More than "just a six"

[plstktnkr2]

update: (well sorta) My headers (BBK long-tubes) were sandblasted, coated and baked at my local powdercoat shop for $75.00, and I am picking them up on Thursday. CMON WARM TEMPS!!!!

[fairmont city]

very interesting build .I have been pondering what to do with my 84 LTD 2door wagon and keep coming back to 6 cyl power.I have just resently been asking about doing the 4.2 swap.

[plstktnkr2]

Sorry for the delay, I got sidelined by pneumonia for a month, so hopefully I can resume this thread . The weather is betting better so stay tuned and be patient. Thanks for the support from you all. I am doing this to show what can be done with the basic ford parts book and a little bit of input form knowledgeable people, what a sixer is capable of.
Again I say thank you.
Rick

[ZachCaswell]

so have oyu had this 3.8 sitting in the car? i actually am a tbird owner with a 4 eye in the family (dad has one) and i was thinking about swapping my motor in a for or a sn95. my questions are k members and mounts, you have to make everything or was it direct bolt in? if you have questions let me know. my car went 12.74 yesterday. but i hurt the motor. it weighs 3900. so its hauling for its weight lol

[plstktnkr2]

The motor is a bolt in no swapping of K members

[plstktnkr2]

Ok It's update time!!!

Engine is in bolted to the transmisson, hopefully to stay, and bolted into the car, PLEASE NOTE; IF YOU HAVE AN OIL PAN THAT'S NOT STOCK MAKE SURE YOU CAN REACH T/C BOLTS!!! (NOTE TO SELF!).

I have some pics of my progress: Yes it fits.



No you don't have much room!





I was also checking Intercooler fit:



once the brackets are made it will go in just fine offset to the right. I cant wait

[plstktnkr2]

If I offset the cooler to the passenger side I won't have to cut metal just make brackets.

[IDMooseMan]

More, more, more.

[4x4toys]

We want more

[plstktnkr2]

I needed a knock sensor, it's coming guys, please be patient.

[dropstep]

Love see'ing a car done diffrently. This would be worth looking at in person!

[plstktnkr2]

Well if you guys are local that can be arranged.

[plstktnkr2]

I just took parts to the machine shop yesterday, to modify my "blower hat" to have a 90* bend out of the top and right into the bend to go to the intercooler to eliminate the complex direction changes in the stock system. since I run a "Stormin' Norman" hood I believe I will have clearance without hitting my hood or tower brace. After these mods I should have one "squish" point left and that is at the intake manifold, the rest will be 3 inch from blower to intake casting. Less restriction and heat equals more power.

[plstktnkr2]

Knock sensor is coming from CA (thanks to sccoa member) should be here soon! Then we will wrangle with the torque converter nuts and starter.

[plstktnkr2]

Knock sensor installed, torque converter nuts installed, blower belt installed. stay tuned for more of my "mis" (?) adventure!

[dawaki]

this is very interesting. I just picked up a 83 vert with a six in it. I wondered if it was a good motor to do anything with. according to Wikipedia this engine was pretty much copied from the buick 3.8 of the day. the buick engine is pretty good motor so I wondered why everyone says go v8 or turbo 4. hope to see this one done and kicking butt

[plstktnkr2]

this is very interesting. I just picked up a 83 vert with a six in it. I wondered if it was a good motor to do anything with. according to Wikipedia this engine was pretty much copied from the buick 3.8 of the day. the buick engine is pretty good motor so I wondered why everyone says go v8 or turbo 4. hope to see this one done and kicking butt

The reasons are that the six is is more expensive and custom parts are few. where 4 and 8 cylinder motors are both plentiful and speed parts are not custom but available thru aftermarket sources. I wanted to see how much power can be made with a Ford parts book and some creativity, lol
Rick

[plstktnkr2]

UPDATE : Blower belt is in, jackshaft belt is in, serpentine belt, is mocked up, but due to Dorman products engineers having the their
"cranial-rectal inversion" issue I have an A/C Eliminator pully with 6 ribs not the proper 8 (yet the parts catalog lists the N/A and the S/C motors having the same part (hey Dorman, WRONG!!!!) pictures to follow.

[Funky Cricket]

subscribing

[dawaki]

did a search of building up a 3.8 six and there are a few people dedicated to this motor. one guy has a 10 second 6 banger. I might just build the six in mine too. but it will be a while.

[plstktnkr2]

UPDATE: I designed a new blower hat to eliminate any restriction in changing air direction from blower to intercooler. I blocked the original direction and had a tube heli-arc'ed
to the old blower hat after the internal fins were machined out. Here's how it looks:





The tubes will be fastened with silicone 90*'s Now to find a way to eliminate flange on stock manifold inlet, and since I am using a stock sized Mustang radiator, I am moving my Rad mounts to passenger side of the car 3 inches to make room for the cooler tube connections to cooler through 2 more silicone 90*'s

[plstktnkr2]

The basic engine/ECU harness is installed ! Now for starter, and O2 harnesses long enough for longtubes. I need to figure out how to wire a low oil level sensor, and then onward to wire into the car. I cant wait !

[plstktnkr2]

For those of you who wish to use an "A/C Eliminator" pulley, this is what you need to know.
1, Autozone and Advance Auto Parts sell a part by DORMAN that is supposed to fit the S/C, it DOES NOT FIT! The Dorman part also uses a 6 rib pulley
2, Not to worry, DORMAN #34180 is from a 1995 Ford F-350 diesel, but it will still need to have 1 of the bolt holes slotted to be used.

Off the shelf part


And installed:


Assembled:




I just purchased from Ebay a shop manual and EVTM for my engine, so there's more fun to come!

[plstktnkr2]

I got my EVTM and I am finalizing my wiring harnesses and I am using the stock T bird harnesses for the motor, and I am getting all my sensors covered to make engine talk nice to CPU. I will be shortening the 1983 main harness to make it easier to relocate battery to drivers side. I have found a useful CHEAP way to prototype tubing bends so you have a working example of what you need to make specially bent tubes to clear things like strut tower braces :



a simple adjustable 3 inch dryer vent tube. swivel it around till it goes where you want, and mark it. want to change it? take alcohol and remove the sharpie marks and start over

[plstktnkr2]

Well it's been a couple of weeks, but I have started the electrical part of the swap.
PLEASE NOTE: I am using a stock "Super Coupe" harness for the swap and when I got the harness I did not just get the ECU harness I got ALL of it, THE WHOLE CAR'S HARNESS. That was the only way I knew to have everything I need. So far, I started moving the battery connections to the left side of the car, using factory mounts and pre drilled holes for mounting purposes.

hole is at end of extention

this is the bracket that screws to the K member to support wires going to the starter



then wired the starter, knock sensor,and alternator.



There is a Green wire with a red trace that goes to Alt. idiot light, A large yellow that goes to the cooling fan and 2 wires that go to the power steering that can be eliminated in the ALT harness the colors are lt blue, and yellow with a light green trace. I hope this is helping the people that are doing one of these swaps.

Please let me know if you are unclear on anything or wish to know something specific.
Rick