Hello from Alabama
 

I just acquired a 2003 F150 Lariat Supercrew. It needs motor work and some minor fixes like a new dome light, above console information system thinging and few other small things.
As far as the motor. As soon i get ready to rebuild it, i may be asking a lot of questions.
So far i a have found this to be a great forum.

Welcome from SoCal. Sounds like a great project. I've seen some rebuilt long blocks online for $1000. Might be a less expensive way to go. Good luck.

welcome from north alabama :thumbsup:

Howdy.

I hope you have deep pockets because if you intend to rebuild the motor, your going to spend a small fortune for required special tools to complete the job.

Best bet is to buy a rebuilt with a warranty.

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What are the Special Tools that you are speaking of?

With 289.000 miles, the motor actually runs pretty well, idles good too. I drive it around a little. Does not smoke at all. Cylinder #1 has bad compression.
If i were to stomp on the gas for a block or so and then come to a stop. Then it acts like it bogged down when pulling off from the stop.

I don't carry around a list of tools required to rebuild modern Ford engines but when I worked at the dealer we had a wall 8' tall, 20' long, and 3' deep with boxed kits of special tools for all sorts of operations and engine/transmission special tools occupied 90% of that space.

It's not the same engine from even 20 years ago. Picture the block on an engine stand crankshaft looking up at you, now picture the main caps holding the crank in, now picture bolts going thru those caps down into the block and bolts going horizontally thru the sides of the engine block pointed at the crank.

Every thing in your engine is aligned precisely and require special tools to make sure everything is just so.

If you feel up to it jump right in but know this, I am Ford certified to rebuild these engines and I wouldn't touch it to save my life because I no longer have access to those special tools, I would just order a long block and be done with it.

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