im new here and cant find much info on actually doing the job. i have a haynes manual and it doesnt really give a lot of details.

i started tearing it down. but im wondering things like should i take the fule rails off before the intake or just ppull the whole thing? what has to come off the front of the engine? i know the timing covers will have to, but does that mean everything on the front as well? im guessing so but i would hate to waste time pulling stuff off just to realize it doesnt have to.

and the thing under the intake (have no idea what that is) do i have to unbolt it from the intake to remove the intake from the heads or will it just come up w/ the intake?

thank
leon


and if there is a thread with a write up on this already i couldnt find it so im sorry if this gets asked all the time.

 

You will need a special cam positioning tool

I would remove the fuel rail first

I believe you can leave the ac and power steering on, im pretty sure they bolt to the block. Basically you just need to get the entire intake manifold off and the timing chain cover. So anything in the way of getting it out has to come out.

Also year and what engine is in your truck would be very helpful. my advise above is for a 5.4

 

sorry. its 97 f150 4.6 black extended cab w/ 200k on it.

i picked it up for 300 bucks w/ the blown headgasket. it has all new brakes and decent tires. the 4 wheel works and blows cold ac.


i know jack about fords. the closest i got to ever owning a ford was my 91 mustang gt that i put an ls1 in.

i have a z71 gmc that is my daily driver so i figure w/ this truck i could do the things my wife wont let me do to my daily driver. like i picked up a 3" body lift for it since i was told you have to jack the cab up to do the head gasket anyway. then im thinking 35's.......

 

The intake and the fuel rail come up as one and u don't have to undo the lower part of the intake and the power steering needs to come off bc it has a bolt goin into the front cover and u don't need to lift up the body

 

for the life of me i cant get the fuel lines disconnected! i have a decent matco fuel line kit and nothing fits those dang lines.
im thinking about trying to get the intake off w/out undoing the fuel lines so i dont have to fight w/ it. is the balancer pressed on?

today i got the fan off..... wasnt left hand threaded. that kinda ticked me off. i had read it was and fought with it for a while.

i had been told you have to jack the cab up to get the head off on the pass side and thats why people get quoted such hi prices for a head gasket job?

sorry if these are noob questions. this is my first ford.

 

Clean around the springs and spray bolt lube on them an the fuel lines should come off and the damper is pressed on and the trick to getting the passenger side head off is to zip tie the back bolt half way out

 

sweet. thanks for the tips. i will try the spray tomorrow. the heads might not come off till the weekend. im only working on it after work a little each day outside.

 

Seriously I don't mean to be rude but why would you put a chevy engine in a mustang. That is a sin!!!!! I am not trying to be rude or anything but I don't understand it. I'm a hardcore Ford guy but I do like other makes. If I bought a classic chevy camaro I would never put a ford engine in it. I also don't like all the old 33 fords running around with a chevy 350 in it.

Building a 350 is not any easier or cheaper than a 302 or an old 5.0. The ford engine will put out all the power you need and so will old mopar engines if you are building a dodge.

Sorry but to me putting in a 350 or a random LSwhatever is a cop out. When I see an old 33 ford with a flat head in it restored that's when I give the owner of the vehicle real respect.

Again sorry you probably just had the engine laying around and it was a cheap swap im just ranting.

By the way I recommend mustang forums for rebuilding a 4.6l engine. One big thing is the head bolts are torq stretch so you cannot re use them. The only hard thing is timming the cams. Here is a link that can assist you http://www.modulardepot.com/articlesp.php?aid=32 Hope it helps some

 

actually i wouldnt swap in a 350. there is a huge diff between a 350 and an ls1. thats like comparing an old flathead to a new ford mod motor.

the ls1 is just .....unbelievable. i had that motor in my 68 camaro then sold that car for money for college. took me 4 yrs to restore that car adn sold it w/ out the motor/trans. then i put that into the mustang. i picked up the mustang cheap cuz it didnt run right (didnt even car what was wrong with it). sold the motor/trans to a buddy for his v6 stang. with that motor the stang went 11.40's and after i pulled it out i realized it was only running on 7 cyl!!!!!

 

Man too bad you had to sell the 68.