Head gasket replacement on a 91 Explorer.

[IrleneRenee]

plz help have a 91 5spd explorer and need to change the head gasket. anyone got iimportant tips or tork specs i need to know. Im Irlene and would love some feed back asap on this .. cant drive my truck :-(

 

[thunderhorse]

If just the head gaskets should be a good weekend job. You Will need a repair manual, for the torques/info. I would take the time to have the heads checked for cracks.

 

[michealm]

I agree with thunder, have the heads checked out, just to be safe.

 

[IrleneRenee]

Ok had a second set of eyes check my prob n its intake gaskets

 

[BrooklynBay]

Welcome to this forum! I've renamed your thread, and moved it into the stock 91-94 section.

 

[92exp4x4]

Search these threads, I have posted the procedure about three times on here.

You must get new head bolts and the lower intake and heads are tourqed in a specific pattern. Before putting it all together send your heads out to be checked. They almost always have small cracks in them and most likely will need to be milled. These motors are bad about warping heads.

Good luck!

 

[YBCold]

i stopped halfway so far. coz i ran out of money to send the heads to a machine shop to be inspected.

 

[YBCold]

heres one thread i been following has great info. if you need it i know theres another with official diagrams and comes in steps give me a sec to find it and post the link to it there. i just barely got my valve covers off today.

BTW the proceedure on removal/ replacement is the same for 91-94 explorers anyway with some negligible differences

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=277469


http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=252943

 

[YBCold]

http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=277469

this thread too has good info

 

[Sip]

Search these threads, I have posted the procedure about three times on here.

You must get new head bolts and the lower intake and heads are tourqed in a specific pattern. Before putting it all together send your heads out to be checked. They almost always have small cracks in them and most likely will need to be milled. These motors are bad about warping heads.

Good luck!

Hi I really need your help about the head gaskets location. This is my first time dealing with this problem. I have a Ford Explorer 91 and I need to know what to take off to get to the gasket. I’m attempting to do it myself because I am low on funds badly just need some help thank you!

 

[92exp4x4]

This is certainly an old thread, takes me back to the good old days!

You will pretty much be removing the entire top of the engine. All accessories, alternator, AC, upper and lower intake manifolds, wiring harness, valve covers, valve train and the exhaust manifolds. I suggest not doing this job yourself if you do not have a suitable place to work or the tools. Honestly the worst part of the job will be the exhaust manifolds. You will break at least 2 of the bolts per side of the engine. How much mechanical experience do you have? This definitely isn't a job for a new comer especially if it's your daily driver. There are also specific torque values for at least the new head bolts that must be followed for proper assembly.

If you search the forum, I'm sure someone has done a 'how to' thread on this subject. They probably even have pics as well. Google is great for torque values and tightening patterns.

Good luck

 

[Sip]

This is certainly an old thread, takes me back to the good old days!

You will pretty much be removing the entire top of the engine. All accessories, alternator, AC, upper and lower intake manifolds, wiring harness, valve covers, valve train and the exhaust manifolds. I suggest not doing this job yourself if you do not have a suitable place to work or the tools. Honestly the worst part of the job will be the exhaust manifolds. You will break at least 2 of the bolts per side of the engine. How much mechanical experience do you have? This definitely isn't a job for a new comer especially if it's your daily driver. There are also specific torque values for at least the new head bolts that must be followed for proper assembly.

If you search the forum, I'm sure someone has done a 'how to' thread on this subject. They probably even have pics as well. Google is great for torque values and tightening patterns.

Good luck

Thank you! But I’m really a beginner and yes, my tools are low, but I’m really in a bad spot in life :-( I’m being honest. Also, I took out my thermostat and it’s not opening or seem to be closing neither. I do know my temperature guage was fluctuating. So I did proceed to try and burp to see any air burbles. This morning I look at the engine and this is what I found.

 

[92exp4x4]

There are several places coolant can come from to puddle in the valley. What makes you think you have a head gasket failure? I would be more willing to guess your intake manifold gasket is seeping or you have a coolant sensor that is leaking.

Was the truck overheating? Have you done any tests such as a compression test? Does the exhaust smell like coolant? As long as it's not overheating or running bad, like a miss; I would put a new thermostat in and clean up the fluid so you can see where it might be coming from and go get some of that stop leak stuff to put in the cooling system. That will be a whole lot cheaper and might get you the time you need to get into a better situation. If you really want to go cheap, about 4 egg whites and 2 table spoons of pepper added to the radiator while cold will usually seal up any leaks in the system as you drive it. It sounds strange, but it works. Just don't put the yolks in.

I've got a forklift where something fell into the fan while it was running and broke a blade off. The blade cut 3 of the core tubes. I bent them over and crimped them with some pliers then added the eggs and pepper. Its been holding now about 6 years! A new radiator is about $2000, so as long as it's sealed, it will be there.

As long as the temp gauge needle doesn't go past the 'L' in 'normal' and stay there, you'll be ok temp wise while driving. Some of my Explorers go to L and drop off, and others hover in the middle consistently while some go as far as N and never move!