looking into a 97 svt cobra...

palooza13

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Hey guys,

I am attempting to join the mustang community! There's a 97 svt cobra I am looking into. Anyone that could help me out with informing me of possible weak spots that I should check into while looking at it and test driving it. Thanks for anything you guys can help out with and hopefully the svt checks out.
 

uncltrvlnmatt

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Also if the guy does not have the SVT cirtificate you can get it through that web site.
 

dustinv

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Another thing to consider...how far from stock is it? ..not all the time, but an extensive mod list often means the car has been driven hard. How many owners has it been through? Does it have a solid service history? These cars, by that I mean the sn95 Cobras, are solid even up to 200,000 miles I've seen with the obvious TLC. Unfortunately, most have been abused and as a result, show the wear. I picked my '96 up with just over 70,000 on the clock but she was bone stock and still ran like new. The key is finding one that has been treated good and you won't be disappointed.

Other than those things, I would ensure the IMRC system is in good order. On your test drive, take her up through the RPMs a couple times. You should feel a slight "kick" or increase in power around 3,500 RPMs as the IMRCs open up. Since it's approaching the 100,000 mark, you will most likely experience a lack of performance from the rear differential as the friction plates are probably worn if they haven't been replaced already. Easy way to check that is a quick acceleration from a stop, just enough to break the rears loose, and see if it's pulling the infamous one-wheel (right side) peel out.

Let us know how the test drive goes...and pics if possible are great!
 
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palooza13

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dustinv said:
Another thing to consider...how far from stock is it? .....

The car is about as stock as I think you can find. cat back and a bbk intake. I'm waiting on a carfax to get a general sense of where it's been. I know what the owner has done with it over the past 3 years and he's taken great care of it. mobil 1, timing belt, brakes... Would calling ford with the VIN possibly give me a service history?
 

MustangChris

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these cars dont have timing belts. they have timing chains. 4 of them. just be sure he is crystal clear on everything he did "timing belts" "muffler bearings" "blinker fluid" and "differencial chains" . .. . .. . lol.
 
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palooza13

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MustangChris said:
these cars dont have timing belts. they have timing chains. 4 of them. just be sure he is crystal clear on everything he did "timing belts" "muffler bearings" "blinker fluid" and "differencial chains" . .. . .. . lol.

haha well that would be my mistake as his email does say chain. my previous car i had done the timing belt so i chotched that one up. i also think the blinker fluid is fresh. the blinkers are bright! haha
 

MustangChris

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haha, good! the blinker fluid is an easily missed preventative-maintainance-part... . .. more vital than oil, IMO.

also, did he say why he changed the timing chain? just one? or 2? or 3 or 4?
 
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palooza13

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MustangChris said:
haha, good! the blinker fluid is an easily missed preventative-maintainance-part... . .. more vital than oil, IMO.

also, did he say why he changed the timing chain? just one? or 2? or 3 or 4?

Yeah he did not say why it was done. He said the dealer had it done before he purchased it. What is the recommended mileage at which to replace the chains?
 

uncltrvlnmatt

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From what I have heard (hearsay) there is no recomended service interval for timing chains on the 4v. Again this is 3rd or even 4th hand info.
 

aloo1

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if you can borrow a friends code scanner or tuner and check to see if there are any trouble codes or if there is a p1000 code then it could mean the codes that were being thrown were just cleared only for you to buy it and then they pop back up and now its your problem.
good luck,
alan
 
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palooza13

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I would hope there are no hidden codes. I'm goin to have it into an SVT mechanic next week and I'll have him scan it. I picked this car up tonight and couldn't be happier.
 
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palooza13

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1.jpg
 

Venomous96Cobra

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yeah! you're gonna love when all that gorgeous wheel slime get's all over you fender's,door skin's, and rear bumper...

:laughing4:
 
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palooza13

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Venomous96Cobra said:
yeah! you're gonna love when all that gorgeous wheel slime get's all over you fender's,door skin's, and rear bumper...

:laughing4:

hahah yeah it'll make a bunch of nice spray marks of shine...(thats the pic the previous owner sent me. i didn't put on the wheel shine)
 

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