Fact Ford Mustang in the service station
13.11.2014
' If the Ford Mustang isn't running, it either has no ignition spark or no fuel, 'plays Walter Rühl from Walter's car Service from Saulheim near Mainz with a wink of the eye on the simple technology of the car, which is considered reliable and unproblematic. No wonder that Mustang owners like to use tools for maintenance and technical problems.
Manageable maintenance costs
'With a certain technical understanding, you can do a lot on your own,' says Ralf Wurm, President of the First Mustang Club of Germany. However, the matter should not be underestimated. Some of the work described below is better left to the workshop. And what can newcomers to the Ford Mustang scene who are not familiar with screwing and therefore rely on the help of specialist workshops?
As far as the technology of the Ford Mustang is concerned, the costs are manageable Frame, as a look at the service table below shows. 'However, according to Fred Böni of Detroit Trading in Switzerland, models freshly imported from the USA often suffer' from a considerable maintenance backlog ', which then necessitates larger investments.
This is the story of the Ford Mustang built up to 1968 with V-eight-cylinder engine in the foreground. Thanks to the hydraulic valve lifters, valve clearance adjustment is neglected when the machine is being serviced. Problems with the hydraulic valve lifters only arise when, for example, oil sludge clogs the ducts and thus hinders the oil supply.
Some Mustangs are incontinent
Many Ford Mustangs have too much oil on the floor under the engine On the sealing cord on the rear crankshaft bearing. This type of seal, which is not particularly durable, can be replaced by two halves of the oil seal. If the oil loss is severe, but the engine is actually not yet ready for a complete overhaul, ka If you try to do this work with the machine still installed.
Ford Mustang expert Harry Heinen in Solingen offers this inexpensive alternative to his customers. 'The removal of the upper half of the sealing cord is particularly tough,' he says. If you're lucky, the halves of the Simmerring are in after four hours. This trick doesn't work for about every fifth Mustang, thenthe engine and then the crankshaft have to be out.
Timing chain and sprockets are due every 100,000 km
According to Heine's experience, the timing chain and the sprockets of the Ford Mustang, which also tend to wear out, are due approximately every 100,000 kilometers, unless the chain hits the timing case beforehand.
Also on the double and The eight-cylinder quad carburettors have some wear problems. This applies, for example, to the membrane of the accelerator pump. The automatic starter should be activated regularly (piston stuck), and the prefilter, which is screwed onto the carburettor and which is difficult to see, should be replaced every now and then. 'It is often forgotten,' says Heinen. Carburetor problems due to the exhaust gas recirculation system only affect the Ford Mustang from 1969 onwards, which are not the focus here.
If the cooling water becomes too hot, it is usually due to the radiators, which clog over time. The installation of a new standard cooler costs a good 300 euros. Coolers with a larger network offer more thermal safety, but they are significantly more expensive. But sometimes even that doesn't help. Rühle has already seen several times with the Ford Mustang imported from the USA that deposits formed in the engine's cooling system gradually loosen over the years and then repeatedly clog the fine ducts of the radiator. This can be remedied by a sieve that is inserted in the upper cooling hose.
Gearbox oil cooler recommended
Another relief for the A separate transmission oil cooler brings the engine cooler. Because the water cooler in the Ford Mustang also has to cool the automatic oil, which gets quite hot anyway because of the higher speeds driven here in this country compared to the USA.
From the automatic transmission, for its overhaul and assembly on the Ford Mustang a good thousand is to be taken into account, hobby mechanics should keep their hands off. Rühle has already experienced the greatest things here. For example, when someone tried to change the leaky oil seal on the selector shaft, the selector shaft broke off when he tried to pry it out with the help of a tire iron. The violent screwdriver had forgotten to loosen a nut. This is what you come across if you proceed according to the regulations and first dismantle the oil pan and switch box.
One more remark about the clutch of the manual transmission. Adjusting the clutch play is a small but regularly required service job. If the clutch is worn out, Heinen recommends installing a more modern version and an improved guide bearing in the crankshaft. 'That ensures, among other things, a lighter pressure point,' he says, thinking of the complaints of some Ford Mustang drivers about a clutch that is too stiff. When changing the clutch, of course, is also theCheck the flywheel for cracks.
Susceptible wheel suspensions require regular maintenance
Replacing the leaky one is often underestimated Simmerring on the differential. 'After changing the sealing ring, the nut is then screwed on without a thought, but many have no idea that the bevel /ring gear clearance is set via a press sleeve behind it,' warns Rühle. The required friction coefficient setting only works with a special torque watch. If you bang the nut too hard, you will soon hear noises from the axle area and have to reckon with greater damage to your Ford Mustang.
There are plenty of wear points on the Ford Mustang on the wheel suspensions. A neglected lubrication service can have costly consequences. However, it is not always necessary to change the entire front wishbone of the front axle. 'If the pivot bearings are still okay, you can change the upper ball heads separately,' says Heinen. To do this, the rivets are knocked out and the new heads screwed in.
The lower ball heads are also available individually, but this is not a long-lasting cheap product, which is why the lower link should be completely replaced in this case. Price per page around 180 euros.
There are hardly any problems with spare parts
Only the gearbox looks bad , especially for the three-speed gearbox there is nothing more. Otherwise, according to Ralf Wurm: 'The older the Mustang, the better the spare parts situation.'
Service tip Ford Mustang
Every 10,000 km, the ignition contact and capacitor should be changed on the Ford Mustang, about every 15,000 the spark plugs. Also change the automatic oil and filter (about every 2 years). To avoid consequential damage, watch out for oil leaks and lubricate. Lubricate the hand brake cable (deflection hook). Keep an eye on all fill levels and check the hoses. Torn tie rod cuffs discovered in good time can be changed separately. A service plan is stored under FAQ on the CMS website www.classicmustangshop.de . At www.mustang-club-germany.de there is a reprint the repair instructions in German.
