i have a 3.8 out of a 83 F100 that I am very fond of and would like some detailed info if any is available.

is this motor sort of a 302 minus 2 cylinders? ow fast can you spin them?
not building a racecar. Just a motor to get me from A to B.

No plans for aftermarket stuff

I'm seriously considering putting it in a ranger. don't like cramped engine compartments and don't like EFI.

This motor came with a carb and aluminum heads and intake.
maybe I sholrd check some T-Bird sites. are they the same 3.8????

 

come on guys! Iknow its not a windsor but I don't see a V6 forum for this motor
someone has to know something

any inherent weaknesses???

 

The newer 3.8's blew head gaskets like no other. Other than that, I don't know of any other problems. I have heard same as you, that it's basically a 302 without two of the cylinders.

 

Tis quite true, the 3.8 is a 302 minus the rear two. Similar to GM's 4.3 being a 350 missing its rear-most cylinders. Just wedge a 302 in the ranger...it'll be fun .

The older 3.8's did have troubles with that, and if I were you I'd upgrade the head gasket while its out of the vehicle to make things easier. The problem is the weak gasket used in relation to the different expansion properties of the aluminum head and iron block. The aluminum would expand and contract much faster with heating/cooling then the iron would, and with a gasket that wasn't designed for this bad things happened. Otherwise they are a good motor. If you're looking for fun, you might try a supercharged 3.8, though you'll then be dealing with lots of hoses and lines running around plus EFI. Still if I were going to do a 3.8 I'd at least use one with EFI. 200HP and 225 relatively low-rpm (for this size engine) torque.

 

Moved to proper forum.

 

AWESOME. ONE thread about a 3.8L motor and it gets moved into the 4.2L forum. This motor doesn't belong in this forum. I'd really be happy if it were moved somewhere else, or have it's own forum (if so much gets posted about it!!!). There is already plently of people in the 4.2L forum to make it a forum by itself.

 

another question, isn't the 3.8L used in Mustangs, not TRUCKS, considering this is FORD TRUCK ENTHUSIASTS FORUMS. I'm HOT...

Do you fellow 4.2 posters agree with me?

 

Homer i'd check the title of this forum again if i were you! And if you read the thread he said the 3.8 is in a 83 F100 which BTW Ford did do a few of.

 

I know I did read the top of the forum, which is stupid. Can you not put this somewhere else?? I'm about to say goodbye to FTE for good.

 

Some people take themselves and forum topics far too seriously. Life is too short to get bunchy about things like this.

The 3.8 stuff is only here until its established enough to split the threads off into their own section. The 3.8 was used in more than one Ford truck/suv application. I assume everyone here is grown up enough to handle that.

 

wooops, erroneous post

 

I believe that would be a "yes".

Homer, Chill out man! Who licked all the red off your candy today?

You'd leave FTE over THIS!?! Why, I always thought we are one big happy (somewhat dysfunctional, but happy) family!

 

Alright, I'm here to stay. But I still think it is stupid.

 

Stupid?
Staying

here is some comparison info.
http://www.supersixmotorsports.com/P...Comparison.pdf

 

thank you for moving me but I was fairly certain I only saw the 4.2 and not the 3.8 and thats why i posted in the 302,351,ect..

This motor did come out a F series.

If this had been a stang or t bird or something I wuld have gone somewhere else! I 'am a member of quite a few other forums.

My reasoning for choosing here is that if I go to a cougar forum everyone will be busy asking me what a carburetor is and I assumed there would be some differences between the early truck and the later car motors, also

what i want to know is if the 302 will spin 6000 on a stock bottom, will the 3.8 do the same?

Are there any years with drastically improved... ANYTHING?? heads or such?

I have chosen this for my ranger because the aluminum heads plus aluminum intake plus some headers would be a fairly light engine for being old school!

If a 302 goes 460 then subtract 2 cylinders what is that ? 70lbs , then aluminum heads figure maybe 25 less? then headers take another 20lbs ??

I might end up with a 350 +\- engine? i can probably use a 4 cylinder T5 to save mone y?
Just change the bellhousing to fit the 302 pattern.


I've readthat the 3.8s go about 112 with a carb but thats not that bad if you subtract 25% from the 302s of the same era it's really no different.

plus now I can say it has aluminum heads any everyone will say

thanx for your answers and please don't bash the 3.8 unless its from a technical standpoint