[Amp]

How much HP is in a stock 3.8L? My friend told me it's 212, but someone from Checkers told me it's 140. Someone help me out so we can set things straight.
Also, if I truly have 212 HP, shouldn't I be able to bust em loose without the infamous neutral drop or brake stand, cuz I can't even hear a squeak from mine (5 point slow has 220HP I believe).
TIA (Thanks in advance)

 

[Melon]

The stock 3.8L makes 140 HP unless you have a 96/97- then it's 145 I think. 89-93 SC's make 210 and 94/95 SC's make 230 HP.

-Andy "Melon"

 

[Robinson]

Joe put down 127, or somewhere in the 120's, last year at NEDT in his 97 3.8. Im pretty sure he was bone stock down to the filter when he did it.

My old 3.8 would barely do a burnout, it was so pathetic that i could actually watch the wheel start to turn and slowly speed up. When i bought my 96 4.6 it felt like a rocket ship compared to that.

 

[Amp]

Just got off the phone with the same friend that told me about the 3.8L having 212HP.
This is true, but not for the Ford engine. It is true for the new Chrysler engine. The new minivans have 212HP in the front with a stock 3.8L.
So now I'm even more confused. How the hell did Chrysler pull that much HP out of a 3.8? If I found a 3.8 Chrysler lying around in the junkyard 5-10 yrs from now, would it be possible to drop it into my Bird? ('96 3.8L).

 

[Robinson]

its a completely different engine, it will not bolt up. the power output isnt particularly amazing, the ford 3.8 may very well be the lowest specific output engine ever made by ford, and probably up there as the most anemic engine of all time, along with the stock tbird 4.6

 

[Amp]

... or if you want it put bluntly, we're screwed. Oh well, worth a shot. You'd think Ford would be the masters of creating power output in engines since they invented the thing. I'll just have to save up for a 4.6 then. Thanks for your help.

 

[rancherlee]

Hey amp, I notice your from Minneapolis, check out
http://www.phrozen-neon.com/phpBB2/index.php to chat with local guys!

My 3.8L n/a is putting out 205-210hp at the flywheel, I put 165 to the ground and have the dynochart to prove it, though it is a bit worked up though oh ya, 212rwtq too (which is around [email protected] the flywheel).

GM series II 3.8L are putting out 200hp and 220tq
GM series I 3.8L were making 180hp and 210tq
OUR 3.8L is make 140hp and 215tq (145hp/220tq 96-97)
New Dodge 3.8L is making 212hp and 208tq
Ford splitport 3.8L is at 190hp/225tq RWD and 200hp/225tq FWD
there are alot of 3.8L out there

 

[Robinson]

My 3.8L n/a is putting out 205-210hp at the flywheel, I put 165 to the ground and have the dynochart to prove it, though it is a bit worked up though oh ya, 212rwtq too (which is around [email protected] the flywheel).

i was just gonna say that he wasnt too screwed, just at a bit of a disadvantage.

someone once said "everything ive accomplished ive done because someone said i couldnt."

3.8 liters is a decent amount of displacement, there is alot of power that could be made by that engine, just not in stock form. personally id rather see a 3.8 N/A reach 250 rwhp than a 4.6, just because it would be more unique. dont for a minute think that ill trade my 4.6 for a 3.8 tho.

 

[rancherlee]

The most aniemic ford engine I can think of it the 300cid Inline Six. Mine made 110hp OVER stock with a VERY mild cam, 4bbl intake with a 450cfm holley, and a set of headers. (80% gain in HP 30% torque with less than 1000$ invested) she pulled 240hp and 320ft-lbs on an engine dyno (the 320ft-lbs was at 2000rpm and stayed flat till [email protected] where it dropped off quick) it was factory rated at 130hp and 270ft-lbs

 

[W.Cup]

Why were the ford 3.8s so low on HP compared to GM's? Fords very first 3.8 w/fuel injection in 1989 made 140HP, by 1996 they made a whopping 145HP, 5 more HP than a 1986 3.0 litre ford.

 

[BlackCat94]

What were they thinkin'?

I find it hard to believe that they would put such a low output engine in such a heavy car, in supercharged form the 3.8L is great though. Do ford 3.8L's have a gas mileage advantage over a similar GM engine? Or did they just make them weak for our enjoyment? But if you wanna think ultimate poor hp, compared to displacement, think '82 Cougar with a 5.0L carb. V-8....115hp. And if I remember correctly Ford didn't make much more than 140hp out of a 460c.i.d. V-8 back in the mid 70's. I believe I seen that on www.coolcats.net

 

[rancherlee]

Ford has almost ALWAYS had BAD exhaust ports in there heads. Also the Ford 3.8L has always had a torque advantage over others, and ALOT more on the bottem end, the others don't see there rated torque till 3500-4000rpm, ours is down low, around 2500rpm. My dyno chart is shaped just like a Stock Series II GM except I'm making more power, its Kinda "peaky" where the torque curvew looks like a hill instead of being flat.

 

[Robinson]

rancher, i think i speak for all of us when i say, i wanna see what youve done to your 3.8... i remember seeing it a while ago but i cant quite remember. those are truly respectable numbers to the wheels for a 3.8

 

[Amp]

Does Ford's habbit of putting push-rods in our engines have anything to do with getting low power outputs? I can't complain about my engine just yet, because at least my tranny doesn't break down as often as the competition. Has Ford ever put overhead cams in their engines?
BTW, RancherLee, this is SoopaDrive, I've already joined your MN12 Upper Midwest forum. Thanks

 

[Robinson]

i dont think its just because they are pushrods, ford has been using higher output pushrods for a long time, but with the weight of the bird and the price level they wanted the "economic" model to be at, they couldnt very well put a higher output engine in it while remaining economical.

 

[3.8_Special]

Yea, it has nothing to do with being a push-rod, the LS1 Camaro makes 315hp on a push-rod engine.

 

[Cheetah]

Hey look at it this way, ford got 200 HP out of a 3.8 by bolting on stock SC heads and redesigning a Dual port style Mini Cobra intake for the new mustang 3.8's I'd say thats not so bad for the ole 3.8... too bad it'd be a project in itself just to get that set up to work in the tbirds..



Jim

 

[W.Cup]

The Vette's Z06 pushrod 16valve V8 makes 405HP and alot of torque too!

 

[rancherlee]

the mods that effect my hp and torque are.
-Fulley ported/polished heads with stock valves and stiffer springs
-Mild camshaft with 205/216 @ .050 and .477/.494 lift
-ASP underdrive crank pulley
-Ported upper and lower intakes and halfshafted stock throttle body (did these myslf)
-Custom 2.25" in single 3" exhaust with flowmaster 50 dual in single out inplace of the resonator, NO CATS (did this myself)
-Full Synthetic Drive train fluids (Engine, Tranny, and Rear differential)
-Custom cold air Intake

Jerry told me I was right at where stock V8's dyno at for RWHP and about 20ft-lbs short on the torque (vortech SC will take care of that next year)
I've gone from a 1[email protected] MPH Average to a [email protected] Average on My G-tech the car is still a dog of the line but once she gets to 3000rpm she goes! 3000rpm stall converter is my next mod.

 

[Amp]

Another question then... is it possible to put SOHC, DOHC or twin turbo on a stock Ford 3.8L? What about a 4.6? 5.0? (I own a '96 Bird 3.8)