So i am looking at this 88 notch. Its got a 306 with JE pistons that was rebuilt about 20K ago. Im just nervious because it has a ZEX nitrous kit with purge. Im wondering if there is anyway to see if the motor has been damaged with having to pull it apart. I dont want to get a car with a blown motor, or a motor that is about to blow... Does anyone know how I could find out if the motor is unharmed? Thanks - Jason
A lab can do a very acurate test on the oil and tell you pretty well shape the engine is in .Do a search for labs. It is noy costly for the info.you get.
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Three grand essentials to happiness in this life are something to do, something to love, and something to hope for.
Joseph Addison
What is involved in doing a compression test?? The car im looking at come to find out is Laith's(52floor) old notchback. The one with the custom paint and the 306.
you have 2 different ways to do a compression check. you can do a dry check which you just hook the meter up to the spark plug whole and crank the key but dont start and get your readings on all 8 cylinders. they should all be pretty close in readings. and then you can do a wet compression check where you drop some oil down the cylinders and then hook your meter up and take a reading. dry is usually around 80-90 psi and wet is around 125-140 psi. numbers are not exact but you should get the point.
Run the car to operating temp and listen for noises and check the oil gauge to make sure it is getting good oil pressure when hot . It's better if it has a mechanical pressure gauge as opposed to the factory electric one . The electric ones are not very accurate. Smell down by the tail pipes for any odd smells like oil burning or anti freeze . You might see water coming out of the tail pipes . This is normal as long as it doesn't smell like antifreeze . Pop the oil cap off when it's running and make sure there is no excessive blow by comming out . This would be an indacation that the rings are tired or a hole in the piston . Take the plugs out ( all of them ) and examine them for sighns of detonation , oil burning, or melted or cracked electrodes or porcelan . Pull the dipstick and smell for gas and look for any milkyness . The others are correct with a compression check ... But if I was selling the car I probably wouldn't let you do it . Mostly because it's a process . Bottom line is if your already throwing the red flags ...Maybe you should look at another car . If your looking at nitrous cars or blower cars ... the dependability is out the window and you can never be 100% sure that nothing will go wrong . You pretty much have to budget another motor or some other repair for cars like this ... Don't get me wrong ! There maybe nothing wrong with it ... But I'm sure it wasn't just cruised to the grocery store !
x2 my opinion every one on here or almost evryone with a mustnag beats the snot out of the car ,we are all guilty of it , if it as je pistons which are not cheap on of the best the car was intended to go fast it dont matter if it waas n20 ,blower,or mild and the n20 dont get me started i have seen and heard a bunch of people say n20 is worse for the motor ...ask mike dez cuz i used to think the same if tuned yes tuned its no worse can acualy be less destructive within reason of a shot vs reasonable boost people dont tune n2o and spray 125 shots on 1.5 hondas and get a rod on the ground thats the bad rap mike dez has told me so all in all if it has had that kind of work the the point of goin to je pistons iwouldnt think he would have skimped on a tune which would be fine but like scott said these cars are used to go fast throw dependable out the window prob not your daily driver, i race methanol powerd go karts i re ring a motor every 2-3 races due to gettin every bit dependabilitie is a luxury and unfortunatly its hard to get when talking power adders and the mustang performance industrys
just my 2 cents
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1988 LX Notch race car -4.6 dohc ,powerglide ,boost ,cage ,mini tubbed,chute..ect certified to 8.50s ,hoppin low 9s high 8s
337 C.I.D.
390 R.W.H.P.
362 R.W.T.Q
11.44@120 in the 1/4
7.35@ 95 in the 1/8
1.60-60'
N.A.
1988 L.X. Hatch 5.0L 5-Speed, 85,000 original miles
