1998 Windstar 3.8l engine info

I don't know if anyone has had all the problems I have had with this engine but let me catogarize them. First, the head gasket went @ 80,000 miles. This is due to two problems. The heads are aluminum the block is iron. The heat difference is substantial. The block will always be hotter than the heads. This in turn makes the cooling process different. The bottom line is the heads can warp. If you have a combination of warpage and substandard head gasket material this will break down over time from the heating and cooling process which will cause gaps. This will cause a internal head leak into the cylinder. This will pour raw coolant (in this case) into the cylinder causing rings to stick or score the cylinder walls. It will also cause the catalitic converter to clog and the oxygen sensor to fail. So if your head gasket fails have the mechanic look closely at the cylinders and spend the extra money to have the heads checked for warpage and a valve job.
Secondly, watch for a timing chain cover leak on the back side @ 100,000 miles. It will leak externally and internally. So watch the oil.
Finally, watch for connecting rod problems. I just had a connecting rod spit in two. Yes it did go through the cylinder wall. This was at 117,000 miles. The 3.8l no matter what year it was built is a substandard engine (to put it mildly). I've been building hot rod engines and racing cars for years (many many). I have never seen a connecting rod crack under normal driving circumastances. Especially, without a rod knock first. There was absolutely no indication that a problem was occuring with this engine. I would probably guess that the materials used for these connecting rods just met the bare minimums for operation (again to put it mildly).

The 3.8 engine is the same engine used in the Thunderbirds. It runs hot, which is why the head gaskets went.

These engines aren't known for connecting rod problems. I guess you just had bad luck with that.

I'd have to agree that Ford's 'old school' pushrod 3.0 & 3.8L have pretty stout bottom ends. I've never heard of one throw a rod! :mad: . Sorry to hear about that! I never did understand the concept of bolting a chunk of aluminum to a chunk of cast iron either :screwy: !@#$ Many auto makers have been doing this for years. GM's 'ol pushrod 3.1L and 3.4L still blow intake manifold gaskets to this day for this reason. Your only real safeguard is to drain & fill your coolant yearly / keep your cooling system 100%. Sometimes that is enough either. Luck of the draw I guess :disappoin .
G/luck
Joel

Has ford improved the infamous head & intake gasket failure issues with the 3.8L through the 3 generations of this engine in the windstar? I'm just wondering if this problem has gotten any better thru the years? :uhoh:
Here they are:
1st Gen, 1995-96:http://www.carad.com//photo_manager2/dsp_pho_img2.cfm?img=http://carad.ebayimg.com/i3/02/a/01/2d/c5/c0
2nd Gen, 1997-98: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2456183689&indexURL=2&photoDisplayType=2#ebayphotohosting
3rd Gen, 1999-2003: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2455542723&category=33615#ebayphotohosting

THANKS!
Joel

RStark56,i i had the same problem with my 1998 windstar,i just filled it with gas took off i was doing about 20 mph and then BANG it started making noise and then it stopped,i tried turning it over no go the motor was locked up,i took it a part and found that the rod broke in half and wedged itself againest the block,there was no sign of knocking before it went,i changed the oil every 3 thousand miles,so it wasn't lack of maintence,i agree with you the parts must be made poorly,like you i have built hotrods and stockcars for long time,i have never seen a connecting rod brake in two a such a low RPM.
doe's anyone know if the engine block from a 95 will work in a 98.