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Changing head gaskets

SuperKirby

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City, State
Central MN
Year, Model & Trim Level
1993 Explorer XLT
So an update from my previous post - I didn't get a compression tester yet. However, I did top off the radiator and reservoir yesterday. I drove it 50 miles to work and back. I checked it again this morning and the reservoir was empty and the radiator was not quite half empty. Unless someone can tell me otherwise, I feel comfortable working off the assumption I need to replace the head gaskets. That brings me to some questions.

1) In the interest of time, I'm going to order a set of remanufactured heads rather than having them machined. My reasoning behind this is I will have a weekend to have it off the road. Being able to pull the old parts off and have new parts ready to go on will make this possible. Besides that, I'll then have all new parts that I shouldn't have to worry about any time soon. So my question- has anyone ordered these that they can tell me is one place better than the other? I can get a set anywhere as cheap as 340 or as much as 500, but it looks like they're all rebuilt to OEM specs. Right now my plan is to order them from Rockauto and order a few other parts all at the same time. Advice on this would be appreciated.

2) What gasket set do I want? It looks like Fel-Pro and Victor Reinz are probably the best? What about the DNJ brand? Again, any advice one way or the other would be appreciated.

3) Anything else I need to know? Special tools I should have handy? I have both Clymer and Haynes manuals and have read what I can find on the internet. It looks tedious but not overly difficult.

Thanks for the help guys.
 



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I've liked FelPro gaskets
 






Before you get started get some Gunk (or similar) Engine Degreaser, clean your engine and engine bay as well as you can. It's so much nicer to work on a clean engine! Spray some PB Blaster on all of the rusty nuts & bolts that you can see a few times in the days before you plan on tearing into it.

Lay out some cardboard to put your parts on. Have a marker handy to make notes on the cardboard for where that bolt came from. Ziploc quart & gallon bags are also good to help keep you organized.

I remember needing a large allen head socket for the head bolts, just look at your new head bolts to see what size you need. No, you can't reuse your head bolts.

You'll need both metric and SAE wrenches and sockets. A couple of torque wrenches - Look up ALL of your torque specs and patterns BEFORE you get started.

I like to make copies of the pages I need from the manuals and tape them on the wall of my garage, that way they are flat and when I get them dirty with my greasy hands I know my book is still safe and clean for the next project!

Have fun, get dirty, figure double & a half the time you think it will take and know you've saved yourself a boat load of money!

Dan
 






Thank you both a bunch, very helpful. I have everything ready to order, just hesitating to place the order for fear of screwing something up. But I think I'll do it. In my order I have fel pro head set gaskets and head bolts, a pair of remanufactured heads, and new double platinum plugs, just because. I debated doing new wires and coil pack, but both have less than a thousand miles on them so no real reason to.
As for the prep work, some I had thought of and some not. We bought the kids a trampoline the other day, and I was looking at the box before I even opened it and thought "that will be real handy for this job." I was going to buy some degreaser today, but hadn't thought of the PB blaster. Same with the ziplock bags - a real good idea for a bunch of different projects but never really thought about it.
Other than that I think I have everything I need but the torx bits for the head bolts. I'll pick up a set of those.
Thanks again. I'll post up how everything goes when I'm done. I figure about twice the time should save about twice the money or more.
 












Not knowing what i was doing i went with new heads assembled and the delta f-40 kit. Here's my next question- if my lifters aren't making any noise it's there any reason i can't reuse the lifters and pushrods? Or do i need to replace those? Also i went with the felpro gaskets and bolts. Once i get home I'll post links to everything i bought so far
 






Not if they arnt making noise. I wouldnt have gone with delta personally. ..sealed power from rock auto are 100x better..
 






That's disappointing to hear. I went with delta because I could get everything assembled. From what I could find assembly sounds somewhat difficult and easy to screw up. If it's not I can call tomorrow and see if it's too late to cancel my order with Delta.
I need to know specifically what parts I need as well.
 






You can also purchase the rockers assembled from a vendor on here.its a peice of came to swap just rockers.just remove the end pin and it all comes apart..

Many have had good results from delta but me and some others have had many problems with them.I had one explode on me same with others..:(
 






Can you point me in the direction of said vendor? Price?
 






Here's my next question- if my lifters aren't making any noise it's there any reason i can't reuse the lifters and pushrods? Or do i need to replace those?

I forgot it was Torx for the head bolts, I just knew it wasn't a normal socket. I did mine 8-9 years ago.

I didn't replace my lifters or pushrods, just made sure I didn't swap them around. The engine probably has had another 50-60K miles put on it since the cracked heads were replaced with no lifter or pushrod problems. It's now my BIL's daily driver in Los Angeles traffic.

Dan
 






T50 or t55 torx is for the head bolts.

I would spring for an extra 50 to 60 dollars and buy a new water pump and both radiator hoses as well as heater hoses. You have undo a good portion of these items to do the head gasket job.

My tip and secret of success: follow torque sequence. Make sure block surface is clean and take all weekend if you need to. Patience is key and so is cleanliness.

I did this job twice because I failed to clean everything and I rushed the job.

Exhaust bolts will probably fight you. Soak them in pb blaster the night before and probably again when you start the job.
 






Love the help guys, I really appreciate it.
All hoses are new within a thousand miles. Heater core too. Not sure on water pump, I'll check that.
Does anyone else Have opinions on the rockers? Generally positive reviews but a few can be found that aren't.
 






I would highly recommend replacing all of your exhaust bolts with stainless ones. It doesn't matter if you snap one off now, on the old heads, but you'll be very glad to have those stainless ones in there if you need to remove them again later, on the new heads. Also, be sure to put copper anti-seize on them before installation.
 






Can you point me in the direction of said vendor? Price?

I cant seem to find the vendor but are available from ford.they are a revised set, belive they run around $180ish and are complete. .but like I said if you order just the rockers from advance auto and use a coupon it comes to like around $80 to your door.its literally just removing a pin from each end of the shaft and the rockers slide right off..there is no need to replace the shaft or springs.I would replace pushrods tho but not lifters if they arnt making noise. .you can clean them and I have a thread on how if you wanna tear into them..

Here is a thread with all my pics in one place, cant find my thread on here.you can judge just from the pictures.nothing personal against delta but I have built and helped built many ohv and had three different motors fail because of them and one of my buddies(don) on here also had problems with them.don and I replaced them with sealed power and never had a issue with any of the motors.so its just my personal opinion, but like I said many have run them in stock motors and had no issues, your choice.


http://www.rangerpowersports.com/forum/4-0-v6-tech/287154-rocker-arm-options.html
 












Cancelled the order from delta. Ordered a set of sealed power rockers from rock auto. Was more than80 for sure but oh well. I'm going to rise the lifters and push rods.
I'll pick up some copper anti sieze and ill need engine assembly lube right?
What size bolts do i want? Are they specialty or go to the hardware store for them?
 






Cancelled the order from delta. Ordered a set of sealed power rockers from rock auto. Was more than80 for sure but oh well. I'm going to rise the lifters and push rods.
I'll pick up some copper anti sieze and ill need engine assembly lube right?
What size bolts do i want? Are they specialty or go to the hardware store for them?

They are $80 something from ""ADVANCE AUTO PARTS WITH COUPON"".....either way I think your be happier in the long run with them, not one complaint about them and I pushed some power thro them;)


Headers bolts are m8x1.25 and your wont find stainless in your normally auto parts..I use stage 8 bolts but wont work for your application. .even if your replace them the stock ones are hardened bolts which are special order, I have used grade 8 studs with anti-seize before and still working
 






Submitted a cancel request to rock auto. It would save me 70 after the rebate. I need to get the Paris here but for that money i can wait a day or two. Hopefully rock hasn't shipped yet.

So just hardware store metric bolts coated in antiseize should be sufficient? I'll pick some up.

Parts are starting to show up so hopefully this weekend i can get this done.
 



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Incidentally I owe a huge thanks for the heads up on Advance Auto. I got the order cancelled before it shipped from Rockauto and ordered the same parts/brand from Advance Auto. It was 178 from rock, 104 from Advance. Big savings there.
 






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