elusive1

what's up guys?

just bought a '92 LX 5.0 hatch with 150k.. 5 speed, of course. however, i've noticed over the past couple days that sometimes 2nd gear will grind. it doesn't happen every time, but usually whenever i'm at lower speeds or shifting fast... it's really intermittent. i'm not sure whether to attribute it to my driving or the transmission. because i'm sure i know how to drive a 5 speed... lol... and even being a different car than i'm used to, the mustang isn't too much of a change for me. i dunno.. i guess it could be worn synchros like everyone typically says, but i'm wondering if there are other possibilities. i just don't want to replace that tranny :-/

other than that, i guess my next question is what should i do to ensure the engine is clean internally? i'm kinda worried about sludge buildup, etc. because the guy i bought the car from said that he only drove it 7k miles in the past 5 years. is there some sort of chemical i can run through the engine safely? any suggestions?

the last question is which exhaust i should go with. the guy put an off road x-pipe (with stock mufflers) on this 5.0 and honestly, it sounds like ****. it's just a bunch of noise and sounds farty like there's a leak or something. but i know the x-pipes can give the exhaust a nicer tone when paired with a good set of mufflers.. so i want to keep them. i just want to know which muffler system i should shoot for to give me the best sound. i want something with a nice throaty and distinguished tone, but quiet enough to daily drive in. it really doesn't need to be THAT quiet, but it needs to be a controlled volume. you guys let me know what the general consensus is around here for 5.0 mustang exhausts. what is the most popular and most chosen and why?

i want a paint job too - BLACK. it's dark green right now. anyone know about what decent jobs normally go for when talking about full color changes? i'm thinking i might just get the exterior/door jams done and leave the engine bay dark green since it might not be that noticeable... or else have it blended around the strut towers/firewall. would not having the engine removed save on cost? meh... i might do the prep work with some buddies too.

i guess that's about it... unless anyone has anything else to warn me about with these cars. i'm new to the scene and i just switched over to the mustang from driving an accord. i thought it would be cool to learn the v8 style engine and i've always loved the fox bodies. the accord had a euro-r h22a engine (220 hp/163 tq) and 5 speed conversion.. lots of other work done to it and it would get up and go.. but i'm ready for some torque and rwd fun! i just hope this 302 can hold out on me until i graduate college (less than a year) so that i don't have to shell out the cash for a rebuild or a crate motor.

thanks!

Tims 88GT

The second gear grind could be as simple as adjusting the clutch. The exhaust you could get flowmast force 2 cat back, it sound nice but is not really loud, if you want a deeper tone, get the american thuder but its half again louder than the force 2 mufflers. have you changed the oil? if so how did it look?

elusive1

haven't changed the oil yet because i pretty much just bought the car a couple days ago and haven't had a chance yet. good idea though as far as an indicator about the condition the engine's in. i think i should probably take a look at the plugs too while i'm at it.

gspfunk

You picked a great motor to introduce yourself to v8's!! 5.0 parts are cheap comparably and you can find them anywhere. Since you just got the stang, I'd start w/ a basic tune up--plugs, wires, cap, rotor, fuel filter, oil change/filter.

Since it only grinds in 2nd, I would probably guess a synchro. If you are careful and don't make it grind too often, it will still last you a while.

I've heard Seafoam is great stuff for cleaning the crap out of an engine.

I'm w/ Tims 88gt on the exhaust. There are other brands you can go w/ if you want to be different, but the brand of choice for stangs is Flow's.

If you're going to paint it a dark color, you won't have too much prep work to do, so that should help you out. A good paint job will probably run you ~1500+ if you do all the prep work.

89GTRed

^+1

elusive1

cool, thanks guys! i'll let you know the progress.

SilentBob

If your intrested on engine condition, when you change the oil get a sample kit and have the oil checked.

88BlueGT

For internal cleaning; try SeaFoam. You should be able to get it at any local parts store for a few bucks. It works great and its pretty interesting to watch also.

You should not have any problem making that motor last another year unless it was poorly maintained throughout the years. Just maintain it and it will treat you well

The X pipe has a raspier tone than anything else. Personally, if you want a deep muscle car sound I would go with an H pipe. They are proven to have deeper tones, combine that with the right catback and you will be on your way to heaven.

Paint job... doing the prep work yourself will save you alot of money. Also, not painting your bay will save you some cash also. Like everyone else said, $1500 is a good ballpark price to go off of. Or you can get the MAACO special for $200-300. But just remember, you get what you pay for.

Good luck w/ everything and let us know how everything unfolds!