V-6 into EB
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Moro Bay, AR
V-6 into EB
I have a 68 EB with a very tired 351W/435NP drivetrain. I was wondering if anyone has ever swapped in a 3.8 V-6. I have one in a T-bird that was wrecked with only 500 miles on a Ford reman engine. Seems to me this would help with room to put larger radiator and stop some of the overheating problems I have always had.
This EB already has the Ford/Chevy disc brake swap and hydro-boost. I am currently running Qs but sometimes run 17-40s. With the 4:10 gears it has never had any power problems, even with the original 170 l6, so I don't think the V-6 will be under powered.
This EB already has the Ford/Chevy disc brake swap and hydro-boost. I am currently running Qs but sometimes run 17-40s. With the 4:10 gears it has never had any power problems, even with the original 170 l6, so I don't think the V-6 will be under powered.
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Joined: Jul 2004
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From: SE Wisconsin
If you use the 3.8, make sure that everything is in order, mainly, the heads. I had a 94 T-Bird that smoked its head gaskets and after the rebuild, the motor ran like crap and it had an awful chatter from the heads. If your motor is good and you find a way to shimmy it into your EB, I would love to hear about it as I have a 73 that has a nearly dead 302 and a radiator with a hole through the center from the fan. I am always looking for ways to put a different radiator into it. Merry Christmas!
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Colville
You may have a 3.8, but if your going to the trouble why not a pushrod 4.0?
Better yet rebuild the 351W. Over heating problems I have encountered with my 351 were finally cured by buying a good Miloden water pump and ditchen the cheap POS rebuilt unit that came from NAPA.
Better yet rebuild the 351W. Over heating problems I have encountered with my 351 were finally cured by buying a good Miloden water pump and ditchen the cheap POS rebuilt unit that came from NAPA.
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Joined: Apr 2004
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Some time back around 97 or so I put a 3.8 in a 67 for tough truck racing....did it mainly for the engines light weight due to aluminum heads and intake. 3.8 has the small block bolt pattern, the rear sump pan cleared beautifully, I had to make my own motor mounts but the bolt bosses in the block were in the right location so it was pretty easy to do.The one I used came from a 85 T-bird that had been wrecked, the throttle body injection has the same pattern as a standard ford 2V carb. It is a wide engine and will barely clear the master cylinder and my particular exhaust manifolds pointed right at the frame- wasnt really an issue for me, but I suppose a person might be able to find manifolds from another application that might work if you have to run exhaust.I also was not running any inner fenders, so I cant verify on the clearance there, but I believe it shouldnt be a problem.I was running a big damn radiator mounter in the back, so my cooling is irrelevant, but I will say that you dont want to overheat a 3.8 because the aluminum heads are known for warping if that happens.
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Joined: Dec 2005
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From: Moro Bay, AR
Why not rebuild the 351W?
This engine was a junkyard find long ago that has a little tag on the side.
Bore:.060/Mains.030/Rods.030
Any more questions?
The 3.8 in question is in a 85 T-bird and has less than 500 documented miles since new. A friend put it in his daughter's car for a graduation present and she dodged a deer 2 weeks later and made a unplanned trip through the woods. Not much left of the body or the new radiator, but the engine still runs fine.(Oh, she wasn't hurt either)
If changing this engine to a carb, what do you do about the distributor and computer?
This engine was a junkyard find long ago that has a little tag on the side.
Bore:.060/Mains.030/Rods.030
Any more questions?
The 3.8 in question is in a 85 T-bird and has less than 500 documented miles since new. A friend put it in his daughter's car for a graduation present and she dodged a deer 2 weeks later and made a unplanned trip through the woods. Not much left of the body or the new radiator, but the engine still runs fine.(Oh, she wasn't hurt either)
If changing this engine to a carb, what do you do about the distributor and computer?
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I got a distributor from a carbed 3.8, they were only made for one year-84 I think. Another issue I had was that engine would always fall on its face when trying to accelerate hard from a dead stop. I tried many different carbs and used a remanufactured distributor among other things, but it would always do that. Ran great otherwise-- I only have two theories about it 1- not adequate backpressure because of no exhaust (not likely) 2- fuel injected cam not working with the carb setup. I wheel with a guy that put a toyota engine in a sammy and the "experts" told him that a fuelie cam wont work with a carb and vice-versa, so maybe its also the case with other brands too???
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Joined: Jan 2005
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If you want a 6, how about the 300? A lot of them still around that can be had pretty cheap, they last forever. Great low end torque for wheeling, will still give you some room in the engine bay, won"t help the radiator side. Better mpg than a 351, and still alot of after market parts for them, like Clifford performance. Maybe could swap your 3.8 for one at the bone yard. The 300 is one off the best motors ford ever made. There low end torque curve is awesome on the trails.
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 295
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From: Ringgold GA.
Wendell the 300 requires MAJOR and excessive cutting, fabricateing and lengthining of the engine compartment, not to mention hood clearance issues. I checked into this before replaceing the 200 I6 in my '74, too much chopping! Too bad because a 300 in an EB would be outstanding!!!!!
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Tuned
Joined: Oct 2003
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From: Ringgold GA.
Don't feel bad, I just started learning about strait sixes a couple months ago when I started my Eb re-build. I wanted to keep the six in it and was dead set on a 300....until I found out what all was involved. Turns out the 300 and 240 are called "big block" while the 170, 200, and 250 are considered small blocks.
Mechmagcn: If you want to go with an I6 look at clifford performance.net they have all sorts of go fast goodies for the sixes.
Mechmagcn: If you want to go with an I6 look at clifford performance.net they have all sorts of go fast goodies for the sixes.
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