2000 4 cyl 2.5L Ford Ranger Trying to remove cylinder head

[johnrhadfield]

It will have to be a 95 and above head,the 94,s still had the bigger valves.look between the valve seats,that is where they usaully crack.We race our race and often have to tear it down to check something,for bigger valves,porting,big cam or something.Never got DQ for anything.Heres a picture of our truck . http://www.turn4photos.com/2010-Thu...ners-09-11-10/13731926_FC9YJ#1004050463_V7wk7

To 4b316:

Why must it be a 1995? How must I specifically match a cyl head other than another 2000?

Thanks for the advice,

John

 

[johnrhadfield]

Remove battery, Remove fan shroud and fan, remove coolant hose and drain coolant. Remove serpentine belt, crank pulley, water pump pulley, then all accessory brackets attached to the head. Remove crank sensor hub behind crank pulley, remove timing cover and timing belt. Remove pcv valve and all vacuum hoses. Relieve fuel pressure from the fuel line via the schrader valve on the fuel rail. remove valve cover. Remove upper intake, remove intake manifold, remove exhaust manifold. remove head bolts.
Remove head.

Timing means nothing at this point so don't worry about lining any thing up any where.
You worry about that upon reinstalling. Then is when you want to bring the #1 piston to TDC and line the cam and crank up.
Other wise its pretty futile to try and keep it all lined up while your taking the main timing component off with the head ( the cam shaft )

To Duane867:

Thanks for the detailed overview. I am glad I don't need to worry about TDC because there is a whole lot of things in front of the timing belt cover.

I removed igntion coils, spark plugs, 6 bolts of the intake manifold. I have marked with duct tape, white out, and permanent marker many connectors and parts.

When I tried to take intake manifold off everything was fine until I got to the EGR valve. I tried to remove the two bolts holding the EGR to the intake manifold.

It appears I needed a 13/32 socket to remove the two bolts(10 mm socket was a little loose). I purchased the Walmart set "Ultra Tough" ""Ultra Steel". It was the only set that had a 13/32 socket. (I had gone to Sears and ACE hardware in San Angelo- they did not have a 13/32 socket) Well it cracked the socket when I tried to remove the bolts on the EGR valve connected to the intake manifold.

SNAP!

Couldn't believe I snapped a socket!

John

 

[4b316]

Should be able to just loosen the EGR pipe .Need a good socket to pull those bolts.

 

[johnrhadfield]

Should be able to just loosen the EGR pipe .Need a good socket to pull those bolts.

To 4b316:

I took a picture of it with my phone(which I don't see an icon to post a picture).

Anyhow I have removed all 7 bolts to the upper intake manifold and still haven't removed EGR pipe. It appears it goes to the exhaust manifold, Perhaps I can disconnect it from there. I am trying to use a vise adjustable crescent wrench for what appears to be a 1 1/16" EGR pipe. The wrench barely fits not much room. I may just go buy a more slender 1 1/16" wrench.(I am going to let the 2 smaller bolts go for now.)

I have take half the upper intake manifold(connected to PCV tube) off and put it to the side.

One mistake I made was I did not relieve the fuel pressure before I dug in the other day, I didn't have a fuel pressure guage. Now the coil packs are off I am afraid to connect battery and turn her over.

Is there an alternative method to relieving fuel pressure? Can I just open the gas cap and press the Schrader valve open?

Otherwise, I am making a lot of progress removing other parts and marking with whiteout, permanent marker, and duct tape.

John

 

[4b316]

john,yes,just release the pressure at the valve on the rail(watch your eyes)Why do you want to turn it over again?Not trying to be a wise guy but sounds like you should go to Sears and buy a good set of tools.Good tools are something you can use a long time and don't have to worry about busted sockets and knuckles (so much).The 95+ heads are the same as your 2.5.the 94 and older heads had bigger valves,a water jacket and different bosses cast in the head.

 

[johnrhadfield]

john,yes,just release the pressure at the valve on the rail(watch your eyes)Why do you want to turn it over again?Not trying to be a wise guy but sounds like you should go to Sears and buy a good set of tools.Good tools are something you can use a long time and don't have to worry about busted sockets and knuckles (so much).The 95+ heads are the same as your 2.5.the 94 and older heads had bigger valves,a water jacket and different bosses cast in the head.

To 4b316:

I would probably say the same thing about tools, if I were reading this post.

As a matter of fact I did just get back from Sears with a 1 1/16" wrench. I am gathering some good tools(expensive) as I go.

I managed to get the EGR pipe off the exhaust manifold, with the 1 1/16" wrench. Still the top of the EGR pipe I can't get yet(too tight). It looks like I might be able to remove the intake manifold because I loosed the EGR pipe from exhaust manifold.

So I can use any 2.3L 4 cyl 95+ cylinder head?

If so, that is good news, because I heard getting a 2000 2.5L 4 cyl cylinder head, is tough to find. Is there anything that needs to be modified for a 95+?


Thanks,

John

 

[Duane867]

I am not sure that you can John.
I know you can use a 2.5 head on a 2.3 but I am not sure about using a 2.3L head on a 2.5L. even if you could its a poor design and in my opinion you wouldn't want to do it. I would think it would create a power loss and a massive headache on reassembly.
I think Steve thought you had a 2.3L to start with and 4b316 is telling you you can use any 95' or newer 2.5L head.
As a sort of twisted irony.....as you are finding out the hard way......
2.3L's and 2.5L's just don't die so the bone yards do not usually have them in stock.
When they do the circle track guys or other 2.3 / 2.5 owners snatch them up with a quickness.
I think your best bet is going to be a new head on line some where. I am sure you could find a head on the internet. Have to pay shipping and that but if you can't find it locally then you gotta' do what you gotta' do ya know.

 

[steve63]

if youre able to save the original head i would recomend using it,the reason i recomened the 95 and above head is there is not to many 2.5 heads out there as they were only built for 3 years,yes i was a year off on the head redesign.the 2.3 heads are not flawed,they're just dated compared to newer technologies in head flow.

 

[4b316]

The 95+2.3 heads and the 98+2.5 are the same heads,no difference.Same flow ,same bosses,same valves etc.The block is the same from 95 to 01,2.3 or 2.5.Used heads are no problem to find, 2.5 cranks are a different thing, the circle track guys use is the cranks out of the 2.5,s and put them in a 89-94 block so that they can use a dist. and carb.

 

[Duane867]

GREAT information !
I learn something new every day here

 

[johnrhadfield]

It is taking me a while as I can only work on this in the evenings and on weekends.

I finally removed the upper intake manifold. The EGR pipe would not loosen even after I removed it along with the upper intake manifold. I am thinking of using some penetrating oil on the EGR pipe.

I have marked with colored zip ties. Permanent marker, and white out many hoses and connectors.

I have removed the AC bolts but I don't see how to set the AC aside to get the bracket underneath.

I have removed the spark plug coils but not the brackets underneath them yet.

I have removed spark plugs.

I have removed radiator pipes and removed fan and fan clutch.

Basically, I have the exhaust manifold( and the fuel injectors plus lower intake manifold?) and valve cover to go.

Also, where do I go(other than Ford) to get remanufactured cyl heads?

I won't know if it's cracked until it's inspected, but if the cyl head is cracked is it weldable?


John

 

[steve63]

most engine machine shops can tell u how to get a rebuilt head,they can also tell you if you'r old head can be fixed.

 

[4b316]

There are a couple hidden bolts down underneath the power steering bracket.There is a bolt behind the alternator also that will have to be loosened,should be able to just loosen the brackets and pull back a bit to get the head off.The intake should just pull back far enough to pick the head off.Take your propane torch and heat up the egr nut at the manifold.Heads are on ebay all the time.I probabbly have a good one laying around.

 

[johnrhadfield]

To the Forum:

A mechanic at work told me that if I put a remanufactured cylinder head on top of the old 203,000 miles block, that it would be too much pressure for the block.

Is there any truth to that?

John

 

[4b316]

No,it will be fine,People do it every day.I don't know where some of these people get these ideas.