Reliability of the 3.8 September 11, 2015, 02:30:28 AM I recently had a head gasket blow out on my '85 T-Bird. The engine started to overheat as well. My mechanic says it's probably going to need a new head. My concern is that with the inherent problems with the aluminum heads, what's the likelihood of this happening again in the near future? Is there some sort of modification that I can do to minimize the risk of another head gasket failure? Would it be simpler to just replace the engine with something else? I don't know? Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #1 – September 11, 2015, 08:16:44 AM It depends...if the block is okay then replacing the heads is the most efficient way to solve the problem. New heads, good gaskets, and new bolts are the key.These are the heads I used for my '84:http://www.cylinder-heads.com/cylinder-heads/1873/ford/taurus/3.8-ltr-6-cyl-ohv-cams-fits-84-97/They were brand new castings at the time I got mine (hecho en mexico) but it's hard to tell if they still are now. These are the E4SE castings (1984-87).Will head or head gasket failure happen again? Eventually, yes. But that's hard to determine at any point. You could get 10,000 or 100,000 miles out of them.Is this a daily driver or just a weekend/show car? And if you want to drop in another engine, are you prepared to do a complete motor swap with all the wiring, suspension, and engine bay swapouts? Those are the questions you have to ask yourself.(It's been about 5K miles since the new heads were installed on mine. No issues whatsoever. But it's a show-only car so I don't really drive it much.) Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #2 – September 11, 2015, 09:46:45 AM I must have been lucky. I have had several 3.8s, and I have never had a head gasket blow. But, I drive them pretty easy. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #3 – September 11, 2015, 11:36:27 AM Quote from: CoogarXR;451193I must have been lucky. I have had several 3.8s, and I have never had a head gasket blow. But, I drive them pretty easy.I think the 87 and down 3.8 cars were less pr0ne to popping. The 88 and up cars liked to do it at will :hick:If I remember correctly the reason the 3.8 tends to pop head gaskets is a design flaw in the cooling system not the fact that it has an iron block and aluminum heads. The Ford 4.6 2V has an iron block and aluminum heads and goes hundreds of thousands of miles with nary an issue. Thousands of guys are running 5.0s with aluminum heads and no issues (unless they boost the out of the engine ) Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #4 – September 11, 2015, 01:05:59 PM Quote from: thunderjet302;451195I think the 87 and down 3.8 cars were less pr0ne to popping. The 88 and up cars liked to do it at will :hick:If I remember correctly the reason the 3.8 tends to pop head gaskets is a design flaw in the cooling system not the fact that it has an iron block and aluminum heads. The Ford 4.6 2V has an iron block and aluminum heads and goes hundreds of thousands of miles with nary an issue. Thousands of guys are running 5.0s with aluminum heads and no issues (unless they boost the out of the engine )Correct, there are narrow passageways at one end of head that only a small section of gasket separates compression, oil & coolant... AKAIK the early ones are just as bad if not worse than later versions, I know a friend did gaskets twice on a '84 LTD... Those early heads are pr0ne to crack as well, lower section where machined for head bolts has a sharp 90* trough cut into them that can crack... After seeing issues his '84 had(first time was '87/'88), I've always walked a wide path around anything with a Ford 3.8, but of course I've never considered anything less than eight cylinders as a complete engine... Swapping requires lots of changes, especially on the pre-'88... Always best to find a parts car, but they are getting hard to find these days, especially with a good running 5.0... Any Fox Bird has become a rarity around here... Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #5 – September 11, 2015, 01:17:30 PM Ok, thanks guys. The car isn't a daily driver, but I do put 5-7000 miles on it per year. I want it to be reliable and I'd really like to not have to worry about this ever happening again. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #6 – September 11, 2015, 04:08:10 PM Cats are even harder to find anymore. How many miles did you get on the current gaskets? Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #7 – September 11, 2015, 06:32:08 PM Mine had 84,000 miles. I'm really considering just putting a V8. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #8 – September 12, 2015, 09:09:08 AM Use a Multi-Layer Steel headgasket and either new bolts, or studs. (I like head studs for just about everything) Be sure the machine shop refinishes the gasket surface to the correct RA for the gaskets you choose. The head gasket was always the problem, and it started in 89 or so when Ford changed suppliers. Nowadays if you're not using a MLS gasket on a bi-metal engine you're just asking for it. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #9 – September 12, 2015, 08:11:58 PM I'm thinking that may be the route I go. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #10 – September 13, 2015, 07:38:24 PM Check out supersix motorsports. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #11 – September 14, 2015, 01:33:54 PM Quote from: TheFoeYouKnow;451221Use a Multi-Layer Steel headgasket and either new bolts, or studs. (I like head studs for just about everything) Be sure the machine shop refinishes the gasket surface to the correct RA for the gaskets you choose.Does the block have the proper roughness for MLS? Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #12 – September 14, 2015, 02:04:03 PM Usually the block is OK, you have to be careful how you clean the deck surface, no sanders or die grinders or sand paper, not even scotchbrite. These days, they want us to use a plastic ser, but I still use a clean new straight razor blade with some shop towel and brake cleaner. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #13 – September 14, 2015, 09:32:57 PM Quote from: TheFoeYouKnow;451260Usually the block is OK, you have to be careful how you clean the deck surface, no sanders or die grinders or sand paper, not even scotchbrite. These days, they want us to use a plastic ser, but I still use a clean new straight razor blade with some shop towel and brake cleaner.Who is using a die grinder, Scotchbrite, or sandpaper on a deck surface? Those things leave particles that get everywhere inside an engine. I've always used a new, clean, straight razor blade. It gets everything off fine without leaving a nasty bunch of shavings or particles behind. Just hold it at a 90* angle to the deck surface and se away. Quote Selected
Reliability of the 3.8 Reply #14 – September 14, 2015, 09:44:22 PM I've seen a lot of guys do a lot of stuff over the years. Quote Selected
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