Suddenly ran like poop!

[fireguy12117]

so i was going across town today with the 93 4.0, when out of nowhere it felt like i downshifted and then had no acceleration. i pulled off of the freeway into some parking lot where the truck acted like it had a bad IAC. i limped the rest of the way to my destination, but it acted like it wanted to stall, when i'd try to accelerate it would feel like it was holding in a gear, not speed up hardly at all, then bark a shift and take off. i did pull the IAC to see if the rpm's changed, and i know i had all kinds of problems in the past with the IAC, but all this was new to me. wondering if anyone has a direction they can point me in. ill be doing my best tomorrow to test the usual suspects, but this all started while doing 70 down the freeway, so it was like something suddenly gave up the ghost- just gotta find it...

[Wicked_Sludge]

check your spark plug wires, one may have popped off.

could be about a million things. if a visual inspection doesnt reveal anything, you'll have to break out some diagnostic equipment and go to work on it.

[fireguy12117]

yeah...i knew it was a long shot...but hey, i might have -er- would have overlooked something obvious like spark plug wires. even checking my CEL light since the light didnt come on for such an obvious change in the engine.

[Wicked_Sludge]

a '93 is running fords version of on-board-diagnostics known as EEC-IV. it isnt nearly as picky about driveability as newer cars are.

heck, a few years ago, i had a lifter seize in its bore on my 3.0, causing the #3 exhaust valve to come in contact with the piston, bending the valve. the valve wouldnt close anymore so i suddenly had zero compression on one cylinder. the engine ran much like your discribing (i might add that my "gutless" 3.0 easily maintains 60MPH on 5 cylinders). the CEL never came on once during the 5 mile drive back home...even with raw, unburnt fuel from the dead cylinder flowing past the O2.

[MAKG]

My Prizm has a very late OBD-I (final year) computer. I had a spark plug wire come off once on a mountain highway. I felt the engine shake at low RPM, so I pulled over and popped the hood. The cat was glowing (on this vehicle, you can clearly see it from above). So, it was missing BAD; one cylinder was probably completely dead.

It did NOT set the CEL. I would have expected a lean code. This one is sophisticated enough to have a downstream oxygen sensor.

It was an easy repair, at least.

[fireguy12117]

nothings ever easy, is it...

well today the 98 decided to take a crap on me. i used lucas fuel treatment last week it and bit me today. that truck wouldnt get up past idle after i got to work. i had to leave for an errand and got stuck on the side of the road. long story short, got the biotch to rev, blow out what came loose, get the truck home, and swap in a new fuel filter.

i bring that up because the 93 acts an aweful lot like the other truck did today. the only thing casting doubt was doing a wiggle test before nightfall where the main harness from near the batter crosses to the block. when the engine was cold, i wiggled that and got some response from the engine, but as it warmed it, i couldnt get it to happen anymore. checked the vacuum, fuel pressure, PCV, and kind of called it quits there...

[Wicked_Sludge]

i'd back up and start with the basics. every engine needs 4 things to run: air, fuel, compression, and spark.

i'd do a compression test and check the spark at each cylinder.

did you rev the engine with the fuel pressure tester attached? you might be getting plenty of pressure at idle, but if your pump isnt able to supply sufficient volume, pressure will drop when the engines load increases.

[fireguy12117]

ive never done a compression test, but i do have the tester...

fuel pressure did go up a couple pounds when i gently reved the engine. havent pulled plugs and wires yet...bigger problems with the 98 not running worth a damn.

[fireguy12117]

i got under the hood again, played with some vacuum lines, that doesnt seem to be it. i can only get a couple shots in on this truck as im trying to get the 98 running. anyhow, i started looking at some of the plugs and wires. the plug wire near the wire bundle i was messing with, i checked resistance and got 7.7kohms for about a 2 long plug wire. tried getting that plug out, no luck. the plugs all look pretty old. got a different one pulled out, and its obviously worn down, so right now im thinking of trying to get all 6 replaced.

i did notice that the engine didnt want to respond around 2-3000 rpms. it would rev, get into the 2.5k rpm range and start to 'lug' for a lack of a better description. as i pressed the accelerator, the rpms didnt want to match. what i used to get. dont know how helpful that is, but im dealing with problems ive never had before....perhaps i need to go back to the fuel delivery and spark basics? seemed like the fuel pressure was ok though...

[Wicked_Sludge]

im starting to run out of idea. :sad:

if you have a vacuum gauge handy, i'd hook that up and see what readings you get throught the power band. it almost sounds like a plugged exhaust system....but then again it sounds like it could be a lot of things.

just because you have good fuel pressure doesnt mean the injectors are firing the proper amount at the proper time...

[fireguy12117]

plugged cat....

somethings been smelling weird lately, like some funky burn smell, but drivablity never changed. if ive been running rich with bad plugs, dumping rich exhaust...who knows. i feel like im beating my head into a wall without proper tools and knowledge, and now both my trucks are down...thank gawd i got the old ladies car running. i sense a lease on a hybrid soon....

thinking im sticking with some new plugs and wires ASAP and going from there...

[Wicked_Sludge]

a vacuum gauge is the proper way to diagnose a plugged exhaust system. might be worth your time to buy/beg/borrow a gauge to check it.

[MAKG]

Vacuum gauges (well, really hand vacuum pumps) can be very cheap. They often get labelled as "one-person brake bleeding kits" but they aren't really useful for that. These are VERY useful for vacuum diagnosis of all sorts.

An ignition miss (like a bad plug) can cause rich running, but it won't make the truck stumble at 2500 RPM. Even on a 4banger. It would make the idle rough. It may eventually plug the exhaust, but that won't be sudden.

[fireguy12117]

so what am i looking for with the vacuum? im tee'ed off at the manifold distrobution fitting, with a cold engine getting 20lbs, that drops to zero if i floor it. i put it in drive, it drops to 10, and idles 500 rpm. i was able to rev it past 3000 rpm with a cold engine...

i noticed that perhaps the reason it bogged so bad lastnight was leaving the stupid spark wire off of the coil pack when messing with that one plug, whoops...

[fireguy12117]

screw the vacuum...how do you get busted spark plugs out of the block...

driver side, closest to bump plug just snapped on me. wasnt reefing on it all that horribly hard and it popped. the ceramic is spinning by hand and the hex head is just loose sitting spinning too...this sucks.

[MAKG]

That's an OH S**T moment.

There are extractors for that, but I believe you have to drill into the spark plug. That's hard on an installed engine. You need to coat the drill bit in heavy grease (like wheel bearing grease) to keep the shavings out of the cylinder. You don't want that crap in the cylinder -- cylinder walls are just your everyday soft cast iron, and they will score.

If that doesn't work, I don't think you have any option short of yanking the head.

It doesn't take all that much force to break a spark plug if the socket isn't ALL the way on (so it's off square). But usually, that breaks the ceramic off and the hex head is fine.

I'm trying to picture a spark plug where the hex part isn't integral with the threaded part. This isn't a 100,000 mile plug by any chance, is it? Witha S**TLOAD of rust?

This isn't a problem I've had to deal with in a real situation (only classroom), since I use cheap spark plugs and just replace them every 30,000 miles. I HAVE cracked an insulator by being stupid, but not a hex head.

[fireguy12117]

i decided to go for broke and see what came with a pair of pliers. i have sitting on the bench, the entire electrode, right down to the tip. whats stuck in the block is the threaded part with the ground tang. the whole thing just slipped out. its like the hex head portion rusted free from the threaded portion and it was a compression type fitting holding the ceramic in place.

yeah, that was a real oh nutz moment, specially since the 98 is still down.

anyhow, what i have stuck in the block is the threaded part, dunno how interesting this is going to get...

oh yeah, the drivers side ones are rusted like crazy. i have the center cylinder plug out, the one next to the fire wall i havent even touched. lastnight i couldnt budge it and i just havent even put a socket on it yet. i cant tell if they are original. im inclined to say no since they are aftermarket wires and there are scuff marks on the heater box by the pass. side firewall plug like somone was in there with a ratchet.

[Wicked_Sludge]

ive seen this a few times (ahh the rust belt)

if you can get a drill in there, your saved. scour your local parts stores for a "helicoil" kit. these are threaded inserts that you can thread into a drill-out spark plug hole. you'll need to get one the proper size. drill the rest of the plug out like mike said, then insert the helicoil ta-da!

if the plugs are rusted enough to the point of being brittle, then they are probably LONG overdue for a changing. soak the remaning 5 plugs in penitrating oil for a few days (re-spray them every 6-8 hours). this will hopefully get them out without any repeated oh sh*t moments.

[fireguy12117]

you guys have been a big help so far, thanks a bunch.

ive got all but the one driver side loose. its been sprayed with PB blaster. ill try to get it in the morning too. i shoved a clean rag into the busted plug and hosed that with pb too. i took one other plug and busted out the electrod portion to take to work as a refernce to ask around and see if anyones got some big ass easy outs, or anything else. I'm also going to look into the heli's like you mentioned sludge.

funny thing is, i still dont know if this is really the cause of my original problems :icon_confused: but anyhow, im knee deep in it...any thoughts about those vacuum readings? 20(whatevers...lbs, inches...) dropping to near zero when floored?

[MAKG]

The Helicoil kits I'm used to have nothing to do with spark plugs. They are generic (and ridiculously expensive, though indispensible) thread repair kits. Spark plugs need a good seating surface, so you need a repair kit specifically for spark plugs. It wouldn't surprise me in the slightest if Helicoil made such a kit, but just be sure the ones you get are specifically for spark plugs.

This is a relatively common problem (as is crossthreading), so spark plug repair inserts are not hard to find.

[Wicked_Sludge]

CLICKY (http://www.therangerstation.com/Magazine/Summer2003/VacuumLeaks.htm)

theres some info on interpreting vacuum gauge readings. a plugged exhaust system can cause a steady but low reading (such as the one for "poor rings") or a steady drop in vacuum at idle.

if your getting 20" at idle then your probably safe from plugged exhaust.

[fireguy12117]

wow, i need all that for the 4 banger thats giving me problems!! thanks wicked.

at this point i have one stuck plug, and the one broken one. i jacked up the one side of the truck as high as i could to create an angle to let gravity force some pb blaster into the plug threads for both. right now im just taking my time and trying a little hear with a propane torch and just giving the stuck one nudges here and there. there were some squared off easy outs that i was shown at work and im going to pick up a set of those tomorrow and see about using one of those on the busted plug, since i can slip the easy-out in nicely. so far, no threads are trashed, and im trying to stay away from having to do any thread work...

[MAKG]

You're wasting your time with propane. It's not anywhere near enough heat to do anything.

As for the EZ-Out, use the biggest one you possibly can and DO NOT BREAK IT. Make sure you turn it SQUARE.

[gamble71]

sounds like the Mass Airflow Sensor. At least that's what it was in my 94, and it sounds like what you're describing.

[fireguy12117]

i dont know how accurate the books procedure was for the MAF but i did have the correct supply and signal voltages coming from there when the truck was running. definatly going to go back through if/when i get this thing running. that one stuck one just wont move and im afraid of giving it too much and breaking it.

[skippy]

i dont know how accurate the books procedure was for the MAF but i did have the correct supply and signal voltages coming from there when the truck was running. definatly going to go back through if/when i get this thing running. that one stuck one just wont move and im afraid of giving it too much and breaking it.

fwiw,and painful as it might be,take the head to a machine shop,it won't cost much and they can clean up the threads or do the helical coil if need be.if the easy out breaks you will have to take the head off anyway.

[fireguy12117]

my hestitation with that is that ill be breaking every bolt on the exhaust manifold on that side. everything on that side is so rusty that i'd probably break nearly every bolt getting the head off...

so how does one pull a rust head?

snapped that little bugger right off just now, so im 0 for 2. pull the engine, or pull the head?

pull the engine, i can maybe do other work, but i dont have an engine stand, or any real heavy engine tools. pull the head, im in for some work ove never done before. new intake and head gaskets ive never done, and a whole slew of rusty bolts. just had the AC system filled...any insight guys?

[fireguy12117]

Got the top end tore down to the upper intake and exposed vavle covers. AC is just hangin, wiring harness is being held by the "oil pressure sensor" P.O.S. switch (how does that unplug?) and im just coming in from vacuuming the debris off. no idea whats next...

U-Pull-it place charges $280 for a ford v-6 with a 30 day warrenty...

feels kinda good to just pulling stuff off of there since the trucks given me the s**t's for so many things...

[fireguy12117]

ive got vavle covers off, lower intake off and torx bits soaking in oil. anyone have tips about pulling a head?

up to this point ive gotten pretty lucky with everything coming apart. im still worried about that exhaust manifold...

[skippy]

ive got vavle covers off, lower intake off and torx bits soaking in oil. anyone have tips about pulling a head?

up to this point ive gotten pretty lucky with everything coming apart. im still worried about that exhaust manifold...

when i pull a cyl head,i loosen the bolts in reverse order of the tightening instructions.there is a certain order to tightening/loosening and you need at a minimum a cheap haynes manual,about 15 bucks at auto parts store.head bolts should not be rusty.as for the exhaust bolts,well you are going to break at least one and if you don't you are lucky.let the machine shop deal with em,they are better equipped.as for pulling the head,once the bolts are out it should lift right out,take care not to sratch or ding the sealing surface.

[Wicked_Sludge]

DO NOT TOUCH THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS!!

leave the manifold bolted to the head to pull the head. instead, focus your attention further down the line at the 2 large down-pipe bolts. these bolts are much larger (15MM if memory serves) and stronger then the manifold bolts, and arent subject to quite the extreme heat that helps seize manifold bolts to the head. plus theres only 2 od them :D

pulling heads is easy. dont forget to drain the cooling system. unbolt the a/c-power steering bracket and leave it in the engine bay.

[MAKG]

Yeah, don't be afraid to flex the A/C lines. They will take A LOT. Get the compressor out of the way. If you're pulling the engine, wire the compressor to the rad mount. If you're just pulling that head, pull the compressor and power steering pump with brackets as an assembly and just rest it on the wheel well.

This "simple" job is getting really deep. Unfortunately, that does happen occasionally.

You do need a Haynes book or somesuch. They describe this particular operation in exceptional detail.

[fireguy12117]

i came to the conclusion of busting the manifold bolts at the Y pipe very quickly. those are busted, but i figure breaking 2 is easier then breaking 5 or 6, lol. im having a debate about just going for the head, or taking my chances pulling the engine. ill try for the head first, but put my feelers out for a long block (?). anyhow, yes, this is turning into quite a project, but in a twisted way its a little fun. only perhaps because this isnt my daily driver.

got the coolant out, AC/power steering loose, got a chiltons, haynes and a ford CD to work with, but sometimes just plunging in is just as good as reading a book.

[Wicked_Sludge]

sometimes just plunging in is just as good as reading a book.

in most cases, this is true.....this is one of those cases.

like i said, pulling the heads isnt really a big deal (people that havnt done it think so..). theres not much you can mess up really. the biggest thing to remember really is to put everything back EXACTLY how and where it came out. use a peice of cardboard with holes poked in it for pushrods, rockers, valves anything else you take out.

[fireguy12117]

im getting to wondering if its worth looking into a top end re'furb kit? id imagine with 130,000 miles there has to be some wear and tear. i suppose ill know for sure once i actaully get it apart, but if i got this far...

i know its kind of obvious, but in order to get the head off, you go have to take the push rods, rocker arms, and the assembly that holds em, off? whats the likelyhood of breaking head bolts? the three exposed by the exhaust manifold dont look to promomising.

[MAKG]

The 4.0L manifold bolts look mercifully larger than the ones on 2.9Ls, but they are still the biggest breakage risk. Wicked's idea of leaving the manifold connected to the head is a good one. For the operation at hand, it doesn't have to come off.

I've never had much fear of breaking bigger bolts. It's the little ones (like water pump bolts) that give me the heebie jeebies.

Two hints on a 4.0L:

1. Don't separate the fuel rail from the lower intake manifold unless you're replacing injectors or fixing a vacuum leak right there. You need a weird E-7 socket to do it anyway.

2. Replace the head bolts. They are not reusable.

[fireguy12117]

well im a little stuck in a couple regaurds because i now have a broken joint where the manifold meets the y pipe. not sure how to resolve that issue, other then looking into some sort of aftermarket, or junk yard parts. i already went at 2 of the exhaust manifold bolts, i think i either did snap one, or at least broke 2 of them a tiny bit loose. to me, without doing anything else to them, spells an exhaust leak if i ever get this biotch back on the road. so im still in limbo...getting the head off and seeing what the next logical step is.

thanks MAKG- i was looking at the intake thinking, not gonna touch it, lol...

where do you get new head bolts?

[kunar]

pretty much anywhere, napa or autozone will have them. pretty sure they are the same as the 2.9 as well

[fireguy12117]

I have a drivers side head with exhaust manifold attached sitting in the bench!!

:icon_bounceblue: :icon_bounceblue: :shout: :icon_bounceblue: :icon_bounceblue:

now i gotta find a machine shop and start accumulating repair parts. gaskets, kits, bolts, hell, new fan. the radiator fan fins i just noticed are all cracking. it never ends:fie:

[Wicked_Sludge]

when it rains it poors. just remember how much better you'll feel about driving it after you get all these issues resolved and get 'er back together. it'll be like a whole new truck.

you might as well buy a head kit for it. it'll come with all the gaskets you need as well as head bolts.

[fireguy12117]

it just doesnt stop though...how much more work is it, from this point, to just pull the whole engine? do more accessories need to come off? ive got oil stains on the drive way because of the rear seal leaking...if im going to be this far along, and im not pressed for time, im wondering wether to really just go for broke on fixing some things.

never pulled an engine (well, one that had to run someday) before. whats it like unhooking it from the trans and motor mounts, then getting it back in there?

[skippy]

when it rains it poors. just remember how much better you'll feel about driving it after you get all these issues resolved and get 'er back together. it'll be like a whole new truck.

you might as well buy a head kit for it. it'll come with all the gaskets you need as well as head bolts.

wicked's right,buy the head kit.fwiw,i'd change both head gaskets since you've come this far,it'll give you a chance to inspect the valve train and have the machine shop inspect both heads for telltale problems.shop around for machine shops and get estimates if you can.anyway feels good to do your own wrenching doesn't it?good luck!

[Wicked_Sludge]

since your this far, pulling he engine isnt that difficult. just the bellhousing bolts (dont forget to support the tranny somehow) and the motor mounts (2 bolts). it would give you a chance you pull the oil pan, clean the oil pump pickup screen, and replace main seals and the pan gasket.

[skippy]

since your this far, pulling he engine isnt that difficult. just the bellhousing bolts (dont forget to support the tranny somehow) and the motor mounts (2 bolts). it would give you a chance you pull the oil pan, clean the oil pump pickup screen, and replace main seals and the pan gasket.

fwiw,i'd let makg chime in on pulling the engine,don't you still have the a/c layed aside w/refrigerant still charged?how many miles on this engine?if you pull it,you may want to go through it,which requires the whole gasket set and more machine shop work,like hot tanking,camshaft bearings,freeze plug installation,etc...some folks leave tranny in the vehicle,i've always pulled engine and tranny together,anyway just something to think about.get some more posts if you have time.

[MAKG]

Why? Wicked has done this a number of times.

The only thing I'd add is that there are a FEW potential things to remove beyond the engine mount, but nothing significant. From memory, it's the oil level sensor connection and the engine block ground. The HEGO sensor bracket will come off when the transmission is unbolted. To cut down on the mess, you should probably drain the oil, and remove the engine block coolant plugs normally underneath the back ends of the exhaust manifolds. Quite a bit of coolant doesn't come out the water pump or the radiator draincock.

I find it easier to pull a (nearly) fully assembled engine than a block, just because the exhaust manifolds are convenient for attaching the crane. RBVs do not have enough room to pull an engine and transmission together (especially if the transmission has a transfer case on the end). Though mating the two inside the vehicle is a big PITA, it's really what you have to do.

Remove the fan and clutch and perhaps the water pump in the vehicle. Get all the accessories out of the way (I like to wire the A/C compressor to the rad mount). Remove the radiator and put a piece of plywood behind the condenser to prevent another disaster.

Unless you are ready to spend a lot more money, all you're going to do on the block is replace core plugs and external gaskets. You can measure the crank and rod bearing clearances if you want with Plastigage, and measure cylinder taper (etc). But if you're replacing bearings or rings, you're in for a LOT more expense. You can have the block inspected at a machine shop if you want (it's not very expensive), and you should consider having the heads Magnafluxed.

A full rebuild costs nearly $2000, if the castings are good. I got mine down to about $1000 when I did the Chevy, because the block was in pretty good shape (no boring, just honing; reused the cam, crank, rods and pistons), and most of the cost was in rebuilding the F-d up head.

You probably DO need a valve job, perhaps including guides, but that's easily inspected for. A poor man's benchtop leak test is to turn the head upside down and pour ATF or some other light oil onto all the valves. Then, look into each port to see which ones leak. Make sure you don't rest the heads on the valve stems or you may get a false positive.

[skippy]

Why? Wicked has done this a number of times.

The only thing I'd add is that there are a FEW potential things to remove beyond the engine mount, but nothing significant. From memory, it's the oil level sensor connection and the engine block ground. The HEGO sensor bracket will come off when the transmission is unbolted. To cut down on the mess, you should probably drain the oil, and remove the engine block coolant plugs normally underneath the back ends of the exhaust manifolds. Quite a bit of coolant doesn't come out the water pump or the radiator draincock.

I find it easier to pull a (nearly) fully assembled engine than a block, just because the exhaust manifolds are convenient for attaching the crane. RBVs do not have enough room to pull an engine and transmission together (especially if the transmission has a transfer case on the end). Though mating the two inside the vehicle is a big PITA, it's really what you have to do.

Remove the fan and clutch and perhaps the water pump in the vehicle. Get all the accessories out of the way (I like to wire the A/C compressor to the rad mount). Remove the radiator and put a piece of plywood behind the condenser to prevent another disaster.

Unless you are ready to spend a lot more money, all you're going to do on the block is replace core plugs and external gaskets. You can measure the crank and rod bearing clearances if you want with Plastigage, and measure cylinder taper (etc). But if you're replacing bearings or rings, you're in for a LOT more expense. You can have the block inspected at a machine shop if you want (it's not very expensive), and you should consider having the heads Magnafluxed.

A full rebuild costs nearly $2000, if the castings are good. I got mine down to about $1000 when I did the Chevy, because the block was in pretty good shape (no boring, just honing; reused the cam, crank, rods and pistons), and most of the cost was in rebuilding the F-d up head.

You probably DO need a valve job, perhaps including guides, but that's easily inspected for. A poor man's benchtop leak test is to turn the head upside down and pour ATF or some other light oil onto all the valves. Then, look into each port to see which ones leak. Make sure you don't rest the heads on the valve stems or you may get a false positive.
thanks,didn't know about the lack of room issue.can he fix the oil leak issues without pulling the engine?

[MAKG]

thanks,didn't know about the lack of room issue.can he fix the oil leak issues without pulling the engine?

Only if they are really coming from the valve covers or lower intake. It's actually pretty easy to mistake leaks from there as coming from the rear main seal or oil pan.

It's a one piece rear main, so either the engine or the transmission must come out to get at it. The oil pan is quite difficult to service in the vehicle. Perhaps impossible on a 4x4.

[fireguy12117]

ive got access to a puller and engine stand if need be. i got the names of a couple shops, and actually called a shop nearby that does race engines, with a personal referal from a guy at work. really they said they need to see the parts to make any call, but he said i could be in for as much as $1,800 for a full rebuild, so what im thinking is at this point- pulling the engine and actually seeing about a rebuild. if anything, it seems to be the work i need to do to even put the thing back together could be better accomplished out of the truck, so really, the engine is coming out. if i decide on the route of a rebuild, i see some benifit to it, since i want to keep this truck.

i guess i do have two major concerns beyond the engine itself. the rear main seal, and the exhaust. what am i dealing with in replacing a main seal? and what options do i have for repairing the exhaust? the flange for the drives side is pretty shot, and its part of the Y pipe assembly. can you buy a stock replacement? junk yard it? aftermarket performance?

[MAKG]

With the engine on a stand, replacing the rear main is REALLY easy. Remove the oil pan and the rearmost main bearing cap, and it will just pull right out with your fingers.

A replacement flange can be welded on, but it's easier and probably cheaper just to get another Y-pipe at the junkyard.

[fireguy12117]

took a shot and yanking the engine today. no luck. im stuck on one exhaust manifold bolt and two transmission bolts. i tried breaking the bolts for the pass. side manifold/Y pipe joint and could only break 1. i rounded the head of the other bolt, so im stuck on what to do about that.

the two trans bolts are the lower pass. side bolt, and one of the upper pass. side bolts. i cannot get them to budge for the life of me. i just cant get in there to get leverage on these two. everything else is disconnected and ready to go.

very annoying to be 3 bolts away from pulling the block, and then spending 4 solid hours on those three bolts.

any suggestions?

i figured lifting the truck to give myself more room for the bottom bolt, but im either going to have to get creative for the top bolt and exhaust bolt, or start pulling the heater box and front fender to get more room...

[gamble71]

[QUOTE=fireguy12117;16768]any suggestions?QUOTE]

blowtorch :)

[skippy]

took a shot and yanking the engine today. no luck. im stuck on one exhaust manifold bolt and two transmission bolts. i tried breaking the bolts for the pass. side manifold/Y pipe joint and could only break 1. i rounded the head of the other bolt, so im stuck on what to do about that.

the two trans bolts are the lower pass. side bolt, and one of the upper pass. side bolts. i cannot get them to budge for the life of me. i just cant get in there to get leverage on these two. everything else is disconnected and ready to go.

very annoying to be 3 bolts away from pulling the block, and then spending 4 solid hours on those three bolts.

any suggestions?

i figured lifting the truck to give myself more room for the bottom bolt, but im either going to have to get creative for the top bolt and exhaust bolt, or start pulling the heater box and front fender to get more room...

nothing is easy on your truck is it?pretty soon you will have a pile of parts that used to be a truck.the lack of room is the killer here.you have soaked them in penetrating oil i'm sure.can you get a dremel tool in there?a cutting torch will work but could get out of hand and a grinder probly won't fit so see if you can get a dremel tool in there.cut em baby!

[fireguy12117]

lifting the truck gave me a little more room to get the bottom bolt out. spent a good few hours on just the manifold alone. tried busting the flange, breaking the bolt, saw, chisling, just about everything and just working that baby over time and using the engine puller to manipulate the head i got it up, beat the snot out of the flange and actually pulled the flange from the Y pipe. by then a friend came by with a magic tool, a 3/8 breaker bar. with the head out of the way and about 2 hours of farting around i just climbed into the engine bay, reached down in with a breaker bar and 13mm socket and managed to get it loose! the breaker bar had all the right angles and was just the right size for the space and torque needed. bit if a rough time popping the trans and engine apart, and a giant pool of trans and coolant ( should'a heeded your suggestion better MAKG) had the engine dangling.

trans is supported, so now ive got to get this engine stripped and see who can rebuild it. any thoughts about some post engine pull tasks? ive got things i want to clean and fix up under the hood, but what do ya normally do with an engine out of a truck?

[fireguy12117]

so i pulled the wiring harness to look over it carefully. i found a bunch of completely broken wires, some frayed wires, and some wires with insulation worn off, right by the larger harness plug ends where they clip on at the wheel well.

how does one post pictures? i have a 393k pic of the broken wires that id like to post up so people can see it, and see the value in doing basic checks when troubleshooting. i have a strong feeling my original root cause of why the truck 'suddenly ran like poop', and why when i moved this bundle the idle changed, is because of so many poor connection or completely broken connections in this thing!

[skippy]

so i pulled the wiring harness to look over it carefully. i found a bunch of completely broken wires, some frayed wires, and some wires with insulation worn off, right by the larger harness plug ends where they clip on at the wheel well.

how does one post pictures? i have a 393k pic of the broken wires that id like to post up so people can see it, and see the value in doing basic checks when troubleshooting. i have a strong feeling my original root cause of why the truck 'suddenly ran like poop', and why when i moved this bundle the idle changed, is because of so many poor connection or completely broken connections in this thing!

i don't know about the picture thing but i been following your thread as you got in deeper and deeper,and you have been up against it bigtime.i'm glad you found the wire problem, and when you get everything back together you should have a solid truck,hang in there.

[Wicked_Sludge]

pics have to be hosted on an external site (cardomain and photobucket are free).

then just use the "insert image" button on the top of the reply screen and post the images URL.

im also glad to hear you found the problem. while your in there, take a close look around for signed of teeth marks...rodent damage is a PITA.

[skippy]

pics have to be hosted on an external site (cardomain and photobucket are free).

then just use the "insert image" button on the top of the reply screen and post the images URL.

im also glad to hear you found the problem. while your in there, take a close look around for signed of teeth marks...rodent damage is a PITA.

wicked is right,my brother has a 2005 dodge truck with major damage to under hood wiring and vacuum lines from critters.