So Fed Up With This Car!!!

[tohighpsi]

Ok so I bought a nice redfire built 2.6kb car spring of this year and it has been nothing but problems. I havent even been able to enjoy the car at all. I really shouldnt have bought the car. I didnt have the money and really over extended myself. But hey it was my dream car so I said we only live once. Well before putting 300 miles on the car the head gaskets blows for no good reason. Shit happens and it wouldnt be that big of a deal but im still dead broke from buying the car. So luckly the previous owner is a stand up guy and helps me out. I scrap up some more money I dont have to get it fixed.

Fast forward to a few months later. I havent even put 200miles on the car since getting it and run into some more problems. Driving the car yesterday pretty sure I broke a ring or a piston and am getting some serious blow by and missing. It was the first time I really pulled on the car all the way through 3rd gear and sure enough shift into 4th lose power and smoke everywhere. The worst part of the whole thing is I dont have money to fix the car. I really dont know what to do. I posted an ad in the market but even if i sell it im going to eat a good chunk of change. I could keep it and let it sit god knows when I will have the money to fix it because this looks like it is going to be a serious job involving some serious money I dont have. Thanks god this isnt my daily and I still have transportation.

The problem even with getting it fixed I dont know if I will be able to enjoy the car. I will always be paranoid. I couldnt have any worse luck I swear. Seriously frustrated maybe me and cars arent a good idea. I never have had good luck :bash:

 

[lowflyn]

Sounds like you didn't really have the car checked out before purchasing...

Did you put the car on a dyno to check a/f at WOT and partial throttle before going out and making pulls? Absolute first thing I would do to any modified vehicle.

 

[greengt88]

Kinda sounds like me, nothing I ever do or pay to have done ever seems to work out quite right, it may be better to cut your losses and find a new hobby

 

[tohighpsi]

Sounds like you didn't really have the car checked out before purchasing...

Did you put the car on a dyno to check a/f at WOT and partial throttle before going out and making pulls? Absolute first thing I would do to any modified vehicle.

The car was bought from a very reputable buyer and came with dyno and build sheets. I think it was just straight bad ****ing luck.

 

[Bdubbs]

Sounds like you didn't really have the car checked out before purchasing...

Did you put the car on a dyno to check a/f at WOT and partial throttle before going out and making pulls? Absolute first thing I would do to any modified vehicle.

I agree with this! OP that really sucks man. Any extra mods on a terminator especially a different s/c I would have had the a/f checked out.

I don't know what I would do if I was in your situation. Prolly put a carcover on it and let it sit until funds are there.

 

[tohighpsi]

Kinda sounds like me, nothing I ever do or pay to have done ever seems to work out quite right, it may be better to cut your losses and find a new hobby

Aint that the truth man. I have been racing and messing with cars for a long time and never have had very good luck. I got out of it for 5 years or so and found some other hobbys but it draws you back. Sounds like I should have stayed away

 

[tohighpsi]

I agree with this! OP that really sucks man. Any extra mods on a terminator especially a different s/c I would have had the a/f checked out.

I don't know what I would do if I was in your situation. Prolly put a carcover on it and let it sit until funds are there.

Thats how it is sitting in the garage now. Just hard to keep making payments on something knowing its sitting. Its nice knowing these cars somewhat hold there value since it might be sitting for awhie.

 

[GoatSlayer]

Thats how it is sitting in the garage now. Just hard to keep making payments on something knowing its sitting. Its nice knowing these cars somewhat hold there value since it might be sitting for awhie.

How much would you sell it for? Interested?

 

[MJR_TRBL]

ya how much would you sell it for?

 

[03yellow]

Do you have a pay pal account?

 

[03' White Snake]

I blew a plug out of my head 2 yrs ago, my car sat for 8 months til I had to money to have it fix, the price went from $2500 when I dropped it off to $5600 to pick it up, more damage happened than planned. Shit happens tho. Hang in there.

 

[03mgtermi]

I feel your pain about bad timing of repairs and all. I just over-extended myself to buy a new truck and sold my DD to do it. Truck isn't here yet and my cobra decided one day to blow up a spark plug.

I didn't know it at the time but after all the troubleshooting and inspecting it turned out to be a plug. The ceramic insulation fell off while the engine was running. Gap was also smashed closed. My point is that a simple plug issue fooled both myself and my mechanic into thinking something major was wrong with the valve train or pistons.

My suggestion is to pull the spark plugs and inspect them and then do a compression test. I am personally lucky to have a father in the medical field who owns a fiber optic scope and was able to inspect my pistons and cylinder walls while the plugs were out. The compression tester and 8 new plugs would cost you less than $50 at autozone. At least then you could rule that out. Most important thing is to stay calm and approach this in a systematic manner. Nothing worth having is ever easy. Good luck

 

[cobracide]

Blown head gasket? Did you get a compression check done? Did you beat on it and take it to the red line several times? With the torque on these cars usually there is little need to rev that high. Take it to a competent mechanic and get it fixed right or sell it and start of with a low mile unmodified Cobra. They are out there. No offense but it sounds as if you maybe expect a little more from your cars than you dish out. Pick you mods to complement what you expect from your vehicles. Maybe you are just having bad luck, hope you get it worked out. Don't give up, have fun but be reasonable as nothing is indestructable.

 

[lowflyn]

It could just be bad luck. I know it takes me 4x longer for anything to get done on my car because I always run into 1 stuck bolt or one part that doesn't fit right.

I'd figure out what's wrong and go from there. Do a compression and leak down test and see what may be the issue...

 

[tohighpsi]

Blown head gasket? Did you get a compression check done? Did you beat on it and take it to the red line several times? With the torque on these cars usually there is little need to rev that high. Take it to a competent mechanic and get it fixed right or sell it and start of with a low mile unmodified Cobra. They are out there. No offense but it sounds as if you maybe expect a little more from your cars than you dish out. Pick you mods to complement what you expect from your vehicles. Maybe you are just having bad luck, hope you get it worked out. Don't give up, have fun but be reasonable as nothing is indestructable.

Car has a built motor and a 2.6 kb i expect the car to run hard and be reliable. I dont think im asking to much. But the answer the ? no i didnt take it to red line several times. I have ran 3rd gear out twice and both times it broke.

It could just be bad luck. I know it takes me 4x longer for anything to get done on my car because I always run into 1 stuck bolt or one part that doesn't fit right.


I'd figure out what's wrong and go from there. Do a compression and leak down test and see what may be the issue...

Pretty sure it has to be a broke ring or pistons pretty much the only way your going to get blow by. It is deff on the drivers side. I will never know unless I decide to keep the car and pull it out.

And for everybody wanting to know how much I want for the car pm me or check out my ad in the market. But as bad as I am hurting for money I am not going to give the car away. It will sit before I do. I have an idea how much it will cost to fix the car and whats its worth

 

[Jimmysidecarr]

Do you know why it is detonating yet?

That stuff doesn't just break.

You have a fuel delivery issue or a tune issue or both.

Built engines do not break rings, ring lands or pistons unless the have experienced detonation or a severe over rev, and I believe you have ruled out the over rev.

If you rebuild or replace the engine do not expect different results until you know exactly why this happened and correct the condition.
ENGINE FORENSICS 101:

 

[TVSCobra]

sounds to me that the seller may have known the engine was on its last leg. Like many have said these cars are very strong, but a bad tune or other issues and all that goes right out the window. Good Luck bro. We need more information on the car

 

[suaveflooder]

Do you know why it is detonating yet?

That stuff doesn't just break.

You have a fuel delivery issue or a tune issue or both.

Built engines do not break rings, ring lands or pistons unless the have experienced detonation or a severe over rev, and I believe you have ruled out the over rev.

If you rebuild or replace the engine do not expect different results until you know exactly why this happened and correct the condition.
ENGINE FORENSICS 101:

I agree 100%!!! Either a tune issue or fuel issue. simple. Engines just don't blow....ESPECIALLY a built one. Something is off. Those are your two places to start looking. Fix your problem and you will have a beast! :beer:

 

[fire_4_effect]

sorry to hear about your ride... shit happens.

that is why i try to buy my ride(s) brand new... no used rides for this guy.

 

[Marc]

Oh Gawd, did I ever feel your pain. I bought a Blown 1995GTS. I drove across state lines to buy it. Test drove it. Ran great. Looked at everything I could without taking it to a certified mechanic or a dyno tune. Boy did that cost me.

Car's motor went south as soon as I pulled into my drive way...4 hours of total driving...I chit you not. Luckily my buddies owned a performance shop. We tore the car apart and many internal things that were promised done to the car, was not. I honestly believe the car was on it's last leg and the seller knew it (not saying this in yoru case). I kid you not...motor blew again on the dyno, supercharger blew up, messed up head. I replaced just about everything on that car and it never ran right. Out of 8 months of owning the car, I drove it probably less than 24 hours. I sold it to a guy and it plagued him like it did me. He sold it to a guy, and the same thing. I think this car was haunted.

I learned a valuable lesson out of this. I lost sleep and $$$$ from this POS and almost lost my passion for mustangs.

I am currently purchasing parts for my 04 Terminator build. The car has 17K miles on it. With the purchase price of the car and my 2.8KB Mammoth build and all the supporting mods I will have over $40K in the car (including purchase price). I realize I could only get about $25K out of the car if I sold it. I also realize I could buy a terminator already done up with the exact build I want for $25K or less. But, the peace of mind of having something that is built well with quality parts and I know what has been done to it in the past is worth the extra money I am spending.

I will never make the mistake again of buying someone else's hotrod. I am not saying we all get a raw deal, but I know I sure did.