Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird July 10, 2007, 12:18:48 AM What's the differences between the motors? The 95' t-bird's motor was overheated, etc... I have the 86' 3.8 from a junked t-bird. I know the lower & upper intakes are different, the accessory drives, but what else is different?Can I just swap the 95' upper & lower intake on the 86' block & heads? Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #1 – July 10, 2007, 12:35:53 AM Off the top of my head, the '86 heads don't have injector holes in the heads. Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #2 – July 10, 2007, 12:36:48 AM Is there any way to modify the heads for the injectors?Other than that, is the bottom end the same? Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #3 – July 10, 2007, 08:54:17 AM All you ever wanted to know and more on the 3.8...http://www.babpen 15s.com/editorial/ar/ar90134.htmA quote from the articleQuoteFord has changed every major component on the 232 since 1982, so there are 10 different blocks, four cranks, four completely different cams, four pistons, two different rods, two balance shafts and eight heads, not counting all the variations or the special components for the supercharged engines that aren’t included in this discussion. Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #4 – July 10, 2007, 07:15:23 PM Ok, so... could I drill holes in the intake manifold for the injectors? So then I wouldn't have to switch heads? That is the only difference that that article says. If I can do that, where would the holes go? Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #5 – July 10, 2007, 07:50:53 PM Quote from: Sduneman3;160058Ok, so... could I drill holes in the intake manifold for the injectors? So then I wouldn't have to switch heads? That is the only difference that that article says. If I can do that, where would the holes go?If you do that, you'll have to figure out how to get the fuel rails to fit properly...You run a high risk of having a leak do to misalignment... If the '95 heads are usable(even if it takes some machine work), I'd use those... Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #6 – July 10, 2007, 07:55:06 PM Won't the wiring be a nightmare, too?It sounds like too much trouble to me. Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #7 – July 10, 2007, 07:59:10 PM I just went through all this this past spring with my '84. The cylinder head company initially sent me the wrong heads. They were for a 1988-up, with the injector holes. My mechanic and I compared them to my old, cracked heads (1984-87 style, CFI). They are absolutely nothing alike. Even the valve covers won't interchange.I'm going to go ahead and say that you'll need at least a 1989-up RWD block and heads to do a successful transplant. The 3.8 V6 seems to have unique parts for its particular era of design. For example, the 1982-83 heads won't work on a 1984-87 (at least, that's what the shop told me, but they also called my CFI heads the "carbed" heads). I know the 1984-87 heads won't work on a 1988, which is its own year for block/head/cam design. And I believe all 1994-up RWD 3.8 blocks were of the SC design. So even if, somehow, the '86 motor would work, you'd be sacrificing strength as the SC block is much beefier.This isn't even getting into the wiring either. This is just basic, physical design.The 1994-97 3.8 V6/RWD design would be the safest to go with. Anything else, you're rolling the dice. Are you a gambling man? Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #8 – July 10, 2007, 08:15:27 PM Quote from: EricCoolCats;160069 For example, the 1982-83 heads won't work on a 1984-87 (at least, that's what the shop told me, but they also called my CFI heads the "carbed" heads). I know the 1984-87 heads won't work on a 1988, which is its own year for block/head/cam design. The article I linked to says the combustion chambers are different for the '82-'83 vs the '84-'87 head... Guessing there could be valve clearance issues or maybe just a compression change... Quote Selected
Swapping 86' 3.8 into 95' Bird Reply #9 – July 10, 2007, 08:54:09 PM Quote from: EricCoolCats;160069I just went through all this this past spring with my '84. The cylinder head company initially sent me the wrong heads. They were for a 1988-up, with the injector holes. My mechanic and I compared them to my old, cracked heads (1984-87 style, CFI). They are absolutely nothing alike. Even the valve covers won't interchange.I'm going to go ahead and say that you'll need at least a 1989-up RWD block and heads to do a successful transplant. The 3.8 V6 seems to have unique parts for its particular era of design. For example, the 1982-83 heads won't work on a 1984-87 (at least, that's what the shop told me, but they also called my CFI heads the "carbed" heads). I know the 1984-87 heads won't work on a 1988, which is its own year for block/head/cam design. And I believe all 1994-up RWD 3.8 blocks were of the SC design. So even if, somehow, the '86 motor would work, you'd be sacrificing strength as the SC block is much beefier.This isn't even getting into the wiring either. This is just basic, physical design.The 1994-97 3.8 V6/RWD design would be the safest to go with. Anything else, you're rolling the dice. Are you a gambling man? Ok, I was hoping that it would be simple, becasue I'm trying to sell the motor, and a friend wants it for the 95', guess i'll have to tell him it's won't work, unless he wants a headache! Quote Selected
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