New 2.9L Owner

Ox_2.9_88 · Dec 18, 2007

Posted an intro in the introduction forum here but thought I'd go ahead and get started in the forum where I'll probably be spending a good bit of time over the next few weeks (spent some time here in Oct as well).

The intro thread covers the truck etc.

What I'm curious to is what I should do immediately on the truck as preventive maintenence etc.

The truck has 300k miles on it and has been sitting for probably 2 months now. I'm thinking an oil change with what the previous owner used (I doubt I'll switch over to synthetic right away) check compression as well as see what I can see about cracked heads. I may pick up a larger TB (for the price I can't beat it) and possibly an electric fan from the yard along with 19# injectors (if I can't find my old Tbird ones) for a later project or two.

I did pick up the How to Rebuild Ford 60 degree engines ($55 shipped wasn't bad-since I got the truck for free

) and the truck comes with the Haynes or Chiltons (will pick up the other one as well-can never have too much documentation). If the heads are cracked then I will probably go with the Worldcast heads vs. the performance heads as I'm not looking to go fast vs. get around.

Any input/advice is always greatly appreciated. Off to search through the forum/faqs etc.

Psychopete · Dec 18, 2007

Welcome to hell.

j/k.

Ox_2.9_88 said:
What I'm curious to is what I should do immediately on the truck as preventive maintenence etc.

What needs done? Plugs, wires, oil, new coolant, trans filter & fluid, brake fluid, etc? Cooling system would probably be the first on my list, just a flush.

Ox_2.9_88 said:
I may pick up a larger TB (for the price I can't beat it) and possibly an electric fan from the yard along with 19# injectors (if I can't find my old Tbird ones) for a later project or two.

You probably won't see too much with a larger TB, I am running that TB because I have a bigger cam. E-Fan doesn't free up too much power, the stock actually can move some air. With it running, it still draw power from the engine since it's drawing power for the alternator. If you're going to be drag racing or going in deep water, and E-Fan would be for you. The 19lbs injectors are going to give you nothing but problems on that MAP/SD computer system. The stock engine itself can't justify their use, it's just not pulling enough air to need that much fuel. The computer is not calibrated for them, and they will not get good atomization at idle. It will run crappy at idle and rich all of the time.

Ox_2.9_88 said:
I did pick up the How to Rebuild Ford 60 degree engines ($55 shipped wasn't bad-since I got the truck for free ) and the truck comes with the Haynes or Chiltons (will pick up the other one as well-can never have too much documentation). If the heads are cracked then I will probably go with the Worldcast heads vs. the performance heads as I'm not looking to go fast vs. get around.

Where did you find that book? I has to order one from New Zeland 3 years ago ($50 shipped), and I have never heard of anyone finding a new copy. Some pop up on E-Bay here and there for $100+. World product heads would probably be the way to go if you have that much to spend on heads...

Ford did make a stronger version, but they're not as strong. The performance heads are kind of salty, but he's probably not selling too many sets of them.

With 300K, I doubt they are. Sounds like you have a solid motor, my '88 heads cracked @ 98K. Check for moisture under the oil cap, dipstick tube, and under the valve covers.

Pete

Jspafford · Dec 18, 2007

The 2.9L is a good motor, just prone to cracking heads from poor maitenance.

Chic N Stew · Dec 18, 2007

i have 350,000 miles on my 86 2.9 and no problems of any kind engine wise, just a broken motor mount that is still not fixed, and needs new valve guides but other than that, everything is peachy

Ox_2.9_88 · Dec 18, 2007

Thanks Pete and Jspafford.

Pete-I'm looking at the flush and oil change at a minimum having not known what the maintenence was like the last year or so (his son, my good friend, died a year and a half ago and he also is recovering from double bypass surgery from 2 months ago). My engine experience is limited to Ford 4.6L and basic wrench turning so I'm looking at this from a noob point of view.

With the Barrs Stop Leak addition-How does that affect the rest of the engine? Hopefully it's just a head gasket leak. I might even be able to spend most of my vacation replacing it (beats IT work

). I'm kicking myself for not insulating the rest of my garage when I had time.

The 19# injectors would be for later down the road if I decided to goto the MAF swap but after reading about it-I'll just save my time/money for proper maintenence of the truck.

Efan will stay out as well. Thanks for the info. TB if I see one I'll grab it but won't be looking for one.

I found the book on Ebay (Item # 280181694627). I had an active search running for it and saw it pop up last week and bid for the reserve ($50) and hoped no 2.9L owner found it.

Thanks again!

Ox_2.9_88 · Dec 18, 2007

Chic N Stew-Glad to hear. He takes good care of his vehicles so I'm a bit more confident about the head gasket leak vs. cracked heads. Still a fun messy swap.

Jspafford · Dec 18, 2007

I've heard Amazon.com has them.

http://www.amazon.com/Degrees-Engines-Motorbooks-International-Powerpro/dp/0879389141/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1198001333&sr=8-1

Ox_2.9_88 · Dec 18, 2007

Man that's nuts.

IMenriched · Dec 18, 2007

A compression check mostlikely help you get a good understanding of what the engine condition is like. & yes start with new fuilds. & yess...you are very fortunate in the book.

check the air box ...where the air filter is... for mouse nests. If it has been sitting a while

Chic N Stew · Dec 18, 2007

IMenriched said:
check the air box ...where the air filter is... for mouse nests. If it has been sitting a while

Ya, you wouldn't to suck a mouse into the engine, lol

Ox_2.9_88 · Jan 18, 2008

Well this past weekend I went to pick up the truck. It's been a while since I drove a stick. That was funny enough for my buddy. Once I got the gas pedal down everything was good for a couple miles. Threw out some black smoke and started losing power so pulled it over and towed it home. Apparently it was running rich when parked but compression checked out within spec.

This weekend I'm gonna go through and swap fluids (been running 10w-40 oil) and go through a compression test as well as charge the battery (killed it on the tow home wth the flashers) and if I get frisky depending on the temp (snow/ice slated) jump into the engine a bit and see if I can see any signs of cracked heads. May as well swap the thermostat and look around at gaskets etc. Will also take some pics. For free everyone has been jealous that's seen it. Now if I can just get it going well enough to sit outside the garage vs. in I'll be good.

What manual is more reccomended? Haynes or the other (long week of Server 2008 training has my mind fubar)?

mhughes165 · Jan 18, 2008

wlecome, and as far as mileage on the engine, its nothing really to be worried about, 2.9's when cared for properly and u get a good one from ford will run as long as u want them to, everyone gives the colonge motors a bad rap, but my first one had over 300k HARD miles on it, it was a on call fire truck for most its life and a wheeler once i had my hands on it, theres wasnt a day in its life it didnt have the pedal to the floor, the only reason that engine went in my truck is the friggin weather wasnt supposed to get below freezing when i was changin coolant.....shit got below freezin and froze the block, popped all the freeze plugs and warped the cylinder walls, but even with taht it still would spin the 33" boggers like ti was nothing with stock gearing, as far as tweaks with this engine id start with it from the ground up if u really want to dive into it, do a complete rebuild, cam throttle body, injectors the whole 9 yards, second engine i built had everything done for under a grand and it felt like a v8 under the hood

Ox_2.9_88 · Jan 18, 2008

Mind going into your second engine build in a bit more detail or point me to a thread on it?

Thanks!

mhughes165 · Jan 18, 2008

that thread is long since gone on here, but im sure u will be able to find many other threads on here as far as complete buildups, if i could remem my old name on here i had pics of progress and all the work done, the advanctage of the 2.9 is that there little torque monsters for the amount of displacment, i built the engine with that in mind, choose your parts carufully, lots of times the difference between the engine the way u want it and one that has less power then stock is the ability to choose parts that will work well together. also smaller things that may not cost as much if u have the time and practice b4 hand such as porting and portmatching the intake's together and the lower to the head give u a considerable boost, that alone bumped me up 15whp 22ftlbs, im looking forward to building another sweet 2.9 soon in the near future for the new project truck, so keep ur eyes open and ull see some fun easy and cheap stuff todo to get good power

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