Need help: 98 ford ranger 4.0 ohv head replacement

[Ynaffit88]

Hey guys could anyone recommend a video tutorial on reinstalling the heads on a 98 ford ranger 4.0 ohv please? My friend tore them down to replace the head gasket and he is gone out of state and I have never done the heads before and I don't want to screw anything up. It's my only vehicle. Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

 

[RonD]

Welcome to TRS

You will do fine, torque wrench is the only specialty tool needed
Parts are:
Head gasket kit, has the head gaskets plus intake and exhaust gasket
New head bolts, these can not be reused
Coolant
Oil and oil filter

Google: Ford ranger 4.0l OHV head replacement video

Several will come up, you have a 1990-2000 4.0l OHV engine, NOT a 4.0l SOHC engine, which were also used in Ranger 2001 and up

 

[Ynaffit88]

Welcome to TRS

You will do fine, torque wrench is the only specialty tool needed
Parts are:
Head gasket kit, has the head gaskets plus intake and exhaust gasket
New head bolts, these can not be reused
Coolant
Oil and oil filter

Google: Ford ranger 4.0l OHV head replacement video

Several will come up, you have a 1990-2000 4.0l OHV engine, NOT a 4.0l SOHC engine, which were also used in Ranger 2001 and up

Thank you for replying quickly

 

[Ynaffit88]

Thank you for replying quickly
[/QUOT
.i do have all of the above my only concern is I'm affraid I'm not going to hook everything back up correctly or something I would feel alot more confident if I had a video tutorial to watch or maybe a Chilton book on it or something. I've got pretty much one shot at this and I don't want to screw it up. Cuz I can not afford to buy this stuff all over again. My now ex fiance had tore it all down then we separated and now I'm stuck with a half torn down motor. Even though I am a female I do have quite a bit of experience with motors I'm great with small motors but as I said I have never done a head job....(no pun intended).

 

[RonD]

Google: Ford ranger 4.0l OHV head replacement video

Take a picture of the engine in its current state and post it here
The lifters have to be in place BEFORE the heads go on, so if they were taken out(no reason to) they need to be put back in first

All the hoses and electrics only fit one way, so if you have to pull it or bend it over is the WRONG one, lol

 

[sgtsandman]

Being a female doesn't mean anything. Pay attention to detail and check everything twice before you turn the key. Once you get some torque specs and a basic repair manual, you should be golden. Video does help. Unfortunately, I don't have any links to suggest.

https://www.youtube.com/c/FordTechMakuloco - FordTechMakuloco may have some helpful videos but I'm afraid you are going to have to do some searching.

 

[Ynaffit88]

Google: Ford ranger 4.0l OHV head replacement video

Take a picture of the engine in its current state and post it here
The lifters have to be in place BEFORE the heads go on, so if they were taken out(no reason to) they need to be put back in first

All the hoses and electrics only fit one way, so if you have to pull it or bend it over is the WRONG one, lol

They were not taken out I'm sure of that but I will post a pic in just a moment

 

[RonD]

And do you have any history on how the "blown head gasket" was diagnosed
Symptoms:
overheating
white "smoke" out tailpipe
Coolant in the oil(how long?)
Glove test
Compression test

Have the old heads been surfaced and pressure tested, or did you get new heads?
4.0l OHV will crack a head if overheated just once so heads need to be tested if reusing

 

[Ynaffit88]

Google: Ford ranger 4.0l OHV head replacement video

Take a picture of the engine in its current state and post it here
The lifters have to be in place BEFORE the heads go on, so if they were taken out(no reason to) they need to be put back in first

All the hoses and electrics only fit one way, so if you have to pull it or bend it over is the WRONG one, lol

 

[Ynaffit88]

I thank u for that..lol
I know that being a female doesn't really matter in today's society,..lol.. My now finance hated the fact that I was independent and at times knew things that he didn't or that I could often times do certain things better than him. He was a bit of a chauvinist are times. That's why I automatically make that remark about being a female. Sorry went way off topic. Getting back on it now.

 

[Ynaffit88]

I just checked out that link u sent but I didn't see any videos about this particular subject, but then again I could've missed it.

 

[RonD]

Yes, lifters are in place, as are the dowels that line up the heads on the block

Throw a towel over the valley and over the lifters, to keep dirt out and take a wire brush to the block surface to clean it up a bit, also the tops of each piston, rotate engine, 2 pistons will be at the top every 1/3 rotation
You can also use a metal scraper(putty knife) on the block(not pistons) just try not to gouge any areas
The heads gaskets for these are pretty forgiving, its composite type not MLS, so you just need a fairly smooth surface, not polished
Then run a scotch brite pad over block when brushing and scrapping is done

Wipe down cylinder walls as you go when they are exposed, just a towel/rag is fine, rotate engine to clean them all one last time

You should take a head bolt, dip its tip in oil just a few threads and then run it down each bolt hole on the block, dipping each time
Just to make sure all the holes and threads are clear
Wipe off any oil on block after

Put head gasket on to block, then put head on, its very heavy and awkward, try not to drop it hard on the head gasket
The 3 metal rings on the head gasket are what "blows" when head gasket fails, so you don't want to mash one with the edge/corner of a head when installing
The Dowels in the lower corners of the block's head surface are what aligns the head to the block, NOT the head bolts
So when head is in correct position dowel will slide into the head, aligning it at each end and head will sit flat against block surface
Then you can put in all the new head bolts and tighten them down in correct order and torque
Always start from center and chris-cross out to the edges

 

[Angie]

not sure how far you are in this project, however this could assist you a bit. good luck

(I want to add one thing that has bit me more than once) by forgetting to place on the fuel rail lines before placing on the top intake. tighten them down now, no way to do it after the top is on, and of course replace the wires etc.

Blown head gasket replacing 4.L

This takes off from upper intake removal. As I didn't take any pics before this section. I have the driver head off this is how I left it last night. The clean piston top is the blown head gasket. So after the head is removed a look over the gasket shows the problems. After the heads are...

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