Suddenly ran like poop!

[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

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!!



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

 

[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.