Thread: 1994 cougar head gasket v6

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one of my dailies is the cougar. well i now feel like uncle jeb of the beverly hillbillies looked in the raidiator and im bubbling crude,black gold, texas T (the milk shake). My regular wrencher says in looking at 350 in labor,150 in head work, about 100 in the kit and others incidentials if the heads aren't damaged. my question is should i just pony up the cash and be rolling in a week or is this a job a novice with experts like your selves available to advise can tackle?
(rember every dime i spend takes away from the Z28 project!)
al HMMM:

First make sure its engine oil, not a ruptured trans oil cooler. If it's a head gasket, it's a fairly straightforward job. Even cracked heads are no more work, just more fun tickets down the tube. Of course, if the gaskets went because you cooked it, or it cooked after they went, you might be wasting your time.

Do yourself a favor and have it done by a reputable repair shop, those things are a bear, don't know where ya came up with
$350 labor ??? my labor guide calls for 10.2 hrs and at my rate of $75 per hr. thats $765 and worth double that...
Buttt... first thing ya need to do is check with the Ford dealer as there is/was a silent campaign on 3.8 head gaskets(owner notification # 98MO1),if denied at one dealer check with another as some service managers are good and some are bad....
I can tell ya if ya do it yourself do not have the heads resurfaced if they are within .003 to .004, you will need the updated headgaskets & head bolts from FORD part # F5PZ-6051-AA,this gasket & bolt kit will do one side so ya need 2 of em, do not use any aftermarket gaskets unless ya want to do it again, you will also need the revised tourqe procedure wich the Ford parts guy can probally supply you with, there is a service bulliten containing all the info on the head gasket problem,the bulliten # 98-4-9 should be available from the Ford parts guy and will give ya the revised tourqe procedures,you'll also need the updated intake gaskets and bolt kit & tourqe procedure, you'll find that one under service bulletin #91-1-8 and 94-10-10...hope this helps ya out.....