SOHC Engine Removal/Rebuild/Install - Done!

[donalds]

I watched a video where a guy removed his upper pan/girdle and he found metal sleeves in the larger bolt holes. He couldn't figure out their purpose, but he said they seemed to screw into the girdle and rested on the crankshaft main cap bolts. I was thinking perhaps they protect/support the girdle somehow. Any thoughts? Do these sleeves have a torque spec?

They do have a spec
the ford truck guy shoc rebuild video has the details pretty sure they keep the girdle from cracking while adding strength to the block

Thanks @2000StreetRod How to: - SOHC V6 Block Cradle removal/installation

 

[koda2000]

Yes, I found the spec for the inserts:
Threaded inserts: 27 lb-in

Which I guess translates to 2.25 lb-ft.

 

[CDW6212R]

I meant that the girdle is relatively easy to remove when there is clearance to reach the bolts well. So you'll get it off quickly once the engine is out. I needed it off to replace the oil pump, and later to R&R the balance shaft which I found out of time.

 

[allmyEXes]

Phil, I've read through your process so far and it is amazing how many things that have to be done or undone rather, just to take the engine out of one of these.
I read every page and I see that you purchased a set of e-sockets. Do you remember the size for the exhaust studs? At 4 a.m. my Wife left out for work. The manual tensioner installed in sept 2018 is holding up and she is driving "Flo" the blue '97 4-500 miles a week since the middle of Dec.
A few minutes ago I thought I would revisit the white '97 project 1997 "white" 4.0 SOHC Upper Intake Removal & primary and D side secondary chain guide repair,4.0 left head removal is where I am at on it, and it feels good out there at 4 a.m. central, no sun at all. I'm watching for snakes in the grass...I'm a bit paranoid after my first cousins' husband on Memorial day weekend at Smith Lake here in north Alabama was bit by a copperhead snake and died from it. So I'm checking for snakes and get the hood open and pleased to see that rain water or high humidity hasn't hurt anything. As I'm closing the hood I spot on the D side hood hinge a red wasp nest the size of my fist and I get the hood almost down to the first click and a companion nest of red wasps are in the top left hole of the radiator support near the battery. At 4 a.m. red wasps are asleep. I'm glad that I havn't tried to open and look at the egine at the peak heat of the day at 100 degrees. Red wasps agitate easily at that temperature. I see the first thing to do Wednesday at 4 a.m. will be to spray these boogers. The question is go for one nest or two? Maybe the smaller rad support nest for Wednesday because it is the first one that you see and the bigger hinge one for Thursday a.m.!
Phil. I didn't mean to hijack your post. This reply started out as a question.. Do you remember the size for the exhaust studs? I'm only going to buy one socket instead of a set. Thanks, Greg in north Alabama.

 

[koda2000]

Hey Greg,

I don't recall the size of the e-socket for the exhaust studs, but I can go check it in a few mins at get back to you.

I've got my engine just about ready to pull except for a couple of transmission bolts that I still have to get at. It got too hot in Ga to finish the job this past spring and I just can't take the heat anymore. l figure I'll get back at it as soon as the weather cools down. Other things have been priorities too and I'm getting to old for this stuff. I know what you mean about the wasps. I've sprayed and killed 3 nest so far and I haven't even looked at the truck in weeks. Thank goodness the stuff I used on them kills them w/in seconds.

Edit:
The socket for the exhaust studs is an E7

 

[allmyEXes]

edit-Thanks Phil
Thanks in advance Phil. I have either an E-6 or E-8 from working on steering columns in the past.
I think that we are about the same age and it's funny how almost suddenly hit the break point on the heat as apposed to gradually growing tired of it, and I forgot about global warming!
Your stop date on your project for the extreme heat was about the same day that I got out of the hospital. We had a heatwave that week and it about knocked me down coming out of the building after 4 days being next to a frigid AC unit. Then we road home in the blue '97 V-6. "Flo"s AC has been down about two years. I unplugged the clutch when something was smoking on the compressor. Bearing maybe?

 

[koda2000]

Thanks in advance Phil. I have either an E-6 or E-8 from working on steering columns in the past.
I think that we are about the same age and it's funny how almost suddenly hit the break point on the heat as apposed to gradually growing tired of it, and I forgot about global warming!
Your stop date on your project for the extreme heat was about the same day that I got out of the hospital. We had a heatwave that week and it about knocked me down coming out of the building after 4 days being next to a frigid AC unit. Then we road home in the blue '97 V-6. "Flo"s AC has been down about two years. I unplugged the clutch when something was smoking on the compressor. Bearing maybe?

Yeah, with every passing year it seems harder for me to get motivated (I was 71 last month) and the Ga heat and humidity saps my energy pretty quickly. Just getting the grass cut (6 acres worth) is a major accomplishment for me each week. Lately any car repairs/maintenance I've done have been based on necessity. My wife has been in the hospital 3 times this year (currently in there for the past 3 weeks). She has COPD and gets pneumonia constantly. Currently she's at a rehab facility to try to get some strength back, so I get stuck doing everything at home, plus watching my grandson M-F in the evenings while his mother is at work. ("Golden years" my ass).

If you need any advice in taking stuff apart let me know.

 

[allmyEXes]

I hear you Phil, You have lasted longer than I. I hate to hear that about your Wife, They get her strength back up will be a good thing.

If you need any advice in taking stuff apart let me know.

Thanks, I have plenty of experience taking stuff apart, Sometimes It's the getting back together part that takes me a while.
Maybe if we can get @donalds to move closer the young man could give us a hand or two.

 

[CDW6212R]

I'd do the wasp nests in the morning when there is some light. If you worry at all about the numbers and attacking, also have a water hose with sprayer poised in one hand, while using wasp spray in the other. I found a hornet's nest a few years ago, head level in a holly bush next to my house. I was wearing a large hat and the grass trimmer woke them up(I trim branches if needed too). I noticed them near my face as they buzzed below the hat brim, I ran and waved the hat. They missed me, and I killed them about an hour later(water hose and wasp spray). Those wasps and hornets are way too arrogant, they should avoid humans.

 

[koda2000]

A few years ago we had a huge dog (135 lb black lab/rottweiler mix). During the warmer months he liked to sit out on our front porch, which has a gate, and a bunch of yellow jackets had built a nest in a container on the porch. He got into it and they attacked. Luckily I saw them before he got stung too many times. I ran out there and wiped the bees off of him with my hands and got him into the house as quickly as I could. About a dozen of them followed us in. Somehow I didn't get stung and he didn't seem to have gotten stung many times (if at all). I took great pleasure and killing those damn things. About as much pleasure as I get in killing fire ants.

 

[donalds]

How's the project going @koda2000
I hope all is well

 

[koda2000]

How's the project going @koda2000
I hope all is well

Still have temps near 100 degrees so no progress until it gets cooler. The way this summer is going I may not be getting back to this project until December!. I'm thinking about moving back to the Northeast to get away from this oppressive heat. It's looking better for the end of this week.

This week's forecast:
Today 93
Tue 92
Wed 84
Thu 79
Fri 82

 

[donalds]

And I thought it was hot here

 

[koda2000]

Still have temps near 100 degrees so no progress until it gets cooler. The way this summer is going I may not be getting back to this project until December!. I'm thinking about moving back to the Northeast to get away from this oppressive heat. It's looking better for the end of this week.

This week's forecast:
Today 93 *
Tue 92
Wed 84
Thu 79
Fri 82

*We've already hit 97 today.

 

[koda2000]

Update:
We finally had a cool morning today, so I decided to wrestle with the last 3 transmission bolts. The one on the driver's side (the one with the steel bracket that supports the trans wiring) was the one I'd struggled with during my last attempt. It gave me a hard time again today and took me over an hour, but finally I hammered a 3/8's drive shallow 1/2" socket over the head of the bolt, after bending the freaking wiring bracket up out of my way, and using a 3/8'sX1/2" adapter and numerous 1/2" drive extensions I was able to get the bolt out using my 1/2" pneumatic IR impact wrench at 120 PSI set on maximum power. I had tried it with 3/8's extensions and I think the extensions were just twisting because the bolt would not budge. Then I removed the top trans bolt via the engine compartment and the last trans side bolt from the passenger side. I thought there were supposed to be 2 top bolts, but I only found one. I know there's one dummy hole, but there was also a second empty hole near it... Maybe one top bolt was missing? With only one bottom trans bolt loosely holding the engine and trans together I can now see light between the two, so the engine is ready to be pulled. I just need to bring my cherry-picker up from the basement and get some chain and shorter metric bolts to attach to the front and rear of the heads and it's coming out.

 

[donalds]

When we were pulling my trans there was a top bolt missing looking up the trans from the back it was the top left bolt right next to the one with the wire bracket I figured it most likely worked itself out I just went and got one from the auto parts store the bolt was only 20 -25 mms long I think I went in through the wheel well to get at it

 

[koda2000]

When we were pulling my trans there was a top bolt missing looking up the trans from the back it was the top left bolt right next to the one with the wire bracket I figured it most likely worked itself out I just went and got one from the auto parts store the bolt was only 20 -25 mms long I think I went in through the wheel well to get at it

My missing trans bolt was the upper most top right/passenger side bolt. I was able to get most of mine going through the wheel wells, but there was no way to get the one on the driver's side with the trans wire support bracket through the wheel well. I could get a socket on it after bending the bracket out of the way a bit, but I couldn't get a ratchet (or any wrench) on it because the firewall and parking brake cable were in the way even when trying to use my flex head ratchet.

 

[donalds]

Yea that bolt was a ***** I think I used a 4 foot extension and a swivel went in from the back of the trans on the driver side

 

[koda2000]

Yea that bolt was a ***** I think I used a 4 foot extension and a swivel went in from the back of the trans on the driver side

Yes, other than the EGR nut at the header, which was a major PITA, that one trans bolt was the hardest part of this job. Once the engine is out and has had its autopsy I'm seriously considering removing the trans for a rebuild before putting things back together. The trans works perfectly, but the fluid was black and even after changing the filter and 5 qts of fluid it's still black and the reverse bad slips if you force it on a steep incline (weak EPC solenoid maybe).

 

[koda2000]

Major Update:
Today was another beautiful day in north GA. I woke up to temps in the mid 60's so I was very motivated to get stuff done.

- I cleaned out 1/2 of my garage to gain lots of work space.
- I moved junk down to the basement.
- I dug out my cherry-picker and dragged it up to my garage towing it behind my tractor.
- I took the hood off the ST again (it wasn't bolted on) and took an alternator bracket bolt to Ace Hardware to get 2 shorter bolts and washers for my pick points on the heads
- I removed the plastic valve covers to protect them
- I attached chains to the front of the right head and the back of the left head and lifted the engine slightly so I could remove the motor mount plates
- I did a final check to make sure every thing was disconnected
- I supported the transmission and started jacking the engine out. It came out surprisingly easily,

*** It's out baby! Pictures to follow ***

Man, I hope I remember where all this stuff goes... LOL (it's all numbered). Next I have to remove the dowels on the rear of the engine so I can bolt it into my engine stand. The the real fun begins.