88 Merkur XR4TI

[otis147]

Hey guys! Been wanting an XR4TI since I was 14. I'm now 17, and the proud owner of a 88 XR4TI with 133k on the clock. Bought the car in Oklahoma (700 miles away) from a guy my dad works' with son. All new paint, all the stuff is there, just not together.



Power windows
Manual Sunroof
Weisco Pistons
Rebuilt Dist.
Forged Crank
Eslinger brass dist drive
Eslinger adjustable cam pulley
Eslinger windage tray
FoMoCo big valve head
New Radiator
stock t-3
t-5 tranny out of a 93 cobra r, but not installed
Rapido Intercooler included, but not yet installed (instructions would be helpful!)
New rack, new tie rods, new bushings all around, new shocks
Cosworth tinted taillights
Cosworth Glass Headlights
Cosworth grill
doubles of all the exterior trim (painted aquapoco blue, reminds me of pepsi blue)

[nathankershaw]

Nice find!

Some desirable extras as well.

Well done!

[otis147]

Also forgot to mention it has cosworth tinted tail lights, cosworth GLASS headlights (apparently they are somewhat rare?) and a cosworth grill. Along with a cheap ebay t3/t4 turbo and custom intake for it as well.

[John Brennan]

Welcome to the madness! We don't usually catch 'em so young... but that's definitely cool! Keep us informed with your progress, and let us help you along the way.

[otis147]

Welcome to the madness! We don't usually catch 'em so young... but that's definitely cool! Keep us informed with your progress, and let us help you along the way.

Ironically, this is the car that made me interested in them. Would always go to this guys house and his son was always tinkering with this one, he also had an 86. Always thought it was the coolest car ever, and he ended up going to school, put it in storage 6 years. Hadn't touched it since, and decided it was time to pass it on to somebody else who shared interest in it. Almost everything is there, EXCEPT for the interior door panels. They were lost during the move from Iowa to Oklahoma 6 years ago. He painted it 8 years ago as a project for autobody school, along with rebuilding the motor.

[merkurdriver]

Welcome! Good looking car from the pics and details. NICE SCORE!

[otis147]

Just a small update. Only found one door handle inside, but, the person whom I purchased the car from ordered one online and had it sent express to my door!

[Ray]

Holy image size - please resize and repost, those are almost unviewable.

[otis147]

Update pics to make smaller images, still not sure if small enough or not yet.

It's definitely had its better days. He never got around to wetsanding/buffing the paint after he got it on there, so I'm weary of what lays under all the Oklahoma dust.

[otis147]

Got the thing road going today.

except, the car idles great, and you can rev it without a load awesome. but if it's got a load and the turbo starts to spool it spits and sputters and bogs. Any ideas? I'm assuming either timing, vacuum leak or the esslinger adjustable cam pulley is not in the correct spot for the motor.

Some pics to go along with the update!

http://imgur.com/a/VeSa2

[merkurdriver]

Definately sounds like a timing issue.

[grve66]

boost leak..
and unplug the knock sensor...

[otis147]

I have a Rapido I.C. I will shoot some pics in the next couple of days for you....

That would be awesome!

[MercMike]

I have a Rapido I.C. I will shoot some pics in the next couple of days for you....

[otis147]

Definately sounds like a timing issue.

It was, timing before was about 10 Above, just good enough for it to idle, now with correct timing and (tight, somehow never tightened the plugs when they were first put in) and correctly gapped plugs, it runs like a champ.