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Replacing a Ford F150 Engine

DaveNay

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Well, I finally got started on the engine change on my F150. I have had to set up a temporary work area in the old barn, because there is no room in my workshop. :rolleyes:

This first picture gives a general view of the area I have set up to work in. Plenty of room, with a flat cement floor, so it should be nice.

Te second picture is my "workbench". :yum: Two old chairs and a piece of OSB that was laying around. :thumb: I left my big tool box in the workshop, since there is about 300 ft' of mud between here and there, so all the tools are just getting layed out on the workbench.

Next up shows the engine and the hoist waiting their turn.

Then a closeup of the truck before I started taking it apart, with the hood off (had a buddy help with the hood a couple days ago.)

Finally, I got a couple of hours work done this afternoon after dinner with the MIL. Air ass'y, and radiator are out.
 

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Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Nice start Dave. Are you keeping a notebook as to exactly what went where? On my first, um, dozen or so, engine changes I used some masking tape to number wires and mark where they went as well as logging in my notebook where they went. I also used several baby food jars to hold clips, nuts, bolts, etc., and also labeled the jars with masking tape with exactly what was in the jars written on the tape.

I'm sure your memory is better than mine, but I often got pulled away from the job for periods of time to do other things and, without my notes, would have been lost. Good luck!!
 

DaveNay

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Nice start Dave. Are you keeping a notebook as to exactly what went where? On my first, um, dozen or so, engine changes I used some masking tape to number wires and mark where they went as well as logging in my notebook where they went. I also used several baby food jars to hold clips, nuts, bolts, etc., and also labeled the jars with masking tape with exactly what was in the jars written on the tape.

I'm sure your memory is better than mine, but I often got pulled away from the job for periods of time to do other things and, without my notes, would have been lost. Good luck!!

Everything is going into Zip-loc bags labeled with a sharpie marker. I haven't thought of doing a notebook, but that's a great idea, I think I'll start one right away.
 

fogtender

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Good luck! :thumb:

I like that work bench, much fancier than some I have used in the past... Must be nice to be that well off that you could use "Upholstered" chairs verses the "folding metal" ones I had to settle for...:yum:
 

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Everything is going into Zip-loc bags labeled with a sharpie marker. I haven't thought of doing a notebook, but that's a great idea, I think I'll start one right away.

Excellent idea with the zip-loc bags. You're well on your way to becoming an ASE certified technician. When you finish the job do you wanna take the ASE test? If I passed it, I'm sure you could. :bonk:

Unfortunately I wasn't close to being an ASE "Master" certified tech though. Apparently that takes more than my 30 years of fixing what I've busted to be able to pass that test. :tiphat:
 

thcri

Gone But Not Forgotten
Dave,

That is one job I wouldn't tackle. It just seems like there is no room to do anything under them hoods. But then I guess I condemn Ford for not backing you up. The baggie idea is a good one as I wouldn't be able to remember all of where everything goes. Do you have any estimate on how many hours it is going to take you?


Murph
 

DaveNay

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Do you have any estimate on how many hours it is going to take you?
"Book" time for an engine swap is 20 hours. I'm going to guess about double that for me.
 
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Erik

SelfBane
Site Supporter
good luck - and congrats on finding a local motor!
the one time I helped a buddy swap motors on his f150, I was surprised at the number of times we had to use a 10mm socket -- and that was almost 20 years ago.
 

bczoom

Super Moderator
Staff member
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Looking good Dave!!

I too use ziploc bags. When tearing something apart like this when I don't have a manual, in addition to a log book, I also use the camcorder (or more often now, the video option on my camera).
I take 30 second (or so) videos and sometimes a couple still photos of what I'm about to take apart. Like the log book, I can refer back to these if there's any questions on reassembly. I find my log book entries are often weak and I can say, and point to things in detail what I want much faster on a video.
 

DaveNay

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I thought you had to remove the body to get the motor out of those trucks.
Nope.

Had about an hour to work on it tonight. Got the alternator out, and almost have the intake manifold out, but there is a bolt, an electrical connector and a vacuum hose at the back and bottom of the intake manifold, and I can't figure out how the hell to reach them. What's really nice is having an identical engine sitting 10 ft away that I can use to locate connection locations and socket sizes for the difficult to reach things.

Now all I need to do is find a double jointed two year old that can reach those damn connections against the firewall and I'll be doing great.

No pictures tonight, not much to see.
 

DaveNay

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Good progress today!

That intake manifold came off without too much additional struggling. A fresh start at something pretty much always clears things up for me, so when I start having difficulty and getting frustrated, I just close up shop for the night.

Hardest part so far has been the freaking starter! That thing probably took me two hours to remove! The last bolt, I had to remove the right wheel, and use a 24" extension and swivel to get to it. :argueing:

I've had to improvise a little, the power steering pump was supposed to be unbolted, and stay behind, but the last bolt was starting to round the corners, so I decided to leave it on. Unfortunately, that meant removing the hoses and reservoir and draining them.

I'm also trying to leave the A/C compressor in place, when the manual says to recover the coolant and remove the compressor. I'd rather not have to recharge it after I'm done though.

I think I have all the accessories removed, so tomorrow morning I'll unbolt the transmission, and hopefully yank the engine.
 

urednecku

Active member
Site Supporter
Sounds like you got a good start. Good luck! When doing something like that in the past, I would take several instant photo's (now would use the digital camera), from different angles, to get the wiring and hoses right. Good luck!
 

DaveNay

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OK...I'm officially stuck.

Everything is ready to go to yank the engine.....almost.

I can't get the ******* ****ing manifold->catalytic flange nuts off!

Hell, I can't even figure out the correct socket size to use, they are so corroded. One of the is so rusty that it looks like it has been welded on!

I think I'm going to have to cut the flange bolts, and that's going to be a major PITA. :puke1:

You guys in areas where they don't use road salt sure must have it easy.
 

DaveNay

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PB blaster and heat!!!!
I've been squirting them with PB every night for the last week. I don't have a good source if heat, just a plumbers torch, and It won't reach the top two nuts anyway.
 

Dargo

Like a bad penny...
GOLD Site Supporter
Dang Dave, I was just thinking that. I was going to ask you if you had 220 volt 60 amp service with a 20cfm compressor to run the plasma cutter and I just recalled that the stitches haven't even been out of my side for a week yet and I have to go in for further surgery on Wednesday. So, unfortunately, my wife told me "no". Sorry. She said that if all is well after this next surgery I can help you in a month or so. :thumb:
 

XeVfTEUtaAqJHTqq

Master of Distraction
Staff member
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Dave, winch all that crap onto a trailer and haul it down to Dargo's. I bet you'd get it all done in a weekend with his tools and experience. Just keep him plied with booze and let him bark orders at you!
 

Doc

Bottoms Up
Staff member
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Dave, is there enough to work with where you could use a dremel tool and grind down the head getting the rust out of the way to where you could hammer a small socket onto the bolt?
 

DaveNay

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Dave, is there enough to work with where you could use a dremel tool and grind down the head getting the rust out of the way to where you could hammer a small socket onto the bolt?

Just tried that....can't get to the nut because of how the flange is shaped. Can't reach the other nut at all....only have about 3/4" clearance to fit an 18" extension and swivel socket through.

Worked on them for a couple more hours, and all I did was round off two of the nuts.

I think tomorrow I am just going to cut the manifold itself, and that will give me plenty of room to cut the studs after the engine is gone. The new engine has complete exhaust manifolds, so all I have to do is make sure I don't damage the cat side of the connection.
 

urednecku

Active member
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Sure, do it the easy way. Cut all that stuff ya don't need anyhow out of the way!!:poke:

Good luck!!
 

fogtender

Now a Published Author
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Just tried that....can't get to the nut because of how the flange is shaped. Can't reach the other nut at all....only have about 3/4" clearance to fit an 18" extension and swivel socket through.

Just cut the exhaust pipe and take out the affected area with the engine removal. You can get a pipe sleeve to reinstall the pipe (or weld) when you put it back together. Once out, you can cut the affected bolts/nuts and address them on the bench. Way easier than beating your head against the wall.

Good Luck
 

DaveNay

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Just cut the exhaust pipe and take out the affected area with the engine removal. You can get a pipe sleeve to reinstall the pipe (or weld) when you put it back together. Once out, you can cut the affected bolts/nuts and address them on the bench. Way easier than beating your head against the wall.
That's pretty much the same conclusion I've come to. Snce I have a set of replacement manifolds already on the new engine, I'm thinking it's best to cut the old manifolds just above the flange clamp.
 
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