A little voice in the back of my head said check the part numbers on the gasket set and head bolts I got for the HG job I am in the middle of for the 94 mustang. The reason is I swapped the motor and put a 97 motor in back in 04 and the HG sets and Head bolts are not the same. I never really verified that the motor was from a 97 so off I go to look for the casting numbers. And clear as day it is a 97 casting number. I also verified the head casting numbers as well just to double check as they are unique to 96-96
So I go look at the box's and sure enough I have the wrong parts they are for 94-95. Just as I ordered.
How could it have been worse you ask? I could have opened the box's and started installing things. I have not opened them so I return them. If I had opened them and started installing things it would have been much worse. The bad part is that the HG sets for the 96-97 are 2X the price.
Price comparison's for HG set and bolts (All the same fel pro part numbers)
Advanced Auto Parts $257.12 (includes tax) Autozone $229.48 (includes tax) Rockauto $192.78 (includes shipping)
The total for my order from Advanced auto for the 94-95 stuff was $90.25 (including tax). There must be some serious changes made to these things.
I am not a happy camper at the moment but I realise that it could have been MUCH worse.
I really hate being an idiot.
Are they made from unicorns and gold? I didn't know you could spend that much on a head gasket kit for an American car.
How many sets for 94-95 do they sell versus the 96? Economy of scale?
Probably that, and if it's anything like the Escort I did a couple of months ago, the head gasket kit comes with all new head bolts, gaskets for the heads, intake, exhaust, EGR, throttle body, valve covers, valve cover bolt grommets, front and rear mains, oil pump cover, front cam seal, about six other gaskets I never did identify, and to top it off, valve seals. For a minuet I though my son had bought an engine gasket set. That set was around $90 for a 4 banger, so I could understand a V6 set being be close to double. $250 is kind of painful though.
Glad you caught it ahead if time.
TTY head bolts are the dumbest ($$$) idea ever. 
Javelin wrote: TTY head bolts are the dumbest ($$$) idea ever.
Don't you know you aren't supposed to fix them. You're supposed to pitch them and buy a new one.
Edit, speaking of the entire car, not just the head bolts.
did you also verify the casting dates of the various pieces of the engine and the VIN that was stamped into it? Ford is notorious for changing things at random times for no real reason..
a quick look on rockauto says that the head gaskets were the same throughout the 80's up to 96 on the 3.8, which explains why they are so much cheaper. they probably didn't have torque to yield bolts on the older ones, either.
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