Woe is me. Intake manifold change and other issues

[Bradwarthan1]

Can you all help me. First time changing intake manifold gasket and a few other things and now there are two issues. Water and coolant ran down back of motor and it also won’t start or stay running.

I’m sure vacuum lines are messed up so that is part of it.

Other notes:
1. Used the felpro metal gasket that is hollow in center
2. Changed valve cover gasket
3. 8 new pushrods. New fuel injectors, vapor purge solenoid and all sensors I could find on manifold and plenum
4. Tried to match vacuum lines but they are old. Used bigger hose for now

 

[ChildIdenticant]

you got lots o problems. vaccum likely not main isue. pics and pics. what are the "few other things" ?
Water and coolant are = the same thing.
pics, descirption of work done and previous issue please.

 

[410Fortune]

Okay hmmm there are 2-3 different lower intake gaskets for the 4.0 engine

The way the water flows through the heads is controlled in part by this gasket
The new gasket you chose should match the setup that came off the engine (1994 style)

When installing the lower intake to the heads there is a torque procedure, did you follow

Why did you install new pushrods? It did not also need rocker arm or lifters?

It sounds like you may have screwed up the lower intake install if you have coolant running down the block

We are gonna need some more info and you will likely have to re do the work you just did

It’s ok! It happens this is how we learn

 

[Bradwarthan1]

Okay hmmm there are 2-3 different lower intake gaskets for the 4.0 engine

The way the water flows through the heads is controlled in part by this gasket
The new gasket you chose should match the setup that came off the engine (1994 style)

When installing the lower intake to the heads there is a torque procedure, did you follow

Why did you install new pushrods? It did not also need rocker arm or lifters?

It sounds like you may have screwed up the lower intake install if you have coolant running down the block
https://www.autozone.com/external-e...85WXBxbptZ683tt-VUhoCeDUQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds
We are gonna need some more info and you will likely have to re do the work you just did

It’s ok! It happens this is how we learn

Hi both

Thanks so much for the offer to help here as well as the encouragement. I do think if I do replace the manifold gasket again it will go much quicker.

Wanted to give more detailed information here as well as pictures.

Vehicle info:

• 200K 1994 Ford Explorer XLT Federal emission standard.
• It was neglected with 4 or 5 previous owners.
• Have changed a bunch of parts in past too numerous to change but mostly around drive-train, suspension, brakes, and air/fuel sensors.
• Primary issues are valve train or lifter tick and a 214 error code (had changed crankshaft position sensor so maybe cam sensor or other).

Purpose of fix and what I had seen:

• Goal was to inspect valves/lifters to see what was causing the noise as well as change the valve covers.
• In changing covers, saw a lot of sludge that I cleaned up with brake cleaner, parts cleaner, and oven cleaner
• I saw one push rod close to where the noise was coming from. It had play in it between the lifters and rocker arm.
• I removed the intake manifold and inspected the lifters. Some were stiff. I did not change them because I didnt want to take off the heads. I had hoped changing most of the push rods would fix this.

Work done:

• Intake manifold
  • Changed the intake manifold gasket to the FelPro metal here: Basically it is the perma-dry with the metal vs. the paper gaskets. Used similar for valve cover
  • For intake manifold, cleaned all mating surfaces as much as possible. Used grey RTV on both ends as instructed by Haynes to prevent a leak
  • I had a heck of a time putting intake back on with the limited space and I think it might have slid around a bit but got all the bolt holes to align correctly.
  • Torqued to spec (in inch pounds) in order except 1 bolt on stage 2 or so I did one reverse.
• Fuel-rail and other manifold work
  • Changed all six fuel injectors (4 refurb and 2 new SKP)
  • changed the front two sensors to new ones cheap from rock auto (temp sensors I think)
  • installed intake plenum gasket by Felpro. It gave me two and I put one above and one below the fuel rail.
• Valves and value train
  • Replaced 8 of 12 pushrods (due to budget) and other 4 were "ok". Used Melling
  • cleaned/scrubbed the valves and valve covers
  • removed rocker arm and inspected "ok" Soaked in oil and then put back and torqued correctly
• Intake plenum
  • Re-installed and replaced the EVR solenoid and the upper air sensor on back of plenum (white one)
  • Also installed a new vapor canister purge valve. The plastic lines to throttle body and cannister broke so replaced it with fuel line/rubber hose and fit. I might have got the direction of the hoses wrong (which one to throttle body, etc.)
• Vacuum lines
  • I did mess up a bit here with some broken lines. I had broken ones for EGR, EVR solenoid, and the fuel rail one wasn't plugged in right. Tonight I made a make-shift rigging with hose to see if it woudl help. It didn't but will reset the computer to see if codes go away.
• Electrical
  • I did somehow strain some of the wires in the fix and see a wire running towards front of engine stretched signficantly. I think that is to my crankshaft position sensor (which I had replaced about a year ago). I plan to replace the wiring on this.
  • There was a lose connection on the EVR solenoid wire. I think I fixed this so it shouldn't throw a code now.

Current issues:

• Will fire up but then die immediately. If holding gas will rev up and then die. Makes backfire sounds
• For coolant leak,
  • I had drained the radiator for 2-3 months but it is in a heated garage except for a few hours or so (maybe 4-8 at most) and it's been in the 30's-40s at worst.
  • Added 50/50 coolant and noticed a massive drain towards back of engine immediatley after trying to start vehicle
  • I re-added water and filled radiator and held it fine.
• ECM codes
  • 114, 327, 113, 157, 214, 15

Pics of engine (push-rods, rocker arms, intake manifold, assembled, and coolant leak)

 

[410Fortune]

Interesting!!

Ok the noise is almost always an oiling issue to the lifters,
Especially if you are cleaning out sludge (carbon)

One or two pushrods will be loose depending on where the engine is in its rotation

You need to inspect the tips of each rocker arm where they hit the valve stem
Any unusual wear it gets replaced
Replace any pushrods that have mushroomed or odd wear patterns

Now here’s where you will hate me
Replace all the lifters, head gaskets and valve seals
Replace all 6 injectors with reman no no no to those cheap skp pos injectors

Make sure the new intake gasket plugs off the same water ports as the old intake gasket

The heads and lower intake all get torqued together in a sequence, I can post the instructions for you

Code 214 points to your cam synchronizer
Many people with 94 sigh glass type synchro will replace it with 3 wire synchro and sensor for a 96

Otherwise it sounds like you did many things correctly
The problem with this engjne is likely the sludge, excessive sludge (not changing oil, crappy oil) will cause the lifters to not pump up. Getting the sludge you can see out was a good idea, however there is tons you cannot see. The only way to get this is lots of oil changes and use some detergents. Diesel oil, atf, marvel mystery oil, everyone has a different recipe. I use marvel
Mystery oil and full synthetic Mobil one… it cleans sludge and restores oil pressure over time

There is no real way around replacing expensive parts inside these 4.0
Only other option is another 4.0 from a later model w less miles than does not have lifter tick

Maybe time to pull the engine?

Thoughts??

Hope this helps

 

[Bradwarthan1]

Thanks a ton for this and definitely need to do all of this. My budget is shot for now so just going to try to get it running and maybe not leak.

Your saying all of the right things but just have to put it on hold or do an engine swap a few months down the road. I know the crank position sensor wire got stretched so was going to try to rewire that. I cut it and see a grey, blue, and an exposed wire (maybe a ground). Any issues if I wrap the exposed wire or use a covered wire for that one?

Thanks again

 

[Josh P]

do an engine swap

We could help talk you into a 302 V8 swap.

 

[410Fortune]

The exposed wire is just a ground shield, the crank sensor wires are wrapped in a foil shield. You do not need to connect the exposed wire to anything