I have a 1995 mustang 3.8L v6 232

[Pascullon]

It has 120k miles but what I'd like to know is I'm replacing all new felpro gaskets and I am placing 2 remanufactured,cleaned, and thoroughly tested cylinder heads on the block but what I wanna know is how do i permanently repair the chronic problems the essex engines had such as the problematic cylinder head can somebody help me out?

[SpectorV]

what problems are you referring to? the only issue I know of is from 94 to mid 96 the head gaskets are not good, they fixed in mid 96. I am not sure if anything is wrong with the heads themselves, just the gaskets. I may be wrong though.

[Pascullon]

The previous owner replaced the gaskets twice and she had the heads replaced twice by a junkyard both times but now I'm putting aftermarket fel pro gaskets on and as I stated before great quality heads should this work so I'm forced to assume the factory head gaskets were just sooo bad that the cylinder heads blew out

[svtlx]

if it's had the gaskets and heads replaced that many times, then possibly u may wanna check the blocks deck to make sure it's 100% flat.

[Pascullon]

Yesterday I put a straight edge against it and the block is not warped at all so tht is why I'm assuming the gaskets were horrible quality right?

[Straublittleman]

One thing you can do is order a set of ARP head bolts for it and torq the heads just 10 more foot pounds. The arp head bolts are non-stretch bolts and will help keep the head tight.

[svtlx]

i run arp studs too. also mls "multi layer steel" head gaskets. but it just seems like that would be overkill for a stock 3.8 im wondering if the problem isnt elsewhere.

[Straublittleman]

Well considering in 94-95 3.8L mustang heads get max torq "long bolts" at 11-19 ft/lbs and the "short bolts" at 7-15 ft/lbs then an additional 90% wich is what max maybe 50 ft/lbs if that on the long bolts No wonder they had head gasket problems. My 94 stang when I got it had a head gasket leak but it was leaking out the side of the head and only losing water. I bought the arp head bolts and cheap felpro gaskets from autozone, When it came to where I torqed the head I went step by step until the last step and torqed them to 60 ft/lbs then to 75 ft/lbs and that is where I left it at. I've ran my motor hot to 280% 3 times already and it still runs like a new one, I really put this poor motor through hell and it never has given up, I've tried to even blow it up by racing at really high rpm "5800-6300 rpms wich is really high for a 3.8" and for people that say it won't rev that high IT WILL without a rev limiter.

But I'm just giving advise you can use it or not, either way its YOUR car and do what you think would be better. Oh another thing is that a factory head gasket isn't any stronger that a aftermarket felpro or any other regular head gasket.