Head Swap - Anything else I need to know?

Tripoli

Member
Mar 30, 2005
208
0
16
Dallas, TX
I'm getting ready to put Fox Lake stage 2 heads on my car, and I want to make sure I have all my bases covered.

I'll be referencing this thread, this thread, and my Haynes manual for some misc. info as needed.

The general plan is to remove and reinstall the engine with the transmission and Hooker long-tube headers attached. I'm assuming this is possible, so please let me know if it is not.

Supplies (Am I missing anything?):
- I have all tools I could possibly need, including in./lb. and ft./lb. torque wrenches, harmonic balancer puller, etc.
- 2 Oil changes.
- 4 quarts Mobil 1 ATF (I plan on draining the transmission because it'll be tilted back while removing from the car and still attached to the engine.
- Coolant
- Assembly lube (I plan on using 50 weight oil.)
- RTV (I plan on using copper for everything unless someone can give me a compelling reason to use a different variety.)
- Lacquer thinner (to clean off ARP stuff before installing.)
- Brake cleaner (to clean off engine block where head gaskets seal)
- Ziploc Bags and Sharpie to label bolts and such.
- ARP head studs, nuts, washers, and lube (256-4201)
- Head gaskets (Ford 4C2Z-6051-BA left & 4C2Z-6051-AA right)
- Heads - (I will be reusing my VT Stage 2 NA cams, and keeping stock cam gears.)
- I already have ARP harmonic balancer/cam bolts from cam swap.
- I already have new-ish timing chains from cam swap @ about 90k miles.
- Crank pulley install bolt.
- Anti-seize for spark plug threads.

Disassembly:
- Support car on ramps or jack stands.
- Disconnect battery
- Disconnect all electrical connections to engine and transmission.
- Disconnect clutch cable.
- Disconnect headers from X-Pipe.
- Disconnect fuel and vacuum lines from engine.
- Break harmonic balancer bolt loose.
- Remove serpentine belt.
- Drain transmission, engine oil, and radiator.
- Remove shifter.
- Remove driveshaft.
- Unbolt intake manifold from heads and remove with upper intake and injectors still installed.
- Attach engine hoist to ears at back of block and to studs at the front.
- Remove transmission mount.
- Detach steering shaft from rack.
- Unbolt A/C compressor and zip-tie to K-member or sway bar.
- Unbolt power steering pump and reservoir and zip-tie out of the way.
- Unbolt motor mounts from K-member.
- Remove engine & transmission from vehicle by lifting upwards and forward. (If necessary, remove headers first by dropping the K-member. If necessary, unbolt transmission from bellhousing and remove.)
- Rest engine on floor with boards supporting weight under transmission, bellhousing, and oil pan.
- Drain coolant from block.
- Remove spark plugs. (They only have 15k miles, so I plan to reuse and check to make sure gap is still good: 0.048" - 0.050")
- Remove headers, if not removed earlier.
- Remove harmonic balancer and set crank in safe mode (Keyway at 9 or 12 o'clock).
- Remove value covers.
- Remove timing chain cover, being careful not to damage gaskets.
- Remove timing chain tensioners.
- Remove timing assembly.
- Remove cams and gears, making sure my Romeo caps stay matched to their original positions.
- (For first-time use of ARP studs.) With stock heads and gaskets still in place, lube and install ARP studs, washers, and nuts. Torque head studs to 30, 60, then 90 ft.-lbs. Loosen and repeat 5 times. (This is done on old heads and gaskets to prevent unnecessary repeated compression of the new head gaskets.)
- Remove stock PI heads.
- Gently clean engine block-side gasket surfaces with brake cleaner.

Reassembly:
- Lube, install, and finger-tighten ARP head studs into block.
- Place head gaskets.
- Make sure heads have appropriate oil holes plugged or not.
- Place heads.
- Lube, install, and finger-tighten head stud washers and nuts.
- Torque head studs to 30, 60, then 90 ft.-lbs. Sequence per side:
7-3-1-5-9
10-6-2-4-8
- Place followers in heads.
- Make sure crank is still in safe mode (Keyway at 9 or 12 o'clock).
- Install cams and retainer caps. Tighten cam retainer bolts to 71-106 inch-pounds.
- Torque cam sprocket bolts to 95 ft.-lbs.
- (Too tired to finish this now, but the rest is basically the reverse of above.)


Please let me know if there's anything important I'm missing. I will update this original post as I get all the info I need.

With these heads (which include high-load Comp valve springs), the stock shortblock, and the mods listed in the link in my signature, how fast can I reliably spin the engine naturally-aspirated? I regularly tap my 6,500 RPM rev limiter with my current setup. I've heard a number of people say that 7,000 RPM is fine without a power adder.
 
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You can get the engine out with LT's, it's just hard. But you cant set it on flat ground, the LT's would hit first - and you dont want it resting on those. Get some wood and block it up at the tranny output shaft, the bell housing, and just in front of the oil pan or on it.
I'd also suggest a wire wheel to clean off your piston heads while the cyl. heads are off.

I'd drain the whole block, do the surgery, then replace all the fluids. You need to run you engine for a min or so then refill the coolant at the thermostat location, run it again and fill it at the overflow.

I wouldn't rev over 6800 if i were you, with stage two's you shouldn't see much higher gains after that anyways
 
yes drain the oil before you work on it...then change it again after the first 100 miles.

you will need at least 2-3 gallons of coolant (not pre-mixed)

drain the coolant out of the block using the block drain plugs. you will need to remove the motor mounts for this as these plugs are behind them. They are large hex heads.

attach hoist in front using the 2 holes in the valley in the front, and in back there are 2 "ears" you can use in the corners.

the head studs I dont know off the top of my head, sorry!
 
If you follow the thread above, and you should be fine.

You seem to have a pretty good grasp of things:nice:

I outlined the thread above assuming that you can take it down, and it is in order to build it back up:)

When you pull your heads, just check your NEW headgaskets with the old ones.

I would suggest priming the engine before you start it up, or at the very least (assuming only 2-3 days for downtime), pour oil all over the heads/cams/timing chain to get them a little lube.

If you can get a friend to help, it will be great! Also, if you know someone with a 4.6L, it can be good to reference when you are putting it back together (vac. lines/spark plug wires).

Don't overtorque the spark plugs either.

Good Luck!
 
as he said above you wana get anything that is in the pan flushed out, as well as make sure there aren't any shavings or anything like that. Just cheap insurance:nice:
 
and the drain plugs are allen key type...I dont know the size off the top of my head sorry, but it is pretty big. Also, you asked if you could pull it with long tubes and you can as long as you have the type where the steering shaft doesn't go between the down pipes. If thats the case then obviously you have to pull the drive side header. If you have the longtubes where the steering shaft is outside the downpipes then you should be able to squeeze it outta there with them attached.

One piece of advice, if the bottom of the longtubes are catching on the K member...drop the K member, it will make everything very easy when you are putting it all back together. Good luck man!
 
just read the bottom of your post....please DO NOT tighten your cam caps to 95 ft lbs, that should be INCH POUNDS!!! you would be replacing those heads in a few days if you stretched the aluminum by over-tightening.
 
I hope so...I think the caps are like 108 in lbs.

This was is the linked thread tho:
Crankshaft Bolt: 118 ft. lbs or see below.*
Camshaft Bolts: 82-95 ft. lbs*
Intake Bolts: 18 ft. lbs
Valve Cover Bolts: 89 inch lbs. (71-106 inch lbs.)
Timing Cover Bolts: 19 ft. lbs
Spark Plugs: 13 ft. lbs**
Arm Tensioner, Power Steering Pump, Water Pump Pulley Bolts*: 19 ft. lbs


* - A drop of loc-tite may be suggested.
** - A small dab of anti-seize on the threads may be a good idea.
 
Cam caps should be 89in lbs. INCH POUNDS-- dont read that wrong :D

The deal with the torque sequence on the head bolts, is they are torque to yeild bolts. You are actually stretching the bolt once installed- this is the reason you cant reuse them.

If you stretched those to 89 FT LBS I guarantee you wouldn't be happy with the results, whether they are torque to yield or not.