I have a 1987 Cougar LS with a 3.8 L engine. It has appx 280 000 km on the odometer (175 000 miles). The car has been running perfectly and during the years I've had it. It is still running fine, but lately I have noticed that it smokes white smoke out the exhaust. I'm worried it is a blown head gasket. Sometimes it smokes more, sometimes less, but it is always smoking. The "check engine"-light has not come on while I'm driving and it runs strong.
I know that Ford has had problems with the head gaskets on the 3.8 L but I thought it was on later models. I know my car has high mileage, but the car has never overheated and has always been maintained well, so I see no reason for the head gasket to blow.
Did the 3.8 L in the Cougar also experience head gasket problems as early as 1987? Anybody has an idea?
Yes. The 3.8 head gasket problems were around even before 1987. Read more on it here: http://www.coolcats.net/tech/troubleshooting/gaskets.html
dont be worried, its not a hard job to do and its not expensive when you DIY. do a compression test and figure out which cylinder is low in psi after the enigne has ran for just a couple minutes to oil up the rings. Just ask for a head gasket kit, should be about 100 usd or there about.