Timing Chain Cassettes in 2008 4.0 liter SOHC-Reliability verdict?

[08EddieCA]

Last head bolt was torqued. I'm done with that repair. I'm going to install the torque converter bolts, install the starter, hook up the battery, add oil, and turn it over a few times to listen for anything abnormal. This project took much longer than I anticipated. But, it was fun.

Couldn't have completed this job without these timing tools.

• 08EddieCA
• July 11, 2018

New Felpro HG. Ready to install head

• 08EddieCA
• July 11, 2018

Heads are on and torqued.

• 08EddieCA
• July 11, 2018

 

[Jordan4461]

08EddieCA-
Love the pics. What did you use to get your heads looking so clean on the outside surfaces?
Thanks, and keep the pics and info coming. Great inspiration!

 

[08EddieCA]

Thanks. Time and my wife is mechanically inclined. Tools were WD40, ScotchBrite pads, 3M (white 120 grit - eBay) Roloc wheel pads, and Patience. The heads were swapped out for rebuilds from a machine shop in Burbank. So the heads came back spotless. I didn’t have to do much with them other than transfer timing sprockets and oil spray bars. I just hope I cleaned the surfaces well enough. Head Gaskets call for an almost mirror finish. I got close. More pics will follow. Fixing connectors today. Hope to start reassembly later on.

 

[08EddieCA]

In process - forgot to buy fuel injector seal grommets. Can't find two thermo housing bolts, uuuhhhh.

• 08EddieCA
• July 12, 2018
• 6

Getting there...

• 08EddieCA
• July 12, 2018

I should be done tomorrow.

 

[Explorer_PL]

Everyone is cheering for you Eddie
Impressive.
I admire your efforts not only for mechanical skills (which are well beyond most of us), but for guts to actually do it. Sometimes that is 75% of the effort.

 

[donalds]

Great job can't wait to see oil pressure pics
She looks healthy

 

[michael loibl]

Seriously Eddie, you’re my hero. I was nervous when I had to replace my plastic thermostat housing a few years ago!

 

[08EddieCA]

Everyone is cheering for you Eddie
Impressive.
I admire your efforts not only for mechanical skills (which are well beyond most of us), but for guts to actually do it. Sometimes that is 75% of the effort.

PL, donalds, and Michael, thank you very much....
It runs. It runs excellent. I'm thrilled beyond belief. The initial startup looked like a smoke bomb had been ignited. It was all the assembly lube in the heads and oil I rubbed on the piston walls before replacing the heads. No more rattle. The old heads had bad lifters and bad seals.
The major mistake I made that gave me a minor heart attack was that I left the oil pressure sensor disconnected. With the smoke bomb coming out of the muffler and the erroneous oil pressure reading, I thought I had fried the motor. I quickly connected the sensor and the idiot light went off. Tomorrow I'm picking up an oil pressure guage from Harbor Freight and see what the readings are. I'll post some pics in the next day or two.

**Question I can't find the answer to is: Do I change the oil in a few days and do I swap out the coolant at the same time? I read there can be machine shavings in the oil and coolant after head gasket/head work. Any ideas? I'm running Pennzoil conventional oil now and Oreilly's brand coolant since I anticipate flushing the system.

This project took me three weeks including all the machine shop work. My total cost in parts came out to under $600 minus tools. Plus I changed my fuel filter, oil, plugs, front diff fluid, upper and lower coolant hoses, swapped out the old brake fluid, and I was too darn tired to rotate the tires.. Those $32 each Thermostat bolts from the dealer were $2.79 at Home Depot for a package of two. Couldn't find any other source for the fuel injector seals except for the dealer - $5.99 each x 6.

Thanks for all the help.

I'm going to sell the OTC tools and the lift bar if anyone is interested. I'll post pics and advert in a few business days.

It Runs!!!!

• 08EddieCA
• July 14, 2018

Just waiting for the fuel injector seals to arrive and locate thermostat housing bolts

• 08EddieCA
• July 13, 2018

Cranks well. No interference. No odd sounds as of yet.

 

[donalds]

The manual that came with my new remain engine says and I did change oil at 100 to get the assembly lube out then it says 500 then 3000

As for coolant do what you think is best
The manual didn't say anything about coolant
Other than add