SHO Questions

[ramblinman6567]

Hi guys,
I'm new to the forum and had a few questions to ask about SHOs. I am looking at a '91 in my area with 67,000 miles. I was wondering if the six cylinders had the cam sprocket problems, or just the eights? Are parts available for the engines or are they rare and kind of expensive? My dad has worked at a Ford dealer for 14 years, so I have access to mechanics and parts, I was just wondering if there are any things I should look for when getting the car - common gasket issues, wiring burnouts, etc? Thanks for any help and advice, I really would like to get an SHO but want to make sure I get advice from the guys who know them best.

-Tyler

 

[NEp8ntballer]

six cylinders don't have the cam sprocket issues. 91s only have a 5 digit odometer that rolls back to zero at 100k miles so it is likely that the car has rolled over at least once. Issues to look for are cracked EATC buttons, windows not working, stuck antenna, oil in the plug wells(needs some gaskets), and some other issues I may have missed.

The big one to look for is oil in the plug wells. It's arguable how necessary the 60k mile service is but if the plug well seals are leaking it needs to be done. If there is oil in the plug wells it also means that you need new plug wires. One other concern is a leaking water pump.

As far as ford mechanics are concerned a lot of the ones that know the SHO well have probably retired or are no longer working on the shop floor. Some parts are no longer made and will require a trip to the junk yard. This forum has a for sale section with SHO parts and a section of people parting out their car. Very few parts are impossible to find, it just depends on how hard you want to look. There are also a couple SHO specific vendors that are also forum sponsors.

As far as the exterior the common rust spots are the rear quarters just above the wheel wells, below the gas cap, and if you open the rear door the back section is known as the "dog leg" and is also a place prone to rust.

 

[K-Dawg]

The V6 engines don't have the cam sprocket problems, and are overall pretty robust.

Figure that most of the gaskets, seals and hoses are going to need replaced due to age, along with a few sensors. Parts aren't too hard to find with the help of the forum and its supporting vendors, and I don't think they are overly expensive.

If the car really has 67k miles, it might be a good buy. I just picked one up with 71k.

Since you're in PA, you might want to get ahold of AREA 91. He knows his way around a SHO, and I believe 91s happen to be his favorite.