Questions before I jump in

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dosMarkos8to's

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I have a chance to pickup a '94Mark w/90K on the clock...1 owner who's 80yo. He's had the car up to 100 1 time! Serviced every 3K.
Questions: Were there valve spring problems in '94's that were produced in late '93?
How can I expect this car to hold up to being pushed harder than it has been, and are there
any recommendations for service that would help it adjust to a new driver.
Were there blend door issue's in '94's?

Thanks.
DosMarkos....soon to be TresMarkos
 
If it's running good, no ticking, drive it. Gen 1 blend doors are good Gen 2 are the ones that break. 90K is about when the front end need some love, depends on the car. Air shocks might need help. Find out what the owner has done to the car. How much are you paying for it?
 
Blend door issues didn't start until 1997.

These suspensions *generally* rot out by 100k. Unless it's been redone I would bank on a new front end. Not expensive at all if you can do it yourself. Paying someone to do it, that'll get really pricy really quick.
 
Tony,
The air was replaced several years ago....I have a complete air system that's only a couple yrs. old that I would put on the car. He also replaced the headlights with HID's and I doubt they have been used much as the owner is 80 and doesn't drive @ nite. He also had to replace the rear window a few yrs. back after a tree branch fell on it..and he has had the front seats reup'd a few yrs. back.
Asking price is $2650...will start at $2200 and see what happens.
Dos
 
You haven't mentioned the mileage, but regardless, with the assumption all is stock, you should consider all new suspension components, plugs, O2 sensors, probably a brake overhaul, and a J-Mod with tranny cooler. If you are capable of doing these yourself, you will have fortified a great running ride. The cost for this is about $1,000 in parts, labor will vary, but you will have a great vehicle that will last many miles.
 
Still lookin' 4 feedback on the effects of changing driving styles on a 20 yr. old car. Do I have to drive it like a 80yr. old or.......? Also on the valve spring question . This one is important 4me to no as i have a great '95 that broke 3 springs @ 3 different times...3rd time I had to rebuild the engine. The '95 was my dad's car and like the '94 I am thinking about buying.....was driven by a senior citizen...I am not sure whether the springs gave in because I rapped it tight 3 times too many for the way the car was driven before I got it...or it happened because of the supposed '95 valve spring issues.

?????
Dos
 
I'm not really sure I understand 'changing drivestyle'. I don't subscribe to that theory. With OBD 1 vehicles if you unhook the battery for 10 minutes the computer will forget everything it ever learned and when it is turned back on it'll be just like how it was from the factory.
 
Yo Boss...the first post of this thread lists the mileage @90K.
I know...its Friday afternoon!!

Can do the work you suggest and have all the parts that you mention that I have all ready put in to my'95
that will become the parts car for the'94.

Again....can you run a Mark engine and tranny a bit harder than it has been run for the last 20 yrs.
(I don't mean race it...just motivate it when the urge strikes). Like limiting the rpms to ____?

I know I am asking questions that the answers to may or may not apply to this car....I am just looking for feedback from anyone who has bought a gen1(except '95) who may have experienced the issues I am asking.
Thanks
Dos
 
Soduka....I'm thinking along the lines of whether a 20 yr. old car that has only seen 100mph once in it's lifetime,
well serviced,...then comes to me who likes to clean the tires off...hear them chirp into 2nd and run to about the redline "once in a while"....am I setting myself up for another catastrophic let down like has happened 3 times with my '95 breaking valve springs(the last and fatal time it happened was sitting at idle at a redlight!). The metalurgy issue in the springs is the one that concerns me the most.
Dos
 
If it's been serviced right, I don't see why you can't punch that sucker in and hit the limiter...
 
The 94's don't have the valve spring problems like the 95's did. I've owned 4 94's, 2 of them over 200K miles. I did have a ticking tappet in one though. When I took the engine apart everything else was in excellent shape.
 
I've had my 95 for 15 years, and have had NO problems with the engine. Wifes DD, and she has a heavy foot. I put it through it's paces when I get a chance to drive it. Your going to have to work on the old guy to get your price, but you never know. After reading all that you've written, it sounds like your looking for a reason to not buy the car. It also sounds like you have a heavy foot. Your so worried about valve springs breaking. Beat the crap out of a car, and things break. You only live once, get the car and enjoy it,for a long time. 95 has 124K on it.
 
You want to be sure that your tires are in good shape and properly rated if you are going to be running those occasional century mark speeds.
 
I have has this 94 since 99 (15 years). The motor and trans have still remained unopened since 94. It now has 216,000 miles and still runs as strong today as the day i bought it. Motor and trans are good good. It's all the other stuff that needed attention, suspension, headlights, fuel pump, clear coat and little things in the interior.
I say buy it...sounds like a good deal.
 
Spree said:
I have has this 94 since 99 (15 years). The motor and trans have still remained unopened since 94. It now has 216,000 miles and still runs as strong today as the day i bought it. Motor and trans are good good. It's all the other stuff that needed attention, suspension, headlights, fuel pump, clear coat and little things in the interior.
I say buy it...sounds like a good deal.
Click to expand...

It still surprises me that your transmission has not gotten a fluid change for 216,000 miles.
 
You don't have to worry about the valve springs. You will never run your car as hard as I have pushed mine with no problems. Plus 95 was the batch of "bad" valve springs.
 
mark0101 said:
It still surprises me that your transmission has not gotten a fluid change for 216,000 miles.
Click to expand...
The fluid has never been changed and it's too late to change it now. Still shifts just fine and a tube of Dr. Tranny every two years keeps the shutter away.
 
that's silly.
i just changed the fluid in my (at the time) 194k mile 96 when i did the JMOD.
shifted fine before, shifted great after. 196k now.

if its doing well before hand, there is no reason to believe it would do badly afterwards.
 
First Gens can have blend door actuator issues, it is just not as common as on gen II's. It will usually present itself as a popping/clicking noise behind the message center right after start up.
 
Bad news here. I was going to buy the car this AM...250 mi. drive, this was the soonest i could get a second driver....everything was set up till I got a call from the owner telling me a guy came ystrday morning with cash in hand and took the car with him.
Big lesson for me...if it's a good deal ya gotta jump...could have went by myself, got the title and made arraignments to pick it up in a few days.

Watchin' for the next one.
Dos
 
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