cracked head, need help
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 147
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From: USA
cracked head, need help
Hey guys, this isn't a truck question, but thought ya'll might be able to help anyway. Have a 1992 lincoln contenintal with a 3.8 liter V6 and I think the head is cracked. The number 4 cylinder filled up with coolant, and the oil turned the cooler of wet sand almost. What do I need to do to change it? How envolved a job would this be if I undertook it myself? And, does anyone know the torque specs? Thanks. Oh, it is the front cylinder head, so I can get to it without having to pull the engine.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,571
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From: Oxford, Indiana
cracked head, need help
I know that you don't want to hear this, but your engine is likely done. 3.8's of that vintage are notorious for sneezing head gaskets. It's probably that rather than a cracked head. That's the good news. You can change the head gasket and cure the immediate problem, but it won't do anything for the fact that the main bearings are probably trashed. That's the bad news. Coolant and bearings do NOT mix. Feel free to fix the gasket and drive it for awhile, but I almost guarantee that you'll have an oil light flicker at idle soon after and then a hellacious knock soon after that. If the car is worth it, do yourself a huge favor and either replace/rebuild the ontire engine, or fix the gasket and trade it quick.
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
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From: USA
cracked head, need help
thanks for the help. Is there any chance at all that the damage is only the gasket and that the bearings weren't affected? I drained all the oil out of the engine, and got the water out of the cylinder.
Post Fiend
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 7,157
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From: Central Kali
cracked head, need help
I had a bad head gasket in a Datsun once, filled the cylinder up with coolant. Fixed the warped head and put it back together. Drove it for 80,000 miles before I got rid of it. 
Elder User
Joined: Apr 2002
Posts: 541
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From: Victoria, Texas
cracked head, need help
I'm willin' to bet that if you change the gasket and oil you would be ok. Change the oil again after you run it for maybe 5 min or so just to get all of that water out, because it will be hard to at first. Haynes manuals have all of the specs you need. And if you can drop a trans then you can do head gaskets. Follow the book, label parts, and keep things clean and you should not have any problems, providing you do have some mechanical experience.
Laughing Gas
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 1,198
Likes: 9
From: Fairmont
cracked head, need help
Lately most of the 3.8 heads we have seen have not been cracked. If they are some are external and some between the seats. But they do wrap a lot. They actually wrap the opposite direction of most heads. Sitting on the engine they will lift the ends. This usually can't be done bolted down so usually they will pull one end up and leak. Also intakes leaks alot. Hence water in the oil.
The head will definately need resurfacing.
The head will definately need resurfacing.
Elder User
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 925
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From: Quaker Hill ,CT U.S.A.
cracked head, need help
Doesnt the 3.8 use torque to yield head bolts? If it does you need to buy a head bolt set too
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Posting Guru
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 1,712
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From: Atlanta, Georgia, USA
cracked head, need help
I will have to agree with Rage, even if you fix that gasket, the bearings will be toast. I haven't done it on a 3.8, but I fixed a 302 head gasket, and even upgraded to the best Fel-Pro head gasket makes, and used ARP studs to keep it on, but about 3 months later it developed hardcore rod bearing knock. I tore the engine down to find that there was copper showing through 5/8 rod bearing, and 2/5 main bearing. Things just aren't the same once you run an engine full of coolant. Pull the motor apart and throw some new bearings in, that's all you need. You wouldn't even need to pull the pistons out, just remove the rod and main caps, and the crank. It will make all the difference. bearings are cheap anyway.
About the Datsun that you got 80,000 miles out of- well, that's just an import living up to their reputation. As much as I hate it, those little ricers can take an unreasonable beating and do things that defy logic-case in point. TK
About the Datsun that you got 80,000 miles out of- well, that's just an import living up to their reputation. As much as I hate it, those little ricers can take an unreasonable beating and do things that defy logic-case in point. TK
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Elder User
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cracked head, need help
Originally posted by BlueOvalRage
I know that you don't want to hear this, but your engine is likely done. 3.8's of that vintage are notorious for sneezing head gaskets. It's probably that rather than a cracked head.
I know that you don't want to hear this, but your engine is likely done. 3.8's of that vintage are notorious for sneezing head gaskets. It's probably that rather than a cracked head.
you may be right, but not if it's RWD. The FWD 3.8 is a head
gasket blowing engine, the RWDs don't have that problem...
Lead Driver
Joined: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,556
Likes: 43
From: Concord, NC
cracked head, need help
All 3.8's have that problem, just not as bad in rear wheel drive cars. My sister has a 95 Mustang with 130,000 miles, and the gaskets were just replaced. Mechanic says that they are good for about 80,000 to 100,000 miles, after that, it's probably time to replace them. I'd replace both at the same time so you don't have to tear the intake manifold off again when the other bank blows. If you don't want to do it yourself, it's about a $1000 repair at a shop.
Last edited by EPNCSU2006; Feb 26, 2003 at 10:04 PM.
Thread Starter
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Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 147
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From: USA
cracked head, need help
How much would it be just for parts? Any one know? If I try to undertake this myself any of you guys in the Little Rock Arkansas area? Would you be interested in helping out, just showing me how to do it? Thanks for the help guys. Still haven't decided what to do with it, but getting there.
Junior User
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 54
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From: east of Orlando
cracked head, need help
I dont know what these guys are talking about. Your bearings are most likely fine unless you ran the engine for a long time with this problem. Change the head gasket, mill the head till its flat, and change the oil a couple of times to get the water out and you'll be fine. Ive done this several times and have never had a problem.
Cargo Master
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 2,571
Likes: 22
From: Oxford, Indiana
cracked head, need help
You've done this several times on a 3.8 and been OK?!? I don't think so. Alright for a couple thousand miles maybe, but not long term. Custom Truker, do what you want to - you will anyway. But I am here to tell ya that if you ran it long with the crankcase full of antifreeze, you hurt the bearings. PERIOD. Bearings are cheap and the peace of mind is priceless. By the time you get one head off, you might as well do the other. After the're both off, you've just about got the engine out anyway.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 9,748
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From: Connecticut
cracked head, need help
Myself, I would have to think long and hard about whether the engine work would even be worth it based on the age of the vehicle. I own a '93 Sable 3.8L (FWD). I bought it used about 4 years ago so I don't know whether the head gasket has ever been replaced. It's got 110K miles now, runs great, and still has a lotta pep. Looks pretty good, too. But if the head gasket blows tomorrow, will I dump 1000-1500 bucks into it to get it back on the road? If I was gonna keep the engine for another application, then yea maybe, but that's not in my plans. I've been looking around, and 10 year old Sables and Tauruses are going mighty cheap. I'm sure the same can be said for 11 year old Continentals. Boils down to this: Is your money better spent on acquiring a newer vehicle with less wear and tear?