Seeking input - 97GT

[Cathy9888]

Greetings!! First, let me start off by admitting I may not be in the right category, so I apologize. I'm a wife who has been sent on an information seeking mission. LOL

Brief Detail Catch-up:
We purchased a 97GT from my husband's brother.. technically, the brother's fiance. Her late husband owned the car... it stopped running, they thought it was an intake issue, so he purchased the parts needed, plus a couple others, and was going to fix it himself with a buddy. Then he died. The car had been sitting for just over 2 yrs & they didn't want it. We brought it home & my husband & boys worked on it for a few weeks.
Today, it started!! Here's where we're hoping some outside eyes & ears (& just good ol' expertise) comes in... I took a video of him taking it down the driveway & around the cul-de-sac. In my ignorant, untrained ears... I think it sounds great!! But, those of you who know these vehicles inside & out may hear things I (we) don't hear.

When starting a vehicle after sitting for a couple years, is there anything we should be looking for?? (Gas was drained & replaced, oil has not been changed out yet, added antifreeze & water.. brakes seem fine - so far... etc). What should we be listening for? What should we "watch out" for?

Also... when he shuts the engine off, there's a hissing sound that lingers for a few seconds... is that normal? What could it be?

I uploaded a video (First Drive) to our home cloud & created a share link for the folder. We've noticed it's a little slow to load at first - probably needs to be rebooted - but please be patient. It shouldn't take more than 8 seconds or so (which I know is an eternity for technology... apologies!!) There's also a video of the first time it started, and a basic photo I took before he started dismantling everything. LOL

mustang

Shared with My Cloud Home

home.mycloud.com

Any input at all would be MOST appreciated!! Google & YouTube (and a good bit of me trolling this board for existing posts & solutions to questions we came across) have been our biggest (only) source of information thus far.

Thank you so very much!!

Cathy
O'Fallon MO

 

[RAU03MACH]

The oil did you change it
It dose not sound bad
But I'm not there to really visually look or hear it
I would put some fuel injection cleaner in the fuel tank

 

[RAU03MACH]

I would suggest a tune up as well
Plugs wires
Air filter fuel filter

 

[Cathy9888]

OK, so here's what's been done to it...

Replaced intake manifold
Replaced water pump
Replaced thermostat
Replaced alternator
Replaced fuel filter
Replaced spark plugs (original wires)
Drained old fuel
Added a bit of fuel injector cleaner (but there's only a couple gallons of gas in it right now..)
Added water to coolant reservoir
Added antifreeze
Brand new battery

 

[RAU03MACH]

Not a bad start
Looks like a tune up could be helpful

And welcome to the forums

 

[RAU03MACH]

A lot of the people on this forum have a lot of knowledge
They may chime in to assist witch is a good thing
With any problems you have
So feel free ask questions

 

[Cathy9888]

Not a bad start
Looks like a tune up could be helpful

And welcome to the forums

Thank you! I've been lurking around for a few weeks now.. the search field is an amazing thing!! I found lots of previous posts that were able to answer our curiosities & questions.

I'm certain I'll have other questions to post down the road. :-D

C ~

 

[BHernandez]

I would highly recommend a brake fluid vacuum bleed. Brake fluid has a tendency to absorb moisture. It can cause the brake lines to rust from the inside out. Change the oil and filter ASAP. Would also recommend a coolant system flush and clean.

 

[Cathy9888]

We did the coolant, and yep.. it was nasty! Filled it back up, and now it's leaking. There was a coolant leak prior to purchase, but they originally assumed it was an intake issue. Intake manifold was replaced.. and its still leaking. He took a video of it, but our knowledge of the underbelly just isn't good enough to identify where it could be coming from. I mean, can see the drip happening, but we don't know what it is...

I'm going to start a fresh post for it though.

 

[RAU03MACH]

Look around the rear of the engine coolant hoses
And around the heads and front coolant hoses
For coolant leaks
I dont wanna jinx anything around your heads for sure

 

[BHernandez]

I would suspect a heater core. The typical intake leak would have left a puddle in the intake valley. The hissing you mentioned makes me think heater core or hoses.

 

[RAU03MACH]

Not the intake but a cross over tube

 

[RAU03MACH]

Water neck on the back side of intake mabe

 

[BHernandez]

Those are all perfectly viable points of leaks. The best way to find it is to pressurize the system and carefully inspect the car inside and out, especially in the passenger floorboard area and all of the locations previously mentioned by the others.

 

[cobrajeff96]

Helps to spray the entire thing with brake clean to get rid of any residue or coolant stains on the outside of the block. Then after running it for a little while any future drip or stain will stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[Notthenow]

My 98 always had a hiss after shutting down, no problems, but never knew what it was.

 

[Cathy9888]

After working on this car a while, we realized the VSS needed to be changed out. So, we did our due diligence & made sure we got the right pieces & parts according to what it says the transmission is on the door tag. Welp... The VSS we got doesn't fit. And the one we pulled out doesn't look like what **should** be in a '97.

So... Besides the door tag sticker, where should we look (on the transmission itself) to find a serial/part number)? Tried Googling this & all I can find is to just look on the door tag. Well, I'm no longer confident the previous owners had any idea WTF they were doing with this car.

Now we're questioning everything ... Did they change the transmission out? Is this even the stock motor?? **facepalm**

 

[RAU03MACH]

There should be a tag on the passenger side of the transmission
About 3 long and 2 wide placard with all info on it
The one on the right is speed sensor
Left is a mechanical speedometer reading pick up
And that is the one for a 97
But I have no idea what transmission is in it
I'm not there to seeing it
But find that info plate and that will help

 

[RAU03MACH]

And looking at the one picture it has a ream gear pick up ring another term exciter ring
That is a puzzled thing never seen one like that
One of these other guys may have to jump in
My 98 looks like the one on the left
And everyone that I have dealt with have the same

 

[cobrajeff96]

Yea my 96 has the electro-mechanical one like you have on the left (the non-janky looking one). Both my old T45 and my new T56 Mag use it. I can't know for sure but the T-5s used in the 95 and lower stangs are a mixed back as far as cable vs electro-mechanical... because I'm certain that Foxbodies were on cables all the way up to the speedo gauge.