Brand New 4.0 sohc Engine Install Preperation

[pergolies]

Hi Guys,

Need some advice on preparing a new never been run or installed engine for installation. It is a complete year 2000 engine and has been sat on its crate for all this time. It all looks nice and shiney when you look into the bores and oil cap. I believe it has been imported over from the States to the UK some time ago. The only thing i have had to install on it so far is a set of injectors and a wiring harness as the wiring harness on the US models are the opposite way round. I will also have to change the right hand cam cover as this is different to the UK models.

What would you recommend before i even think about installing it???

Thanks Ken

 

[boominXplorer]

Fill it with oil and with the valve covers off turn the crank by hand until oil comes out the top oil rail pretty good. I would take both valve covers off and fill crankcase by dumping oil down the timing chains so they get lubed up nicely.

 

[2000StreetRod]

prefill block with coolant

I connect the lower coolant hoses but leave the thermostat cover off and the thermostat out. I add coolant until the level is just below the thermostat and then install the thermostat and cover. The procedure reduces air bubbles in the block and ensures that the water pump will be moving coolant instead of air. It is possible to overheat and blow a head gasket when starting a new or rebuilt engine if there is inadequate coolant in the block.

 

[koda2000]

I connect the lower coolant hoses but leave the thermostat cover off and the thermostat out. I add coolant until the level is just below the thermostat and then install the thermostat and cover. The procedure reduces air bubbles in the block and ensures that the water pump will be moving coolant instead of air. It is possible to overheat and blow a head gasket when starting a new or rebuilt engine if there is inadequate coolant in the block.

why the heck doesn't Ford put bleeders on their cooling systems like GM does?

 

[pergolies]

Finally got time to reply.

Many thanks for your help guys. Would you suggest putting some lube down the bores before cranking it by hand? If so whats the best lube for that?

Thats a good idea about the coolant 2000StreetRod. I had major coolant problems with my last Explorer but not had a problem with my latest one so far, just hope it stays that way once i've swapped the engine.

 

[pergolies]

I know this is an old post now but need some help. I had to put the engine project on hold but now I'm back on it. I've filled the engine with oil and lubed up the chains and cam parts. I've tried turning and turning the engine over by hand but an not getting oil coming through the rails. Will turning it by hand actually get the oil to the rails and if so how long will it take to get up there??

Thanks

 

[boominXplorer]

You have to crank on it a good bit for the oil to make it out the rails.

 

[pergolies]

Thanks for the reply. I was cranking it for near on 5 mins at one point till I'd had enough but nothing :-/

 

[koda2000]

the reason for turning it over by hand is to prime the oiling system (pretty hard to do by hand). on engines with distributors you can use a special tool and a drill, even then it takes a few seconds to build pressure. as long as you've dumped oil on everything, i wouldn't be too concerned about it. just curious, how much did you pay for a brand new SOHC?

 

[pergolies]

Yeah I oiled everything up before cranking it so just gonna install the engine and go from there. Paid £800 (UKP) quite awhile ago now. Gonna renew all the timing chain components on the old engine and sell that on, only done 73000

 

[koda2000]

Yeah I oiled everything up before cranking it so just gonna install the engine and go from there. Paid £800 (UKP) quite awhile ago now. Gonna renew all the timing chain components on the old engine and sell that on, only done 73000

do you think it might be a good idea to install the new improved timing chain components in the new engine? with the original plastic components you could have problems again w/in 70,000 miles.

 

[my98nnj]

Koda makes a really good point. It would be very simple to update the new motor before you install it.

 

[pergolies]

That was my plan to install updated timing components and I bought all the stuff to do it. Funny thing is that from what I can tell this new engine has the upgraded cassette guides. Correct me if i'm wrong but wasn't the original front LH chain guide plastic and the upgraded one was metal?? This new engine has a metal guide!

 

[2000StreetRod]

2002 and later

All of the timing chain related upgrades were incorporated in the 2002 and later models.

 

[pergolies]

Yeah I agree they did the upgrades from 2002 but I remember having a conversation with someone awhile back saying they did a revision in late 1999. I replaced the timing chains on my old 99 model to which seemed to have the newer guides, they were exactly the same as the new ones I got from Ford!!??? :-/

Confused!

 

[koda2000]

my 2001 SOHC cassettes failed, so i doubt it had the upgraded components. i did not disassemble it (wasn't worth fixing) so i can't be sure, but i'd heard the parts weren't upgraded until 2005. IDK...

 

[pergolies]

Thanks koda2000. I have been thinking whether it's worth the hassle repairing the car at all as its getting rather old now but I just love the things :-/ I'm sure I've seen pictures on here of the old front guide and it looks like the hinged body section is plastic and snaps near the hinge. That's why I believe my engine has the new metal guide. Searched and searched for comparison photos to answer my query but there's thousands of posts with timing chain issues and I got fed up looking!

 

[koda2000]

Thanks koda2000. I have been thinking whether it's worth the hassle repairing the car at all as its getting rather old now but I just love the things :-/ I'm sure I've seen pictures on here of the old front guide and it looks like the hinged body section is plastic and snaps near the hinge. That's why I believe my engine has the new metal guide. Searched and searched for comparison photos to answer my query but there's thousands of posts with timing chain issues and I got fed up looking!

well, if it's and old truck (and i know UK cars get pretty rusty with age, because i watch your Wheeler Dealers TV show) if you get around 70K more out of it, maybe that's enough.

 

[pergolies]

This one is very clean body and rust wise, just the hydraulic pipes that seem to rust away. I'll enjoy getting my hands dirty swapping the engine so that's a good enough reason I suppose :-D

 

[2000StreetRod]

latest cassettes

Below are photos of the latest OEM cassettes from Ford.