I'm starting to look at a couple TC's in my area, but I know the can have some nasty problems, especially with the turbos. I'm just wondering what I could be looking at, because I want this to be my daily/when-I'm-working-on-the-Sport car.
Especially with the turbos?
Not really. You sound like my dad. When I was in high school I wanted a turbo coupe so bad. My dad said "You don't want one of those, the turbo will go out and it will cost a fortune to fix." Well, that's not really true. If it's been halfway taken care of, the turbo should be fine. The stock IHI on my original engine was still going strong at 145K. Unfortunately, most people don't really know how to care for a turbo and don't know to not shut the car off for awhile after boosting.
If the turbo is bad, it will smoke excessively either at idle or under boost, or will make odd noises. And if it IS bad, it's really not a big job to replace. $200 for a used turbo and a couple hours to pull the turbo and manifold (and could give you some leverage on the price).
Also, make sure the brakes are working properly, check for any ABS warning lights.
If it's been spewing oil out from around the oil cap, it probably has blowby, which isn't a HUGE issue as I think all the turbo 2.3's end up like that eventually.
I guess the biggest #1 problem with turbo coupes to really look out for is the fact that the heads gets cracked. Other that than it is like Red just said. Many people have problems with there turbo coupes but if you have ok auto sense you should be just fine. I learned alot from my 84 turbo coupe. Now I think it is one of the easiest cars to work on. I've been dirving my 84 turbo coupe everyday for over 2yrs now nothing major has happened. Brakes, oil changes, 3g alt conversion. I've done lots of other things to but those are since its been the Daily Driver. I love it. It just needs body work now.
I can't speak for the 83-86 TCs, but the 87-88s(not in any particular order)....
ABS no worky
Power Brakes no worky
Ride Control no worky
Cooling Fans no worky
Alternator is weak
Parking Brakes no worky
Boost Cutout
TFI & PIP causing power cutout
TPS & IAC causing idle issues
Stock Fuel Pump is weak
Headgasket blown
Oil leaks
Burnt Fog Light wiring
Of course all of this is relative to the condition of the car in the first place. So your question and my answer are kinda pointless. Except for the electrical stuff... that seems to be pretty common with these cars. In that respect I'd rather have an 83-86 TC. Because I just end up deleting half that stuff in the first place.
And because 4-Eyes RULE!!!
dont forget about rust in the strut towers where the k-member bolts up!!
Pfft, that's ALL fox chassis cars :hick:
Not a problem where I live...
Out of 14 TCs(all '87-'88) & Four 5.0 Birds, I only had one TC that was rusty... Of course it was one of those northern refugees... Being the kind hearted good ole Southern boy I am, killed it and put it out of it's misery...
I'll list the number of failures with the TC I owned(OK what I remember) BTW Except for two, ALL of my TCs were bought at auction... Generally they were the old proverbial "Pig in A Poke"... Buy them where they set and takes your chances...
Number of cars with failures
ABS no worky......................... 1(OK 1.5, my white TC had the bad accumulator, but the brakes worked)
Power Brakes no worky............. 1(same as above)
Ride Control no worky............... 1(bad actuators)
Cooling Fans no worky............... 3-4(yeah I consider this a issue, seen both bad motors and controllers)
Alternator is weak..................... Yup
Parking Brakes no worky.............(none I've had, even the rusty one worked)
Boost Cutout ............................(no problem, unless you are referring to the weak fuel pump syndrome)
TFI & PIP causing power cutout... Not confined just to TCs
TPS & IAC causing idle issues...... 2-3(probably no more problem than the non turbo engines)
Stock Fuel Pump is weak............ 4-5(were fine when new, after 100K yup they are worn out)
Headgasket blown....................... 0( but if you are gonna lean on a old turbo engine it will probably happen)
Oil leaks.................................... Nothing a valvecover gasket wouldn't fix...
Burnt Fog Light wiring..................Never had a problem, but it can be a issue(did have a headlamp switch fail)
Additional Problems
LEAKING INJECTORS................... 4-5 I consider it a BIG problem
Leaking Fuel Pressure Regulator... 2 another potentially serious issue
Turbo...................................... 2 one totally shot and one with leaking seals...
Clutch..................................... 3 (they had a lot of miles)
CAM........................................ 4 I consider this to be a definite sore spot on any slider cam 2.3...
Transmission.............................. No T5 problems, but the A4LD automatic is basically junk
Not a problem here either unless left in a field in Oregon underwater :hick:
If I ever got another 87-88 TC the first thing I'd do is convert to vacuum brakes.
The only issue I had with my old 87 TC was the stupid electric brakes. I did eventually loose a turbo. Everything else was general maintenance things like water pump, alternator, starter etc...
Oh, I just remembered... The factory alternator plug is pr0ne to shorting out on TC's. I lost 2 alternators before someone mentioned that I might want to replace that plug.
My first 87 TC caught fire back in 01 due to the alternator thingy. Good thing I carried an extinguisher! :hick:
Out of the 30+ TC's I've bought, problems occured in order of commbuttstuffity:
#1 Leaky injectors (but I sell rebuilt sets @$99 :D )
#2 Leaky hoses (all those darn heater hoses and what not :P )
#3 Turbos (guys just don't change oil and they freeze up, poor little IHI's)
#4 Pistons (the stockers do NOT like detonation and with the pee for gas we have they like chppping ring lands and chunking skirts, even on auto cars!!)
#5 A4LD (I've only had 1 good one, but it did last 100K after the rebuild with a shift kit, convertor, and HUGE cooler)
#6 electronics (EATC, ABS, headlight switch, engine wiring. This does NOT include all the wiring nightmares from radio installations)
#7 alternators (pre-88 only)
#8 exhaust (they usually rust off or I cut them off, either way :hick: )
I've never had a problem with leaky injectors, either on my old engine or my new one.
Oh yeah, my heater core got plugged up, but that seems to plague every fox chassis car...
Pistons being a common problem? Thats news to me. Ive had debris get in my cylinders, and hardly do damage. Ive detonated the hell out this motor, ive run 32psi (yes, 32psi) with a stock fuel pump, its been run lean, rich, detonated, lugged, bounced off the rev limiter, and i have no piston related problems.
It's definately a regional problem. None of my 13 TC's from FL had it. The gas up here is 10-15% ethanol year-round and the octane's are really low (we can buy 85, 87, 89, and 90, Shell has 92). It's just for gas and stock TC's will ping the snot out of it. Out of the 2-dozen plus 2.3T's I've had apart up here for either myself or customers, I've had 14 cases of chunked piston. It's usually the skirt breaking off or the top chunking a piece to the ring land. I have a collection of them in a bin in the garage.
I say the older ones were less comlicated than the newer 87-88 ones. My 84 hasn't had any of the brake problems, or piston porblems. I'm gonna tell you if you get one of the 83-86 cars most of the stuff is still the old style vac brakes/ no ABS, Regualr suspension not the electronic stuff. I do still have all the power inertior goddies just not the experimental at the time abs/ suspension stuff. A turbo coupe is just a bad as any other car the only thing going aninst a turbo coupe is it is supposed to be the HOT ROD t-bird witch means at some time someone has rodded on it I'm sure. But if that somone was a responable person that is no big deal now if they are an everyday joe"no offense to any Joe's" then that isn't such a good thing. So go for it a quit with the excuses you know you want it so go get it!! You'll love the 4banger gas mileage on the highway with the V8 power.
If you buy a T/C you expect to have to work on it at least once a week
haha true that! I just expect it in my schedule :D :birdsmily:
I guess I should chime in being that I have an 83TC and an 88TC (Mike did at one time as well.. so chime in;) ) I do consider my 83 to be allot less complicated than my 88. it did/does not have any of the fancy things that my 88 does like firm ride, premium fuel switch, auto headlights, premium sound, power seats, and just the way it is set up and run/used i feel is a little different. But I would not consider it to be less comfortable or consider it harder to use, jsut different... I would not think either one would be more suited than the other for a long trip, because I have done considerably long trips in both cars, and got out feeling like I could run a sprint without even stretching. The engine bay in the 83 is even less "cluttered", and more clean looking.. I would say that the 88 is obviously more easier to find certain parts for in respectalbe shape, but I am not complaining about my 83 in anyway shape or form! :flip: If I were to purchase one for daily driver duty (we shall see how long that will last, your gunna get hooked!), I would look for an 87/88 before I would one of the earlier style due to parts being a little more plentiful, even though there are more things that could go wrong on it ("problems" are clearly stated in previous posts by other people..) but that is clearly MY OWN oppinion. Or you could just accept the fact that you are going to get completely hooked on the whole 2.3T thing and get two of them like I did :evilgrin: :beatyoass: :flip: hope my opinion helps... :D
Frank M.
Listen to us we know. I'll tell you a T/c DD is cool but like T83C said you will get hooked. That is why I have 3 block's 5 heads' and many many many other parts for 2.3t.
Pfft, I have a yard full of TC's, a Sport in my neighbor's lawn, a TC 300 miles away in a buddy's lawn, and a buddy's TC in my lawn :hick: Not to mention the shed full of parts, the closet full of models, the bedroom with an engine in it...
:D
Thanks for the help guys. I still want to look at getting a TC, but after hearing some of the things, I'm going to wait untill I'm on a little more solid ground (trying to get away from my current job). I'll make sure to get one in good contidtion to start with, so I'm not playing catch up to begin with.
Then you start putting them in everything you own:D
For what it's worth from someone who has bought ( 18 ) 87-88 TCs, buy the nicest one you can afford and don't be afraid to spend time checking everything out.
I once bought and drove a 87 TC 5-speed in 1994 that had 67k miles and because the IHI turbo bearings went bad, someone installed a giant screw in the exhaust side of the turbine housing to prevent the impellar from spinning.
I drove that car for 2 years getting 25 mpg with the intake air weezzing thru a non-moving turbo..
0-60 in 14 seconds...
Beautiful car...wanted to do a 351W swap on it. No money...had to sell cheap.
Hey Frank,
Do you notice any rust on the front floor pans where it starts to go up toward the firewall on your 83?
Lots of the ones I've been seeing lately in the JY have had rust in this area. Seems a common problem.
Just something to look out for if it's a NE car. I think I'll buy cars from the west and south from now on!
Rod
A buddy of mine was thinking about buying my dads 88 t-coupe and his dad started telling him 'back in the day' those were the worst cars out and had problem after problem....:beatyoass:
I love my car. The brakes were out so we put a manual master cylinder in it. Other than that it's perfect(close to it;)).
Did I mention my ghetto boost controller was all the way open and I didn't realize it?... oops. I don't have an aftermarket boost gauge, but the stocker pegged out...:hick:
passenger side on mine is mint. Driver side is a little hairy, but nothing to be scarred of. Mine has been garrage kept and in only one winter when it was first purchased and washed everytime it was brought home when it was taken out. It has been taken very good are of! :D I dont even see any other 83's around here. Like not even base model 83's... You mostly see 87/88 out this way if you see anything. I have occasionally seen a few 4 eyes worth stopping to look at.
Frank M.