The Main Problem With SC´s

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The Main Problem With SC´s

September 30, 2005, 01:25:23 PM

Why we cant install a 3.8 Supercharged in a Fox Car ? what is the main problem with it?

I know that one of us have a 89 Cougar with the 3.8 SC, but there aren´t info avaible for this swap (uuuuuuuuuuuuhhhhh....). Why none of you have tried ? is not worth ?

Thanks....

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #1 – September 30, 2005, 01:41:01 PM

302 is easier and cheaper. And the 3.8L SC has a revised HG setup, which is the n/a 3.8L's weak point.

I honestly don't know why more people don't swap SC motors in though, other than cost.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #2 – September 30, 2005, 01:44:50 PM

Coil packs compared to a distributer.
Thats the only thing I can think of.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #3 – September 30, 2005, 02:05:50 PM

Wiring. Big time. Spazpuppies did the swap (actually his mechanic). It's a nightmare when it comes to wiring.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #4 – September 30, 2005, 02:24:29 PM

Years ago I saw a Fox mustang that had a 3.8 SC in it, the wiring looked like a rat's nest (and the car was pretty py too)

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #5 – September 30, 2005, 02:43:55 PM

The wiring can't be more difficult than anything else. There are folks who could pen 15 up the wiring on a 5.0 swap.....

The reason you don't see more? The same reason you don't see more swaps of anything other than a 5.0's.......people want cheap and easy......

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #6 – September 30, 2005, 03:01:11 PM

Well its not that hard a swap if u have wrote off SC and u swap everything needed into say a 4 banger stang. (Its been done b4 )
A cool setup is SC motor into a mazda miata.
I seen a GN 3.8 Turbo swaped into a Miata as well. Just sick little setup in that car.

The price to get a used SC motor and everything u need to make it work its easyer to swap in 302 and call it good.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #7 – September 30, 2005, 03:15:49 PM

Quote

The wiring can't be more difficult than anything else. There are folks who could pen 15 up the wiring on a 5.0 swap.....

And have done so. :)

Looking at an MN12's SC engine bay, then looking at a Fox engine bay...you see the differences big time. If it was just a matter of grabbing the engine, the harness and computer, and going to town, everyone would be doing this by now. But there is nothing compatible between the cars. You need a donor car to get a lot of the parts, not just the motor. Therein lies the problem. There was no Fox-specific SC wiring harness, therefore we must cut and hack and splice to get it working. There are just too many technical issues to make it an easy swap like a 302 install.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #8 – September 30, 2005, 03:25:22 PM

It's nothing that can't be done if the person takes their time and pays attention to what they're doing.

Like I mentioned folks want cheap and easy.....

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #9 – September 30, 2005, 03:39:02 PM

Can a fox 3.8 engine be reinforced and then supercharged with the SC stuff? Or are they completely different engines.....I have no clue about those engines, so please ignore my ingnorance. :hick:

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #10 – September 30, 2005, 04:06:08 PM

The 3.8 V6 from 1982-93 had a cast iron block with aluminum heads. The SC block was different...a thicker casting with better webbing to handle the stress of the blower. The aluminum heads were also revised. From 1989-93 I believe the only cars to get that block was the SC and 1989-90 XR7's. From 1994-on, all RWD Ford vehicles got the SC block (not sure about the heads). The means the regular 3.8 V6 Cougar, T-Bird, and Mustang. The FWD 3.8's had their own design. See here for 3.8 info:
http://www.babpen 15s.com/editorial/ar/ar90134.htm

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #11 – September 30, 2005, 06:16:05 PM

Now i know the 3.8l in the SC is way better built but they still have head gasket troubles,due to lack of maint,to much boost ect,ect and are a real F*** bitch to change due to all the extra parts on the SC.
I just bought a 91 SC for a winter car and am dreading having to do the head gaskets if it comes down to it,also if not caught right away you risk siezing the engine.
Example:look at all the SC's on ebay,your local s yard and in your local trader,you will for surley find ones with blown engines due to head gaskets not caugth in time.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #12 – September 30, 2005, 06:34:16 PM

Well here we see a good amount of SC's in the s yards.
Most are there for dead motor or dead SC. Cost here for repairs is way up there.
ABS controler card is worth a 600 used, SC is a 1g no prob and i think it was 2700 from ford for another one.

When u tost the motor thats 4gs plus time to do re and re. Then they say Maybe SC is tost and scared owner just calls it over and ss the car.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #13 – September 30, 2005, 07:49:26 PM

ahhh the classic question

bolting a S/C onto an N/A 3.8L is a big no-no for a few reasons. For one, the cast pistons are meant for 9.5:1 compression in most of the 3.8L's, i do believe the earlier 3.8's are lower, i cant remember off of the top of the head. The S/C got forged 8.1:1 compression pistons. The S/C block is actually different, Ford actually moved the cooling jackets around in the block and the heads so that there was more "meat" between the cooling jackets and the combustion chambers. The S/C also got forged rods, crank, and a reinforced block.

Doing the SC to Fox swap is a total bear, not just because of the wiring, but theres so many other things that need to be adapted. You need the sensors, the DIS, you need to make intercooler plumbing, you need to move a lot of the current sensors around in your car. Its no easy task, but it can be done. If you had the time, you could do a very good job on it if you were to cut, lengthen, reroute and relocate the wiring to where it needs to go.

You also have the fun of trying to make the chassis and the EEC harness splice up and work together.

Re: The Main Problem With SC´s

Reply #14 – September 30, 2005, 07:52:08 PM

Quote from: dominator

Now i know the 3.8l in the SC is way better built but they still have head gasket troubles,due to lack of maint,to much boost ect,ect and are a real F*** bitch to change due to all the extra parts on the SC.
I just bought a 91 SC for a winter car and am dreading having to do the head gaskets if it comes down to it,also if not caught right away you risk siezing the engine.
Example:look at all the SC's on ebay,your local s yard and in your local trader,you will for surley find ones with blown engines due to head gaskets not caugth in time.

as backwards as it sounds, putting a good flowing exhaust helps reduce risk of blowing headgaskets. As we all know, in most forced induction cars, air temps are higher, even with an intercooler, and that makes combustion temps higher. By having a restrictive exhaust on your car, it creates even more heat then the air is trying to get compressed and pushed out of the cylinder. Opening up the exhaust eases the exhaust flow, and actually does cool the cylinder head temps, which is a big deal in an aluminum head/iron block car