Well, I took advantage of some free time, and the nice warm day we had today, and pulled the 3.8.
Before:
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l110/fordtruckfreeek/vehicle%20pics/1988%20Thunderbird/23069b77.jpg)
After:
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l110/fordtruckfreeek/vehicle%20pics/1988%20Thunderbird/f4872ab7.jpg)
perforated oil pan:
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l110/fordtruckfreeek/vehicle%20pics/1988%20Thunderbird/4fa81cce.jpg)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l110/fordtruckfreeek/vehicle%20pics/1988%20Thunderbird/cf86fd48.jpg)
Next I'm gonna clean it up, and see about some of the rust that's starting to be noticeable, and patch a section of corroded brake line.
Oh, and I um...didn't have to take out the engine mounts..the sumbitches were broke, (look close in the second pic) and I just pried the retainer tabs out to let the upper pieces come free. Yeah, I know :hick:
thats grimey:hick:
Yeah, she was cruddy...every efi 3.8 I've seen has had the oil filler on driver's side valve cover. :hick:
Also, was reminded just now on the phone...the fire damaged only my fuel lines, everything else ok, except for the paint/crud/grease/oil on the underside, it's been burnt off in a spot.
I was ed lucky that I had an extinguisher handy.
Woulda been bye bye Birdie. Then again...woulda been a big-assed loss :evilgrin:
Looking better with the boat anchor out;)
Hey don't the speed holes make the 3.8 faster? :grinno:
Well, believe it or not, it ran after the rod broke. It ran until the fuel lines caught fire, then it ran no more.
As far as improvements go, it's about 100% improved over stock!
Actually, that 3.8 was a stout one, I ran the piss out of it, and it didn't whimper. I wish I'd checked the oil in it that day before I tried to bring it over here, hell, I might still be driving it as it were. Maybe.
Anyway, I'll fondly remember the time I hit 127 going down a hill on an on ramp onto a 4 lane at 1 am, passing everybody I worked with.
Then again, the speedo said 127, kinda doubtful if I was actually going THAT fast, lol.
That 3.8 took all I could dish out to it, except sitting for 3 months, and then being started with probably a quart of oil in it. RIP.
NOW...the fun begins...:evilgrin:
Nice work, thats filthy! :hick:
Now come yank mine out. :grinno:
That makes my take-out 3.8L look clean!
http://www.foxtbirdcougarforums.com/showthread.php?t=16604
Lol, I used a tree branch to pull mine, so I had to put it on a diet first :hick:
So that's what a 3.8 looks like up close(never owned one)... Yeech...
Good pull...
Unless I find a super nice 3.8 equipped Cat or Bird, I'll never own another one, but I will say this: that one took all I could dish, and then some.
Later today I'm going to go over and pull the heads and pan off, see what exactly the damage consists of, and I'll get pics too.
Find a Mustang V6, just swap all your electronics over.
Jason
You're not missing much :hick: