is it possible to avoid BG's failure?

kurtslash

Registered User
My tbird has 114 k on in with no problem nut i was wondering if there is anything a can do to avoid the bg's. i dont have the back mufflers and i have replaced the stock rosonator for the magnaflow muffler.i also have installed a 3.73 gears no air silenser (repleced for a 9" k&n filter)
is there any thing alse i can do?
any input will be appreciated.
o BTW i have this rough idle that i have been delaing with for almost a year but the other day i noticed that after my car siitting in the sun all day (after my work shift ) the car feels like new my steering wheel is really soft (sometimes is hard), the car feels stronger, the rough idle is not precent even the tranny shift different , the interior of the car is realy hot but the engine is cold but after driving the car for a couple miles the rough idle comes back and my bird kind of feels a bit more heavy. is there any reason why this is happening?
any input will be appreciated.
 
I am guessing that when you say bg's you actually mean headgaskets (HG). LOL!

No it is not possible to avoid blowing them. All SCs in their life time will blow the HGs. I guess the only real way to avoid it is to do them before they blow.

Shane
 
As quick35th pointed out, it is not possible to avoid blown headgaskets on a 3.8 Ford.

It isn't a flaw in the engine, but rather a materials problem with the gasket Ford used. Even the regualr 3.8 was affected. The common failure is that the fire ring on one (or more) of the end cylinders will separate from the composite gasket at the ten or two o'clock position, depending on cylinder, and form a passage directly to the coolant passage at that position.
 
j rick kirby said:
I've got 208,000 miles on my origional HG's.

I had another one that is less than 1000 miles from 200K that may be on the original headgaskets.

Shane
 
j rick kirby said:
I've got 208,000 miles on my origional HG's.

See post #7 in this thread.

Headgaskets

This engine had 185K miles on it before #2 cylinder let go. #6 hadn't gone yet (the one that is all burnt). How long do you think #6 would have lasted? I can go on and on about the gaskets. Bottom line is that they are shot and you have been lucky so far. How long do you want to push your luck? Every SC motor I have dissasembled has similar looking gaskets whether they were actually leaking or not.

As a side note, every SC motor I've had apart has copper showing on the rod bearings. Which is worse?

If all you do is "drive" the car and you keep engine temps down, you can prolong the inevitable. However, it will happen. Usually at a most inopportune time also.
 
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I'll be changing over to SCE Pro Copper this winter-that way I'll get rid of the inherent weakness in a composite gasket. At $220 for a set of the Pro Heat Treat head gaskets, I'll be good to go, since they are used in 7000hp
Top Fuel motors :D
 
Birdman93 said:
I'll be changing over to SCE Pro Copper this winter-that way I'll get rid of the inherent weakness in a composite gasket. At $220 for a set of the Pro Heat Treat head gaskets, I'll be good to go, since they are used in 7000hp
Top Fuel motors :D
The thing you need to realize is that it's not the gaskets that fail in high HP applications. It's the heads that distort. No gasket can compensate for that.
 
XR7 Dave said:
The thing you need to realize is that it's not the gaskets that fail in high HP applications. It's the heads that distort. No gasket can compensate for that.

How about re-tapping the block for larger headbolts and nuts more clamping force
 
Heyaa ... just passing along info I read on other web sites. I am no expert on this topic although I have about 50 years experience with rodding.

BHG are inevitable, according to others, but can be extended by using ARP head bolts (studs, can't remember which), Fel-Pro headgasket, and shave the head to make sure that it is flat. Also, suggested replacing radiator, installing cooler thermostat when HG is repaired. Replacing exhaust system would also help to remove heat from the engine.

your neighbor, ron :)
 
I figure that since I'll never see more than 350hp out of my engine, those SCE gaskets will last for quite some time. The AHP Interceptor that I bought had the older SCE gaskets in it and 240,000 EXTREMELY hard miles, with no indications that there were any weak spots. If a head gasket can survive the Arizona Highway Patrol and the Arizona heat, it should survive quite a bit.
 
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