[mustangmike!]

Inspect you block and the internals the best you can.

If it looks ok, get a new set of heads.
Id sell you my stock ones cheap cause the passenger side one has a valve cover bolt that broke off in it. But its on the top half and I used a little RTV on it and had no oil leaks. But it shouldn't be hard to find a good set of heads, the 3.8 and 4.2 heads are the same thing.

You can always helicoil the bad spark plug hole. But you might need too check out the valve stems and seats. Make sure its all sealing well. Go have your heads tested before they go on.

[Zatrekaz]

Talked to the guy today. He said 90PSI on the compression test was good, but I see much higher numbers from everyone else. I mean, this guy does know what he is doing... so I want to trust him, but I feel like he is wrong here. Not sure what to do in that situation. Is 90 to low for a warmed up engine with 93k miles?

Plan right now:

• Fix the bad spark plug hole
• Replace all plugs with non-bosch plugs
• Upper Intake Gasket
• Lower Intake Gasket
• Valve Cover Gasket
• Fuel Injector O-Rings
• Trans Fliter
• Trans Fluid chance
• Oil Change
• Coolant flush & fill
• Maybe seafoam

What I did before it went to him:

• Spark Plug wires replaced
• New CAI intake
• Synthetic Oil Change
• Coolant flush
• New front springs
• Alignment

So, hopefully after all of this it will be running good again.

[ChrisJ]

Just install some NGK plugs and you will be fine as far as spark goes...

[Zatrekaz]

He said he put AC's? I am guessing Acdelco?

My main concern is that he is wrong about the cly compression. He says with the new plugs its running smooth however... shurg. Guess we will see.

[ChrisJ]

ACdelco is a chevy plug...

[Zatrekaz]

Originally Posted by ChrisJ ACdelco is a chevy plug...

What do you mean? You can find them listed for a 2003 V6 on Autzone... Acdelco Rpdfire Plat/Spark Plug (14) | 2003 Ford Mustang 6 Cylinders 4 3.8L SFI | AutoZone.com

[ChrisJ]

Originally Posted by Zatrekaz What do you mean? You can find them listed for a 2003 V6 on Autzone... Acdelco Rpdfire Plat/Spark Plug (14) | 2003 Ford Mustang 6 Cylinders 4 3.8L SFI | AutoZone.com

ACDelco - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I always use NGK or motorcraft in fords and AC Delco in GM's...

[Loki]

No need to seafoam if you're already cleaning the heads up .. imo, anyway

[Zatrekaz]

Originally Posted by Loki No need to seafoam if you're already cleaning the heads up .. imo, anyway

Were not cleaning the heads.

The guy also said theres different types of sea foam for different parts of the car. I feel this guy knows what he is doing, but on some things he does not... as with all repair mechanics Lol.

So... back to the REAL issue I was asking... 90 PSI... he says good, thoughts?

[ChrisJ]

Originally Posted by Zatrekaz Were not cleaning the heads. The guy also said theres different types of sea foam for different parts of the car. I feel this guy knows what he is doing, but on some things he does not... as with all repair mechanics Lol. So... back to the REAL issue I was asking... 90 PSI... he says good, thoughts?

Seafoam is Seafoam FYI...

Was this the same cylinder that had the plug issue?

[Tang Stang]

Originally Posted by Zatrekaz So... back to the REAL issue I was asking... 90 PSI... he says good, thoughts?

It isn't particularly great, but I'd either doublecheck your readings with another gauge or apply a known pressure (from your compressor) to the gauge to verify its accuracy.

Originally Posted by ChrisJ Seafoam is Seafoam FYI...

Pretty much.

Sea Foam | Products

I know quite a few posters on BITOG like to soak the cylinders in Deep Creep in an effort to free up stuck rings. Otherwise, the Seafoam Spray is just an aerosol version of the regular Seafoam.

[SlowSix]

His guage is way off on the compression test or he doesn't know what he is doing imo...
You should probably be seeing numbers 130+. I'm not really sure what its supposed to be on the 3.8 motor but 90 seems bad

[Zatrekaz]

Originally Posted by ChrisJ Seafoam is Seafoam FYI... Was this the same cylinder that had the plug issue?

Its all cylinders

Originally Posted by SlowSix His guage is way off on the compression test or he doesn't know what he is doing imo... You should probably be seeing numbers 130+. I'm not really sure what its supposed to be on the 3.8 motor but 90 seems bad

It was my reading with a $50 kit from Autozone.

I may ask him to do a reading for me to see if my guage is bad.

[mustangmike!]

Originally Posted by Zatrekaz Talked to the guy today. He said 90PSI on the compression test was good, but I see much higher numbers from everyone else. I mean, this guy does know what he is doing... so I want to trust him, but I feel like he is wrong here. Not sure what to do in that situation. Is 90 to low for a warmed up engine with 93k miles? Plan right now: Fix the bad spark plug hole Replace all plugs with non-bosch plugs Upper Intake Gasket Lower Intake Gasket Valve Cover Gasket Fuel Injector O-Rings Trans Fliter Trans Fluid chance Oil Change Coolant flush & fill Maybe seafoam What I did before it went to him: Spark Plug wires replaced New CAI intake Synthetic Oil Change Coolant flush New front springs Alignment So, hopefully after all of this it will be running good again.

I hope someone knows the compression question, but

I see a highly important thing going on here that im questioning.



Head gaskets/bolts are not on this list and he's wanting to fix the spark plug hole ?

That head better not be on that engine before anything touches it. Gonna be lucky if a "bad spark plug hole" didn't already get metal into the cylinder and cause a few bad spots ...

You need to have him pull the heads off.Otherwise you'll have metal shavings from repairing the heads in there.
Gaskets are like 45$ a piece. Get them from Ford. Tousley is a good place.
head bolts aint cheap either

Look into new valve seals and lifters POSSIBLY.

[mustangmike!]

Originally Posted by Zatrekaz Talked to the guy today. He said 90PSI on the compression test was good, but I see much higher numbers from everyone else. I mean, this guy does know what he is doing... so I want to trust him, but I feel like he is wrong here. Not sure what to do in that situation. Is 90 to low for a warmed up engine with 93k miles? Plan right now: Fix the bad spark plug hole Replace all plugs with non-bosch plugs Upper Intake Gasket Lower Intake Gasket Valve Cover Gasket Fuel Injector O-Rings Trans Fliter Trans Fluid chance Oil Change Coolant flush & fill Maybe seafoam What I did before it went to him: Spark Plug wires replaced New CAI intake Synthetic Oil Change Coolant flush New front springs Alignment So, hopefully after all of this it will be running good again.

I hope someone knows the compression question, but

I see a highly important thing going on here that im questioning.



Head gaskets/bolts are not on this list and he's wanting to fix the spark plug hole ?

That head better not be on that engine before anything touches it. Gonna be lucky if a "bad spark plug hole" didn't already get metal into the cylinder and cause a few bad spots ...

You need to have him pull the heads off.Otherwise you'll have metal shavings from repairing the heads in there.
Gaskets are like 45$ a piece. Get them from Ford. Tousley is a good place.
head bolts aint cheap either

Look into new valve seals and lifters POSSIBLY.

Also main seals.