Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Topic: Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8). (Read 4081 times) previous topic - next topic

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

March 22, 2007, 05:42:15 PM

MIne have a 3.8 CARBED (old carb with fuel pump activated by the cam), and I rebuilted last Year, and looooooooove it, very not a great performer, but It not a fuel hangry.

I noticed all of Your nhate this 3.8l, it's a good engine (except head gasket issue), strong little engine, reliable and so fast for a 120HP engine...

I owned a bigger and faster engine/cars over the years, and I like this little (V6)...

But My next Bird (86) will be gaved with a 351C :hick:

Regards,

Dom.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #1 – March 22, 2007, 05:56:37 PM

I don't hate it.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #2 – March 22, 2007, 06:02:01 PM

I don't hate it either. I have 2 of them.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #3 – March 22, 2007, 06:05:46 PM

i think its the following:

-headgasket issue OBVIOUSLY we all know that
-practically no hop-ups, so good luck getting more than that 120 hp out of it!

thats what people dont like about it. other than that apparently its ok! its too bad about those two things, though, it would be really cool if it was like GM's 3.8. practically EVERY show-off video on the 'net ive seen of turbo regals, grand nationals, gnx's theyre BUILT and the car twists as it flies down the dragstrip!

of course, even stock those engines made a lot of power!

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #4 – March 22, 2007, 06:09:29 PM

when i went to pull-a-part, theres one thing i noticed when i was looking in the trashed cars they had for maybe that diamond n the rough upper or lower HO intake, and the ONLY intake that was left on ANY ford car there was the 3.8 Fuelie. i mean most of them had been seporated from the lower intake, with the rest of everything else still holding the upper in the car...

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #5 – March 22, 2007, 06:19:16 PM

You answered your own ?? 351,You want more.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #6 – March 22, 2007, 07:01:14 PM

its a good little engine if you are happy the way it is stock. the 5.0 gets just about the same gas mileage but sounds much better.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #7 – March 22, 2007, 07:22:29 PM

its a v6 so i don't care for it, but you could always use a supercoupe motor. i want a gm series 2 supercharged powered vechial cause you can get some serious numbers out of them, right now im looking into a 97 fully loaded riviera.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #8 – March 22, 2007, 08:52:23 PM

I had one in a '91 MN12, so obviously it was the worst thing I'd ever driven, power-wise. That was fuel injected and still a glutton. No power to speak of, and it was a boat. Thus, boat anchor. The engine ran like a top, but it drank 93 like it was going out of style. I sold it shortly after I filled my first $70 tank on any vehicle. It's pretty sad to think 70 bucks was shocking in 2000.

Oh, the tranny had to be rebuilt too.

But , what a car to sit in and cruise the highway with. The MN12 is still lots to work with, despite the powertrain. The hell with the 3.8. That's my py experience, anyway.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #9 – March 22, 2007, 08:57:19 PM

There are ways to get more power out of them. I've been pondering the idea of finding a V6 Fox T-bird or Cougar and performing a split port swap on it. Of course, there would be a computer issue. I don't know how an EEC-v would react if it did not see an electronically controlled transmission. I suppose a computer from an '99-up 5 speed V6 Mustang would work, not sure though.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #10 – March 22, 2007, 09:11:06 PM

I've had two 3.8's. The first one was just like yours, Dom - a carbed '85 model. It was actually quicker than the 301 4-bbl in the '80 Formula I sold to buy the '85 T-Bird. I had no problems with that engine except the electric choke burned off, so I installed a manual choke, and the valve seals were worn. I replaced them in trade school and the car was good to go - it had over 400k km's on it when I traded it on my next 3.8, this time in a 91 T-Bird. That one was a POS - it blew a head gasket at 80k km's, then spun a rod bearing and ruined the crank at 135k km's. When I rebuilt it it didn't have another problem for the next 265k km (it had about 400k on it when I sold it), but it poisoned me on the 3.8's for life. That whole car was poison, though - with ball joints all four at $300 per), stablizer links ($70 each), electrical problems (ignition switch fire stranded me outside Susshag, NB) and rust combined with the engine problems I promised myself I'd never own another 3.8 or MN12. So deep is my hatred for the MN12 that I walked away from a rare supercharged 5-speed '90 XR7 last year that was for sale for peanuts ($1k with rusty rockers). It sat on the side of the road for over a year and just recently disappeared.

That being said I would love to some day build a twin turbo split port (with custom upper intake with two throttle bodies) 4.2 and stuff it into a four eye. Must be a glutton for punishment...

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #11 – March 22, 2007, 09:39:10 PM

I love the 3.8L. I know them rather well, and know what it takes to make the roll. The only issue is money. The parts come at a premium, and machine work is expensive. Not to mention the good parts are 99+, making them expensive.

If i had the money, id have a badass 3.8L before id have a 5.0 rolling.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #12 – March 23, 2007, 12:29:22 AM

I used to think what is wrong with these people when I heard how they all think the 3.8 suck's. I had a 88 cougar 3.8 and it was pretty nice little engine. I have since driven 5-6 83-87 birds/cougars with the 3.8 CFI and they are what everyone is talking about. They down right are a pile of . If ford would have had the 88-up 3.8 back in 85-86 they could have changed the way everyone else looks at the 3.8. Yes they are pr0ne to pop a head gasket but atleast the real EFI motors had some performance to them, not this sucks worse than a N/A four banger the CFI is.

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #13 – March 23, 2007, 03:19:03 AM

Lol, the ford 3.8 is a piece of shiznit. (period)

Why you hate the V6 (232/3.8).

Reply #14 – March 23, 2007, 07:08:53 AM

The 3.8 is a great engine.It wasn't put in our cars for performance.For regular driving,it has good toorque,great road anners,efficient.Not for me when it comes to performance.I really like the 5.0,and I'm looking forward to my 5.8 swap in the future.