1987 Cougar LS

Topic: 1987 Cougar LS (Read 2636 times) previous topic - next topic

1987 Cougar LS

April 03, 2005, 10:22:37 PM

Hey, I have a 1987 Cougar with the v6 in it, this engine runs like at the moment, and needs a new Harmonic Balancer really bad. I know literally nothing about cars as i am a new driver and this is my 1st car. I have always like the 1987 - 88 cougars and glad i have one and am looking to put alot of work into it.

I have friends that are helping me out, he knows alot, but i heard some things about putting in a v8 from the same year being hard, and hes tryign to get me to buy some guys v8 , its not even one from a cougar. and i haerd the wiring is hard and stuff.. im just looking to find out how i know this engine will work or not.

This may sound like a total noob, as it should beacause i am.

Thank you in advance.

Re: 1987 Cougar LS

Reply #1 – April 03, 2005, 10:57:00 PM

Quote

hes tryign to get me to buy some guys v8 , its not even one from a cougar

well, if you are looking to swap to a V8 than maybe you will get lucky and the one this guy has will turn out to be a 5.0 HO from a mustang. it wouldnt be all that woth the trouble to swap in a V8 from a tbird, cougar, ltd,etc....unless its a HO. you need to find out what it is to decide realy weather or not it will work. the swap is more time consuming and detail oriented than it is hard but you do need to have some auto experiance. some people say they know nothing but know more than they think. others realy dont know anything at all. as long as you have a compitent friend, im sure the info and good people from this board should be able to walk you through it. here is a link that basically describes what you are looking at getting into...give it a good read.
click
hope this helps..welcome to the board...

Re: 1987 Cougar LS

Reply #2 – April 04, 2005, 07:36:37 AM

Thanks alot, you definitely gave me more confidence in being able to get another engine. My freind definately knows abotu cars, but he doesnt know much about mine inparticular. And for what he doesnt know he has mechanic friends so im sure we could get the swap done.

Im hoping on standing off to the side and watching, and helping a little, hoping to learn a little more. Im definately gunna be on the lookout for a 5.0 v8 from a mustang now tho. lol.

Thanks Again

Re: 1987 Cougar LS

Reply #3 – April 04, 2005, 05:12:08 PM

You'll have to change the computer,wiring harness,get the hard to find V-8 motor mounts,exhaust,etc.With this being your first car,I'd fix the V-6 and use it as a learning tool,and one day down the road,do the V-8 swap.You can do a little to the V-6 to wake it up.Dual exhaust,headers (yes,there are headers for the 232),etc.?Good luck either way.We're all here to learn and help.

Re: 1987 Cougar LS

Reply #4 – April 04, 2005, 08:40:37 PM

what all would be my options for a v-6 to get beefed up? Its not really runnign great right now, really shakey, I know it needs a new harmonic balancer at the moment.

Right now im getting some body work done to it, im not sure what al lis being done but i know in the end it should look great and black :-p. I dont know much about that beacause my dad is getting it doen for me.

I cant wait for this car to be as nice as some of the ones i see on here.

Thanx alot for all the help Vinnie and Shame you guys make me think that im not gunna just get called a noob while im here.

Re: 1987 Cougar LS

Reply #5 – April 04, 2005, 10:38:13 PM

my first car was a 1988 Cougar LS 3.8l V6. I first got the headgasket fixed, new belts, hoses, gaskets, and a good ol' cleaning. It runs like a dream. and Still does, just the tranny sucks.

My first car had a awesome sound system, underbody neons, chrome rims. Ya know the "cool" stuff at age 16. And since fast and the furious came out, i was all about that but not having a import.

I went to CAT JAM 03. Got hooked, and wanted more.

I got home and all winter looked for a 5.0L cougar. I searched EVERYWHERE!

Then one day on ebay one came up, under a different listing, wrong part of the site. It was a 1988 Mercury Cougar LS 5.0l w/ EVERYTHING but keyless entry and leather. Sunroof and everything.

In the listing it said "No title" I called the guy and there WAS A TITLE. He said after the auction he must of pushed the wrong button. But i didn't say anything during since I knew if I shut my mouth during the auction it'll benefit me. So i got this cougar for 680 I believe. I went to pick it up, was in rough shape. Sat for 3 years.

Brought her home and decided to get her painted. Anyways, stripped down to nothing. Painted. Got some new rims for her. And am customizing her out now. Got flowmaster 40s. and got some new headers and h pipe going to be going on a few weeks.

I LOVE IT. its soo cool cuz no one has these cars, and ones who do , are usually old, and they are beat to death. Its great to cruise down the blvd in your town, and you have a car that cost me under 6 grand, and it'll turn heads faster then the spoiled kids and their 25k rides.

Good luck with all you do. These people here are great and step by step myself into the right directions. They are all great and went from a car illiterate person to somewhat of a car guy now. I still know 10% of what these guys here know, but I'm learning as will you in the times to come. Stick in there and good luck. It's all worth it in the end.

Any help shoot the questions, we are here for ya man.

Re: 1987 Cougar LS

Reply #6 – April 04, 2005, 10:49:26 PM

Sadly there's no such thing as a new harmonic balancer for the 87 V-6. The one I'm using is the best donor I could find while doing my rebuild. It's perfect.

Should you find one that's still in the box, let me know. I'll gladly buy it off of you and trade you the one I'm using.

Chris

Re: 1987 Cougar LS

Reply #7 – April 05, 2005, 08:49:07 AM

No i dont think ill find one new in the box, iv found a couple of donors, but im not sure how good its gunna be and im reluctant to spend as much as they want. Its 50 bucks, and then theres some core charge until i send the old one back. But its gettign shipped, and it will cost me more then the core charge for me to send the old one back lol.

Im going to look at some junkyards around here. I know that there was a 1987 Cougar LS (identical to mine) junked not to long ago beacuase the people gave me their oil pan since i needed it. The oil pan was in brand new condition, so im hoping the rest of the car is to, and that I can grab a bunch off of it.
thanx again

Edit: That frined i was telling you about found me a 351W for really cheap, i dont know anythign about it, and if i were to get it a mechanic shop would be installing it, just wondering if i would be able to bring it to a shop and have them install it or would they not be able to?

Specs on the engine are ..

74 351W truck motor, rebuilt with Keith Black pistons, moly rings, bored .030, balanced, .488 lift cam, roller double row timing set, adjustable rockers, lightly ported heads, Edelbrock intake, chrome valve covers and air cleaner. It needs a carb, the 750 Holley that was on it went bad. I pulled the intake and oil pan to check things, very clean inside. I will include a full gasket set with the motor. It has 40000 miles on the rebuild, so it's just broken in and man did it run good when we had it in our Police Interceptor.