Looking for a MUSTANG GURU! for help with a 1998 GT

[djbuschke]

I've got a car that I'm trying to sell. - First off I should mention that I'm not a FORD guy, sorry everyone! I am something more of a Firebird Guru. So, I'm trying to sell this car and it's pretty nice, but there are some odds and ends that need to be addressed. I don't want to keep sinking money into it, as I am already in $3900 and it now only blue books for $4400-$4800 (i've been sitting on it since 2008 when it was worth $5500).

AND I've got TONS of time into this car including wet-sanding and buffing the new paint job. So, clearly I am not going to 'make' anything on this car, at this point, I'm just trying to free up a space in my garage. All that said, I need some help with a few issues and I'm trying to get them sorted out as cheaply as possible before I'm totally upside down in a car that I CONVINCED my wife would make us a little money... HA! - don't I look like the idiot.

The car is a 1998 Mustang GT vert. 150,000k
It's got new paint and a new top.

-has a check engine light, that was diagnosed to be a 'lean condition'

-rear driver side window that won't go down (bought a new switch and it didn't fix the problem)

-missing the little red rectangular side marker on the rear bumper

-bad leather drivers seat, replace or use seat covers?

- problem with Mach 460 sound... like there is NO bass whatsoever, obviously not working properly

- HVAC blower either works on HIGH or not at all, go figure.

- turn signal blinks VERY rapidly, also the lever doesn't like to stay in the 'turned' position.

- the brakes seem spongy, maybe it's a ford thing my mother's Aerostar seems the same way. (seriously I don't know fords at all)

- the suspension rides like a baby buggy, it's horrible. springs or shocks? is this common?

-has a bad tie rod i think, wiggles a little (left and right but not top to bottom) I can visually see play in the outter tie rod, but on the road it hums like it's a wheel bearing.


there are probably some more problems that I am forgetting about. it's a nice car, has new paint, and a New top, but it's one of those that when you test drive it, it's just a little..... well.... not perfect.

SO, if there is anyone out there, who knows these cars inside and out, the best things to try replacing, common problems and fixes, cheapest place on the net to buy used parts... forums etc.. someone who might go for a ride and maybe give me a diagnosis. It's convertible season soon and I REALLY need to get rid of this car.

THANKS!

[Fast95Stang]

I can give you a hand with some of the stuff...

-The check engine light wasn't diagnosed as a lean condition, that's what the code description is. A lean condition could be caused by multiple items. Possibly a bad intake manifold gasket, vacuum leak, bad and or dirty mass air flow sensor, or a bad fuel injector(s). It could be one or a combination of these.

-The rear driver side window could have bad wiring or a bad motor.

-HVAC blower most likely has a bad blower resistor, very common on a lot of cars.

-do all of the directional lights work? (a burned out light can cause it to flash rapidly) if they do you may possibly have a bad flasher or multifunction switch. I believe you will need a new multifunction switch to keep the lever in the 'turned' position.

-did you try bleeding the brakes to see if that helps?

-since the tire wiggles left and right but not up and down the outer tie rod is most likely bad (and you can see play in it). since it hums also, you could have a bad wheel bearing.

Hope this helps ya out some! Good luck!

Feel free to PM me if you would like some help.

[Fast95Stang]

as far as the suspension goes I would check the springs to make sure none of them are broken and start with replacing the shocks/struts.