OK!

Thank you all for the mother lode of information to be had at this website! This IS the best type of information....Real Life, First Hand!

 

I am in pursuit of replacing my '92 Loyale Wgn with 209K miles on it. It will not pass Mass inspection in Oct. Body gone. I do carpenter stuff, I don't want a truck, trucks usually drive around with a full load of AIR in the bed. Not to mention the lack of gas milage. I like the idea of a GT Wagon. It's sporty enough to make me happy, it still carts my stuff around, I can toss the occasional 2X4 at 8 foot long into it AND be AWD. BUT!

 

I'm finding that these Twin Cam Phase I engines NEED Premium grade fuel. And they don't regulary get 30 MPG.

 

Now the Head Gasket dilemma, or is it debacle! This particular one (GT) I still haven't seen because it's an hour and a half away....and it's white. It's a 1997 GT 2.5 Phase I. It hsa 123K miles on it. Back in Sept of 2002, 38K miles ago. It craked the 4th cylinder. The dealer replaced lower end, short block. SofA covered the parts, owner paid labor. Now the question is....by doing this......I assume it has had new HEAD GASKETS, does this take care of the head gasket problem? Has the 2002 head gasket set improved and done away with the problem?

 

Many thanks again, SubeeTed

In theory, the the head gasket problem should be solved for that car.

I'm finding that these Twin Cam Phase I engines NEED Premium grade fuel. And they don't regulary get 30 MPG.

Not true. 87 works fine as long as the engine isn't all carboned up. The compression was increased for the Phase II, so they may like a higher AKI, I don't know. We have seen as high as 31 MPG, with 27-28 pretty consistently on the highway. My wife averages 24 winter, 25 summer mixed driving.

Hey Ted,

 

You can research year to year changes and specific trims at http://www.cars101.com. Good luck.