The new 1982 Ford V6 overhead valve engine is the lightest weight V6 produced in North America, regardless of displacement. It has a 90° bank angle, even firing intervals and a bore and stroke of 96.8 × 86 mm for 3.8L displacement. It is released for the Granada, Cougar, Thunderbird, XR-7 and Continental passenger cars and F-100 light trucks, spanning an inertia test weight range of 3250 to 3875 pounds. (Figure 1)
This paper is intended to provide a brief overview of an all new engine program with descriptions of the unique design features and problems encontered and resolved with Ford’s 1982 3.8L V6.