strut question

[godfearingman]

I noticed the other day while working on my 94 GT project car that the driver's side strut mount metal washer spins freely and the nut and bolts moves when trying to tighten it. And won't move when holding the bolt or nut straight the struts seem firm do I need new struts and shocks or possibly just the struct mount bushing kit? Thanks in advance.

 

[87hurricane]

Sounds like the either the strut bushing is bad, or possible just the nut on top of the strut isn't completely tight.

 

[godfearingman]

Well the bolt and nut spin at the same time and won't tighten or loosen either holding the center bolt.

 

[87hurricane]

You probably need to hit it with an impact gun to break it loose. Can you see the same amount of threads above the nut on both sides?

 

[godfearingman]

yes there's sbout 4 threads showing

 

[87hurricane]

If the nuts both sides appear to be at the same place, and one side is loose, I would say that your strut mount bushing is bad.

 

[godfearingman]

You should see the rust on the metal washers and what the front of the engine looked like. Found papers in the car where it had been in Florida think Virginia as well no telling where else its been I bought from a guy who lived where there's a few lakes and or rivers around. How hard is it to check the bushings and replace them?

 

[87hurricane]

You have to pull the strut out to do it, really not that bad as the spring is separate. I'd wait to order parts until you get it apart, just to make sure the strut bearing and mount are OK.

 

[godfearingman]

I don't need any special tools just a jack under the control arm right?

 

[87hurricane]

You got it. I'd jack it up and put a jackstand under the frame rail in the front. Then put your floor jack under the control arm and use it take spring pressure off after you have everything loose on the strut.

 

[godfearingman]

so I need to break the bolts lose before I jack up the car and put the jack under the control arm? Or afterwards?

 

[87hurricane]

Jack the car up, put it on the jackstand. Put the floor jack under the control arm and put some pressure on it. Then take your bolts out and slowly lower the jack to take tension off the spring and give yourself enough clearance to remove the strut.

 

[godfearingman]

So I won't need a spring compressor to remove or install new struts and shocks? Thinking mine are gone hear squeaking and vibration while driving in my yard. Don't know if they've ever been changed since the car was new. I can do all four wheels with KYB for $190 with shipping.

 

[87hurricane]

The springs are not part of the strut on these cars, they sit on the control arm. The only thing that holds them in place is the strut and the weight of the car. No strut compressor needed front or rear. As for the squeaking, I bet your spring isolators are shot.

 

[godfearingman]

How do I test to see which one I need?

 

[Jgehret]

Off topic but did you ever get the idle and lack of revving issues squared away?

 

[godfearingman]

Still idles at around 500 don't know if that's normal but do hear the rpm drop off and on while its running/idling as far the revving it still won't rev over 1200 in park seems like its bogging out. I'll buy some cleaner and new IAC valve gasket tomorrow and clean it and put it back on and see if it helps. I didn't have the extra money to buy it until this week and been too hot to really do anything to it either way.

 

[lwarrior1016]

I just caught up with your threads, I hadn't heard from you in awhile you just disappeared lol. Anyway, you said the car moves forward when you put it in neutral, that tells me that there are clutches burnt and siezed together inside the transmission. Meaning since the car wants to move in neutral, it will still want to move in park but there is a steel piece that locks it in place called a park pawl. I'm betting a lot of that issue is due to the trans being shot. Also, did you fix your throttle cable issue?

 

[godfearingman]

No you disappeared I text asking questions more than once over a few days and you never text back so I take it that you're tired of me asking questions all the time so I stopped texting you. I know the trans is shot now the fluid level was low again so I bought more trans fluid and withing 2 days it was turning black already and smelling burnt. So I'm planning on buying one out of an 2000 V6 been talking to other guys on another forum that has a lot of transmission tech articles and they said it'll bolt right up just have to repin the harness and move a couple parts off mine to make it work in mine. As far as the cable goes I think it's messed up sometimes and other times I don't know but can't hardly find one around here. Talked to yard where I live and they said $150 for a new discontinued/clearance cable.

 

[lwarrior1016]

[MENTION=20907]godfearingman[/MENTION] , I'm sorry brother, I must have missed the messages. You are more than welcome to ask questions any time you have them and I'll answer them to the best of my ability.