How to: 1994 Head gasket replacement / engine pull

[Rhett]

This is good stuff. I especially like how you show HOW you grabbed something or HOW you removed it, rather than in the typical Haynes fashion, "Remove the oxygen sensor connector and set aside".

re: coolant baths, I am pretty good at getting it all over myself. Last time I did a rad job I got a full-face shot.

I didn't know you were running Edelbrock shocks. I ran their IAS shocks until I couldn't stand it anymore. Interesting that you also have a Sport and maybe you like them better?

 

[arco777]

This is good stuff. I especially like how you show HOW you grabbed something or HOW you removed it, rather than in the typical Haynes fashion, "Remove the oxygen sensor connector and set aside".

re: coolant baths, I am pretty good at getting it all over myself. Last time I did a rad job I got a full-face shot.

I didn't know you were running Edelbrock shocks. I ran their IAS shocks until I couldn't stand it anymore. Interesting that you also have a Sport and maybe you like them better?

Thanks Rhett, I figured it might be useful to someone someday. So far it has been pretty easy stuff. I'm continuously surprised at how simple it is to work on this truck compared to other vehicles. I'm about tired of coolant though.

I've run these IAS shocks since 2008 or so. They don't seem to be wearing out. The ride is a little harsh, but combined with the Explorer X-Press swaybar set, the cornering is totally worth it. I can skate around 90* corners like you wouldn't believe; body roll is nonexistent. I think the short wheelbase helps too.

I don't know what I'll do when they wear out. I doubt I can find a new set any more. They actually work well off road too.

 

[Maniak]

wow, I wish I had this the first time I did the heads on our X.

I just started to take things off and put the bolts into baggies and drew a picture on the baggie so I knew where they went... I only had a couple spare parts when I was done....

~Mark

 

[Number4]

wow, I wish I had this the first time I did the heads on our X.

I just started to take things off and put the bolts into baggies and drew a picture on the baggie so I knew where they went... I only had a couple spare parts when I was done....

~Mark

Right! I started writing all sorts of stuff down, taking pictures, then said eff it all. That is, to any kind of write up. Drug mine out for about 14 months.

 

[mr cribb]

When I did mine I just kinda winged it. However, I had old oil/ grease/ dirt sludge to contend with which complicated finding bolts or nuts around the water pump area.

 

[malohnes]

Hehe, all very familiar sounding stories...

Good write up! Good photos too!!

 

[arco777]

Thanks for the comments! Onwards...

Time for torque converter to flexplate nuts. There are four, 14mm socket.

1. On the drivers side, looking in from above, you can see the hole where the starter was. You want to see a nut in the hole because you're putting your tools through that hole to remove them. The arrow is pointing to a nut. Those four nuts hold the torque converter to the flexplate.

2-3. To rotate the flexplate to get at all four nuts to show in the hole, the easiest way is to put a 3/4" socket on the bolt on the crank pulley/harmonic damper and turn over the engine. It doesn't really take that much effort, but if you need it to be easier, remove the spark plugs to release compression.

4. You can easily get a socket onto them from underneath the vehicle (I used a deep socket), but you'll want to use a long ratchet or breaker bar for the torque to loosen them.

If you just try to loosen the nuts, the flexplate will spin. You've got to keep that from happening by immobilizing the flexplate (or crank).
A. If you're working alone, stick a screwdriver through the hole between the gear teeth and brace it against the ring of the hole. I reached above the radius arm with my right hand to hold the screwdriver, and used my left hand on the ratchet to loosen the nut. Try not to bust a knuckle. Leverage helps.
B. If you've got a helper, have them immobilize the crank by holding the ratchet on the crank steady (or a breaker bar to the 3/4" socket).

5. All four nuts, removed. Might be a good idea to source new replacements.

 

[arco777]

Now the really fun stuff... bellhousing bolts. Apologies in advance for poor quality pics, as it's very hard to get the camera to see what I see. Also it was going dead towards the end.

1. All the bellhousing bolts are 13mm hex head. There are three different lengths, with 2 small / 4 medium / 2 long for a total of 8 bolts.

The positions are shown as well. Short on top, mediums in the middle, and longs on the bottom.

2. For most of these bolts you'll want a simple 13mm socket with ratchet and a 13mm box end wrench. I recommend the ratcheting box end wrenches. Gearwrench ones are fine, so are Harbor Freight's Pittsburgh line.

3. For the bottom two bolts, no problem. Just use the ratchet to start them, and finish off with the box end. These are both your long bolts.

4. The passenger side lower middle bolt near the oil filter can be done with the ratchet, though it is tight in there. Medium bolt.

5-6. Drivers side lower middle bolt, next to where the shift cable passes by. I used a larger ratchet with two extension, a wobble joint, and the socket. Kind of tricky but not bad. Medium bolt.

7. Passenger side upper middle bolt. Pretty easy on my non-A/C model but might be tough to get at with a larger HVAC box. For me, I simply used the box end wrench. Medium bolt.

 

[mr cribb]

If a person was feeling adventurous. Pull the carpet back to reveal the transmission cover plate. If you remove this cover plate the top two transmission bolts are easily accessible. The other option is what seems like 20 feet of extensions and a u joint with previously mentioned socket size.

 

[arco777]

Not done yet.

1. Passenger side top bolt. This holds the trans dipstick tube as well. I think I used the box end but you may be able to get the ratchet in there. Short bolt.

2. Drivers side top bolt. Hard to see but it's there, right under a bracket that holds some sort of hardline. I used a ratchet. Use some strength because there's not really room for a larger ratchet. If you don't have the strength, rotate the ratchet a few degrees and try again by putting your body weight down on it. Short bolt.

3-5. Drivers side upper middle bolt. This one gave me the most grief. Hard to see but look for the ribs on the bellhousing. Try getting some of the electrical cables out of the way first - just brush/route them aside to make room to work.

I couldn't get enough leverage with the ratchet or a single box end. Pic 5 shows what I had to do using two box ends - this is a leverage trick that isn't 100% safe unless you've practiced it and have decent quality tools. I use it often for driveshaft bolts. The bolt is chucked into the box end just like I used it. Using this method you can deliver a lot of torque to the bolt, in a tight space, as long as you have a straight path to it.

Cameo of my ancient HP laptop that serves only to run the Ford Technical Service Publications software, and occasionally Pandora.

 

[arco777]

If a person was feeling adventurous. Pull the carpet back to reveal the transmission cover plate. If you remove this cover plate the top two transmission bolts are easily accessible. The other option is what seems like 20 feet of extensions and a u joint with previously mentioned socket size.

That is another good method. The cover/access plate is extremely handy, and every time I have removed the transfer case, the cover plate is the best way to access the tailhousing bolts.

I've heard of letting the rear of the trans drop (after removing the crossmember) to tilt the trans downward enough to use extensions to get at the bellhousing top bolts. This uses the flex in the engine mounts as a pivot.

For me, since the hood was off, it was easy enough to get behind the motor from the top and remove them. I have skinny arms though. The cover plate was my backup plan if I couldn't get the bolts off from the top.

I definitely don't claim that this writeup/diary is the most efficient way. It's just the way I did it. I'm learning as I go. I think next time I'd pull the motor/trans together if possible.

 

[Number4]

[MENTION=81941]arco777[/MENTION], your last pic shows my missing ground strap I believe. Does that ground strap go to the wiper motor?

If so, where on the block is it bolted to?

 

[arco777]

[MENTION=81941]arco777[/MENTION], your last pic shows my missing ground strap I believe. Does that ground strap go to the wiper motor?

If so, where on the block is it bolted to?

Indeed it does go from the wiper motor, to a bolt visible in that picture (foreground, a little out of focus). Right next to the edge of the valve cover so I'd guess it's bolted to the head.

 

[arco777]

The next few posts may have continuity errors in the pics, because they're presented in the order I should have done it - not the way I did it. Mistakes were made.

 

[arco777]

1-2. Remember the ground strap we were just talking about, that runs from the wiper motor to the drivers side cylinder head? Remove one end of that. Cylinder head side is a bolt that needs a 13mm socket.

 

[arco777]

Electrical connections to remove:

1. Find your oil pressure sender, on the front drivers side of the block. Factory one might be black or covered in gunk. Mine is larger because it's a different model, to make for a functional oil pressure gauge. Remove the 1-wire connector from the post on the sender. It just pulls off.

2. Find the hose that runs to your evap canister on the drivers side inner fender. This hose runs under the intake manifold. Disconnect it from the canister.

3-4. At the other end of the hose, tucked under the intake manifold, is the canister purge solenoid. This is what is triggered by the PCM to allow vacuum to purge the evap canister of vapors, and sucks the vapors from the canister through the solenoid to the throttle body. You need to unplug the electrical connector from this solenoid. It is a tight fit but you can gently work the solenoid closer to you. Try not to stress it or you'll break the plastic fittings right off it.

My solenoid is wrapped in e-tape for some reason. Stock, they usually are white plastic surrounded by silver metal or a sticker. The connector should come off the end without too much of a fight.

If you bust the ends off the solenoid, you just need to find a new or used replacement. Unfortunately the stock vapor hose is plastic sheathed in rubber, so the new one (or used one) will need some new connections made. You can use fuel vapor rated hose, sold by the foot for cheap, to make new hoses.

 

[arco777]

1. Time to get this wiring harness out of the way. The black and grey plugs were undone earlier, from the connectors at the drivers side inner fender. The Oil pressure sender connector is on there as well. Also, the evap connector. Finally, the oil level sensor.

2. The oil level sensor itself. I don't know if there's a way to unplug it. I cut the wire and will be adding a connector to it during re-assembly.

 

[arco777]

1. Engine mount nut, from the top. 18mm socket. On the passenger side a standard ratchet and deep socket fit fine. This nut was already loose for me so I didn't have any issue using a standard ratchet.

2. Engine mount nut, drivers side. I used a set of long extensions to come straight down on it. This required a large breaker bar and I think the other nut should have been this tight...

 

[arco777]

Lifting the engine. First double check you haven't forgotten anything that could hold the engine back.

You'll want to lift the engine by the exhaust manifolds, according to Ford. Choose your strap and routing carefully as you don't want to crush anything or let the strap get cut. You might be able to use a seatbelt instead of a strap (junkyard trick).

1-2. This is how I did it, but I don't necessarily recommend this exactly. The strap I used was good for an unknown capacity, the hook on it probably wasn't rated for that weight, and the strap was very stretchy. It was a cheapo from Harbor Freight but I was in a hurry.

Support the transmission with a jack. Lift the engine a little bit to take the weight off it, then grab the engine (after verifying all bolts are out) and wiggle it around to get it free from the trans. There are two locating dowel pins that it needs to walk off of. You need to lift the engine a little, get it off the pins, and then continue lifting it. If you don't get it off the pins first, you'll be lifting the trans - bad. The torque converter bolts could hang on the flywheel too.

3. Lift the engine a little at a time. Look for things hanging up. In this picture, my power steering line was hanging around the oil pressure sender. Easy enough to route it back around it. Also I noticed that I'd forgotten to unplug said sender.

 

[arco777]

1. I used an electric hoist mounted in my ceiling. This is a Harbor Freight unit that they still sell for around $120 depending on the sale. It's the model capable of an 880 lb double line pull (configured as shown with pulley, or 440 lb on the single line). It's mounted to a very thick beam above my ceiling and is powered by 110v from the outlet used for my garage door opener, and it has a remote. Works amazing.

2. Another tool that was handy during this job. Flashlight watch, bought on Amazon for about $11. Rechargeable, extremely bright with a 2-hour battery life on High and 8+ hours on low. Has a backlit clock as well. So far it is awesome for working on things in the garage. Straps to your wrist like any watch and throws light on whatever you're doing.