89 GT tech question - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Corvette Mike · 11-18-2001, 20:57

Hello all from a long time Probe owner and first timer here.
Although my first love is Corvettes, my daily driver is the GT!
I have had this car for six years and have been experiencing a major problem since I let someone else drive my Probe. It came back with coolant in the number 1 cylinder. I removed the head expecting a leaking head gasket, what I found was something much worse. It has either a small crack or pin hole in the sparkplug hole. I bushed the hole with a Helicoil insert (it looks something like a pipe bushing) and JB Weld smeared between the threads of the insert and the head to seal the coolant leak. It worked for three months. The cost of a new head is way out of line, a wrecking yard head is somewhat similar.
I have purchased a 91 non turbo car for parts ( hey it was only $61.00 per Ebay). My local Mazda guy tells me that the head is the same for both, I'm assuming if so, that the cam profile, springs and valves are not.
Can any of you Probe experts confirm this?
Thanks for any information you can supply.
Mike

Nylie · 11-18-2001, 21:06

Im going to move this into the GT forum for you...you should get more responses there. Good luck.

Corvette Mike · 11-18-2001, 21:24

Sorry
I always post in the wrong place when on a new forum.
Hey Nylie, I was born in the old Woodland hospital.
Hope you are not too young to remember it?
And I always have to edit my typing, thats what happens when you get old!

Nylie · 11-18-2001, 21:27

Hmmm...refresh my memory a bit. I grew up in the Bay Area, so refresh me a bit.

Corvette Mike · 11-18-2001, 21:28

I belive it was torn down some 20 or 30 years ago.

Trey · 11-18-2001, 22:34

E. Wentachee....dayum you're the closest one yet.

AFIK the heads themselves are the same for both, however the turbo's valves are different.

If you want (and haven't looked already) I can check here in Spokane tomorrow and see if I can find a turbo head.

Lemme know...

Corvette Mike · 11-19-2001, 16:47

Thanks for the offer Trey
I will probably be over there this weekend visiting friends (been in Rockford hunting for the last month).
I have purchased a donor 1991 car, it went for $61.00 on ebay and I plan on stealing the head off of it (unless the car is as nice as the pictures appear). Wrecking yards get $300.00 for a turbo head, a little to pricey for my car at it's mileage level.
All of my hardware is good so I will just transfer it.
Thanks
Mike

Nylie · 11-19-2001, 17:20

His name is Trey. Not steve. heh. He only quoted Steve Martin.

Corvette Mike · 11-19-2001, 21:41

Oops!

Nylie · 11-19-2001, 21:44

I think you should call him Steve. hehehe.