Yes, it's a 20 year old foreign car. Getting the oil changed will cost more then a new Ford. Parts are all but gone and its guaranteed to need regular maintenance at that age. The timing belt is a key maintenance item that needs regular maintenance so buy one with records because the neglect could prove costly. Outside of that, the 88 was recalled the next year for suspension issues and the 90 and the 87 were recalled for fuel injection.
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To perform an adequate inspection, the car should be put on a lift and the belly pan removed. Here's a list of specific items that should be looked at:
The area between the back timing cover and the block should be inspected for oil and/or coolant. The presence of oil can indicate a leaking front crankshaft seal or leaking balance shaft seal. The presence of water normally indicates a leaking water pump although it can also indicate a leaking head gasket.
Inspect the area around the oil filter housing. You may find some oil in this area. It is extremely difficult to change the oil filter without spilling some oil. However, the oil pressure sensor and filter housing itself can also be a source of oil leakage.
Inspect the power steering pump, hoses, and power steering rack for leakage. The hose from the fluid reservoir to the pump is a common source of leakage. Sometimes tightening the clamp will stop the leakage. Do not tighten excessively as the reservoir is plastic and you can crack the nozzle. A leaking hose may not seem like a big deal, but one hose on a 944 can cost you $150-200 (not including labor).
Inspect the exhaust manifolds for cracks or signs of leakage (i.e. soot from the exhaust on engine or suspension parts). The exhaust manifolds are expensive to replace even if you can find them in a salvage yard.
Inspect the balance shaft housing covers for leakage. Repairing leaks here are not that difficult, but require a lot of time and can consequently cost a lot of money.
While the price of 944 motor mounts has come down in recent years, they are still around $150-200 a pair. You'll normally get charged around four hours labor for replacement. The 944 FAQ details a good method for checking the motor mounts.
A number of heat shield are used to protect various components underneath the car. It's a good idea to have someone check the car that is familiar enough with 944s to identify if any heat shields are missing. One of the most important components protected by a heat shield is the starter. It can fail in a short period of time if its heat shield is missing.
Check for a leaking oil pan gasket.
Inspect the tie rod ends and ball joints for cracked or missing protective boots. The ball joints are not replaceable on later model 944s. The control arms must be replaced ($$) or rebuilt.
Check the master cylinder and slave cylinder for leakage.
If the car is equipped with an external oil cooler (to the right of the radiator), inspect the cooler and oil lines for leaks.
Check all coolant lines for leakage. On Normally Aspirated and Turbocharged cars equipped with the turbo water pump, the plastic nozzle on the front of the pump (blank nozzle) has an o-ring which is a common source of coolant leakage.
Check the coolant in the reservoir. A brown frothy mixture in the reservoir usually indicates oil and water mixing in the oil filter/cooler housing. Many people are under the mistaken impression that this can not happen with the turbocharged cars since they have an external oil cooler. While it is not as common, it can an does occur.
Inspect for oil leakage at the back of the camshaft housing near the firewall. The rear cam housing cover plate uses a cork gasket which is a common source of leakage.
Inspect the area around the distributor housing. There are several oil seals in the housing that can be a source of leakage.
Inspect the fuel lines going to the fuel rail for brittleness or cracking. These have been the subject of several recalls and the source of a number of engine fires.
Inspect the plug wires for brittleness or cracking.
Check the transaxle half shafts for excessive play. There will be some play along the axis of the shaft, but there should be little or no play perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.
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Driving and engine running inspection:
The car should have a steady idle between 900 and 1000 rpm. A high, low, or hunting idle can indicate (but is not limited to) a sticking idle stabilizer valve.
With the engine cold, the oil pressure should read between 4 and 5 bar at idle. As the engine temperature increases, the oil pressure will gradually decrease to around 2 bar. It may go slightly less than 2 bar on a very hot day or when the car is driven very hard. However, it should never decrease to less than 1 bar. A low oil pressure at all temperatures can be indicative of a sticking oil pressure re
Yes, it's a 20 year old foreign car. Getting the oil changed will cost more then a new Ford. Parts are all but gone and its guaranteed to need regular maintenance at that age. The timing belt is a key maintenance item that needs regular maintenance so buy one with records because the neglect could prove costly. Outside of that, the 88 was recalled the next year for suspension issues and the 90 and the 87 were recalled for fuel injection.
Check this article out isn't linking properly, but check this out...
To perform an adequate inspection, the car should be put on a lift and the belly pan removed. Here's a list of specific items that should be looked at:
The area between the back timing cover and the block should be inspected for oil and/or coolant. The presence of oil can indicate a leaking front crankshaft seal or leaking balance shaft seal. The presence of water normally indicates a leaking water pump although it can also indicate a leaking head gasket.
Inspect the area around the oil filter housing. You may find some oil in this area. It is extremely difficult to change the oil filter without spilling some oil. However, the oil pressure sensor and filter housing itself can also be a source of oil leakage.
Inspect the power steering pump, hoses, and power steering rack for leakage. The hose from the fluid reservoir to the pump is a common source of leakage. Sometimes tightening the clamp will stop the leakage. Do not tighten excessively as the reservoir is plastic and you can crack the nozzle. A leaking hose may not seem like a big deal, but one hose on a 944 can cost you $150-200 (not including labor).
Inspect the exhaust manifolds for cracks or signs of leakage (i.e. soot from the exhaust on engine or suspension parts). The exhaust manifolds are expensive to replace even if you can find them in a salvage yard.
Inspect the balance shaft housing covers for leakage. Repairing leaks here are not that difficult, but require a lot of time and can consequently cost a lot of money.
While the price of 944 motor mounts has come down in recent years, they are still around $150-200 a pair. You'll normally get charged around four hours labor for replacement. The 944 FAQ details a good method for checking the motor mounts.
A number of heat shield are used to protect various components underneath the car. It's a good idea to have someone check the car that is familiar enough with 944s to identify if any heat shields are missing. One of the most important components protected by a heat shield is the starter. It can fail in a short period of time if its heat shield is missing.
Check for a leaking oil pan gasket.
Inspect the tie rod ends and ball joints for cracked or missing protective boots. The ball joints are not replaceable on later model 944s. The control arms must be replaced ($$) or rebuilt.
Check the master cylinder and slave cylinder for leakage.
If the car is equipped with an external oil cooler (to the right of the radiator), inspect the cooler and oil lines for leaks.
Check all coolant lines for leakage. On Normally Aspirated and Turbocharged cars equipped with the turbo water pump, the plastic nozzle on the front of the pump (blank nozzle) has an o-ring which is a common source of coolant leakage.
Check the coolant in the reservoir. A brown frothy mixture in the reservoir usually indicates oil and water mixing in the oil filter/cooler housing. Many people are under the mistaken impression that this can not happen with the turbocharged cars since they have an external oil cooler. While it is not as common, it can an does occur.
Inspect for oil leakage at the back of the camshaft housing near the firewall. The rear cam housing cover plate uses a cork gasket which is a common source of leakage.
Inspect the area around the distributor housing. There are several oil seals in the housing that can be a source of leakage.
Inspect the fuel lines going to the fuel rail for brittleness or cracking. These have been the subject of several recalls and the source of a number of engine fires.
Inspect the plug wires for brittleness or cracking.
Check the transaxle half shafts for excessive play. There will be some play along the axis of the shaft, but there should be little or no play perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.
Top of Page
Driving and engine running inspection:
The car should have a steady idle between 900 and 1000 rpm. A high, low, or hunting idle can indicate (but is not limited to) a sticking idle stabilizer valve.
With the engine cold, the oil pressure should read between 4 and 5 bar at idle. As the engine temperature increases, the oil pressure will gradually decrease to around 2 bar. It may go slightly less than 2 bar on a very hot day or when the car is driven very hard. However, it should never decrease to less than 1 bar. A low oil pressure at all temperatures can be indicative of a sticking oil pressure re
Yes, it's a 20 year old foreign car. Getting the oil changed will cost more then a new Ford. Parts are all but gone and its guaranteed to need regular maintenance at that age. The timing belt is a key maintenance item that needs regular maintenance so buy one with records because the neglect could prove costly. Outside of that, the 88 was recalled the next year for suspension issues and the 90 and the 87 were recalled for fuel injection.
Check this article out isn't linking properly, but check this out...
To perform an adequate inspection, the car should be put on a lift and the belly pan removed. Here's a list of specific items that should be looked at:
The area between the back timing cover and the block should be inspected for oil and/or coolant. The presence of oil can indicate a leaking front crankshaft seal or leaking balance shaft seal. The presence of water normally indicates a leaking water pump although it can also indicate a leaking head gasket.
Inspect the area around the oil filter housing. You may find some oil in this area. It is extremely difficult to change the oil filter without spilling some oil. However, the oil pressure sensor and filter housing itself can also be a source of oil leakage.
Inspect the power steering pump, hoses, and power steering rack for leakage. The hose from the fluid reservoir to the pump is a common source of leakage. Sometimes tightening the clamp will stop the leakage. Do not tighten excessively as the reservoir is plastic and you can crack the nozzle. A leaking hose may not seem like a big deal, but one hose on a 944 can cost you $150-200 (not including labor).
Inspect the exhaust manifolds for cracks or signs of leakage (i.e. soot from the exhaust on engine or suspension parts). The exhaust manifolds are expensive to replace even if you can find them in a salvage yard.
Inspect the balance shaft housing covers for leakage. Repairing leaks here are not that difficult, but require a lot of time and can consequently cost a lot of money.
While the price of 944 motor mounts has come down in recent years, they are still around $150-200 a pair. You'll normally get charged around four hours labor for replacement. The 944 FAQ details a good method for checking the motor mounts.
A number of heat shield are used to protect various components underneath the car. It's a good idea to have someone check the car that is familiar enough with 944s to identify if any heat shields are missing. One of the most important components protected by a heat shield is the starter. It can fail in a short period of time if its heat shield is missing.
Check for a leaking oil pan gasket.
Inspect the tie rod ends and ball joints for cracked or missing protective boots. The ball joints are not replaceable on later model 944s. The control arms must be replaced ($$) or rebuilt.
Check the master cylinder and slave cylinder for leakage.
If the car is equipped with an external oil cooler (to the right of the radiator), inspect the cooler and oil lines for leaks.
Check all coolant lines for leakage. On Normally Aspirated and Turbocharged cars equipped with the turbo water pump, the plastic nozzle on the front of the pump (blank nozzle) has an o-ring which is a common source of coolant leakage.
Check the coolant in the reservoir. A brown frothy mixture in the reservoir usually indicates oil and water mixing in the oil filter/cooler housing. Many people are under the mistaken impression that this can not happen with the turbocharged cars since they have an external oil cooler. While it is not as common, it can an does occur.
Inspect for oil leakage at the back of the camshaft housing near the firewall. The rear cam housing cover plate uses a cork gasket which is a common source of leakage.
Inspect the area around the distributor housing. There are several oil seals in the housing that can be a source of leakage.
Inspect the fuel lines going to the fuel rail for brittleness or cracking. These have been the subject of several recalls and the source of a number of engine fires.
Inspect the plug wires for brittleness or cracking.
Check the transaxle half shafts for excessive play. There will be some play along the axis of the shaft, but there should be little or no play perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.
Top of Page
Driving and engine running inspection:
The car should have a steady idle between 900 and 1000 rpm. A high, low, or hunting idle can indicate (but is not limited to) a sticking idle stabilizer valve.
With the engine cold, the oil pressure should read between 4 and 5 bar at idle. As the engine temperature increases, the oil pressure will gradually decrease to around 2 bar. It may go slightly less than 2 bar on a very hot day or when the car is driven very hard. However, it should never decrease to less than 1 bar. A low oil pressure at all temperatures can be indicative of a sticking oil pressure re
Yes, it's a 20 year old foreign car. Getting the oil changed will cost more then a new Ford. Parts are all but gone and its guaranteed to need regular maintenance at that age. The timing belt is a key maintenance item that needs regular maintenance so buy one with records because the neglect could prove costly. Outside of that, the 88 was recalled the next year for suspension issues and the 90 and the 87 were recalled for fuel injection.
Check this article out isn't linking properly, but check this out...
To perform an adequate inspection, the car should be put on a lift and the belly pan removed. Here's a list of specific items that should be looked at:
The area between the back timing cover and the block should be inspected for oil and/or coolant. The presence of oil can indicate a leaking front crankshaft seal or leaking balance shaft seal. The presence of water normally indicates a leaking water pump although it can also indicate a leaking head gasket.
Inspect the area around the oil filter housing. You may find some oil in this area. It is extremely difficult to change the oil filter without spilling some oil. However, the oil pressure sensor and filter housing itself can also be a source of oil leakage.
Inspect the power steering pump, hoses, and power steering rack for leakage. The hose from the fluid reservoir to the pump is a common source of leakage. Sometimes tightening the clamp will stop the leakage. Do not tighten excessively as the reservoir is plastic and you can crack the nozzle. A leaking hose may not seem like a big deal, but one hose on a 944 can cost you $150-200 (not including labor).
Inspect the exhaust manifolds for cracks or signs of leakage (i.e. soot from the exhaust on engine or suspension parts). The exhaust manifolds are expensive to replace even if you can find them in a salvage yard.
Inspect the balance shaft housing covers for leakage. Repairing leaks here are not that difficult, but require a lot of time and can consequently cost a lot of money.
While the price of 944 motor mounts has come down in recent years, they are still around $150-200 a pair. You'll normally get charged around four hours labor for replacement. The 944 FAQ details a good method for checking the motor mounts.
A number of heat shield are used to protect various components underneath the car. It's a good idea to have someone check the car that is familiar enough with 944s to identify if any heat shields are missing. One of the most important components protected by a heat shield is the starter. It can fail in a short period of time if its heat shield is missing.
Check for a leaking oil pan gasket.
Inspect the tie rod ends and ball joints for cracked or missing protective boots. The ball joints are not replaceable on later model 944s. The control arms must be replaced ($$) or rebuilt.
Check the master cylinder and slave cylinder for leakage.
If the car is equipped with an external oil cooler (to the right of the radiator), inspect the cooler and oil lines for leaks.
Check all coolant lines for leakage. On Normally Aspirated and Turbocharged cars equipped with the turbo water pump, the plastic nozzle on the front of the pump (blank nozzle) has an o-ring which is a common source of coolant leakage.
Check the coolant in the reservoir. A brown frothy mixture in the reservoir usually indicates oil and water mixing in the oil filter/cooler housing. Many people are under the mistaken impression that this can not happen with the turbocharged cars since they have an external oil cooler. While it is not as common, it can an does occur.
Inspect for oil leakage at the back of the camshaft housing near the firewall. The rear cam housing cover plate uses a cork gasket which is a common source of leakage.
Inspect the area around the distributor housing. There are several oil seals in the housing that can be a source of leakage.
Inspect the fuel lines going to the fuel rail for brittleness or cracking. These have been the subject of several recalls and the source of a number of engine fires.
Inspect the plug wires for brittleness or cracking.
Check the transaxle half shafts for excessive play. There will be some play along the axis of the shaft, but there should be little or no play perpendicular to the axis of the shaft.
Top of Page
Driving and engine running inspection:
The car should have a steady idle between 900 and 1000 rpm. A high, low, or hunting idle can indicate (but is not limited to) a sticking idle stabilizer valve.
With the engine cold, the oil pressure should read between 4 and 5 bar at idle. As the engine temperature increases, the oil pressure will gradually decrease to around 2 bar. It may go slightly less than 2 bar on a very hot day or when the car is driven very hard. However, it should never decrease to less than 1 bar. A low oil pressure at all temperatures can be indicative of a sticking oil pressure re