I will happily adress your concerns.

I have driven a V6 Mustang--I spent (horrible) days in Oahu driving a convertible V6. The engine runs like someting old, crude and with out one ounce of refinement.

Its not smooth and makes terrible sounds. It does not belong in this currnt automotive age. It would not even spin the tires!

Saying that---it had fairly stong mid-range and the 5 speed auto kept in its powerbacd nicely under full throttle.

I have driven lots of cars/trucks---and this was the worst engine I have ever had the misfortune of experincing. Every single GM engine made today is light years ahead of this.

Hope that helped

 

don't speak that way about the 3800---its far better thren Fords 4.0

 

He was talking to a Ford guy, he had to speak slowly in words easily understood.

We all know the 3800 is a better motor than the 4.0l, but their day has passed.

 

[censored][censored][censored]!

 

I like the Ford 4.0 better than the Buick 3.8. It has better HP and TQ, and it has the proper sound. The Buick V6s I've driven sound kind of lumpy, like the Chevy 4.3 V6. Besides, the Ford is a proper 60 degree V6.

 

Do I have permission to use that in my sig?

 

I too have driven Mustang's 4.0 V6, & I have to disagree with a good part of your post.

First, as far as spinning the tires, we're talking about a base model with the standard V6 and an automatic. Expecting any base rental with an automatic to spin tire is like buying a bull and expecting it to give milk.

.....But if you MUST see a terrible sounding, 4.0 V6 Mustang do a burnout
http://www.tammyandjohn.com/Mustang/...ng_burnout.wmv

(...this with just a reprogramed computer, a high flow air intake, and a gear swap and a mere 1/2 second off the quarter mile time)




The Ford 4.0 V6 has gained a reputation of being a pretty tough engine (initially made for trucks). As the engines are coming off warranty, there is already a pretty good sized aftermarket for them. The 4.0's engine computer program runs the engine extremely conservatively, and simply redoing the program makes a night and day change in it's performance.

The biggest draw for guys buying V6 Mustangs are 1) they are $5,000 less than a comprable GT, 2) Ford offers cash back on the V6 of about $1,000 that's not available on the GT, 3) you can make it run like a 5.0 without voiding the warranty, and, not the least, 4) cheaper monthly insurenece on top of it all.



Finally, Although the engine is a bit rough (for me, wasn't enough notice, but others have brought this up so I'll give the benefit of doubt here) it still is a pretty modern, OHC V6 engine..... a very BIG V6 engine. When you get towards 4 liters, you have to take some extreme measures to keep it balenced. GM used fairly heavy built in balence shafts on the cams of it's Buick 3.8. Chevy's 4.3 V6 (which I believe didn't have them) was known for being pretty rough, but like Ford's 4.0 cammer, puts out good torque numbers.



The 4.0 is on it's way out, and should be replaced by an even stronger Duratec 35 or 38 V6 next year. It will probally win alot of critics of the 4.0 over since the Duratec engines have won awards and currently is one of Wards best 10 engines........ and will likely pack a Camaro LT1-like 270 horsepower!



Compared to a Toyota or some of the more modern quad cam V6s, sure the SOHC Ford 4.0 seems to run in a somewhat less civilized manner. But when you are talking about a V6 engine that's big enough to knock on the back door of the displacements of most modern V8s, and needs a computer program to keep it from running like a good 5.0, it's a trade off I'd be willing to make.


http://www.tammyandjohn.com/Mustang/...ng/Mustang.htm
http://www.dragtimes.com/Ford-Mustan...slip-8393.html
http://www.v6mustangstuff.com/
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I got a 1k rebate on my 07 GT. At first I thought the dealer was just being a nice guy and knocking off 1k because I didn't want heated seats, auto dim mirror, and sirius radio. Afterwards, I think it was just an available rebate??? I'll check my paperwork later.

 

Guy, the later 4.3 V6's did have balance shafts, just FYI.

 

I fell off the turnip cart... but not last night!

It's too much fun watching the speculation go back and forth to simply stop it all with one post.

Carry on...

 

My history on that engine isn't perfect.

 

A truck motor in a car...
Like a 4.6 in an F150 or in a Mustang GT or a Cobra...
Like a 5.4 in an F150 or in a Cobra or a GT...
Like a 350 in an F4 or in a C/K series...
Like a ... well, yes, like that.

Actually, the V6 Stang is getting alot of nice feedback regarding the 4.0 V6. It is quite peppy, and the vibration levels are quite low compared with many of the 6-cyl peers. They really are pretty smooth. Thing is, to anybody but a gearhead like us in this forum, a V6 is a V6 - they are all just another engine. Probably 97% of the people driving one have no clue it was derived from a torqey/pulling/low-revving truck engine that redlined at 4200 rpm.
Bottom line is - it doesn't have those characteristics now in the Mustang, so what's gone is gone.

All that said - I have NO RESERVATIONS AT ALL admitting that it will be nice to see the new 3.5 installed in this application. Better is simply better when it comes to economy, cleanliness, emissions, etc. Can't beat technology!

 

I won't contest your experience - but I will say you had a dud.
Was it a rental by chance? Were there any miles on it? How did the tires look?

Honestly, I've been in several V6's and I think they are pretty dang smooth for a V6 - which have inherent vibration problems by default as some have just pointed out. Ever had a 4.3 Vortec tached-up to 4000 rpm? We pounded the crap out of one in our corporate S10 many years ago... it was a blast to drive - it would spin the right rear tire at 1/3 throttle making a right turn. It also lasted forever... but man that thing was terrible for vibrations and noise. It sounded like a turbo-prop airplane taking off when you nailed it from a stop.

To take it one step further - I am driving one (a 4.0) today in fact. We just had lotsa bad weather here where I live yesterday and last night, so I drove the old beater... a 1991 Explorer 4x4 with 264,000 miles on it. 4.0 with an A4LD automatic. I think the thing is monumental. Overdrive at 45mph and 1500 rpm - even on a good incline - and it will still ACCELERATE, not even hold steady or decel - due to the globs of torque on-hand at just-off-idle.

Back to the issue - I am not here to praise the engine or defend it (though I guess it has happened anyways), I just wanted to know why you thought it was a POS. NOW I know... You were given a dud by someone.

All I can say is they really are not all like the one you had.
They are actually pretty good engines IMO.

 

You goobers!

I don't even mind the low-blows as long as we are kidding each other about domestic stuff.

BTW - the only way your 3800 was able to top any Ford V6 was by slapping a turbo on it. But you could only pull that off for a couple of years before the warranty claims ran it out of business!

Ford's 3800 with an S/C was just too much, wasn't it?

J/K... I'm in a good mood today - it's Friday afternoon and I am actually going to be home with my family for a change. (Travel sux. )

 

Actually, your '91 Explorer had the old Cologne 4.0 OHV V6. It was rated at 160hp, and 220lb ft of torque. They made very good torque.

The 4.0 OHC did not come into being until 1996, in the Explorer. I believe it was 1997 or 8 in the Ranger. Early OHC 4.0's were known to have cam gear and follower problems (mainly noisy........... but occasional failure).

The old OHV 4.0 was a VERY tough engine, and would run forever.............. as long as you didn't overheat it (and warp the heads). I have heard of VERY, very few problems with them............ and have known alot of them that have well over 2-300K miles.