3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #15 – January 09, 2011, 03:06:04 PM um....yeah....nm what I said. I was apparently thinking of a different time period or something. What I was thinking was that they stretched the block to make up for fitting the balance shaft in there. I think I was thinking of the timing cover wouldn't switch over or something...Idk nevermind ignore my goodyear blimp filling brain fart.... Quote Selected
3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #16 – January 09, 2011, 09:47:19 PM Ford had a LOT of problems with the 3.8 heads. Am original owenr and only driver of a 1984, 3.8 and had the engine rebuilt about 2 years ago at a "high end" rebuilder. After disassembly it appeared heads had been leaking for some time, yet car ran fine, just seemed to loose a little coolant about every 50 miles, but never showed on the ground, in the oil, or out the tailpipe.FWIW, the lower corners of the heads near the bolts seem to be the major problem. Ford made the material to thin in this area and this is where they seem to crack. Rebuilder initially did head with graphite gaskets, but engine had some issues so redid with MLS and Irontite. So far holding but car only drives about 200 miles at month at 50 miles roundtrip.Re: Clearwater Cylinder Heads, in my discussion with them, they do NOT have new heads, just reworked.Search the web, there is a lot on these heads and their problems. IF I had to do over again, I'd s the 3.8. Quote Selected
3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #17 – January 09, 2011, 11:52:09 PM Quote from: sarjxxx;348976um....yeah....nm what I said. I was apparently thinking of a different time period or something. What I was thinking was that they stretched the block to make up for fitting the balance shaft in there. I think I was thinking of the timing cover wouldn't switch over or something...Idk nevermind ignore my goodyear blimp filling brain fart.... naw, i get it. The crank/rods/pistons direct swap into it from a 4.2L.however, your mentioning the balance shaft is correct in that it is an extra part,,thats about it.if the 4.2L stuff were swapped in, then the external harmonic would need groomed to fit the 4.2crank.I know this has nothing to do with the original poster, but good info.if the original poster was interested in it, the 4.2L bottom end internals could go in and the top end from an 88 3.8 could also go on, kind like a hybrid.the CFI off a 5.0 could be found and used since the trottle body ports are much bigger, still a bottle neck at the intake but ,, but*** the larger throttle body ports come more closely to matching the intake runners in volume and size.ANyone who has a CFI car, i tell them to pull the injector screens out, that will cure that "hesitation" we all use to feel when we first get on the gas.theres so much hard work ive done on this engine, but in the end, i guess I "was" one of those kind of people that just had to learn by doing,, and not actually listening to the good advice i should have listened to so long ago. The engine itself never gave me a problem for over 300k miles but ended up getting a rebuild due to oil light flickering and my knowing it was a valid low oil pres issue.I really like how simple the design is, its really just meant to be a CAFE compliant car.,,thats about it. Quote Selected
3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #18 – January 16, 2011, 12:48:25 AM well i started the head gasket repairs today. got the intake off and some of the head bolts on the right side. just have to get the exhaust manifold off next. and then i can get the rest of the head bolts out. will the exhaust be hard to get to ? i didnt look that good at it yet. also one bolt on the intake the one nearest the front of the car was busted off inside the head. it looks like it has been that way awhile as it was like a little pile of dirt. i got some pics to post , im hoping the exhaust will not be to hard. so far this doesnt seem to bad to do . thanks for listening eddie Quote Selected
3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #19 – January 17, 2011, 07:21:39 AM One other issue I'd check if you're not to far along with this.I just found out my manifold has a porosity problem. Leaking coolant on the front side where the temp sensor goes in.Had to pressure test the system overnight to find it.I'm amazed the amount of coolant that seeps out.I'd have the intake tested and/or sealed before installing. Quote Selected
3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #20 – January 18, 2011, 01:55:13 AM headers to Y pipe is not fun,, not fun at all as is the case with most exhaust bolts.gut the cat while you have the car down. just undo the intermediate pipe,, gut the cat, step on the gas and let nature throw out the garbage. the 3.8 needs all the help it can get.good luck on the broke bolt, id make the best of it and just do without.when you do get the headers off, or off to the side you may find it easier to line up the bolts with the Y pipe bolts loose when reinstalling the heads vs taking the headers off.either way, Y pipe hardware needs loosened.with the heads off, make sure to wire wheel the alignment dowel tube thingies that are water passages. Make sure to clean out the area they seat into on the block and the heads so that your head properly seats.the last thing you want is these things keeping you from getting a good bond. Quote Selected
3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #21 – January 22, 2011, 09:30:25 PM well i got the header bolts off the left side , and it was not easy. now i just have to get the pipe off underneath the car. it took me about 3 hours as most of the bolts needed PB blaster and some time to soak it up and i didnt want to strip them so i just kept tapping them . now i can get at the rest of the head bolts. it almost looks like you can undo the head bolts that are under the exhuast headers but you cant. im going to do the left side , and then the right side. more info to come. Quote Selected
3.8 cylinder heads and head gasket Reply #22 – January 23, 2011, 05:28:05 AM The l/S was harder on the one I did,actually the exhaust is probably the hardest part of the job. Quote Selected
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