So what do you guys think about the 80"s 3.8's (None supercoup)? Are they any good? What kind of power do they put out? Will they bolt to a c4,and c4 flywheel ? How is the wiring harness (just the engine management part)to work with?
thanks

Oh ya if you got HP #'s could you post those too.
thanks

They run forver in everything Ive had, just the FWD auto trannys they get bolted to are junk. The mustangs got a C3 or C4, SROD, AOD, and T-5, so I know that right there gives you trans options, the Srod and C3/C4 came in 4wd configurations. Not alot of aftermarket, but a few places have picked up on it. Comp cams makes a few cams for it too. Morana makes about everything under the sun to spice it up, including 4.4 stroker kits..

http://www.moranav6racing.com/

Another company Power6 or something like that does similar setups.. hope this helps.

Run forever but blow head gaskets like they are going out of style you mean? That's the biggest problem. If you even think of running a 3.8 then you had best replace the headgasket, or else its gonna bomb your motor (or at least ruin your weekend just changing them and flushing the crank case).

I wauld say that the 3.8 is not the best choice. It's basically a cut down 5.0 anyways, just with 3/4 of the cylinders. Might as well go five-oh, its a compact powerplant that can be souped up cheaper then a 3.8 with much better end results. The only reason I'd use a 3.8 is to bolt up a 4R70W, but even then there are SBF bolt patterned 4R70W's as well (I'm a BIG fan of that automatic transmission).

If you are stuck on going with the 3.8, you really are choosing the best Ford V6 to use. It's relatively torquey in FI form (225TQ at 4k I think in MN-12's when they were discontinued), and I wouldn't bother with a carb. Small engines need FI to compete. The Vulcan 3.0 V6 hasn't got much low end, much high end, and nothing in the middle, but the only thing you can kill on them is the water pump, and the Duratec is an electronics nightmare and shares the Modular motor bolt pattern (In common trim). Still...5.0 is the way to go.

91-97 Cougars/Thunderbirds had like 145HP and 225 TQ. If you're going to run one you want a 96 or 97 engine to start with. They have updated head gaskets (though I'd still change them), and also use the Essex block which previously was the Supercoupe block. After discontinuing the Supercoupe the old weaker block was dropped in favor of the Essex because soon after the Mustang received a Split Port intake and other goodies which brought the HP up over 200 and that really would be half-way decent choice for a build up - but again its a wiring nightmare as it also has a on-demand fuel setup.

Run forever but blow head gaskets like they are going out of style you mean? That's the biggest problem. If you even think of running a 3.8 then you had best replace the headgasket, or else its gonna bomb your motor (or at least ruin your weekend just changing them and flushing the crank case).

I wauld say that the 3.8 is not the best choice. It's basically a cut down 5.0 anyways, just with 3/4 of the cylinders. Might as well go five-oh, its a compact powerplant that can be souped up cheaper then a 3.8 with much better end results. The only reason I'd use a 3.8 is to bolt up a 4R70W, but even then there are SBF bolt patterned 4R70W's as well (I'm a BIG fan of that automatic transmission).

If you are stuck on going with the 3.8, you really are choosing the best Ford V6 to use. It's relatively torquey in FI form (225TQ at 4k I think in MN-12's when they were discontinued), and I wouldn't bother with a carb. Small engines need FI to compete. The Vulcan 3.0 V6 hasn't got much low end, much high end, and nothing in the middle, but the only thing you can kill on them is the water pump, and the Duratec is an electronics nightmare and shares the Modular motor bolt pattern (In common trim). Still...5.0 is the way to go.

91-97 Cougars/Thunderbirds had like 145HP and 225 TQ. If you're going to run one you want a 96 or 97 engine to start with. They have updated head gaskets (though I'd still change them), and also use the Essex block which previously was the Supercoupe block. After discontinuing the Supercoupe the old weaker block was dropped in favor of the Essex because soon after the Mustang received a Split Port intake and other goodies which brought the HP up over 200 and that really would be half-way decent choice for a build up - but again its a wiring nightmare as it also has a on-demand fuel setup.

Thanks for the info. Do you know the weight diff. between the 3.8 and 5.0?

Not off the top of my head.

Enough that when doing a 5.0 swap you really needed to switch over to V8 suspension in MN12's. Of course there were also heavy pigs in their own right.

Not off the top of my head.

Enough that when doing a 5.0 swap you really needed to switch over to V8 suspension in MN12's. Of course there were also heavy pigs in their own right.

This is for a mid engine buggy so working around the suspension is not a big deal.. Just trying to deside what power plant i want to use..

[QUOTE=Saurian]Run forever but blow head gaskets like they are going out of style you mean? That's the biggest problem. QUOTE]

Huh.. news to me. I had a 91 sable and an 88 taurus, they each ate 3 trannys and a fuel pump but the 3.8's always ran perfectly. The sable died with 212k, the taurus around 201k, the heads never came off. Of course, your results may vary, I was always fairly impressed with those motors. My wife had a 01 3.8/auto mustang we drove the balls off of, it cracked a water pump at 70k, but that was the dealership's problem at that point :)

Oh, the Mazda M5R2 (similar to the F-150 4wd trans) was used in 5 speed apps for the 3.8 cougar as well. If you find a supercharged car, they do have decent numbers, 210hp/315 ft/lbs.

For all intensive purposes though, I'd agree with Saurian and do it cheaper and more powerful by stepping up to a 5.0. If I were to run a V6 It would be the stronger 4.0 or probably turbo buick 3.8 :)

had a 3.8 in my first class 7 truck, ran like crazy, just keep it coooooool. also i ran a small bolt pattern c-6 behind hit. when i changed to dexcool for the coolant, it helped out alot. cooled down close to 15 degrees. i always had my foot to the floor and it held up great and they are dirt cheap. although i did have an intake made for a carb. i did not run the fi.

a friend ran one in a ranger with a c4 trans and carb ran good for a sixbut for the trouble to install id go with a 302.

Anyone know the weight diff. 5.0 vs 3.8 ??

If you go on google and search 3.8 Ford, or 3.8 Head Gasket, you'll know what I'm talking about. Go to Cougarnuts, TCCOA, SCCOA, any of those forums and ask about a non-SC 3.8 and they'll all cringe. You are very lucky. If you did not own those cars their whole lives, I'd almost be willing to bet that somebody before you replaced them at some point. There are shining examples.

For the weight difference, it'll probably be 15% less. The 3.8 is just a 302 without the rear two cylinders in place, so you figure you're at 25% less, however you still have all the accessories and other junk so I'd say 15% less would be safe, maybe a touch more.

Yeah, the later Mustang 3.8's ran/run like a spotted ass ape. The Mustangs seemed less likely to blow head gaskets throughout the years, but the Thunderbird/Cougar's, Taurus/Sable's, and Windstars all suffered the 3.8's head gasket plight. The good news is that a new set of head gaskets (~70 dollars) cures this all these days. The reason they pop head gaskets is because the 3.8's utilize an aluminum head on top of an iron block. The old gaskets were only slightly different from your normal iron/iron gaskets, and so they could not deal with the constant differences in expansion rates between the aluminum and iron. And when you overheat, its all the worse. Another issue that has been discussed is that failure to change your coolant regularly causes issues, as the electrolysis gets to a couple of the cylinders which were designed with water jackets a little too close, the common points of head gasket failure.

The 3.8 is a great motor, you just have to treat it a little nicer. As I said before, I'd go 5.0. As Pink said though, if you're insistent on a 6, the 4.0 is "nearly bulletproof" and provides plenty of torque. Only problem is that you would then have a RBV bolt pattern (I think? Don't quote me on that), not the more desirable smallblock bolt pattern.

I can't say on the NA 3.8, but the SC 3.8 is about 400# fully dressed. With HP at 215 and Tq at 310, both by 3600 RPM it really revs fast and moves a rig pretty quick, OK, a light rig.

I think the NA version is about 140 HP and 225 TQ.
Joe

That's EFI numbers, 87 and up. A carbed 3.8 like he has is going to be significantly less. If you go this route, EFI definately. I'd love to see a Supercoupe motor in a rig though. A few mods and you're over 400 ft-lbs of torque easy and at the 300HP mark.

Plus the 4R70W is a great transmission to beef up, but its electronic. It needs beefed though, thats the key. Though, anything but a C6 needs beefed before wheeling.