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85 Cougar Not Running

Hey all,

I had the luck of inheriting my grandmother's 85 Cougar (3.8). Beautiful car, with under 60,000 miles on it.

When I received the car I noticed it was running a little rough, as in the engine seemed to studder when I hit the gas. Now I must say that I'm not too car savvy, and I just assumed that it needed a simple tune up and I honestly wasn't in any rush because I have another car that I use to commute with. So I drove it every now and again, still sluggish. Finally, one day I took it out for a spin and it was hurting really bad. The engine was studdering like crazy. barely got it around the block and back to my house. It sat in the driveway for about a week and when I went back out to start it it would turn over but wouldn't run. I thought it might be the fuel pump, checked the pressure but it was ok. Started replacing plugs and there was watery liquid covering the plug.

After a little research I think maybe its a bad intake manifold or a blown head gasket....

I really don't know because I'm no mechanic. lol. Any thoughts????

I fully intend to take the car to a mechanic to figure it out, but I really don't want to dump a bunch of money on a car that I rarely drive.

Thought I'd get some advice from some people who may be more versed in these things than I am. Ideas and suggestions welcome!!!

Here's some eye candy...
XXX

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #1 –
How old is the gas?
84 COUGAR/90 HO, 1.7RRs, performer RPM,700DP, equal length shorties, stainless EXH ,T-5,Hurst pro-billet, KC clutch, 8.8/ 4.10s, line-lok, bla ,bla, bla.
71 COMET/289,351w heads, 12.5 TRWs, 750DP, Liberty TL, 9"/6.00s, 11.9x @112 , bla,bla,bla.

Never shoot your mouth off, unless your brain is loaded! ....I may get older, but I'll never grow up!....If you're not laughing, you're not living!  :laughing:

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #2 –
Not a PETRO problem, I put gas in it a week or two before it stopped running. Also, I went through at least a tank cruising around in it before it stopped running...

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #3 –
Error codes is where I always start
[SIGPIC][/SIGPIC]
***** Project "EVOLUTION" 1987 Cougar LS  & 1985 Cougar Convertible *****
[/COLOR]
5.0 HO 306 roller block, machined GT-40P heads, Wiseco dished forged pistons, Eagle forged floating I-beam connecting rods, Lunati pushrods, ARP bolts, Scorpion aluminum 1.6 rockers, Comp Cams Magnum 266HR, Explorer intake, 65mm TB, MAF Conversion, 19# injectors, Ford Racing stainless P-headers, 2-1/2" cat-less exhaust w/ Flowtech Afterburner lers , SC AOD with 2800 BDR torque converter, 3.73 T-Lok rear, CHE rear control arms, full 2-1/2" frame w/1" jacking rails & seat supports, Rear disk brakes, Turbine wheels, All original interior w/ floor shift upgrade .......
Pretty much every panel on my 87 is new, rebuilt, or re constructed. :D
Join us on Facebook
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85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #4 –
Error Codes, yes, I assume when I get it to a mechanic they will check this.

I know its not the gas or the fuel pump, as I had a friend check it out. He did check into it as much as he knew how(He's a Chevy guy). While replacing the plugs he noticed there was water on one of the plugs, and said it could be a bad sign..... So, I dunno...

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #5 –
You can check the trouble codes on these cars for free with a test light or you can get a code reader for less than $25. I use the code reader just because it's so convenient.
Matt
1984 Thunderbird - 89 302 HO, GT40 heads w/ Trick Flow springs, E303 cam, Edelbrock Performer 289 intake and 600 cfm 4bbl, Mustang headers, Jegs o/r H pipe, Dynomax lers, Mustang AOD and shifter, Mustang 8.8 w/ 3.73s, 3G alternator, Mustang front and rear sway bars, KYB 87-88 Turbo Coupe shocks and struts, and 11" front brakes.

1988 Mustang GT - GT40 heads, Explorer intake, 70mm throttle body, 70mm MAF, Crane 1.7 rrs, E303 cam, Kirban Kwik shifter w/ Pro 5.0 deluxe handle, aluminum clutch quadrant and firewall adjuster, o/r h pipe, Dynomax lers, 3G alternator, aluminum radiator, and 3.27 gears.
 
1986 Cougar 5.0, 1989 Mark VII LSC 5 speed, 1980 Mercury Zephyr 4 door (sold)

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #6 –
I've got an 84 (3.8L) -- am original owner -- and all I can say is the 3.8L are subject to head gasket failures.  Search this board or look for my name and I believe you will find a lot of posts in this regard. 
They are tough to fix and may not last because of the "poor head design" and even if you could find a "new" head, it would not override the design flaw.  If it were me -- car looks like in great condition--
I would see about putting in a V8.  There is also a guy in Toronto -- have to search net -- who appear to specialize in Cougar 3.8L that may be able to assist you.  Only queried him after I had my engine
rebuilt and had some other issues.

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #7 –
Yeah, sounds like the head gasket. The same thing happened to my 3.8 Sable a few years back. I was at a drive-through ordering food when I noticed the car was starting to shake a little. By the time I got home coolant was in the exhaust. It never started again after that. It only had 88,000 miles on it.

turbo charged 94 Cobra engine/440cc injectors/megasquirt /5 speed swapped (T5)/maxbox upper intake/70mm PP throttle body/AJE coilovers/2003 Mustang control arms/S.T. sway bars/ES rear control arm bushings/11" brake conversion/manual rack conversion/8.8 TC rear with rear discs and a welded diff/3.73 gears/PLX wideband/199mph speedometer/Aeromotive FPR/CNC hydraulic hand brake/cobra R wheels/....ect.
 

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #8 –
Yea, I'm pretty sure from my research and a buddy of mine taking a look at it that it is a head gasket issue. I took the car to a mechanic yesterday and am waiting to hear back about it today.

When I took it to the shop, the first thing the mechanic asked how attached to the car I am. He hinted at buying it. LOL

Anyways, he's gonna diagnose it and get me an estimate, maybe make an offer. lol

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #9 –
Quote
When I took it to the shop, the first thing the mechanic asked how attached to the car I am. He hinted at buying it. LOL

Don't want to burst your bubble, but the question probably had more to do with how much he could charge you.  If your attached, your willing to pay more.

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #10 –
Quote from: dw85745;378742
Don't want to burst your bubble, but the question probably had more to do with how much he could charge you.  If your attached, your willing to pay more.

 
Well it's a good thing I told him I wasn't that attached...

He contacted me today and said it was either a blown head gasket or a cracked head. He ran a compression test and two of the cylinders aren't getting compression.

So I asked him how much to fix the problem and he said around $1000. Now I really don't know what a fair price is for this type of service. Does this price sound about right or is he high balling me? Seems expensive to me, but what do I know?

He also asked what I wanted to get out of it if I were to sell. Any ideas on a rough estimate?

The car isn't running, due to the head problem. Otherwise its in good condition. Roughly 58,000 miles. Body in good shape minus a rust bubble near the rear wheel well.

So at this point I'm trying to decide if I want to put money into a secondary car or just sell it.

Decisions. Decisions.

Appreciate all the input!

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #11 –
Throw a v-8 in it. Get better mpg, more power, and have a much more reliable engine.
Quote from: jcassity
I honestly dont think you could exceed the cost of a new car buy installing new *stock* parts everywhere in your coug our tbird. Its just plain impossible. You could revamp the entire drivetrain/engine/suspenstion and still come out ahead.
Hooligans! 
1988 Crown Vic wagon. 120K California car. Wifes grocery getter. (junked)
1987 Ford Thunderbird LX. 5.0. s.o., sn-95 t-5 and an f-150 clutch. Driven daily and going strong.
1986 cougar.
lilsammywasapunkrocker@yahoo.com

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #12 –
I had the same exact problem when I got my current '84.

My mechanic confirmed that the block was not cracked...he thought it was just the head gaskets.
But after he reassembled everything (of course) and started it up, water poured out of both heads so we knew that it was just a head issue.

I bought a pair of NEW castings, complete, from Clearwater Cylinder Head Inc. (http://www.cylinder-heads.com).
Best thing to do is call them and tell them the year of your car. They may tell you it's the 'carbureted' head but it's CFI, that's okay.
Should be around $150 each.
I mean, this is a steal for brand new, complete heads. They are of excellent quality and come with a 2-year unlimited mile warranty. I don't know of any other place that can beat that deal.

So $300 in parts, see if the mechanic will do the work for around $500, and you're set.
At this point you know what the problem is, so $1000 or under will fix it.

A V8 swap is tempting but it is a lot more work and money. You have to change suspension, wiring harnesses, maybe the transmission...to fix a pair of cylinder heads?! Plus you get to keep the car as much original as possible.

Seems pretty straightforward to me...

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #13 –
I would agree with haystack. If you're gonna put that kind of money into it i would rather put a 5.0 in. Also i would do the compression test myself. This guy wants to buy your car so he might just be telling you its shot so he can get it cheaper. Did he say it had zero compression in those cylinders? Did he do a leakdown test to determine if the head gasket was the reason for low/no compression? If any cylinders have zero compression there might be something else going on besides the head gasket.

turbo charged 94 Cobra engine/440cc injectors/megasquirt /5 speed swapped (T5)/maxbox upper intake/70mm PP throttle body/AJE coilovers/2003 Mustang control arms/S.T. sway bars/ES rear control arm bushings/11" brake conversion/manual rack conversion/8.8 TC rear with rear discs and a welded diff/3.73 gears/PLX wideband/199mph speedometer/Aeromotive FPR/CNC hydraulic hand brake/cobra R wheels/....ect.

85 Cougar Not Running

Reply #14 –
orlosz

Re Keeping or Getting Rid of the Car

1)  If you have a place to work, the tools, and the knowledge, I'd try and repair it.

2)  If you don't have the place to work, the tools, the knowledge and are dependent on others I'd get rid of it. 
    The car is almost 30 years old.  Parts are harder to come by, and even in 1984 they used a lot of plastic.
    For example the shift indicator pointer for (1,2, D, R, P) is plastic and the band that holds it and controls it movement is plastic.
    Ford design makes them tough to repair, and finding one -- who knows.
    ZDDP is required for the oil to lubricate the Cam and the Federal government has gradually required the ZDDP levels to be eliminated from the oil.
    The causes either the need for an additive (more $$$$) or a potential Cam failure (BIG $$$)

3)  If you just can't part with the car -- emotional thing -- then go to your local junior college and take auto course.
    Will give you an appreciation for what tools you need and what to do, and then you can decide to keep or sell.


Quote
I bought a pair of NEW castings, complete, from Clearwater Cylinder Head Inc.

EricCoolCats:  You sure those were NEW castings?  When talked to Clearwater about two years ago, they said only thing they ever had for the 84  (3.8L) was reworked heads.