Hey guys...New to the forums and I need some expert advice. I am currently looking at buying a new(er) mustang GT and upgrade my ride. Its a 2000 GT with a SLP loudmouth exhaust, an upgraded suspension, what I was told is an MGW short throw, Goodrich drag radials, and Im sure has other upgrades the seller has yet to inform me on because he has no idea what he is selling. The car has 34,000 miles on it and is equipped with a turbo, intercooler and a dynojet A/F monitor. His asking price is really low and the car drives amazing (no knocks or engine noise, no shuddering from the suspension, transmission shifts nice and smooth) but the car worries me. Even at idle the car puffs out a little black smoke from the tailpipes, which are coated in dark black soot. The A/F at idle reads 11.5 which I thought was fine for a turbo v8, but all the signs point to a rich A/F mixture. Now I know that running too rich can leave to fouled plugs and such but should I have any worries about the car in general? I heard that a turbo could warp the heads and blow out piston rings, but the car runs great and there are not any other problems, even cosmetic, with the car. Do you guys have any idea if my diagnosis sounds about right, and if it is would running rich (until I save up enough for a couple dyno pulls and a tune at KDK) hurt anything else but my gas mileage and shiny exhaust pipes?

Thanks guys and sorry for the long post....

 

A moderate tune with a perfect set up and a turbo will not harm an engine. Reality is there is much much potential to wreck things in a hurry.

I think you are basically asking us to diagnois the internals of this car you want to buy and that's basically impossible from here.

As for black smoke. It may also be the turbo seals from the impellor shaft.

The low mileage does not attract me. As for condition I'd have more confidence in a car with 150,000 regular commuter highway miles than a 34,000 mile turbo car.

If the price is good, like you say. Buy it and assume you will have to tear into it one day, someday. That's a fact with most cars that are turned up.