1990 Mercury Sable 3.8 need help with headgasket replacement!
 

So my mother own's this 1990 Mercury Sable 3.8 and her engine is OHV which I'm not familiar with this type of engine. Her gaskets are bad oil is contantly leaking and being burn on the engine bay wall hearder. I really will appreciate if anybody can help me. Do I need to remove the belts and water pump like a SOCH engine? I'm so familiar with Hondas but not with American models only reason why I like to fix it is that my mother lost her job and I can afford to buy her another vehicle. Thank's

doesn't really matter. The valve covers should come off and you can replace the gaskets without any issues. The only problem would be is if you can actually get to the bolts on the firewall side of the engine that hold the covers on. Now if you're talking about head gaskets, that's a different story. You'll probably have to drop the whole front end assembly to get access to everything to remove the accessories and get at the heads properly. Then there's the machining to make sure the new gaskets won't leak (not needed for valve covers. they just need proper torque on the bolts).

The 302 in my 88 MGM is an over-head valve engine, but it uses push-rods to drive the valves from a central cam-shaft. I think that's the way that V6 is designed as well. They're not as good on high end revs due to this fact, but they're great for low end grunt and mid-range pull. This is the reason they get outta the hole quick but can't seem to really get going fast. My MGM could probably only win a drag race with a 2.0si civic if it was a weight matched contest (ie: the civic towing enough weight to match my beast).

I can do the valve cover gasket but I need to do both headgasket true about machining the head for a secure seal. I was looking into Alldata at the public library and the true it doesn't really have much on headgasket removal instructions unlike the Helms Manual Repair for any Hondas. Its there a website that can show a video on how to perform this task?

not that I know of. Have you looked in they chiltons or haynes manuals? They might have something under the engine rebuild section.

Ahh 3.8 Liter headgaskets... I'll be upfront, it's not a fun job! I'd be prone to guess your mother's car has between 100K to 150K miles on it if they are bad..

A few questions first, you mention it leaking oil, but is it over heating, loosing coolant, getting coolant in the oil, or misfiring on a cylinder or two?? If it's simply an oil leak you are chasing, chances are slim to none the head gaskets have failed...

There is no oil under pressure to the head itself, just the valve train.. About the only things to leak oil on the top of a 3.8 would be the valve cover gaskets, or possibly the lower intake manifold at the ends of the engine.... I suppose a disconnected/plugged breather or pcv coudl also cause similar issues....

AS far as things to leak at the bottom of the engine, the crankshaft seals, and oil pan gasket are posabilites.. The oil pump is on the front of the enigne (oil filter screws on it) and the oil pressure sending unit is in the same area...

The Alldata writeup should pretty much cover what you'll need to know as far as replacing head gaskets, although alldata uses info from the factory service manual so they may not go into quite the detail as say a Haynes manual...... There is no timing belt, and the water pump can stay (although if it is remotely questionable it's a good time to replace it).. You'll have to remove the engine mounted accessories and disconnect the exhaust.. Make sure you use new head bolts!

Here's the alldata writeup:

Headgasket Over View
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...b/38hgxps1.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...b/38hgxps2.jpg

Intake
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...intakexps1.jpg
http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...intakexps2.jpg

Exhaust Manifold

http://i295.photobucket.com/albums/m...xhaustxps1.jpg

Once her car overheated since them it has been leaking oil by the exhaust header so I assume it was the headgasket. I did change her oil pan gasket, transmission gasket, and her cover valve gasket and the leak is constant to the point that its burning and smoking like crazy so I figure to do the head gasket and exhaust hearders as well just to be on the safe side. I didn't realize that this motor is completely different than what I use working on. So you think oil will leak and burn on the exhaust header? Thanks I will try to look into it but boy its a pain in the ass to have a clear view since there isn't much room to work on it.

Hmm sounds like you covered the normal leaks.. I suppose leaking from the head gasket wouldn;t be impossible, just odd.. Keep us posted on what you find... They definitly are not the most fun to work on due to the lack of space..

Doing the head gaskets aren't actually a bad idea regardless.. They were almost a maintenance item on the erlier 3.8's.. THey would blow almost religously between 100 - 150K miles..

lol i know who did it

1990 Mercury Sable 3 8 need help with headgasket replacement
 

I bought a Mercury Sable. Now I think its a ford taurus. I bet I could buy parts for my sable from taurus. Mercury is Ford. I should have paid more attention. I bet my Transmission will start screwing up soon. I need to get out more.

the taurus and sable share drive train and platform but have a few different trim levels and a few different body panels. That's about it.