power steering

[atxxtm]

I've been looking into buying an SHO for awhile, and am looking at some 94 and 95 MTX's with 60-90K on them. The biggest thing that concerns me is that there seems to be a number of people who lose their SHO to a fire caused by their power steering systems. What should I look out for? any particular hoses which should be in good condition? the last thing i would want is to have my car go up in flames, although it would be my luck...

 

[svtC_and_SHO_Owner]

i dont think your biggest worry should be getting set on fire. i would however have a mechanic look at the engine to see if there is good compression, and no oil on the spark plugs. get sevice records if any, has the 60k maint been done? so may want to stay clear if the 90k sho has never had this service done. getting a mtx is a good choice, atx with 90k might get costly down the road. as for fire hazord we will see if someone else chimes in.

 

[Bizzy]

While this does happen at times, it's not a common occurance. Things to look for are:
From the passenger side, look for drips on the cat. This can be oil that is dripping down from the rear bank cam cover or from the power steering pump. Since it gets pretty dirty back there sometimes the "oil" is hard to tell apart unless it's dripping pretty badly and is fresh.

I'm not completely sure that the placement of the power steering cooler is the same on Gen 1 & Gen 2, but in the front of the car closer to the driver's side near the starter there is a power steering cooling unit. It looks like a cross between a master lock and a radiator (has cooling fins on it). Look for sludge build up on this. If you take the radiator cover off you can look down at the top of it to see if it's just the hoses that are leaking, or the unit itself. Like the radiator, it should be dry and not have anything leaking out of it. The power steering cooler is not a hard item to replace, but the hoses are a buggar to get off. I found that it's best to cut them off if it's been on there for a long period of time.

A common problem is oil in the plug wells. Not the end of the world and is an easy DIY fix. A little bit won't cause running problems (most of the time) but eventually it can cause the car to run horribly. When my 60k was performed there was so much oil in my plug wells that you could not see the ends of the plugs when the wires were pulled off yet I had no running issues at all. She purred like a kitten.

The most important thing when considering a car is to check for the maintenance records for the car. With that you can get a pretty good feel for its history. That is with any car though, not just the SHO.

Edit: I see you're in MA. There are literally tons of SHO people there that I'm sure would be willing to help you look at a car. They've "been there, done that" and know what to look for.

<small>[ June 21, 2003, 12:01 PM: Message edited by: Bizzy ]</small>

 

[atxxtm]

alrighty then, thanks for the info. any places in specific in MA that would be good to go to? i.e. for a 60k if it hasn't been done?

 

[SHO--ripper]

I'd be more than happy to do your 60k for/with you. MA isn't that far a drive for me. Welcome to the forum and good luck with the car search. I have a couple i am looking at buying right now, but i only buy Gen. 1's. (Nothing against Gen. 2's) Any SHO with under 100K is a great SHO thumb LMK if you need 60k help.

 

[atxxtm]

since the SHO i'm most after is a 95 mtx with 60k on it, that'd be great! i just hope nobody gets a hold of it before i do. I don't think I have the tools or ramps to do the work, but I do have a garage am and eager to do all the work I can on the car (although the clutch may be a bit much, no ryhme intended) and i would need someone who knows what their doing to help me. thanks a bunch, i'll let you know if the 60k is needed

 

[sdpatt]

A '95 MTX with only 60,000 miles on it is a great find. No ramps are necessary for the 60K services, but an SHO-experienced hand is a very valuable tool. Good luck on the acquisition.

Wow, the power steering system causing fires? I haven't heard of that one.

 

[masho95]

atxxtm, I live in West Springfield, MA and would be more than willing to go take a look at a SHO with you. You can email me at [email protected] if you want to hookup anytime.

 

[projectSHO89]

The biggest thing that concerns me is that there seems to be a number of people who lose their SHO to a fire caused by their power steering systems.

Yah, I'm calling you out on this one also. Never heard of an under-hood fire that was pinpointed to leaks in the PS system.
For that matter, reports of underhood fires in SHOs are very rare.

Steve

 

[atxxtm]

hey, i'm just sayin that i found a site of some poor guy who had his SHO go up in flames due to thw power steering, and his site had pictures. course, i can't find the site now, but then again its only one out of 90,000 or so SHO's. i had never heard of one doing this before either, it just concerned me that a car self-combusted, especially since it was the same kind i was very interested in. But, since nobody seems to have heard of it, i guess i really shouldn't worry too much. i'll let you know when, and if, i find the site.

 

[LaTechSHO]

i've heard of this problem occurring on some year model taurii with the vulcan motor due to the power steering line wrapping around the motor and being rubber juuuust as it wraps over the exhaust manifolds.... still rare, but never ever heard of it on a SHO


Louis

 

[JoeHoe_SHO]

LaTechSHO:
i've heard of this problem occurring on some year model taurii with the vulcan motor due to the power steering line wrapping around the motor and being rubber juuuust as it wraps over the exhaust manifolds.... still rare, but never ever heard of it on a SHO


Louis

I was getting worried for a second

 

[DigDeez]

Man, I know this is an old thread, but I wish I could get this kind of response with getting help with my Sho maintenance in Chicago. Most mechanics don't want to bother with the Sho, mainly due to inexperience with the Sho repairs. Still looking for help in Chi-Town!

 

[projectSHO89]

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