New cobra in the driveway!

[kbillan]

Greetings!

I have wanted a 93' cobra for many years. I decided now was the time as it would be an inexpensive 2nd car for us, since we just turned in a lease vehicle.

The search wasnt too bad-- though I did I have a couple of deals fall through. One because the seller decided he didnt want to sell, the other mainly because he was just an ignorant person (ha)

Yesterday- i flew out to chicago, from Buffalo and picked up my Teal 1993 Cobra.

Over all- i am happy with the car. It runs well, so far- although it does have a couple little issues.

1=I feel you need to stay in the "key" a little longer than usual to start the car. I am hoping to diagnose this today-- My guesses are low compression somewhere (ouch, i hope not- 100k mile car).. or timing way to hot??? Seems to have a little ping to the car, but that could be my fault as im used to just throwing 87' into cars... and did that all the way home without thinking...

2=I was lead to believe the car was stock except for a set of drop springs, Ofroad X pipe and cold air intake system.

Why do i think its modded more? Well, because its fast. LMAO. A stock cobra shouldnt blow the tires up on a sunny, 80 degree day- starting from say 10 mph and just mashing the gas.

Now- it has been 10 years since i have been into mustangs and i didnt remember all of the little nuances.. but as i was driving home 9.5 hours in an unknown car It hit me like a ton of bricks as i looked at the tack at 60mph.... The car has a 4.11 rear end.

This makes me sort of mad as I wanted a stock cobra...


Another concern-- It seems lumpy.. cam wise. I have never been in a 1993 cobra until yesterday- but i did have a couple GTs back in the day as well as a 5.0LX vert... I have had a car with a B cam, and been in several others with other cams... and im pretty sure ford/SVT wouldnt put this much lump in a production car in 1993...Its not a lot-- just enough to be able to tell its likely...

and finally, It is throwing a check engine light. This is not too concerning as my 91GT had a check engine lite the entire time i owned it... FORD couldnt figure it out... But this one-- Seller says it is a MAP sensor code-- and it goes away if you take the X pipe off-- comes back on when its on. Is this possible?


I know this is laughable, but the seller seemed to be a trust able guy... but i was very comfortable with him, which isnt usually the case. But i dont think any of these things were known by him.. he didnt seem like a gear head to me... just someone who wanted a cobra at one point.

anyway-- I am up early to go register the car and I double checked saturday hours one last time only to find out that they are closed for the holliday weekend. ARG.... now i have to wait till tuesday to run this thing. GLAD i rushed out and home..

Ill post pics of it soon!! I am going BACK to sleep for an hour or so... then tearin into it..

 

[kbillan]

Upon further inspection-- noodling around under the hood.. the smog pump was left off the belt!

I thought for sure that this would fix the check engine light.. Just came back from auto zone with 3 different belt options... and with the smog pump on, it still throws the engine light...

oh well-- we will get it. Car runs well.. and is very very nice. Pics after im done rubbing it..

Keith
Keith

 

[buddha93]

The 4.10 gears (4.11's are 9 inch) out back are why it's so easy to bake the tires at 10mph.

As far as the check engine light, it could be it's got to much initial timing in it (more than likely if it's pinging, even with 87 ), and due to the fact that the smog pump wasnt' doing it's job. O2's are something else to look at. Some morons try and bypass them and the car stays in open loop all the time, running rich as hell. Have you pulled the codes yet?

 

[kbillan]

IT SMELLS RICH AS HELL! When i pulled up to the toll booths on the way home, i could just smell it in the exhaust..

Hmm.. tinkerin.. going to go wash it now. Cant get the codes as i dont have a scanner--- and i cant take it out until there are plates on it (tuesday )

Ill look at the timing today though, where do I need to be for stock? Im not looking for a fast car, so much as a nice driver.


By bypass, i assume you mean leaving them disconnected? It has an offroad X pipe-- i havnt looked at it closely, but perhaps the O2 sensors arent even in it and are still in the cat pipe.. I dont know how that would be possible.. ill get back to you on that shortly--

thanks!

Keith

 

[670 of 4993]

Base timing is 10 degrees. I'd say 12 to 13 degrees is safe, but anything higher than that with 87 octane fuel may yield pinging.

 

[cobra186]

On a fox body: the smog pump being non-operational will not set off any codes.

About the only thing that will set off a Check Engine Light on a fox body are:
1) Oxygen Sensors malfuction
2) EGR malfunction
3) MAP Sensor malfunction

Your car having an off-road pipe will make it smell like its running rich. The only way to get rid of that is to install some catalytic convertors.


You stated that the previous owner said the car had a "MAP sensor" code... If this is true then the bad map sensor will cause 2 of your issues that you mentioned. The car will run extremely rich & it will also sometimes cause the car to "lope" more ( rough idle).

 

[kbillan]

Okay-- here we are.

105,200 miles by the time i got it home from Chicago. Car is pretty clean. It has a few small issues here and there. The door moldings both need resprays, although photograph okay..

Interior- id say it is a 9 out of 10.. its clean, taking points for aftermarket radio-- missing the trim panel behind driver side mirror and both of the sun visor mirror flaps need attention. THe knob for the glove box needs to be replaced as it is yellow.. Aluminum spare is there.

Extrerior-- id say-- 7 out of 10. It has a little checking on the hood.. some scuffs here and there.. and the front clip has been resprayed. ALL vin numbers on quarters and fenders are there. Undercarriage is rust free, although there is some undercoating.. In spots though=== weird.. Headlights have been replaced... mirrors repainted, as was the top cowl vent and wipers.. but done decent.

Whats under the hood? Good F'n question. I flew to this car because it was described as having only an X pipe, cold air intake.. and been lowered. Car seems a tad lumpy for stock cam, although i have never been in a 1993 cobra.. I have had a B cam car before- and its NOT that aggressive. Dunno.

the big bummer-- As i was test driving it-- i did my usual bring it up to about 3k in first gear-- and mash it... the car blew the tires up all the way through 2nd gear. I was a little concerned as-- well- this cant be stock.. LMAO.

The i was thinking-- maybe im just not used to mustangs-- its been 10 years.. roughly.. The i was thinking perhaps it has a different rear end ratio.. As i drove it home, and finally got it on the throughway-- 60mph@2200RPM puts us in 4.10's. Which made me madd.. but that can be easily fixed. What should the stock ratio be on this? He is willing to give me a set of 3.27's to make up for it... he says he had no idea they were in ti.. (wank wank wank)

It has a check engine light-- which is not too scary, considering it runs fine and all of the other gauges seem A O K.... he claims it came on when the X pipe went on.. which could just be an O2 Sensor.. but the code reader says MAP sensor... (according to him).. ill get it scanned Tuesday, when i am able to get it registered.

In the mean time- i was going to play with it a bit today-- Popped the hood to show Pops.. and noticed the smog pump was not even in the loop of the serp belt. I figured perhaps it would kill the check engine light if i got the correct belt. No such luck. Also going to look at the timing as it seems to have a little ping to it... and the car also starts a little rough-- by that i mean you have to hold the key in a little longer than i would think is normal..

 

[buddha93]

You can use a jumper wire and "manually" read the code from the Self-Test Output. It's a series of flashes via the Check Engine light. It's a little tricky if you've never done it, but after trying it a few times, you can figure it out. Most of the time the codes will run you in circles and never point to the right problem anyway.......lol!

Does the car have an adjustable FPR? If so, check and see what that's set at. Aother thing to watch out for is a cold T-stat..........anything under 180 degree. A lot of guys think that if a 180 is good then a 160 is even better. In a FI car, it's just not the case. It will continue to run fat as hell until it reaches operating temp which it never will in some cars with a 160 t-stat.

As far as the check engine light code, the 3 Daryl mentioned are the biggies that will throw a hard code, but I've seen others too.

The car looks really clean and I'm glad to see you didn't end up with a leather interior or a sunroof..........very nice.

BTW, 3.08 is the stock gear, but if he's willing to give you the 3.27's take'em and sell the 4.10's.

 

[kbillan]

Thanks for the great info!! I will let you all know how it works out. 2 more days and i can play with it again LMAO>

Keith

 

[Red Turtle]

Stock ratio was 3.08, 3.55's make the car fun IMO. Don't stress about the the smog not in the loop, as it was a pretty common cheap mod back in the day.

The o/r pipe is definately going to choke you out in the smell dept.

If the car does have a cam, that could be the reason for the CEL. If my memory serves me correctly, my cobra did not the addition of an E303 and I converted the MAF/ECU to a A9L and Pro M unit.

 

[Kevins89notch]

Stock ratio was 3.08, 3.55's make the car fun IMO. Don't stress about the the smog not in the loop, as it was a pretty common cheap mod back in the day.

The o/r pipe is definately going to choke you out in the smell dept.

If the car does have a cam, that could be the reason for the CEL. If my memory serves me correctly, my cobra did not the addition of an E303 and I converted the MAF/ECU to a A9L and Pro M unit.

Yeah, my 3.08s are KILLING me. I don't want to pay for the gears, +install, as I hardly drive the car, but then every time I do drive it, it always annoys me.

 

[kbillan]

3.55 is the most i would want.. but honestly, i would like 3.08's. I have the 3.27's coming, and Im pretty ballsy, im going to try to do them my self. (the guy accross the street has done them in the past, and he used to build racecars.. LOL)

if that fails, P&J's Speed shop is 5 min from my house--

KB

 

[kbillan]

Its all going to work out it seems! An old friends little brother actually has a black 93 Cobra.. Funny story- i would drive by this black cobra all of the time and it looked good.. come to find out that it is this kids house.

He has 3.55's in his car and wanted to go more aggressive! i told him i had 4.10's and we may just be swapping rear ends next weekend!

ALso-- i decided i to put my hands up her skirt-- and pull the O2 sensors out. One of them has a dent in it and was ridiculously hard to get out.. IM betting this may be the cause of the check engine light. Same kid is looking to see if he still has one laying around- Hopefully he does... and if he doesnt-- his car is in pieces now anyway-- im sure i could talk him into loaning me his..

KB

 

[cobra186]

Take the oxygen sensor while it is removed... hold onto the washer... and then shake the sensor close to your ear. If you hear a rattle in it, then its definitely bad.

 

[PRO50GT]

Clean Car, Good Luck with the Issues. Shouldnt be a problem though. How much did you get the car for by the way?

 

[kbillan]

I got it for 10,500. Its a bit more than i anticipated paying for a 16 year old car with 100k on it.. but i figured it wouldnt loose much value.. and it will be something to give my kids when they are old enough to understand what it is. And in the meantime- i have a nice toy.

Its killing me-- it has been sunny and 80 since i have got the car. Tomorrow, i will be at the DMV bright and early and im sure it will rain..

KB

 

[Brian97vobra]

Looks like a nice car man! I'm looking for a teal '93 myself!

 

[kbillan]

Theres a cheapie in your area!

 

[Kevins89notch]

Theres a cheapie in your area!

My exact thought.

 

[kbillan]

If it wasnt for the ridiculous gauges and the rust, i would have been on it.. Price is right for someone looking for a project.

1993 Mustang Cobra, Teal/Black interior- Needs little, great price

and this one is also appealing-- mileage wise, anyway

1993 MUSTANG COBRA 62 THOUSANDS MILES