ford 3.8 quality?

I was told by my mechanic that ford 3.8 are bad motors due to head gaskets will someone please disprove or confirm this notion bc i am about to buy a 1995 v6 3.8 mustang with 82K miles but im wondering wether i should or not now?

Yes, 94-98's have a head gasket probelem.

Yes, 94-98's have a head gasket probelem.

but from 99 on, they have no problems.

and they arent bad motors, your mechanic doesnt like fords is all.

edit- a little correction, the head gasket issue was fixed somewhere in the middle of the 96 model year.

how often does this problem occure in the 94 to 95 is it that big of an issue if i want to get that car or will it last me till like 175 k miles

any pre 95 will have the head gasket problem, they fixed it mid year of 96 some time, then in 99 they went to split port so its completly different

I just bought my 95' 3.8 two days ago with blown head gaskets however, I have a 89' 5.0 that I plan to drop in it provided, I get the information needed to do the swap. I knew the gaskets were blown before I bought the car so, I guess there are issues with the gaskets on the 95' 3.8 v6. I bought the car for $600 and if my swap isn't possible, I guess I will replace the gaskets and drive it till it drops.

Yes, 94-98's have a head gasket probelem.

Yep, and when they fixed that problem in '99, intake gaskets started poppin

Yep, and when they fixed that problem in '99, intake gaskets started poppin

wrong

That's odd..Being a mechanic, I've changed nearly as many on the 3.8 as I have on the 3100 GM V-6.

Let me rephrase, most 3.8's were over 75,000 miles...

well they fixed the problem midway through 96, not 99. and i have never heard the problem you mentioned. ever. the gm 3100 on the other hand... that things a peice of shit. i know that from experience, but the 3.8 is a great engine, both from gm and ford.

I have a 3100 with 203,000 on the clock. Hardly a POS. I partially agree, however. Any engine is can be junk without the proper preventative maintenance....

I have a 3100 with 203,000 on the clock. Hardly a POS. I partially agree, however. Any engine is can be junk without the proper preventative maintenance....

Ah, the key to making ANY(almost) engine last a long time. :)

With the exception of the Chrysler 2.7. You know after rebuilding it(resize rods, turn crank, line bore), it's a fine engine. It's just those damn aluminum bearings.

well they fixed the problem midway through 96, not 99. and i have never heard the problem you mentioned. ever. the gm 3100 on the other hand... that things a peice of shit. i know that from experience, but the 3.8 is a great engine, both from gm and ford.

yep, well fords essex 3.8 was stolen from buick so, same thing, and your right on the headgasket thing

The 3.8L engines that were made before the split port design has the head gasket issues. Ford did change the head gasket design, but.. it was a bandaid fix. The split port design fixed the issues. Also that crap about the split port design popping intake gaskets.. is that crap.

rdtynersr --- FYI dropping a OLDER engine into a newer body is not street legal in any state due to the EPA rules, althou some states are pretty lax or have lax emissions testing.... you can drop a new engine into a OLDER body, and that is street legal.

The 3.8L engines that were made before the split port design has the head gasket issues. Ford did change the head gasket design, but.. it was a bandaid fix. The split port design fixed the issues. Also that crap about the split port design popping intake gaskets.. is that crap.

rdtynersr --- FYI dropping a OLDER engine into a newer body is not street legal in any state due to the EPA rules, althou some states are pretty lax or have lax emissions testing.... you can drop a new engine into a OLDER body, and that is street legal.

94-95 and half of 96 had the headgasket issue after that it was fixed and i have not heard of anyone blowing headgaskets like the pre 96s on an older one, even if it was a single port