Started tear down

[SuperKirby]

I had about an hour and a half before work this morning so I pulled the Explorer in the garage and started disassembly. I'm trying to keep notes of all the steps and things I'm taking off and as well as labeling things that could cause confusion when I'm putting it back together. I figure this will add time now, but hopefully will make it a lot easier and avoid extra parts when I'm done.

A couple things I've learned so far - first off, my A/C compressor isn't locked up. I figured it was, but once I had the belt off the whole thing spins easily. This means that sometime I should be able to have AC again, just have to figure out why it doesn't actually kick on. Regarding the AC, I think it will also be the biggest challenge to work around. It would be nice if there was a way to remove it from the engine bay to make more room.
Next, I learned that somebody has screwed with this before me. I'm got as far as loosening the bolts to pull the intake plenum? (That's what it was called on my Pathfinder. On the Explorer I assume it's the uppper intake, but not sure.) When I was working on getting the back nuts loose, I looked down and realized that I could see down inside the intake manifold. There's no gasket between the two. I assume there's supposed to be? I'll try to get a picture of what I'm talking about tomorrow before I get going again. I don't know if I can post pictures if I'm not an elite member. I need to figure that out.
Anyway, that's where I'm at. I'm hoping to get more time tomorrow morning. I would like to get the intake, valve covers, and heads off tomorrow, then Sunday rebuild the rocker assemblies. I'm off Monday and Tuesday so should be done by then.
More updates to come. Just figured I would keep a running project thread since it seems like there's a few looking to tear into their upper engines at the moment.

 

[jd4242]

Im pretty sure I know what you are talking about and you are not really looking into the intake.your see once you get it off.or hopefully

 

[SuperKirby]

You are correct sir. That had me quite confused... until I got it off. Then I felt like an idiot. Oh well.

Can I spray out the intake manifold with degreaser or brake cleaner or something to get all the oil and whatnot out of it? Anything in there I can hurt or anything?


As for today, I worked on it a little more. Spent more time than I wanted to disconnecting the injector wiring harness and labeling where everything goes. I got the valve cover bolts removed, and I think all the intake manifold bolts removed. Tomorrow I plan to try to get the valve covers off, the intake pulled off, and hopefully the exhaust manifolds loosened from the heads. That way I can hopefully come home from work and get the rocker assemblies rebuilt. Then Monday it will just be reassembly. Yay finished project.

 

[jd4242]

Lol believe me your not the first to say or think that..I would pull the iac and iat off the upper and it can as well as lower can be cleaned, tps also if tb is still attached. Soak soak and soak those exhaust bolts. .

Remind me again why you are pulling the heads?? Trying to find the other threads...

 

[SuperKirby]

Changing the head gaskets. Figure i got it cheap enough i might as well replace some parts and hopefully when I'm done i have a first gen explorer that will run forever.

 

[jd4242]

Changing the head gaskets. Figure i got it cheap enough i might as well replace some parts and hopefully when I'm done i have a first gen explorer that will run forever.

You sure its not a cracked head though? ? I would highly suggest having them tested, first gens are known for that..personally I would have saved up some money and replaced them

 

[SuperKirby]

I already bought a set of new heads for it, or is that not what you meant?
Also
EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE EVIL!!!
I've used an entire can of PB blaster and still stuck. Any advice?

 

[jd4242]

I already bought a set of new heads for it, or is that not what you meant?
Also
EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE EVIL!!!
I've used an entire can of PB blaster and still stuck. Any advice?

O ok, that was very smart.sorry so many threads going on hard to keep up..

lots and lots of patience..ive used heat, hammer to tap on them, the tighten/loosen method all kinds of tricks and still end up breaking some of them..good thing is you have a new head..if some become to hard its not that big of a deal to just snap them off and replace them..just try and get as many as you can out, your get them

 

[vq5speed]

EXHAUST MANIFOLD BOLTS ARE EVIL!!!
I've used an entire can of PB blaster and still stuck. Any advice?

Just make sure you don't round off any bolt heads make sure the wrench is seated squarely or you'll really be in trouble. What you need is more leverage on your wrench. What I do is if your using a boxed end wrench on the bolt with the open end on the other side. I fit another boxed end onto the open end like this

Also if your using a socket and ratchet a pipe over the handle for more leverage is what I do for that...

 

[SuperKirby]

DONE!!!!

All total, it took me somewhere around 22ish hours. A lot of that was get everything out, work for a couple hours, then put it away and clean up. Monday morning I started about 9 am and worked on it until 1 am. Tuesday morning I had to finish up with alternator, belt, hoses, coolant fill and oil change then final clean up.

Here's what I learned -
-I hate exhaust manifolds.
-Even though everything is metric, it's still distinctly "American" feeling compared to the totaled Pathfinder the Ex replaced. I hated working on that. Parts seemed flimsy and electrical seemed over engineered. If that makes sense.
-I hate exhaust manifold bolts.
-With a little research and studying manuals, it's not that hard. Tedious, but not overly hard.
-Exhaust manifolds and bolts are the bane of my existence.

I realize for a lot of you, I probably seem really excited about finish a project that wasn't that big of a deal. For me it was. I honestly didn't expect it to start, run, or be fixed. I have pretty much no mechanical training, but I'm dumb enough to try things I probably shouldn't. So yeah, for me it's a big deal. Plus I saved myself a whole bunch of money by not having it done.

 

[jd4242]

Excellent job!! I assume it fixed your problem? ? Lol I would double check those lower intake bolts after a bit, same with exhaust. You did use antisize on the exhaust right?

 

[acschilling]

How was was the rocker removal and reassembly?? Great job by the way!

 

[SuperKirby]

Thanks guys. Rocker removal and reassembly really wasn't hard at all. Getting the first tower off took a couple minutes but after that it was smooth sailing. Start to finish on that part was maybe an hour.

I ended up reusing the exhaust manifold bolts. I cleaned them up and put a generous helping of copper antiseize on them. I had bought new ones but they were the only ones i could find and after getting a couple in decided they were too short so swapped out for the old ones.

Thanks for the heads up on checking the lower intake bolts. My plan is to drive it a week then change the oil again. I'll check those bolts then. I should be able to get them withoutv taking anything off, right?

 

[jd4242]

I think most of them.enough to tell if they came loose.I run a spacer on my upper so I have more room so cant remember 100% if you can get them all