1999 Mounty 5.0 aka My Great Bad Idea

[roryboryalice]

Would A 1.5 heat sleeve not work from DEI? Or larger version with SS strap's Amazon product ASIN B001HYSCB2

 

[410Fortune]

I usually just replace the shaft with one from a later model ranger and no torn boot.

The boot seems to not really be needed I mean they tear easily and sit that way for 20+ years while the shaft just keeps on working

I’ve seen the shock boot used as well yes it maybe bulky

 

[97Sandbox]

Heat wrap isn't a bad idea, but it's probably not necessary.

A newer steering shaft from a salvage Ranger is a good idea. Buying new online they're pricey enough that I'd just assume keep my old one until it actually goes bad.

I may go digging through my shed later, I feel like BMX bike innertube may be just about the right size to stretch/roll over the joint and then zip tie the ends.

 

[410Fortune]

Good thinking! Inner tube
I’m convinced that boot is there to keep things off the u joints not to keep grease in.
Those shafts hardly ever go out like ever!!!!

 

[roryboryalice]

Good thinking! Inner tube
I’m convinced that boot is there to keep things off the u joints not to keep grease in.
Those shafts hardly ever go out like ever!!!!

Unless you live in the liquid salt spreading capital of Canada mine siezes every morning till the heat from driving makes it all better lol I tried changing it once and it was a Bear and only to find out the hard way for changed the clocking between a 96 to a 2000 (W.T.H.) and had to put back the old one just lubed up!

 

[97Sandbox]

I’m convinced that boot is there to keep things off the u joints not to keep grease in.

That's what I assumed too. If I still lived in a city, I wouldn't worry as much about the boot, but the Mounty will be seeing more gravel and sand than it will pavement.

changed the clocking between a 96 to a 2000 (W.T.H.)

I didn't realize that. I think I have a couple early 2nd gen shafts in storage somewhere, I'll have to compare to what's in my '99 and '00.

 

[97Sandbox]

I found the shaft I pulled from a '96 which I had been hanging onto to put into my '97 (which had a shaft that looked the same). Since my '97 Explorer was scrapped, the '96 shaft has just been sitting among other misc. parts. I noticed a few things:

• '96 shaft has a CV style joint, unlike the later double cardan style joint
• '96 shaft is larger, about the same OD as the plastic piece on the '99 shaft from the V8 Mounty
• '96 style has two boots (removed in picture below) which are quite different from the later style single boot
• '96 shaft is clocked the same as '99

I aslo looked at my '00 shaft and it's the same as the '99, minus the tan plastic part. I think the plastic shield was only used on V8 trucks?

And the '00 boot is equally torn.

After looking at the early boots, I think I can splice them in with a later boot to make one good one for the '99 shaft.

 

[97Sandbox]

Splicing the boots together worked well. I ended up making 1" wide bands from bike inner tube to hold the seams together.

I definitely think it will keep the grit out. Time will tell how the inner tube holds up to the heat.

 

[410Fortune]

Looks great!

 

[97Sandbox]

Finally got my hands back on the Mounty tonight. Last I messed with it was just tarping the engine before the first big wave of snow we had a couple weeks ago. Unfortunately, with all the wind the tarp didn't do anything but trap blowing snow under it. I'm going to keep trying to brush it out of here before it melts and re freezes next week.

Luckily I had most every connector taped over and almost every opening with a rag in it.

The main reason I went back in here is because I'm getting closer to having headers and wanted to evaluate the EGR line situation. I bought a new line to modify to work with the passenger side TMH because I think some bending will be required. I need to get the valve off the old pipe first to mock things up and confirm, but it's so cold here, I couldn't get the gas flowing from the map torch. I brought the torch in the house, so hopefully tomorrow I can get the valve broken free from the old pipe.

 

[410Fortune]

You will need to do some bending to the line to make it fit the tmh yes.
A Leaf blower is good for removing unwanted snow under there!

Warmer temps are coming!!

 

[Turdle]

I literally broke a vice that had egr valve clamped in it, using a 5 foot chunk of cheater pipe. There's that

 

[410Fortune]

At that point just buy a new egr line and valve lol lol

Were you using any heat?
You found the weak spot in that vise!

Can use some anti seizes on the threads when you put it all together

The last set of tmh I had came with a custom egr line so did the obx headers I have
I used to have to make the egr lines of you could not bend them enough. The factory one has the accordion section, the newer ones do not. I keep these in stock because I work with them so often

 

[Josh P]

Were you using any heat?

Torch or muscles?

 

[Turdle]

I did not flame it, just tried my weight first and pop. More scrap

 

[410Fortune]

Fan clutch on a 97 f350 boy oh boy! I bolted a vise to my flatbed and had a 8’ cheater pipe… it finally let loose and I bent the pipe
All so I could Re use the fan clutch and then a few years later I bought a new one lol lol
I tried torch I tried air chisel I spent days working to free that sucker. Moral is if heat and cheater don’t get it, you need a longer cheater. I was literally hanging from the bar

 

[97Sandbox]

After soaking in penetrant for a day, I came at the EGR valve with the torch. Didn't make a difference. Ultimately, the hex of the fitting deformed and when the wrench slipped, the valve itself got bent. At least RockAuto had one closeout Standard Motor Products unit left...

Something I wanted to ask all you 5.0 experts: should I "gasket match" my Remflex gaskets for use them on my GT40P heads? I know that sounds like a ridiculous question, but I noticed the 302 Remflex gasket ports are narrower and higher than the ports on my Fel Pro gaskets which match the heads almost dead on. Fel Pro on top of Remflex:

I wouldn't think I'd want gasket sticking into the exhaust stream at all, so maybe the gaskets need a trim?

 

[410Fortune]

Or oval the bolt Holes a little so the gasket can drop slightly

I used a round file and put the gasket over a hole in the work bench so that the edges do not deform when filing

 

[Turdle]

I also cut the end holes to an upside down u shape. This allows partial threading in end bolts thru headers, holding them, then hang gasket on them, in between. holds in place while you fit remaining bolts.

 

[97Sandbox]

I was messing with my passenger header on the engine tonight to get a better idea of how I'll need to modify the EGR tube. Looks like I'll need to bend the angle where it connects to the header to pretty much 90 and maybe shorten that leg too. Is it easier to re-flare an end or just section and re-weld?

I also double checked the exhaust gaskets on the head and concluded that the Remflex are just wide enough as is and shouldn't really need modification. They definitely come closer to the edges of the port than the Fel Pro gaskets, but that's probably not a bad thing for sealing purposes.