kingkoz

hey guys i have a 2wd f150. its aa 1997 4.6L V8. im wondering how hard and time consuming it is to replace blown head gaskets or should i just take it to a shop. Please give me a honest answer and your thoughts. Thanks!!

AFSOCSGT

On a scale of 1 to 10, 7. It all depends on you skill level. If you have done a blown head gasket on an older vehicle than you can do this one. If you have not ever done one but are mechanically inclined and have worked on other aspects of cars for a while go at it. If you have no clue, pay to have it done.

AFSOCSGT

Also the head is aluminum, have have the deck checked for warping and make absolutely sure you don't scratch the sealing surface.

bob101770

I was told by my local Ford dealership as well as a few local mechanics that it's easier to replace the motor than change the head gaskets because it takes less time. There's plenty of stuff on this site and other sites on how to do it. It took a friend of mine nearly 20 hours to do mine. You need to buy a special tool to hold the cams in place when you remove the head. You also need new head bolts and top end gasket set. I think it cost me about $250 for the Windsor. I think it was like $50 cheaper for the Romeo set. You should really have the heads checked for cracks and warpage so you don't put it back together and find out you have to do it again. This aint a job for someone who scares easy.

stang7222

Its a pain. I did the head gasket on my girlfriends mustang and it wasn't fun. Take your time, and follow the manual. Also take the heads to a machine shop and have them checked and decked.

revhead347

4.6 motors are a piece of cake. All the gaskets are modern, with O-ring inserts. Everything lays flat and goes right together. Did it on a Mustang in an afternoon.

Kurt