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  1. #1

    Default Looking for 1983 3.8L V6 engine pics and/or vacuum diagram(s)

    Hi - I'm a brand new member to the forum. Just bought an old 1983 Mustang Convertible with a carbureted 3.8L V6. The wiring and the vacuum lines are chopped, hanging and plugged up. I bought a Haynes Manual for '79 to '93 Mustangs and Capris and have been able to rewire most of the electrical connections fairly well, but it's sadly lacking for vacuum routing, associated components and location pics / info. I don't have VECI tag under the hood and I'll be darned if I can find anything much in terms of good pics or vacuum diagrams for a carb'd '83 Mustang 3.8L V6. I've been scouring the internet and various Mustang forums for hours. Almost all info available is primarily for 5.0L V8 engines. Can anyone help a Mustang newbie out here?! Thanks in advance.
    Last edited by 83Vert38; 05-23-2014 at 01:06 AM.

  2. #2
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    Welcome to the forum. I am in the process of cleaning up the vacuum line spaghetti and de-smogging my 3.8 but I haven't touched the vacuum lines yet. I can snap some pics on Sunday for you. Anything in particular?
    1983 3.8 V6

  3. #3

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    Thanks, V6Powa - that would be greatly appreciated. There are virtually no good close-up pics of the late 70's / early 80's 3.8L carbureted V6 Mustangs' engine bays out there, showing all the engine components, accessories, wiring runs, vacuum routing, etc. You would be doing all of us carb'd 4-eyed 3.8L V6ers out there a great service by taking a gallery of pics around your engine bay, so we can use them as a guide for comparison purposes.

  4. #4

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    Click the link to see the Vacuum diagrams for the 1983 Mustang 3.8L motor.
    http://myzephyrs.com/VAC_3.8/index.html
    Lots of FREE F/Z info on my site.
    http://myzephyrs.com

  5. #5

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    Quote Originally Posted by RED 78' View Post
    Click the link to see the Vacuum diagrams for the 1983 Mustang 3.8L motor.
    http://myzephyrs.com/VAC_3.8/index.html
    Awesome - thank you very much, RED 78!

  6. #6

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    Here's the YouTube video of my '83 Mustang GLX Vert shortly after I bought it. This is the previous owner's garage, where the car has been sitting for 20 years. It's only been "yard driven" up and down the driveway during that period. Bought it for $700. I just couldn't resist a nice, running, four-eyed fox body project like this for next to nothing: Check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4YTi...ature=youtu.be and let me know what you think.

  7. #7
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    Very cool, congrats. I drove my 3.8 194,000 miles. I noticed it smoothed out some while I was watching the video. Good luck and enjoy that ragtop.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  8. #8

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    Quote Originally Posted by mustangxtreme View Post
    Very cool, congrats. I drove my 3.8 194,000 miles. I noticed it smoothed out some while I was watching the video. Good luck and enjoy that ragtop.
    Thanks, mustangxtreme! Pleased to hear that the old 3.8L V6 carb'd Foxbodies are Diehard vehicles. It seems like a tough little car. I would have loved to have an old 5.0 V8 5 speed manual setup, but I'm pretty pleased with this little 3.8L V6 auto, so far. It's getting better gas mileage than I would have expected, too. If / when the engine / drivetrain goes, then I'll probably do a "Retro" upgrade to a '70 / '71 351 Windsor 4 speed / 4 bbl setup - with terrible gas mileage - vs. the current stock 3.8L V6 automatic setup. I understand that this type of swap / upgrade is pretty doable, correct?

    I still have the stock air cleaner housing. There are a number of vacuum solenoids / actuators / devices on the housing, with a number of vacuum lines & connections going to it, from it and around it. When I bought the car, there were no vacuum lines connected to the housing - one of the vacuum devices had a broken vacuum nipple and one of the actuators was missing altogether. There are no pics of the air cleaner housing that I've been able to locate anywhere that label the vacuum devices and show the multiple vacuum line routings going to, from and around the housing. If anyone can post a link, links or a pic from their own car that shows me what's what and what goes where, then I would greatly appreciate it. I've seen block diagrams and vacuum schematics, but no actual pictures that show me the good stuff.

  9. #9
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    Pleased to hear that the old 3.8L V6 carb'd Foxbodies are Diehard vehicles.
    I did have to replace the head gaskets. Whether this was due to a design flaw of the engine or due to the connector to the fan relay I'm not sure. The good news is the 3.8 uses the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the Windsor engines so you can drop a v8 into your car fairly easy. That is what I did to mine. Unfortunately, I waited until the c5 was fairly well worn out so it didn't last too long. From there I went to an efi 5.0 and an aod and picked up about 5mpg over the 3.8.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  10. #10

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by mustangxtreme View Post
    I did have to replace the head gaskets. Whether this was due to a design flaw of the engine or due to the connector to the fan relay I'm not sure. The good news is the 3.8 uses the same bellhousing bolt pattern as the Windsor engines so you can drop a v8 into your car fairly easy. That is what I did to mine. Unfortunately, I waited until the c5 was fairly well worn out so it didn't last too long. From there I went to an efi 5.0 and an aod and picked up about 5mpg over the 3.8.
    Very cool - I appreciate the info. So, you're saying that I could bolt up an old 1972 351 Winsdor to my existing bellhousing & tranny? I'd probably need to pick up a special oil pan and install some heavy duty motor mounts, as well?

  11. #11
    FEP Super Member mustangxtreme's Avatar
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    Yes a 351W will bolt to the transmission bellhousing. You will need a swap pan, swap headers and a 164 tooth 28oz flexplate. Most people run motor mounts for a later model fox chassis convertible since they drop the engine in the chassis a little which gives more hood clearance. I don't know how long your c5 will last behind a 351 however.
    Dave

    If common sense was common wouldn't it just be sense?

    1983 Capri L T top 5.0 efi aod
    1983 Capri RS Turbo
    1981 Black Magic 400 c6
    93 F-250 351 5sp 4x4

  12. #12

    Default

    I have a couple of engine bay shots from my 83' LTD. If there is anything more specific you are looking for. Let me know, I'll try to get pictures of what you need.







    -Mike-
    83' LTD Brougham, 43k miles, 3.8 2bbl/Auto, Pretty much Stock/Original for now. DD.
    88' Bronco XLT, 63k miles, Built 358W/C6..soon to be ZF5 swap, 4.10s. All-Around-Fun Machine.
    96' Cherokee Country, 131k, 4.0 I6/Auto, 3in lift, Lots of Mods, DD/Off road Machine.

  13. #13

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    Mike, do you have any pics of the carb on your LTD?

  14. #14

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    Or.. You could go the route I took. I put a T5 5 speed from a 94 3.8 behind my 83 3.8L, and put a modified intake manifold with a edelbrock 500cfm carb on it. I will need to post a video of it running soon on my project log. My 3.8L V6 consists of 2 vacuum lines. One for the vacuum advance, and one to the PCV valve. I could post a pic if you want. I also have an 84 with an unmolested 3.8L that has all stock lines.

  15. #15

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    My car is all stock and plan to keep it that way. I want to enjoy it instead of work on it like many of my last cars. If you could post any pics of your stock car's carb and associated hoses it might help me out.

  16. #16

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    Is there a vacuum tree hidden somewhere under the dash or the hood? Forgive the newbie question. Vacuum lines aren't second nature to me!

  17. #17
    FEP Super Member xctasy's Avatar
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    Yep my friend. Its on page 15 of M81 McLarens latest 22 year since start up post. Search his name in the member list and read the pages where Jack Hidely posted a very important picture.

    #427 and #433.

    http://vb.foureyedpride.com/showthre...-years!/page18

  18. #18

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    My daughter's car is a 1983 Capri V6 / Auto, bone stock under the hood. I would be happy to take any detail shot you need and email them to you. Drop me a line at mudgepondexpress@gmail.com.

    Kenny

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