Motor problem - 1994 3.8L
IntegraB18LS
08-22-2003, 01:39 AM
Okay i picked up a 1994 3.8 Mustang that supposivly has blow head gaskets. I started it up and drove it home - it did smoke white but smelled more like gas then coolent. Okay so I get home and pull the plugs - all are dry and look desent (except one with white specles - lean?) and then another one on the other side is wet/black but smells like gas bad. I did a compression test on all cylinders except the one that was wet (having trouble getting my guage in there) and they were all at 150 psi. So im not sure if the headgaskets are gone. could this be just a fuel system problem? could a injector be leaking or not spraying correctly? I pulled the upper plenum off the intake to see how hard it will be to remove the injectors and it looks fairly simple - headgaskets dont look like they will be that much fun. When I was driving the car it was makeing some wierd clunking sounds (not like detonation/pinging or not like a rod knock/lifter or anything) more like it was sputtering kinda. and it was hesitating bad. at idle my eyes started watering i could smell gas from the exhaust and it was slightly smoking - then get on the gas and it would give a nice cloud for the people behind me. the oil is clean - no signs of coolent in there. What do you guys think of this? what should I do? does it sound like a few problems or just 1 that makes you think many things are wrong?
Should I try changing fuel injectors or just do the head gaskets?
What other cars will have fuel injectors that will directly plug into a 1994 mustang 3.8? do the 3.8L FWD ford cars use the same injectors? will they work? should I change just the one that was wet or all of them?
Thanks for you help,
Kyle
Should I try changing fuel injectors or just do the head gaskets?
What other cars will have fuel injectors that will directly plug into a 1994 mustang 3.8? do the 3.8L FWD ford cars use the same injectors? will they work? should I change just the one that was wet or all of them?
Thanks for you help,
Kyle
SkylineUSA
08-22-2003, 07:49 AM
Make sure the firing order is correct. I have seen guys sell cars, because they moved the plug wires around and did not know any better to put them back in the right order.
Maybe the Spark Plug wire is shorting out. Turn out the lights at night, and run the car. You should see the spark jump then.
Plug could be bad, switch them around.
You need to check that one cylinder for compression as well, if not its a real crap shoot.
Your getting gas, and spark, but not sure if that plug is firing, or firing wrong in the timing events.
Those are my thoughts.
Maybe the Spark Plug wire is shorting out. Turn out the lights at night, and run the car. You should see the spark jump then.
Plug could be bad, switch them around.
You need to check that one cylinder for compression as well, if not its a real crap shoot.
Your getting gas, and spark, but not sure if that plug is firing, or firing wrong in the timing events.
Those are my thoughts.
OheyJim
07-21-2004, 09:42 PM
I also have a 94 mustang 3.8 with smoke.It started about a week ago but 3 1/2 years ago Ford had a recall on the 3.8 liter motor. I took it to a ford dealer back then and they replaced the whole block/ heads because of a head gasket problem. I didn't question them " I said Thank You "
Now the smoking started I took it back to the ford dealer and asked why this kind of problem is back if they were suppose to have fixed it. They said ha ha warrenty is up and it would cost me 1800.00 to repair. I told them to kiss my engine :lol: I wasn't sure if it was water or fuel because of the smell. But I tryed block sealer but it didn't seem to work still smoked . Spark plug #6 is not firing but the smoke did seem to stop. Also there is a liquid coming out my exhaust I think its fuel. So I will change the injector this week. I don't know if because the plug is fouled the smoke stopped or Im flooding that cylinder. Wish me luck or someone stop me and tell to just change the head gasket.
By the way I think Ford told me the recall on the block was because the water ports in the block were drilled to close to the cylinder wall .
Have a Nice Day
Jim and I hate cars but I hate
Given up
Now the smoking started I took it back to the ford dealer and asked why this kind of problem is back if they were suppose to have fixed it. They said ha ha warrenty is up and it would cost me 1800.00 to repair. I told them to kiss my engine :lol: I wasn't sure if it was water or fuel because of the smell. But I tryed block sealer but it didn't seem to work still smoked . Spark plug #6 is not firing but the smoke did seem to stop. Also there is a liquid coming out my exhaust I think its fuel. So I will change the injector this week. I don't know if because the plug is fouled the smoke stopped or Im flooding that cylinder. Wish me luck or someone stop me and tell to just change the head gasket.
By the way I think Ford told me the recall on the block was because the water ports in the block were drilled to close to the cylinder wall .
Have a Nice Day
Jim and I hate cars but I hate
Given up
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