So...been in the D.C. area for a while now...

[SHO307]

Posting again after a few months absence.

It's been rough. I got to the D.C. area at the start of December; started out in a hotel in Chantilly, shifted to a rented guest bedroom down in Alexandria (Rose Hill) middle of January.

Job's going great, but I can't convince my wife to move out here. This split household situation sucks. In fairness to her....the idea of trading Colorado for Virginia is a REALLY tough sell. Not sure if I want to do it myself, but the job's here and probably will be for a while.

But enough of that depressing crap. Anybody out there want to meet up at a car show, or happy hour, or something? I thought I saw a notice of a car show somewhere around Dulles/State Hwy 28 about a month ago, but I'm not certain.

Could use some recommendations on best Ford dealers in the area and good places to get service done/etc. I've picked up a slight stumble on acceleration since moving here; the last place I went for an oil change (Ourisman Ford in Alexandria) recommended MAF cleaning and injection service. Not sure what to believe, myself. I could believe a difference in gas quality between CO and here.

I know this post seems all random, but I'm just tired and beat up, and reaching out from a rental bedroom that's a long way from home.

 

[SHO307]

Btw....I've been sharing parking space with a black SHO at the office---sporting Taurus Police Interceptor rims. Anybody know of that car?

 

[StealBlueSho]

Posting again after a few months absence.

It's been rough. I got to the D.C. area at the start of December; started out in a hotel in Chantilly, shifted to a rented guest bedroom down in Alexandria (Rose Hill) middle of January.

Job's going great, but I can't convince my wife to move out here. This split household situation sucks. In fairness to her....the idea of trading Colorado for Virginia is a REALLY tough sell. Not sure if I want to do it myself, but the job's here and probably will be for a while.

But enough of that depressing crap. Anybody out there want to meet up at a car show, or happy hour, or something? I thought I saw a notice of a car show somewhere around Dulles/State Hwy 28 about a month ago, but I'm not certain.

Could use some recommendations on best Ford dealers in the area and good places to get service done/etc. I've picked up a slight stumble on acceleration since moving here; the last place I went for an oil change (Ourisman Ford in Alexandria) recommended MAF cleaning and injection service. Not sure what to believe, myself. I could believe a difference in gas quality between CO and here.

I know this post seems all random, but I'm just tired and beat up, and reaching out from a rental bedroom that's a long way from home.

I'm in Warrenton just outside of Gainesville but work all over NoVA...

I highly recommend Ted Britt Ford in Chantilly. Forget the one in Fairfax... bunch of d-bags over there.

What year SHO do you have?

And I have been trying to get a good bead on moving to CO myself... my wife does not like NoVA at all!!! She is from MA originally so down here is too far south for her...

 

[StealBlueSho]

Also don't go back to that dealer... our cars don't have a MAF sensor....

And our DI injectors don't respond well to injector cleaning services....if anything, depending on the type of cleaning... can clog them up by pushing deposits through them...

Bunch of morons at that dealer...

 

[SHO307]

Also don't go back to that dealer... our cars don't have a MAF sensor....

And our DI injectors don't respond well to injector cleaning services....if anything, depending on the type of cleaning... can clog them up by pushing deposits through them...

Bunch of morons at that dealer...

I shall take that under advisement! I'll try to get an appointment with Ted Britt for this weekend---I'm due for an oil change, and the tires could use rotating.

No MAF sensor? I guess I'm showing how little I know...thought that was a fundamental part of fuel injection systems in general. I remember my old '93 Mustang LX 5.0 had one, but that injection system is different (it was stock---SEFI, I think). I know Ford dealers have some kind of fuel system cleaning they like to push, but I've heard mixed opinions about it.

Car's a 2013 model, looks like the picture on the frontpage of SHOForum. Candyapple Red Metallic, non-PP, last owner painted the engine cover to match the bodywork and painted the brake calipers. The Colorado plates tend to stand out around here....

I'm out of Monument, CO---little town on the northern edge of Colorado Springs. Beautiful place, right up against the mountains. If I thought I could stay, I would in an instant. I can offer recommendations for there, the Springs, Black Forest, and Parker which is on the SE edge of Denver. Fort Collins isn't too bad either. I'd stay away from Pueblo---too much Mexican gang activity. Denver's traffic, pound for pound, has gotten as bad as the Beltway, and Denver's crowded and expensive---like, D.C.-level expensive. If you're looking at the SW corner of the state, Montrose, Ridgeway, and Ouray are fantastic. Ouray is sometimes referred to as "Little Switzerland"; it sits down in the bottom of a deep valley in the Uncompahgre Mountains. Visited there back in 2014, stayed in a pretty nice resort in Ridgeway. Gunnison seemed alright as well.

 

[StealBlueSho]

No MAF sensor? I guess I'm showing how little I know...thought that was a fundamental part of fuel injection systems in general. I remember my old '93 Mustang LX 5.0 had one, but that injection system is different (it was stock---SEFI, I think). I know Ford dealers have some kind of fuel system cleaning they like to push, but I've heard mixed opinions about it.

Nope, no MAF. The car had a two sensors where air is measured before entering the combustion chambers... the Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor which sits on top of the intake manifold and the Throttle Inlet Pressure sensor which sits right before the throttle plate...

The car determines fueling and a slew of other things based on the amount of air pressure (boost) the car is developing.

 

[StealBlueSho]

Nope, no MAF. The car had a two sensors where air is measured before entering the combustion chambers... the Manifold Absolute Pressure sensor which sits on top of the intake manifold and the Throttle Inlet Pressure sensor which sits right before the throttle plate...

The car determines fueling and a slew of other things based on the amount of air pressure (boost) the car is developing.

 

[GHNorth]

I'm in Warrenton just outside of Gainesville but work all over NoVA...

I highly recommend Ted Britt Ford in Chantilly. Forget the one in Fairfax... bunch of d-bags over there.

Get outta town!! (No, seriously... get out of town. I live in Warrenton, too, and there just isn't enough room for two SHO's in this tiny town.)

I'm just down the street (Airlie Rd/605) from Sheehy Ford, so I go there. I cannot recommend them, yet, since they have done no service on my SHO, but they like ME, and they are convenient, so I go back. They have worked on my '82 Mustang, '70 Torino, and '01 Isuzu back in the day, and they are still alive, so I guess they're OK.

We should definitely meet up!

 

[StealBlueSho]

Get outta town!! (No, seriously... get out of town. I live in Warrenton, too, and there just isn't enough room for two SHO's in this tiny town.)

I'm just down the street (Airlie Rd/605) from Sheehy Ford, so I go there. I cannot recommend them, yet, since they have done no service on my SHO, but they like ME, and they are convenient, so I go back. They have worked on my '82 Mustang, '70 Torino, and '01 Isuzu back in the day, and they are still alive, so I guess they're OK.

We should definitely meet up!

Yours grey?! I have seen a 2013+ grey sho tearing it up around here..

And the Culpeper Ford is much much better.... I almost had to call the police on the Sheehy Ford once to get the keys to my car back... I won't go back there...

I liked it when it was Rick Hunt Ford...

 

[GHNorth]

Tuxedo Black! You probably won't see me anyway, as I am rarely out and about (work from home) and the SHO sits in the garage all day. Back and forth to Walmart once in a while. I need to drive it more before I trade it in on that MB SL63 AMG I have been ******* for the last couple years.

Have not seen the grey one either. In fact, I can't recall seeing another SHO since I bought mine in 2015.

 

[StealBlueSho]

Tuxedo Black! You probably won't see me anyway, as I am rarely out and about (work from home) and the SHO sits in the garage all day. Back and forth to Walmart once in a while. I need to drive it more before I trade it in on that MB SL63 AMG I have been ******* for the last couple years.

Have not seen the grey one either. In fact, I can't recall seeing another SHO since I bought mine in 2015.

Ha! I work from home most of the time, and when I leave, I have a company car I use.. so no wonder why we haven't run across each other!! Mine is a garage queen as well...

We should meet up! And get the OP outta DC into our neck of the woods... much nicer out here!

I can't see your sig, are you stock...?

 

[GHNorth]

Totally stock. It was an intermediate purchase, pending the trade for that elusive SL, so I haven't been inclined to throw any money into mods. If there was a nice sounding exhaust, I might consider mods, but you know how that goes. I like it the way it is, except...

 

[SHOdded]

I believe Koons of Sterling has been recommended for SHO servicing. Service writer by the name of Alan.

As far as the stumble, have plugs ever been changed? Time for some new SP534s. Sometimes the valve covers will leak particularly around #3 on bank 1, generating misfires. Cleaning all the sensors - both MAPs and IAT - doesnt hurt either. Use MAF cleaner or electronic parts cleaner only.

Check the turbo tract for pooling oil, as well as buildup in the intercooler. Vacuum hoses atop the engine also tend to come loose. Turbo piping tends to come loose also, or split at the clamps usually on the underside.

Looking more longterm: If you haven't had the coolant flushed yet, put that on the menu. Motorcraft coolant is best. Transmission fluid should be exchanged out. PTU/RDU fluids also.

Former: 1995 ATX, 1992 MTX

 

[SHO307]

I believe Koons of Sterling has been recommended for SHO servicing. Service writer by the name of Alan.

As far as the stumble, have plugs ever been changed? Time for some new SP534s. Sometimes the valve covers will leak particularly around #3 on bank 1, generating misfires. Cleaning all the sensors - both MAPs and IAT - doesnt hurt either. Use MAF cleaner or electronic parts cleaner only.

Check the turbo tract for pooling oil, as well as buildup in the intercooler. Vacuum hoses atop the engine also tend to come loose. Turbo piping tends to come loose also, or split at the clamps usually on the underside.

Looking more longterm: If you haven't had the coolant flushed yet, put that on the menu. Motorcraft coolant is best. Transmission fluid should be exchanged out. PTU/RDU fluids also.

Former: 1995 ATX, 1992 MTX

I just set an appointment for Britt Ford today---I'll be there about 1130 Saturday morning, if anyone's interested. Will try Koons next time. I'm going to get the tires rotated as well; starting to hear some throb and howl at highway speed which tells me it's been a while. Brakes are the next big-ticket item and they will need to come soon; this !@#$! 495 traffic is not helping.

Don't believe plugs have ever been changed. Mileage is sitting at about 57500, as of today. (After I got the car, I went on a number of overseas deployments for 2-3 months at a time. Wife doesn't like driving the "Ragin' Bull"; I think she's afraid of it. ) The stumble is only present at idle; it'll be idling along and then a momentary drop, then back to normal. Trans was just done about 15k ago so it should still be good, along with the PTU. Think I will do something about the coolant before fall. Temp is still indicating good, but I agree it's something to consider.

 

[StealBlueSho]

If it's under warranty have them check to make sure it's at the latest strategy revision... there have been numerous updates the code to fix various rough idles.

 

[SHO307]

Hey all...just wanted to follow up and say thank you for recommending Ted Britt! They took me and got me taken care of...the service writer (Keith, I think) rolled his eyes and laughed when I told him about my experience with Ourisman. They did give me a list of recommended services; I can do the air filter myself, and could probably do the cabin air filter if I had some tech help from you guys. Supposedly it's a bitch to get to but kinda worth it; apparently mold can build up in there. I didn't have to worry about such things in Colorado---too dry.

Thanks all! Keep those recommendations coming!

 

[SHO307]

By the way, I had a great time drooling...er..."looking" at some of their Mustang stock. They've got a 2015 Roush Stage 3 V-8 that I would happily sell my soul for...it's even painted in USCG colors (overall white with red/blue Roush racing stripes down the fenders/doors). I'm a USCG vet...1992-2005.

And there's a super low-mile 2013 Shelby on the showroom floor that I wouldn't mind having either...

 

[StealBlueSho]

Yea, they generally deal in higher end Fords.. particularly sports cars..

Glad they took care of you. One of the managers used to drive a 2013 SHO... she was a looker too!

 

[SHOdded]

Glad Britt worked out.

You might be surprised how easy it is to do the cabin air filter

Former: 1995 ATX, 1992 MTX

 

[bpd1151]

Agreed. Cabin air filter is easy peasy.

5-10min tops. Even for a Novice.

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