would suspect a faulty vss as well. It attaches to the tranny, just follow the speedo. cable to the bottom and you'll see it. I forget the best way to get at it. I think I went in from the top with a crow's foot socket and a long extention on my mtx. Atx may be different. The other sound could be several things. Look at the half shafts, bushings, and brakes.

 

[Mike Kopstain]

Ryan please be sure to check your codes also. If the VSS is going bad, which I strongly believe it is, then the car is dangerous to drive. Going as slow as 60mph and having your steering go in and out is bad times. Here are the symptoms:

1. Variable power assist steering acts up... I.E. Is tight when it should be loose and is loose when it should be tight.

2. Vehicle goes into overdrive as soon as physically possible, generally around 35-45mph.

3. Harsh downshifts, typically a thud when coming to a stop.

Good luck man. Let us know what the problem ends up being.

Also as Scott said, those subframe bushings may be on their way out and if they are bad enough they could be affecting the steering. Another very dangerous problem, as if these fail you loose ALL steering.

 

[Shoman94]

luigisho:
For aftermarket replacements Autozone, Rock Auto, NAPA, etc.. are commonly used. For Ford oem parts nobody I've seen beats Torrie's prices at fordpartsnetwork.com. I would suspect a faulty vss as well. It attaches to the tranny, just follow the speedo. cable to the bottom and you'll see it. I forget the best way to get at it. I think I went in from the top with a crow's foot socket and a long extention on my mtx. Atx may be different. The other sound could be several things. Look at the half shafts, bushings, and brakes.

But don't forget about the 5.5mm bolt thats holds it it must be removed first.

Jason

 

[RJ-92]

That clunking is the SFBs, most likely. Ijust put in the rear alum SFBs on my car and WOW!. It almost feels like a different car. Steers better, chassis feels stiffer and the biggest difference is in the shifting. It doesn't even shift like the same car, way better. I guess I found out why my shifter felt like crap. Definately worth the $$$.