Picture this: my 1994 Ford Probe, more of a “Nope” than a Probe, barely holding itself together. I bought it for a mere £2,000, a sad, neglected machine making sounds that would frighten even the most fearless mechanics. Fast forward six months, and this sad sack has transformed into a head-turning, V6-powered dream car. How, you ask? Buckle up, because this is a journey full of twists, turns, and triumphs. There’s a lot more that needs to be done but if the progress in the first six months is anything to go by, I’m quite optimistic about how the vehicle will look when I celebrate the first year of my ownership.
My Probe story so far:
Kill the codes!
The engine was a battlefield. The idle was rough, acceleration jerky, and the engine light was practically having a rave with all its blinking. It wasn’t just one or two errors—there were nine. And dealing with an OBD 1 system meant playing detective with bulbs and pins instead of using a handy scanner. The errors ranged from the VRIS system (a system that opens different passages in the intake manifold at certain rpm levels to allow more air into the engine) throwing a tantrum, to the evaporative emissions system playing dead, and the EGR valve hating acceleration.
Thankfully, with the exception of the EGR, all other codes were relatively easy to fix and needed new vacuum solenoids or/and new vacuum lines. However, the EGR valve was the real villain here. Reaching it was like trying to pick a lock with a chopstick. Disassembling the throttle body, IAC valve, and a spaghetti mess of vacuum lines felt like performing surgery. After hours of contorting myself and cursing the engineers who designed this layout, I finally got the EGR valve out. It was filthy, with blocked passages to the intake manifold. A thorough cleaning and reassembly didn’t fix the error code, though.
IAC valve cleaned
EGR valve cleaned
Some of the mess I had to deal with while working on the EGR valve
It took a smoke test to find a hidden vacuum line underneath the intake manifold that’s connected to a vacuum chamber by design but was detached causing all the fuss. One quick fix later, the engine was purring like a content kitten. No more error codes, no more rough idle—just silky smooth V6 power. It's been like this for more than a month now giving me confidence the engine is finally in good health.
Dad to the rescue
Next up, the timing belt. This job was way out of my comfort zone, so I called in reinforcements—my dad. His shop became the car’s home for two weeks while he worked his magic. New timing belt, water pump, accessory belts, AC compressor, alternator, and a few other odds and ends. The engine stayed in the bay, and he discovered a few other neglected areas to fix. When he was done, the engine’s symphony of sounds was pure music.
The AC got some love too. I spent a few hours at another shop getting it to blow ice-cold air, a must-have for those scorching summer drives where I live. A leaking radiator was the next culprit, but I tackled that myself, replacing a broken plastic pipe and a few hoses and flushing the system. No more leaks and the engine temperature stays steady as a rock.
Brand new headlights (finally period-correct, not xenon type), resprayed trim
Enjoying the ride
With the major fixes done, driving the Probe became a joy. No more strange noises from the engine bay, no power drops, and the idle is stable. The odometer shows 160,000 miles, but the car feels like it has a lot of life left in it. Finally, I could drive it and enjoy the fruits of my labour, with the AC keeping things cool during the hot Bulgarian summer.
As I mentioned, it’s been six months since I acquired the car and for the most part, I think I’m done with the work on the engine for now. I still have plenty of work in other areas, next up is tackling the interior and preparing for the rust restoration process. I’m aiming to start that in the autumn, and it’ll include a complete suspension overhaul and new brakes all around as well. But before that, I’m planning to squeeze in a few more weeks of fun behind the wheel.
The community spirit
None of this would have been possible without the Probe community. It’s a small but mighty group, and their support has been invaluable. Special shoutout to Alex, a Greek-American Probe expert, who knows these cars inside out. He guided me through most of the repairs with advice, photos, and diagrams. His motivation kept me going, and I can’t thank him enough. We’ve been in constant communication for the last few months and I can fairly say I now have a new friend who lives on the other side of the planet and shares my passion for the Probe.
Again, the community might be small, but it’s filled with passionate, generous people who keep these cars alive. Like Selmir, who sent me new Probe badges for the rear bumper free of charge from halfway across the globe. All of this just adds another layer of fun in owning a 30-year-old car that no one seemed to like when it came out. Which only makes me love it more.
So, there you have it. What started as a £2,000 disaster is now well on its way to becoming a £10,000 dream car. The journey has been challenging, but incredibly rewarding. Here’s to more head-turning drives and the continued adventure of restoring this 1994 Ford Probe to its former glory. Cheers!
Gallery: 1994 Ford Probe
