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Topic: 3.8 litre head gaskets... (Read 1589 times) previous topic - next topic

3.8 litre head gaskets...

I have an '87 Cougar that I'm driving here in Sweden with the 3.8 litre engine. It has worked just perfectly for 280 000 km until this fall, when for no reason a head gasket must have blown. (Smokes a lot of white smoke and it does not stop even when the engine is warmed up). It is hard to understand since the engine always has been well maintained and never overheated.

Anyway, does anyone know if there is anything special to keep in mind when replacing the headgaskets on the 3.8 litre engine? Are there any other defects on this type of engine that can cause this problem other than blown headgaskets? Are the aftermarket gaskets better than the original ones? I dont want it to happen again. Appreciate any answer.

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #1 –
After well done job, change coolant once a year (keeping it fresh). That should help you get more time.

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #2 –
Lesseee, if I caculated it correctly that's about 173,600 miles which is excellent for the 3.8. Head gasket problems are common on these engines. The problem stems from some of the water passages being very close to the cylinders and due to the aluminum heads expanding causes these areas to wear, eventually blowing the gasket.

Would be a good idea to have the heads checked at a machine shop to verify they are still true, very common for them to warp...

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #3 –
Quote from: TurboCoupe50;114125
Lesseee, if I caculated it correctly that's about 173,600 miles which is excellent for the 3.8. Head gasket problems are common on these engines. The problem stems from some of the water passages being very close to the cylinders and due to the aluminum heads expanding causes these areas to wear, eventually blowing the gasket.

Would be a good idea to have the heads checked at a machine shop to verify they are still true, very common for them to warp...


This brings up a discussion I have had with my brother several times.Bear with me please... If you have a high mileage car with a blown head gasket and remove the head to replace it; It makes sense to go through the head and replace worn or worn out parts. If you do that though, since you got the head off, it makes sense to go through the bottom half as well. Now comes my brothers argument. Why go through all that if you can find a low mileage engine in the junkyard to use? There are junkyards in my area that will run the engine and even offer a limited warranty. I take the position if your going to the trouble to pull the engine might as well modify what you got to have fun with after you complete the work. :) What do you guys think?

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #4 –
Why would he pull the engine???

I did the hg's in my mustang this fall, just pulled the heads/intake, dont the valve guides since they were in the kit and popped it back together.


If it aint' broke dont fix it.


Scott
1980 birds X 3, 1982 bird, 1984 XR7, 1988 TC

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #5 –
It's called P.M.

How many more miles will you get now that you redid the upper half before leaks and other annoyances start eating at you from the lower half? Just how many miles can you put on a set of piston rings in a well maintained, period 5.0L? I only have 60k on mine. I thought the engine were talking about has three times as much mileage?? I guess I'm confused!!

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #6 –
You have no history on a bone yard motor so even if it has 50,000 miles on it, it might not be as good as your 173,00 motor and there’s no reason why you cant get 300,000 miles out of a well maintained motor.

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #7 –
Thanks for all the answers. I really appreciate it. Yes I know that 280 000 km (about 175 000 miles) is a very long distance for a car. Here in Sweden the general opinion is that American engines are  more or less impossible to wear out as long as you maintain them correctly with oil change, filter change and coolant change and dont misuse them. That's why I'm surprised that this can happen just out of the blue. Blown head gaskets is usually caused by something, for instance overheating. I just hope that with all the work it means to pull out the heads and replace the gaskets I wont experience it again as long as I'm owning the car. If anybody can give expert advise for replacing them I'd be grateful.

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #8 –
Be sure to use NEW head bolts. I know here in the U.S., you can get a kit at the Ford dealership that comes with the new head gaskets and bolts for the 3.8 V6. I don't imagine that American (standard) bolts are easy to find over there, though...

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #9 –
Well to get parts for American cars are no problem. There are a lot of companies here that imports and sells parts from the United States. I'm just concerned about that the aftermarket gaskets being of better quality so I wont have the same problem again.

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #10 –
As I already stated, its basically a design problem... With new gaskets, bolts and heads that are true, it may last another 280,000km but don't bet on it...

Sounds like in your country cars are maintained more like they should be, instead of the general neglect of anything over 8-10 years old here in the states... I remember my son-in-law talking about doing maintance required for warrenty on a Mercedes Benz, he said "Hell if you'd do that same maintance on a Chevette, it would run forever"
 

3.8 litre head gaskets...

Reply #11 –
Quote from: swedishcougar;114093
I have an '87 Cougar that I'm driving here in Sweden with the 3.8 litre engine. It has worked just perfectly for 280 000 km until this fall, when for no reason a head gasket must have blown. (Smokes a lot of white smoke and it does not stop even when the engine is warmed up).


since later in the post you asked for suggestions on "how to",,im very certain you can get all the help you need,,,,,,,,BUT i am very concerned and curious about your very first post you made which i have quoted.....

you never menioned you have any visible leaks,,,nor did you mention you have any over heating problems.  Since you do not have either of the two nor did you ever indicate you were having to add coolant all the time,,, what makes you think its a head gasket?  If you do not have either of these symptoms,, please tell me what troubleshooting has been done to the car so far, it may not be the headgasket is my point

i got over 330,000 miles on my 3.8 and never had head gasket issues as everyone here seems to experience.  i rebuilt mine a while back just for the heck of it.