91 Lincoln Conti, Was thinking of Supercharging

[donmega]

Just picked up a mint 91 continental.
89k orginal miles, beautiful inside and out.

I really DID NOT want a v6 luxury car, it just doesnt make much sense to me, well unless it was a 300m cause those things move like they got v8's.

But lets face it, ford makes a really crappy v6, I even had a 4.0 once in a ranger and even with the low gearing and the biggest v6 I ever heard of it was still a total dog.

The 3.8 in the conti just has alot of trouble moving so much weight, its a strong motor but nuthing like when I drove the v8 96 conti, which is what i wanted but couldnt afford it right now.

So I was thinkin why not supercharge with the eaten m90 that comes on the Thunderbird Super Coup 3.8 liter.

I searched the net and couldnt find anyone that has done this but I dont see to many problems other then the fact your putting a kit designed for a rear wheel drive car into a front wheel drive car and might have to modify the hood a little for clearance.

The worst I think will be making custom piping to run to the intercooler.

I dunno, I do know the complete kits on ebay are super cheap.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/e...d=1,1&item=8034894768&sspagename=STRK:MEWA:IT

If anyone has any thoughts or hp tips please chime in, also if you know a link where I can see some pics of this done to a conti please link me.

Thanks

 

[MichiganTeddyBear]

I think the worst thing you will run into, if you can do it, is the belt drive... there is only about 1 inch of clearance on a stock FWD v6 conti on the passenger side, and dead center on the top of the engine is the Alt. Also, the lower intake is different on the FWD cars, with the thermostat in different location, heater hoses different, ect.... Also the PCM would need lotsa work to make it happen.

Other than that, the SC block is different from the FWD block. I doubt it would hold up well. if the block would hold up, the tranny WONT. its pitafully weak.

 

[donmega]

Hmmm... all very good points, I thought about the fender wall and thought about cutting it out then reshaping it.

Also thought about the PCM and was wondering if it would just be a direct swap.

The other points are pretty good though, especially about the FWD tranny, one thing I didnt think of at all and I do also doubt it would last more then a few months.

Guess that idea is getting scrapped

 

[92SedandeVille-TownCar94]

The 3.8's have a notorious problem with overheating and destroying the headgaskets. Wouldn't a supercharger just make this problem even more apparent?

 

[MichiganTeddyBear]

as long as the cooling system is in good shape and adequate for the levels of heat generated, it shouldn't be a problem. There is an updated headgasket and head bolt torque sequence that is supposed to help the problem with the gaskets going south... the 3.8 isn't the first iron block/alum head engine made, but ford learned a lot during its lifespan.

Evidence that the supercharging a 3.8 isn't going to make the gasket life any shorter, is the thunderbird SC's... they were supercharged 3.8's. But the did use different head bolt torque's than the NA 3.8... maybe even different gaskets.

 

[92SedandeVille-TownCar94]

the 3.8 isn't the first iron block/alum head engine made, but ford learned a lot during its lifespan.

hah wow wierd!

Its the opposite of my Caddy 4.9, Aluminum block with cast iron heads.