Teach me about the XR4Ti

I was looking around Craigslist for a cheap enthusiast car I could autocross, as well as some occasional commuting to spare my Subaru some of the mileage, when I came across this listing: http://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/cto/822667147.html. I was originally looking into RWD cars like the 240SX or Miata when I came across this XR4Ti. I've wanted to try rallycross, which seems like a more appropriate venue for the Merkur than autocross. Just how reliable, tough, easy-to-fix, etc. are these cars? How hard is it to install a new control arm, since this example needs one? Could it possibly be driven about 30mi. on the highway to get it home on one broken control arm if I drive it gently? How do these do in rallycross, competition-wise? Would I be better replacing the Subaru with the Merkur and go hunting for RWD cars again, since having two AWD cars seems a little redundant?

Sorry for all the questions. I recently listed this car as one of the one's I'd like to get around to owning in another topic, and I was wondering if I should just skip it.

It's RWD, not AWD. Transmissions are weak but a T5 can swap in. Lots of bizarre, Merkur-only parts that are EXPENSIVE and hard to find. Heavy, but rugged(ish). See 2.3 thread on lump of motor. There's a guy that swapped in a SHO V6 the right way (with Twin Turbo's IIRC) and it was extremely cool and quick. HUGE support "across the pond" (Sierra out there).

XR4Ti Wikipedia....

www.merkursport.com

ArtOfRuin wrote: Just how reliable

Reliability is on par with most American cars of the age. Switch gear is lousy, but all in all a pretty reliable car.

ArtOfRuin wrote: tough

They are no Chuck Norris, but they take a ton of abuse. The structure can be tightened up pretty easily with a cage.

ArtOfRuin wrote: easy-to-fix

Think 4 cylinder Mustang. An American could have built this car it is so simple ;)

ArtOfRuin wrote: How hard is it to install a new control arm, since this example needs one?

You might need a heat wrench but the job is relatively easy.

ArtOfRuin wrote: Could it possibly be driven about 30mi. on the highway to get it home on one broken control arm if I drive it gently?

Technically it has bad bushings in the control arm (or a bad ball joint) A BROKEN one would leave the frame sitting on the ground.

ArtOfRuin wrote: How do these do in rallycross, competition-wise?

I loved mine in autocross and rallycross situations. There is no limited slip available cheaply. I was working on a crossmember to adapt a BMW center section but I am a hack and it was not coming together properly.

An '86 will commonly have a cracked E-3 exhaust manifold. And here in Florida the windshields all crack. Probably needs a Guibo too. (I have a Rapido replacement driveshaft.) I'd make sure it runs 100% before getting it.
Chasing GREMLINS is no fun. (Mechanical or AMC.)

Fun car. Easy to work on. Well built. Some parts are very expensive. 4 wheel independent suspension. It's a bit heavy, but lighter than the SVO Mustang. Tons and tons of on-line support.

If you havent sat in one you may not like it. Whoever designed them must have been a very oddd shape. From what I have heard a new seat will get rid of that problem though. From what I have seen they dont handle terribly well (not really bad, just not comparable with similar cars).

Offer half of that, but don't go above $1000, because chances are you will need in addition to the parts he's listed:

new CV axles ~ $175 for a set from Oreily

new brakes ~ $50 for the front rotors, $50 for new front pads and rear shoes (the drums are tanks and can easily be reshoed over and over) check Rockauto

reman brake mastercylinder ~ $50 check Rockatuo

new tires and rubber ~ rims can be had cheap, we run old Mustang Turbine wheels, but 4-lug Mustang 5-spoke pony rims will fit up and look nice, a set of turbines runs $40-$80, a set of 5stars will run $150+, rubber is whatever you can afford...

you're going to want to drop the fuel tank and inspect it for rust, they gum up the fuel pump and can make you go lean under boost which is very very very bad...

tank repair is best but can cost $200, Or you can DIY the best you can with some chain and alot of rust eater, seal it back up and be fine for quite awhile.

harder to find steering parts and high end suspension parts from MC2racing and OPMD, you can convert to coilovers all the way around :)

if you get it and the stock T3 is in good shape add an intercooler at minimum, with piping if you go the ebay, heater stick hose for couplers, and cheap ebay tbolt clamps you're looking at no more than $2-250...

from there your pocketbook is the only limit on what you can do to these cars, and we're not talking $10ks. My buddies and I haven't put 5k into our XR4Ti including the purchase price and the list of mods is awesome (go look under reader's rides)...

They're fun, but frustrating cars to work on, and it does take creativity, but hey that's half the reason we like it so much. They're not that heavy 2900 stock, with stripping and PS and AC delete you're talking hundreds of pounds, and even in stock form, a manual boost controller and the stock turbo can approach 20psi, add an intercooler and you're looking at over 200 HP at the wheels.

BTW I have a COMPLETE set of front brakes for an XR for cheap. Calipers pads rotors if you need them

All I know is don't buy one from John Brown because you'll never find time to work on it and it will just stare at you, mocking your inability to finish a project. Or maybe that's just me.

It IS contagious.

I'd own another one. I posted my comments in this thread on the old board. The thread might be of value to you.

http://archive.grassrootsmotorsports.com/board/viewtopic.php?id=31562

Clem

Stay away from the automatics. It's a C3, which is the A4LD without overdrive, and the A4LD is the worst transmission I've ever had the displeasure of dealing with. I can only assume it's 3-speed brethren is just as much of a raging pile.

And I thought the 5-speed cars were already T-5s? I thought drivetrain was the same as an SVO/Turbocoupe outside of the IRS...

5spds were T9 gearbox which was fine for the unboosted Euro engines but weak for a turbo 2.3L.

For the record, I never had any issues with the T9 that everyone talks about. The shifter sucked, but I figured that was probably due to lack of maintenance. My cars were both completely stock as far as power output, so I didn't expect the weakness of the transmission to be an issue.

One of my cars was purchased because the auto transmission was bad (and had been removed from the car). Instead of fixing the auto, I just gathered parts for a T9 swap...and it worked really well.

Clem

I sometimes still miss mine then I remember how hard it was to find parts and I'm happy it's gone. Turn signal switch is junk, but actually the rest of the electrical isn't bad.

In the end I had three complete parts cars and another two cars disassembled in a shed.

But my goal was near perfection for my car. If you have lower standards (especially cosmetic) they're not hard to keep going.

Three of the cars I got had broken T9 transmissions, though I never broke one myself.

Cooling system is a nightmare. Watch for rusted-out steel cooling system pipes and blown hoses. you can run the turbo without water cooling but it won't last long.

Actually, just about anything rubber or plastic under the hood has to be replaced to drive one regularly.

ClemSparks wrote: For the record, I never had any issues with the T9 that everyone talks about.

I have personally destroyed seven T9s in 3 cars as well as three C3s in two cars.

John > Ford transmissions

Sheesh there JohnBrown...there's this thing called the clutch and...

;)

I really think after breaking two of them...I'd probably have gone the T5 route, myself.

One of mine had a cracked E3 Manifold too...I never did anything about that, though...

Clem

Thanks everyone, for the advice. The links at the bottom of the Wikipedia entry helped out a lot- there was even one that refrenced a year 2000 GRM that had an XR4Ti buyer's guide!

Wow, RWD? It looks like it should be AWD. It also sounds like I might be able to buy the Merkur, but I'm not sure if I can afford it, if you know what I mean. I'll e-mail the guy tonight or tomorrow and find out more about it. One other thing about the cracked manifold- if this car has one, do you think it'll fail emissions? I live in Mass., which follows Cali's emissions laws.

If the manifold is cracked, its likely you will have to fix it. Also, if you have to pass the cali emissiones testing, forget about doing anything like an intercooler, different turbo (unless it looks stock), basicly changing anything between where the air enters the stock airbox to where it exits the cat that doesnt look compleltly stock. I like Merkurs (other than the crappy seats), and I almost bought one, but think about it like buying a shell and building a car, not really buying something you plan to use the way it is.

I have a crack free E6 manifold, and everything you need for a big VAM/LA3 ECM/35# injector/Intercooler swap, including a boost controller. Super cheap GRM special pricing too

I keep thinking about adding one of these weird euro-beasties to my herd... especially after trying to help a guy jump his after the battery went flat. Lots of room in that engine bay.. perfect for that V6 swap talked about above.

Durotech V6 or something else?

3.8L Mustang 1999^ engine is one of the best engines for the chassis. Lighter than most from the alloy heads, stout, good aftermarket, cheap, good power for size.

for the same amount of work and $$, wouldn't the turbolima that's already in there dominate the crap out of a 3.8?

Nope. The late 3.8L made 205hp and weighed in about 40lbs less than the T4, add that torque from the V6 was not 18psi away and you find out that the V6 starts looking nicer, throw on some aftermarket tricks like a reground cam and head studs as well as worked heads and a Vortech huffer or a Holset and a reasonable tune then you are talking BIG fun.

There are HEAVY (2,900lb Mustangs) that have run low 10's consistently on the little sixxer.

Check out http://www.v6power.net/ for more info on these desperately underrated engines.