Write and Walkthrough
Just a heads up. My camera is broken so the pics are from my phone which isn't all that great. Warm up of the engine ahead of time to help with removal of the exhaust bolts (I ended up using a torch for some bolts as well). Also soak the exhaust manifold bolts and nuts with lots of PB blaster. Once ready to begin, relieve the fuel pressure by removing the electrical connecter from the inertia switch located under the passenger side dash, behind the rug.
I labeled all the wires and vacuum lines with whiteout. I'm familiar with all the wires since I had the car for so long but I did it anyway just in case.
I removed the air intake from the throttle body.
I removed the fan clutch with a fan clutch tool I loaned from Pep Boys. Pep Boys fan clutch tool was the only one that fit mine. Autozone's was too big.
I also removed the drivebelt.
I drained the coolant into a bucket.
Once the wires and vacuum lines were removed from the intake, I loosened the 6 nuts (13mm) holding the down the upper intake. I had to remove the intake with the EGR valve tube attached. I couldn’t twist out the tube at the angle it’s placed. The tube is held onto the valve with two bolts (10mm).
pictured borrowed from barenfang
You also have to remove the small bracket that holds the oil dipstick tube in place.
] pictured borrowed from barenfang
After the EGR mounts are removed, the upper intake should wiggle out and the fuel rail is exposed.
I took these pics to help me remember the wire and vacuum line layout. I ended up rewrapping a lot of the wiring and lines with new high temp electrical tape since the original tape was frayed in a lot of spots.
I removed the A/C compressor out the way by removing the bolts then sliding it out the way. This gives you better access to a couple of the valve cover bolts.
I detached the fuel lines simply by unscrewing them from the fuel rail (I relieved the fuel pressure ahead of time) with a wrench. I also removed the thermostat housing tube from the lower intake manifold. As you can see, I used zip ties to hold a lot of the wiring and vacuum lines out of the way.
Here is the lower intake manifold removed as a unit with the fuel rail and injectors still attached. This had 8 bolts (10mm). I removed the studs from fuel rail. The studs require an E7 star socket.
I removed the fuel rail along with the fuel injectors from the manifold by slowly wiggling them off (it took a while and I had to pry mine out; be careful not damage the sealing surface of the injector O-ring.
Valve Cover and old lower intake manifold gasket
Here’s a blurrly look with manifold removed
During this time I removed the power steering pump bracket (3 large bolts attached to head) and the alternator bracket (another 3 bolts). I hung these out of the way some rope.
I removed the rocker assembly slowly turning each of the 3 bolts on each assembly 2 turns at a time until it was released and then just lifted it off.
Then I took out the pushrods. Normally if you’re not replacing the pushrods then you need to label where they go and in what orientation for installation. I bought a set of the remanned rocker arm assemblies and pushrods from Specialty Engines Parts on Ebay. I didn’t get new valve lifters. The lifters were fine. But I had some engine rattling noise from the pushrods so I replaced those. It looks like the remanned ones have a sleeve on them for noise reduction.
I had a hard time with these studs in the heads. They blocked the removal of the heads from the exhaust manifold. I didn’t want to have to remove the exhaust manifold, but there really wasn’t any easy way around it. I ended up breaking one of these studs, trying to get it off the head since you have take them out and put them into the new heads. They have a flat head. I used a small adjustable wrench to remove them. I got a new stud at the dealer (El Cajon Ford ~$7).
I highly recommend removing the exhaust manifolds off before removing the heads. It’ll make life a lot easier. Even though the manifolds are a pain in themselves. I used about 2-3 ft in wobble extension to get to the 2 manifold-to-Y pipe bolts (13mm) from underneath the car. I also got a torch propane torch from Autozone for about $20 to help heat up the flanges and aid in removing the bolts. Which are not easy.
Put the front on jackstands and remove both tires and wheel well covers to give access to manifold-to-head nuts (13mm long socket). Detach the steering knuckle nut and it should slide out and give more access to those manifold nuts.
Remove the head bolts and the heads will come off. Use a rubber or plastic mallet to tap the heads loose. Reminder: The driver side head has a ground wire attached to it.
This is after I removed the original gasket with a gasket remover (Permatex) and razor blade (carefully). I placed the new head gasket on after cleaning off the surface as best as I could. It was pretty clean on the inside (no sludge). I could get it to look brand new but the surface was smooth. It took me while to remove all the old gasket with the Permatex gasket remover and razor blade.
I chased the head bolt holes in the block with a tap set I loaned from Autozone.
Once it was all clean. I placed the new FelPro gaskets on with the correct alignment. I was able to lower the heads on with my own strength. Some people have rigged ropes to lower the heads in place. My neighbor who’s a mechanic and did this same job before said he used long guide pins that fit into the dowels and allow you to slide the heads on. The new heads (J&C Cylinder Head on Ebay; $325 plus free shipping) were interchangeable, so either one can go on either side. Remember to put the studs into the new heads before installing on block with lock tite. Put the exhaust manifold gaskets on now. It will save you the trouble of wiggling them on later without having to cut them like I had to since the dipstick tube was in the way.
I put Lucas engine assembly lube in the valve lifter seats for when I place the pushrods in there later.
Once the heads were on, I hand tightened the new head bolts (DO NOT REUSE OLD HEAD BOLTS). I then put on the Ultra Grey RTV around the coolant ports (red), on the block to manifold mating surface (red), and larger dab where the block meets the heads (yellow) as indicated in the picture. Do this in the front and back of the block. Then I placed the new FelPro lower intake manifold gasket on the heads. I added more RTV in the same location on the manifold.
I then hand tightened the 8 manifold bolts (10mm).
I tightened the head and manifold bolts all together in sequence, so that it would torque down evenly.
I would do step 1 for the heads and then step 1 for the manifold, then step 2 for the heads and then step 2 for the manifold and so on.
1996 and later Head Bolts
CHILTON Manual pic
Step 1: 22-26 ft-lbs.
Step 2: 52-56 ft-lbs.
Step 3: Tighten additional 90 degrees (1/4 turn)
1996-1998 Lower Intake Manifold (Torque in Criss Cross pattern as indicate in pic)
Step 1: Tighten to 2.5 Nm (22 lb-in).
Step 2: Tighten to 10 Nm (88 lb-in).
Step 3: Tighten to 13 Nm (115 lb-in).
Step 4: Tighten to 14-18 Nm (11-13 lb-ft).
Then I place the pushrods into the valve lifter seats and place the rocker arm assembly over that. I used Lucas engine assembly lube to lube the contact points where the rocker arm touched the valve stem and where the pushrod touches the rocker arm along with pre-lubing the valve lifter seat. I tightened the 3 bolts rocker arm bolts down 2 turn at a time (46-52 ft-lbs.) so the valve assembly would not be damaged.
Next I put on new fuel injector o-rings lubed lightly with engine oil. I put a new FelPro fuel rail gasket in place. With the injectors still attached to the fuel rail I placed the rail onto the manifold. I then torque the fuel rail stud bolts (E7 socket; 105-141 in-lbs.). Screw on fuel lines.
Next goes the valve cover gasket which requires a dab of RTV where the manifold and the head meet.
borrowed Rockledge from ford-trucks.com
Place gasket on then cover. Torque bolts in sequence 71-89 in-lbs.
I had some trouble with one of the bolts not going. I chased the hole with a tap and then put it in.
For the upper intake, I replaced all the gaskets. Throttle body gasket, EGR tube o-ring (also removed carbon build up on tube ), Idle Air Control gasket. I placed new upper intake gaskets into the solts in the upper intake manifold.
IAC valve. Remove these screws and the IAC valve gasket is underneath. I replaced it just because it cam with the kit as well as the rubber throttle body gasket.
Then I torqued the upper manifold down in sequence (15-18 ft-lbs.).
I put the exhaust manifolds on tightening the stud nuts in criss cross sequence (follow upper intake diagram for this) and reattached the Y-pipe. The alternator bracket, power steering pump bracket, A/C compressor, steering knuckle nut, drivebelt, fan clutch and shroud were all put back. I replaced all the radiator hoses (Upper, Lower, Heater hoses from Autozone). I put in a new thermostat (Autozone). New 50/50 coolant and new oil. All wiring was placed as was before.
Don’t forget about the inertia switch connecter.
I tried starting and it would turn over but wouldn’t go. I tried for almost a half hour I smell fuel so it was the pump or the injectors. I noticed the turn over was a little slow and my battery was 7 years old. So my buddy picked me up and we went and got a new red label battery from Autozone and put it in. It still would start for another half hour.
Then I prayed to God it would and I was going to try one more time before giving up and bamm! It started and sounded beautiful.
The job took me 3 days by myself at about 12 hours on Saturday, 6 hours on Sunday, and 12 hours on Monday. I also took my time and didn’t rush since I’d never done this before.
Since I got done (3 weeks later) it runs well but there is still some coolant loss. I noticed a leak at the upper radiator hose where it goes onto the radiator. I’m going to put a new clamp on and hopefully it’ll stop the leak and hopefully there isn’t a leak anywhere else. Otherwise it runs great and there’s no stumble on start up or acceleration.
I also just got done replacing my clutch and slave. I’ll post more on that later as well. Hope this is helpful.
