Cylinder head removal???

[Phantom]

Maybe a dumb question but can they be removed with the motor still in? I have a blown head gasket and I am trying to weigh my options. If the motor has to come out then I may just do a rebuild on the motor as well. Thanks.

 

[tmds3]

pulling it out does make it easier to work on, but I would think you can do it in the engine bay

 

[Phantom]

Old thread but I pretty much parked it until now. Does anyone know for sure if I can get them out without pulling the motor? Driver's side looks like at the very least the brake booster would need to come out. Thanks.

 

[Sedition]

Do not have to pull the engine to remove heads.

Yeah, you can pull the heads off with out pulling the motor out. I did it while I was waiting for my engine crane to arrive after I found out I had low compression on one of my clylinders, It turned out to be a bent rod.

Once you have the radiator out and the belt driven accessories off you can actually climb into the engine bay to undo the head bolts. Makes it a lot easier and you want to have your wrench as square as possible so you don't strip the t55 torx head bolts.

The front timing cover does not have to come off to remove the heads, I was doing a full rebuild anyway and was bored waiting for some tools/parts to arrive. I suggest removing the camshaft timing chain sproket from the timing chain then tie a rope or string around the timing chain and tie the other end up high out of the way somewhere so you don't lose the chain down into the engine block.

 

[Phantom]

Mine is a V8 though.

 

[Sedition]

It wouldn't be much different, I think it would be easier because both your timing chains are at the front.

 

[gamenerd]

Do you also have to remove the exhaust head to get the driver side head out?

 

[matthewpetruescu]

timing

Yeah, you can pull the heads off with out pulling the motor out. I did it while I was waiting for my engine crane to arrive after I found out I had low compression on one of my clylinders, It turned out to be a bent rod.

Once you have the radiator out and the belt driven accessories off you can actually climb into the engine bay to undo the head bolts. Makes it a lot easier and you want to have your wrench as square as possible so you don't strip the t55 torx head bolts.

The front timing cover does not have to come off to remove the heads, I was doing a full rebuild anyway and was bored waiting for some tools/parts to arrive. I suggest removing the camshaft timing chain sproket from the timing chain then tie a rope or string around the timing chain and tie the other end up high out of the way somewhere so you don't lose the chain down into the engine block.

Hello i was wondering i have a 2002 ford explorer sport 4.0 and i have a blown head gasket, i was wondering do i have to take out the engine off the car? people said there is no timing marks, i was wondering i can i get to the cylinder head without having to take the engine out? and how do i put it in time? can i just do what you did? just loosen the sproket or thing the chain is on from the camshaft i try a string to it and hold it up, and when i need to put it back on the camshaft just screw it back how it was? can i do that

 

[Sedition]

Yes you can

Yes you can do the head gaskets without removing the engine. There are no timing marks but that doesn't mater because basically you just have to set the crank and cam positions then torque the sprocket bolts down.

Use the slots in the back of the camshafts level with the top surface of the head. to get TDC on the cams. And line up the timing marks on the crank pulley and the crank angle sensor bracket to get TDC on the crank. Once you have those locked into position put pressure on the chains and torque down the sprocket bolts, done.

Really it's so easy to do and there's not much to it to be honest. I time these engines all the time because no other mechanic in Australia will touch them due to their 'reputation'.

 

[Sedition]

I personally would pull the engine on the 3rd gen, because it is so easy to do (you don't even have to take the wheels off) and you'll have to do the timing chains anyway on that 02-05 engine well before 300,000k's or it'll throw a rod from wrist pin oiling issues! due to broken plastic restricting oil flow in the pickup.

 

[matthewpetruescu]

Yes you can do the head gaskets without removing the engine. There are no timing marks but that doesn't mater because basically you just have to set the crank and cam positions then torque the sprocket bolts down.

Use the slots in the back of the camshafts level with the top surface of the head. to get TDC on the cams. And line up the timing marks on the crank pulley and the crank angle sensor bracket to get TDC on the crank. Once you have those locked into position put pressure on the chains and torque down the sprocket bolts, done.

Really it's so easy to do and there's not much to it to be honest. I time these engines all the time because no other mechanic in Australia will touch them due to their 'reputation'.

Do I need any special tools?

 

[Sedition]

I don't use any. I just use vice grips to hold the cams then turn the crank to where I want it and then torque the bolts down. You will need Torx and E-torx sockets because those bolts are all over the engine. An impact wrench will make removing head bolts, exhaust down-pipe bolts and crank pulley bolt much easier. Note: The rear camshaft bolt is reverse thread.

 

[Coolrun]

Cylinder Head

I am new here, so i have a 1998 Ford Explorer Sport 4x4 4.0 SOHC engine, need to remove cylinder head from passenger side, can i remove the head without removing the engine and does both cams got to be locked down before i remove the cam sprocket bolt

 

[2000StreetRod]

welcome

I am new here, so i have a 1998 Ford Explorer Sport 4x4 4.0 SOHC engine, need to remove cylinder head from passenger side, can i remove the head without removing the engine

Read post 4 of this thread - same year as yours

and does both cams got to be locked down before i remove the cam sprocket bolt

Rotate the engine until cylinder 1 is at TDC on the compression stroke before loosening any sprocket bolts. It will be difficult to torque the passenger side camshaft sprocket retaining bolt to spec without the special tool in the OTC 6488 timing tool kit because the bolt head is close to the firewall. If you only loosen the passenger side camshaft sprocket retaining bolt only that camshaft needs to be "locked" assuming that you don't rotate the crankshaft after the bolt is loosened.