Well.. time has come money is tight.. trying to see if i can acheive 1 of two things. i was going to do a n/a 2.3 swap into my 84 cougar to replace the knocking 3.8. but it appears the mounts from my 89 mustang will not work.. totally different style. and i cannot find the ones from my 86 stang atm. which are the right ones.. so i am thinking of possibly finding another 3.8 to stick back into the cougar to get it running. im looking around 300 or less.. as that is bout my bill left for doing the 2.3 swap. anyone suggest a certain year of 3.8? i have the c5 auto and basically i need something i can bolt right into place with it. i only need a long block. as i can still use the intake and exaust i currently have.. ill just unplug everything and replug it into the replacement motor. Does anyone have any suggestions? (btw 5.0 swap aint in the options. would have to get more parts)
Well you want to be aware of engine balance difference's between the years... Yours being an 84 it has the 28oz balance. All engines from 88 up to like 96 (i forget) are 38oz balance.
It would be nice to get the engine out of a newer car as it could have less miles than an older one. But asside from the balance issue (wich is easily resolved) the 88 up heads have holes drilled in the heads for the injectors as aposed to other engine designes that have them in the intakes.
any 3.8 up to 87 long block will be fine. WHy not just yank the crank and get it turned, then get the "re-ring" kit.
also,, i have a complete 4.2 crank/rod/piston setup that will bolt right in free of charge. It needs turned.
that was another thing i was starting to think about... 4.2... but then id have to hunt down all those and i dont even know what they came in.. i think the f150's mainly. but years i dunno. and i dont really have the time/money to get machine work done. so far all the machine jobs ive had done or will be getting done take under an hour. i was thinkin perhaps the 4.2 would bolt right into place but i dont know how the stock CFI would run that 4.2.