Quick question ( 85 3.8 Stang )

ZeroCulture · Feb 9, 2004

Ive been keeping my eye out lately for my project car, I've got my turbo engine, and just need something to put it in. I need my 91 as a daily driver, but I have been offered an 85 3.8 Mustang extremely cheap.

How do the 3.8 Mustangs differ from the n/a 4cyl. I'm curious as this engine is EFI not carb like the 4 cyls of the time.

Thanks a bunch!

-Andy

Jaice · Feb 10, 2004

The Engine is CFI, not EFI.

It really looks like a carb though.

chaka · Feb 10, 2004

If it is straight and clean then grab it. The only difference is the engine. Same frame and body. Not sure about the electronics and such, but you will be using your own stuff.

ZeroCulture · Feb 11, 2004

ya'd i'd expect to have to do something with the electronics ... it'll take time but I should be able to figure it out ... I was worried, as I may have remebered reading somewhere that the front end is a bit different because of the 6. hmm

David Wilkinson · Feb 11, 2004

Andy,

I've just purchased an '86 Capri with the 3.8l (CFI), and I plan a similar swap. I've started looking over the differences, and so far I've found:

- Battery, starter relay and coil on passenger side of engine compartment (no big deal, just relocate)
- Fuel lines come up on passenger side of engine compartment (need to reroute)

This weekend, I'll probably take a close look at the wiring harness to see if the 2.3L (87-89) harness will come close to being plug in, or if it will require surgery.

The front end differences you're thinking of could be the k-member, but the 3.8 is supposed to use the same k-member as the 2.3 and 5.0. The only engine to use a different k-member is the inline 6 (3.3).

Dave

ZeroCulture · Feb 11, 2004

David Wilkinson said:
Andy,

I've just purchased an '86 Capri with the 3.8l (CFI), and I plan a similar swap. I've started looking over the differences, and so far I've found:

- Battery, starter relay and coil on passenger side of engine compartment (no big deal, just relocate)
- Fuel lines come up on passenger side of engine compartment (need to reroute)

This weekend, I'll probably take a close look at the wiring harness to see if the 2.3L (87-89) harness will come close to being plug in, or if it will require surgery.

The front end differences you're thinking of could be the k-member, but the 3.8 is supposed to use the same k-member as the 2.3 and 5.0. The only engine to use a different k-member is the inline 6 (3.3).

Dave

Ahh that was what I was thinking about ... forgot about the 3.3. I'd love to hear any info you find about the wiring differences, I'm no electrician but I can find my way around wires.

Thanks!

-Andy

David Wilkinson · Feb 19, 2004

Hi, Andy,

Well, the weather was mild yesterday, and the sun was still up when I got home, so I took a closer look at the wiring in the Capri. I didn't find an interface point around the master cylinder (as there is on a 2.3 n/a efi), so it wouldn't be plug ang play as I was hoping. The Capri power harness goes all around the engine compartment whereas it stays pretty much on the driver's side on the 2.3 EFI's I've seen. I'll see how the 2.3's power harness attaches in the passenger compartment and see if I can interface there.

Dave

Quick question ( 85 3.8 Stang )

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