4.0 SOHC removal

[JJMaine]

An open end wrench would be nice I wish there were room to do that!

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

An open end wrench would be nice I wish there were room to do that!

I don't really know what changed but it wasn't an option on my 2.8 either lol.

 

[sgtsandman]

There are times that the over the top creeper would be nice. I'm not sure how well it would work in a gravel driveway. Lord knows my creeper that converts into a stool collects more dust than it gets used. It did come in handy when working on the new seal for the 2019's bed cap.

 

[JJMaine]

Im hoping it'll work ok on my lawn. I think as long as I don't try to creep too much

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I kind of cheat, there is like a 4-6" ramp going into my garage so if I put my front wheels at the base of that it keeps the truck from rolling and standing in the garage I am now 4-6" taller relative to the truck.

 

[Shran]

I do bellhousing bolts from the bottom with a long extension & swivel socket most of the time. You can do some from the top too, just personal preference. I have a shop to work in though and can roll around on a creeper. That makes it a lot easier.

If you can leave the AC and power steering stuff intact, do it, I know I can on OHV engines but it's a real pain to get past the AC lines. Yours looks easier in that regard, they don't go up and over the engine.

I think you will be OK with that cherry picker. I had the 1 ton harbor freight one for a while and it worked for RBV's but was just about at the top of its lifting range by the time I got the engine to clear the core support.

 

[JJMaine]

I thought about taking the front wheels off and lowering the entire front of the truck way down but that would pose issues when I have to climb underneath so I bit the bullet and ordered one.

Shran, I did take the power steering off but was able to unbolt the AC compressor from the power steering bracket and that's sitting nearly off to the side out of the way. Glad I could leave the AC alone as it does blow ice cold already.

 

[bobbywalter]

working on stock trucks is definitely more work.

my truck is ridiculously easy to work on for most stuff. i dont even have to crawl under it to take the bolts out of the bell....

the torque converter bolts just use an extension through the starter hole and hold it straight letting it back itself to the edge and it will hold it so you can break it. same making them up.


just make sure you can move the converter back and forth a bit before you tighten them up.

 

[SenorNoob]

^This is most of the reason I'm considering the 2" body lift...

 

[lil_Blue_Ford]

^This is most of the reason I'm considering the 2" body lift...

There was a time where I was anti body lift… then I put a 2” on my Choptop because I needed hardware for replacing the body mounts and the body lift with hardware was cheaper than I could buy the bolts at the time (I was putting a set of poly body bushings on which didn’t come with hardware.) It was a reluctant choice at the time, but it makes a difference getting access to things. Enough of a difference that I sourced a set of 1” body lift pucks for my 88.

 

[JJMaine]

Have any of you guys used the cheap ebay $50 timing tool kit or should I just pick up a used OTC kit for under $150? It's tempting but then again I don't want any reason to not be able to do a good job...

 

[sgtsandman]

OTC has a general reputation of making decent tools that are about as good as what the vehicle manufacturers recommend, at a lower price.

If it was me, I would go with the OTC kit over whatever the $50 kit has to offer. Since so much work goes into the job and it is so critical, I'm not sure I would want to take a gamble on a cheap kit being good enough.

 

[Uncle Gump]

OTC when I worked at Ford Engineering was the special tool supplier.

 

[JJMaine]

I was thinking the same but wanted to ask to make sure you guys weren't using the cheap kit with fine results.

Another crisis has arisen lol. My 1/2 DeWalt impact spun the exhaust bolts out fine except one. I thought it was turning but it was just rounding the nut off. Do you think it's possible to just sawzall through it and replace as needed before I put it back together? The only reason I ask is because I don't have any good metal blades here or I'd have already tried it

 

[Uncle Gump]

Opps...

Before I took a sawzall to it... I would try a little heat and tapping a smaller six point socket or a nut extractor on it and try to zip it off first.

Those studs look pretty pristine.