1995 Thunderbird 3.8L V-6 known problems?

I have a 1990 V6 3.8 5-speed Supercharged Thunderbird and it runs great!! With only 280,500 miles on it. It runs strong and fast. I think as long as you keep on maint. and take good care of your car it will be great!! Good luck on yours and don't let anyone tell you its ****!

My 1992 Thunderbird started losing coolant whenever I stopped the engine. I could drive 10 miles or 300 miles, as long as I didn't stop I was ok. No water showed up in the oil so it must have been leaking into the exahust when I stopped. I replaced the head gaskets to fix the problem. 2 days work, I wouldn't do it again. After I finished I couldn't get the transmission to shift into 3rd, either messed up the transmission or adjustment was out. Transmission place charged me $1200 to fix it. The engine I had diagnosed correctly as the head gasket but I don't know anything about transmissions.
Mark

On my 95 the freeze plugs rusted out and dumped the coolant into the oil pan. Much as you have described. There was no warping of the engine or heads or anything else, because even us girls know when it goes knock knock you shut it off. I did. Hubby came down towed it home. Almost sold it as junk for 500, but decided to get a second oppinion. There are metal freeze plugs in this engine that are crapy metal. They rust out easily. Mine did just that, but because I parked the thing I did no damage. Had to clean everything up, but in the long run, there was absolutely nothing wrong with it.

Don't appreciate everyone dissing the 3.8. The brakes are the same as
the ones in the 302's, the transmissions are the same also. You call
an AOD a weak transmission? Funny, the tranny in your 4.6 is the same
with a few electronics in it. I have a '92 with a 3.8 and it's
running strong past 100,000 with absolutely no problems, and I whip
the crap out of it. Yeah they've had headgasket problems, that sounds
like the case here, but you don't need to be rude and tell him his car
is a piece of junk.

KNOWN problem? You just descrbed it... and it isnt the intake gasket

Unless you're a mechanic, rebuilt engine. How many miles on it?

--
Yeh, I'm a Krusty old Geezer, putting up with my 'smartass' is the price
you pay..DEAL with it!

One of my friends just had the head gasket replaced on his 3.8...

:)
--
Don't drink water, fish have sex in it!

There's been a lot of posts on the 3.8 and head gaskets. Known problem?
I think so.

You've found the known problems. They are a dastardly engine - don't
even TRY to repair the one you have. Get a guality rebuilt long-block.
and then watch the coolant like a hawk. ONE oz of coolant in the oil
will scrub the bearings out of it in no time.Or put a 5.0 crate engine
in it.

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

The head gaskets blow on the 3.8 engines.

The transmissions are weak

The brake rotors warp.

The NHTSA government web site under consumer complaints on this car
lists alot of unexplained electrical fires.

Congratulations on your "deal"

Steve
95 T-Bird LX 4.6 v8

...

It sounds like you have a head gasket job in your not too distant future. If
they haven't already been done you're on borrowed time.