300k Mile Rebuild Parts List

[rhekman]

So after 295,000 miles my '95 4.0 is only running on 4 cylinders. I pulled the engine this week and confirmed I have burnt exhaust valves, and zero compression in cylinders 1 & 3.

I still have more checking to do this weekend, but rod journals look pristine, with only slight discoloration on the stock rod bearings. I plan on micing and plasti-gauging the rods & mains, but the bottom end looks good so far. No sludge in the pan or lifter valley. No lifters were stuck in their bores with no flat spots on the rollers. All the pushrods had about a 1/8" flat spot worn in the tips, and two rockers had pitted valve pads. The cylinder bores look amazing for the mileage, with some cross-hatch still visible, and no ring ridge that can be felt with a fingernail.

The motor was losing about a quart of oil per thousand miles, but I think most of that was from the sieve on the left cylinder bank Ford generously referred to as a "valve cover". There wasn't much for blue smoke in the exhaust after startup. But there was plenty of sludge down the outside of the block on both sides, and below the rear main seal. The truck has been marking its territory right below either side of the bell housing when parked for a couple years now.

"Well there's your problem lady"

Here's the parts list I have put together so far. Does anyone have any suggestions or recommendations for parts or things I should check? I have a decent amount of experience for a hobbyist, but this is the most extensive tear-down of an engine I've ever done.

Part Description​	Part Number​	Qty​	Price​	Unit Total​
Valve Job (inc. Seats, Grind, Seals)​	Machine Shop​	1​	$425.00​	$425.00​
Head Gasket – Left​	FEL-PRO 544SD​	1​	$31.79​	$31.79​
Head Gasket – Right​	FEL-PRO 545SD​	1​	$32.79​	$32.79​
Intake/Valve Cover Gasket​	VICTOR REINZ 151057601​	1​	$28.79​	$28.79​
Crankshaft Seal (Front)​	NATIONAL 473560N​	1​	$6.38​	$6.38​
Crankshaft Seal w/Sleeve(Rear)​	FEL-PRO BS40647​	1​	$19.14​	$19.14​
Oil Pan Gasket​	FEL-PRO OS34309R​	1​	$26.79​	$26.79​
Timing Cover Gasket​	FEL-PRO TCS45291​	1​	$6.95​	$6.95​
Oil Pump (High Volume)​	Melling M328​	1​	$133.79​	$133.79​
Oil Pump Pickup & Screen​	Melling 345S​	1​	$46.79​	$46.79​
Oil Filter Adapter o-ring​	MAHLE 72115​	1​	$0.09​	$0.09​
Timing Set​	Melling 33SRH64AS​	1​	$67.79​	$67.79​
Rod Bearings (Std)​	ENGINETECH BB625J​	1​	$12.70​	$12.70​
Piston Ring Set (Std size)​	SEALED POWER E613K​	1​	$61.79​	$61.79​
Head Bolts​	MAHLE GS33221​	1​	$6.91​	$6.91​
Serpentine Belt (w/AC)​	Goodyear Poly-V 4060872​	1​	$26.38​	$26.38​
Lower Rad Hose​	MOTORCRAFT KM6678​	1​	$23.97​	$23.97​
Camshaft​	Berry Cams Custom Grind​	1​	$180.00​	$180.00​
Pushrods​	MELLING MPR471​	12​	$3.41​	$40.92​
Rocker Arms​	MELLING MR927​	12​	$5.57​	$66.84​
Motor Mount (4WD Left)​	Anchor 2642​	1​	$6.32​	$6.32​
Motor Mount (Right)​	Anchor 2641​	1​	$6.39​	$6.39​
Coolant Temp Sensor (w/Gauge)​	ULTRA-POWER 1T1116​	1​	$1.38​	$1.38​
​	​	​	Total:​	$1,259.69​

 

[dvdswan]

Have a machine shop check/vat the block. Its easier for them to install the cam bearings as well unless you have the tool. A gun cleaning kit helps clean out the oil galley passages. Since your doing the block either go through the heads or get rebuilt ones.

Buy a gasket kit for the engine rather than individual ones it will save money. You'll need plasti-guage and torque wrench, ring wrench,

There's a bunch more, I'm sure others will chime in.

 

[Paulos]

If you've got nearly 300K on that engine, you really should consider a complete rebuild, as that's a lot of wear on the crank, cylinders, pistons. If you don't have much wear on the cylinders, what you're considering may be okay. But at 300K you've got to have a fairly good ridge at the top of the cylinders.

 

[Blmpkn]

Yeah, if your going to do anything at 300k miles... you might as well do everything.

 

[rhekman]

Have a machine shop check/vat the block. Its easier for them to install the cam bearings as well unless you have the tool. A gun cleaning kit helps clean out the oil galley passages. Since your doing the block either go through the heads or get rebuilt ones.

Buy a gasket kit for the engine rather than individual ones it will save money. You'll need plasti-guage and torque wrench, ring wrench,

There's a bunch more, I'm sure others will chime in.

I do have some specialty tools - 3" micrometer, torque wrench, dial bore gauge, plasti-guage, bore scope, so I'll be checking the cam bearings, crank throws, etc. I just picked up an engine brush kit at the Hazard Fraught, so I'll see how clean I can get things on my own.

Good point about the gasket set. I had individual gaskets listed both because RockAuto kind of forces you into parts categories, and when browsing I was unimpressed with some gasket features. E.g. I preferred the double lip seal on the Reinz valve cover gaskets, the Fel-Pro head gaskets had beefier looking fire rings, etc. Looks like I'd save maybe $30 going with a complete set, so I'll do some more investigating.

 

[rhekman]

If you've got nearly 300K on that engine, you really should consider a complete rebuild, as that's a lot of wear on the crank, cylinders, pistons. If you don't have much wear on the cylinders, what you're considering may be okay. But at 300K you've got to have a fairly good ridge at the top of the cylinders.

As much as I'd love to go all out on a rebuild, funds are tight until I'm employed again.

I just took bore gauge readings and all the holes are .006-.007" over 3.95". Halfway down the bore, they're consistent in that range at 12 o'clock and 3 o'clock positions, and the ring ridge only fluctuates within .001-.002 over/under that. I feel like that would qualify for a dingle-ball hone and re-ring, or am I wrong? Does anyone have any recommendations for rings with a looser fit like that?

The cylinders that still had compression were all between 125-130 psi, which gives me more confidence skipping a re-bore.

Exhibit A:

Cylinder 1, no compression due to exhaust valve roasted .120" up into the head.
The dark ring above the fire ring isn't catchable with a finger nail, and reads about .001" with a bore guage.

Exhibit B:

Cylinder 6, 125 psi compression before disassembly.
Oil soaked plug boot was arcing to the manifold causing a misfire and excess carbon deposits in the chamber and above the fire ring.