4.0L SOHC Pulling the SOHC for inspection

[red78ta]

Getting close to ready to pull the motor. Picked the truck up for free with a thrown timing chain; pulling to inspect to see if there was any damage when that happened.

 

[JJMaine]

Nicely done! Just a quick FYI for you. I strongly recommend to buy OEM hydraulic tensioners from a reputable dealer (there are some fakes kicking around on eBay especially). I know some guys have used Cloyes on here in years past with good results but I used Cloyes this past winter (as well as all new timing components) on my truck when I had the engine out for head gaskets and they were bad straight out of the box.

The truck had a slight rattle on random start ups (maybe every 20-30 starts) and also some slight noise on deceleration. A couple of weeks ago I finally came to my senses and switched to new Ford tensioners and now no more rattle at start or any other weird noises.

 

[PetroleumJunkie412]

Nicely done! Just a quick FYI for you. I strongly recommend to buy OEM hydraulic tensioners from a reputable dealer (there are some fakes kicking around on eBay especially). I know some guys have used Cloyes on here in years past with good results but I used Cloyes this past winter (as well as all new timing components) on my truck when I had the engine out for head gaskets and they were bad straight out of the box.

The truck had a slight rattle on random start ups (maybe every 20-30 starts) and also some slight noise on deceleration. A couple of weeks ago I finally came to my senses and switched to new Ford tensioners and now no more rattle at start or any other weird noises.

Cloyes are prone to leak down... any time my truck sits for more than 24 hours without running, I prime the oil system by using clear flooded engine procedure. So far, so good.

 

[red78ta]

Nicely done! Just a quick FYI for you. I strongly recommend to buy OEM hydraulic tensioners from a reputable dealer (there are some fakes kicking around on eBay especially). I know some guys have used Cloyes on here in years past with good results but I used Cloyes this past winter (as well as all new timing components) on my truck when I had the engine out for head gaskets and they were bad straight out of the box.

The truck had a slight rattle on random start ups (maybe every 20-30 starts) and also some slight noise on deceleration. A couple of weeks ago I finally came to my senses and switched to new Ford tensioners and now no more rattle at start or any other weird noises.

Thanks for the tip! My factory service manual is supposed to arrive today and the fan clutch holder sometime in the next few days. After that I should be able to remove the rest of what I need to and pull the engine. One of the “bad” parts of living in southeast alaska is waiting for the mail lol

 

[red78ta]

I got sick of waiting for the tool so I made one from some scrap aluminum I had. Fan and alternator are off, power steering and ac next I guess. Then it’s unbolt and pull. FSM should be here today so I can double check I’ve got everything off I need to. And of course the fan clutch holder tool will be here tomorrow I’ll take a break.

 

[red78ta]

Got the ac compressor and power steering pump out. Gonna take a crack at the bell housing bolts and motor mounts Friday or Saturday and maybe then pull it.

 

[red78ta]

Any tips for removing the transmission control connection and the exhaust sensor that is tucked up in above it? I pulled on it some but don’t want to bust it. Figured I’d ask for help before going ape on it and cracking something

 

[red78ta]

Making slow progress, I can only seem to get myself up and down off the garage floor and up on the engine and down off it for an hour or two before having to take the rest of the day off

Anyway I got the starter out and finally was able to get the torque converter nuts off. I ended up having to jack up the front end of the truck and go under from the front in stead of the side. One of the nuts fell off into the case but I’ll get it out when I separate the engine from the transmission. The engine has been out before because there is no bolt in the top of engine/trans cases. I was able to climb on top of the engine bay and reach down and feel it missing. I am having issues getting the HO2S connection that’s behind the engine unconnected. I can reach it with one hand but cant seem to unhook / disconnect it. I might try to get it when I lift the engine.

 

[JJMaine]

Yes those connectors are a pain in the ass. Half the battle is figuring out HOW they disconnect so you can push/pull on the right things lol. It took me a while to get them pulled apart as well. Nice work so far, looks like it's going okay!

 

[JJMaine]

Fwiw, I don't think I had to disconnect any of the transmission connectors to remove my engine?

 

[red78ta]

Fwiw, I don't think I had to disconnect any of the transmission connectors to remove my engine?

Yea the FSM said I had to but I ended up not because it looked like they were attached to wiring harness going aft even more so I figured I would have to detach more than it was telling me too… we will see.

I got that connector undone, I worked and worked and worked and was about to give up for the day and then it just popped off easy as pie… I got the bell housing bolts out today too. Ended up jacking up the rear axel and putting it on jackstands and then jacking up the front and putting it on jackstands and it made getting to all the bolts easy. It also really helped that whoever took the engine out last didn’t put the two top bolts back in, so I didn’t have to do those!

 

[red78ta]

3 of the 4 motor mount nuts off; the last one the rear one on the passenger side is giving me issues. I can get a socket on it but have to have a u joint and it’s such a tight fit that the u joint can’t really twist. I have to be able to get it off without taking off the exhaust manifold. It actually cracked my socket too. It’s soaking with PB blaster (again) now.

Any tips or ideas to get that last one off?

 

[JJMaine]

I used a 6 point deep socket and a half inch drive breaker bar to get those off going in through the wheel wells. I had to do the old turn it 1/16 of a turn, take the bar out and spin the socket on the breaker bar 1/4 turn and then get another 1/16 of a turn. Took me about an hour to get all 4 of them off. A ratcheting breaker bar would have come in handy for those.

Try some heat on it as well(map gas works the best if you don't have a torch).

 

[red78ta]

I used a 6 point deep socket and a half inch drive breaker bar to get those off going in through the wheel wells. I had to do the old turn it 1/16 of a turn, take the bar out and spin the socket on the breaker bar 1/4 turn and then get another 1/16 of a turn. Took me about an hour to get all 4 of them off. A ratcheting breaker bar would have come in handy for those.

Try some heat on it as well(map gas works the best if you don't have a torch).

Thanks! I went back out and got the last nut off, hadn’t thought of going thru the wheel well, guess cause I was stuck on using my 1/2” impact on it. I was able to back it out from above with the impact after breaking it free, then had to go back to the wheel well to finish getting it off. A piece of square tube fit nicely for a make shift breaker bar. Those nuts and bolts are gonna get cleaned up so they go back on easier

 

[red78ta]

It’s out. Didn’t go as smooth as I’d hoped, there was a bracket for the transmission cooler line that was still attached so I lost a little tranny fluid but otherwise not bad for my first time pulling an engine.