Hello should be buying a 2003 mach 1 soon I hope! Just wondering if there are any problems with them i should look for anything at all? Only mod it has is flow master system.

Thank you!

 

try searching there are about 2390942093529057209357230 threads in this section alone about this subject..... to sum it up none that the normal 03 mustang doesnt have. if anything it is your 3rd gear syncros

 

so it will grind when shifting into 3rd then? Should I avoid buying the car if this is happening? only has about 35,000 miles on it. I have seached.

 

yea it will grind when you shift from 2nd to 3rd. if you are buying from a dealer tell them you want the tranny redone at a performance shop as part of the deal if it is a local person then tell them to knock a bit off because you will have to get that replaced soon

 

As with any car that is almost 6 years old, you will encounter issues that may come up. Some 03's had the 2-3 gear grind issue, head tick, and certain other issues. You might want to go to the Mach 1 registry and do a search. There's loads of info on there about the machs and the possible issues you might come upon.

 

head tick, what is that all about?

 

Its a problem with the left side head on the 03's. I can't exactly remember what it was all about, but its a known issue with the early 03's. You can hear a ticking noise on the left side head, you will know if you have the issue because it will be audible. Go to the mach1registry.org and do a search on there, there's lots of threads about it in the Techincal Q&A, How to's, TSB and warranty forum.

 

The tranny thing is common with any 2001.5 or later GT and all Mach's. It is just the POS 3650 that they gave up. The tranny is supposed to actually be pretty decent except for the synchros.

The head tick is only on certain heads in 03. There were a bunch of different heads use in these cars that had minor differences. There is a thread on M1R that has all the details for the heads.

 

Yeah I read the write up on the head tick, so this is very noticeable I guess, was it a recall? I guess I shouldn't buy the car if it ticks.

 

Not a recall, just a technical service bulletin. Meaning that some car MIGHT have it, others might not. My 03 doesn't have it, hopefully never will. Its something the Ford dealer may or may not pay for. Most of these cars are out of warranty now, and unless you got an aftermarket warranty, then you will end up having to foot the bill for it.

And to answer your question, NO I would not buy a mach 1 with this issue. Thoroughly have that car checked out before you buy it.
As for the tranny, its a well known issue with the t3650's. It was put in gt's as well as the mach 1's. Its not so much the tranny itself, but the syncros. I'm lucky, haven't had any issues per say with mine. I am about to change my tranny fluid to something better, not sure what yet, but sometimes the tranny fluid change helps the syncros out.