Having Fun Replacing Valve Cover Gaskets [2000 5.0 Explorer]

[cantornikolaos]

I'm trying to fix a few things on one of my 5.0 AWD Explorers before I sell it. I haven't tried something this ambitious in almost 20 years, and I'm embarrassed it's taking this long. I watch videos of people tearing down and rebuilding engines andit looks like fun. Of course, they have a sweet garage with every tool I can imagine, even a lift. I got the plenum off and found the heater pipes are covered with rust and possibly leaking. I'm afraid to put it back together without replacing that part, but I can't find it anywhere. There is a similar (but not identical) part for a Foxbody Mustang. Will that work?

On the driver's side, there's an AC line above the front of the valve cover. I really don't want to go through the trouble of removing the AC. Can I disconnect the fuel line and have enough freedom of movement to get the valve cover off the head?

On the passenger side, there is a bunch of stuff in the way. I might not bother with it. It looks like the AC evaporator is there next to the EGR tube. Even ifI don't do anything to it, I have to replace that heater pipe. I'm afraid that's a ticking timebomb.

 

[410Fortune]

looks to be surface rust, should not be a huge deal
Its a heater hose manifold, not sure you can buy one anywhere

I have bypassed the whole deal several times, cut the tube with the sensor in it just aft the sensor, enough to flare it and put the hose on it
Then the other heater core hose just goes direct to waterpump

The egr hard line can be a pita to replace, but they are not expensive online if it breaks.
I have a 1" open ended wrench I cut in half allows me to access the lower joint much easier, use a cheater bar to break it loose on the half wrench
I have no idea if the valve cover will come off the other way, meaning towards the fuel rail, avoiding the EGR line

Drivers side the ac compressor can be removed from its mount without disconnecting the lines or emptying the system, you can then move the ac compressor around to get the valve cover out.