Pulling Heads From Explorer

JD1964 · Dec 1, 2013

In the next day or two, I'll be pulling the intake and heads from an explorer in the junk yard. I'm hoping to get the job done in 3 hours or less. I'll have all basic tools plus electric impact and sockets. I'm bringing a sawzall and might do things like cut exhaust pipes then remove manifolds from heads after they're out of the truck.

I dont need to be too kind to things like belts, hoses, wiring and such since its a junk yard pull.

I appreciate any advice on special tools I might need or any tips that might speed up the process.

Thanks in advance.

madspeed · Dec 1, 2013

Intake and heads, you've got 20 minutes.... Go

stykthyn · Dec 1, 2013

Maybe if he had air tools and a sawzall.
Get the front dress off the heads first. soak the header bolts In pb blaster and get them last.

mikestang63 · Dec 1, 2013

No special tools required except the right size star torx head for the intake plate cover- I think its 20? Other than that its basic stuff

sockets, ratchet, breaker bar
wrenches
screwdrivers
BFH
channel locks

If you have the fuel line disconnect tool that will help, but you can remove the entire rail with the with the injectors off in one piece

stykthyn · Dec 1, 2013

Just cut the soft line with some dykes and leave the rail on.

madspeed · Dec 1, 2013

Pickup a battery op sawzall

NIKwoaC · Dec 1, 2013

I like to always have a ratcheting strap and some kind of crow bar handy. I know you're not taking the whole engine, but you never know how much pushing and pulling might be involved.

mikestang63 · Dec 1, 2013

NIKwoaC said:
I like to always have a ratcheting strap and some kind of crow bar handy. I know you're not taking the whole engine, but you never know how much pushing and pulling might be involved.

Agreed. Reason I didnt mention a pry bar is I use a flat tire iron or an axle if needed from one of the cars at the JY. Good idea on the ratchet strap.

I'd also add
a sawz-all or hacksaw
zip lock bags and marker for your bolts

JD1964 · Dec 1, 2013

I have a batt sawzall and I will take it. PB Blaster, breaker bar, pry bar - all good suggestions. I'll probably need to remove the rail and injectors anyway because they will charge me for them if I dont. I don't need them since I'll be re-using mine. However, removing the rail after the intake is off might be easier. Just like my idea to sawz-all the exhaust pipes and unbolt the manifolds after the heads are off. With the heads off, I should be able to get at the bolts with the batt powered impact and make quick work of that part.

Seriously though, I took a wheel up front with a bad dry rotted tire and center cap. All I needed was the wheel but they wanted to charge me for everything. wheel $25 - tire $25 - center cap $8. So I took off the cap and they had a machine to remove the tire. I asked them about cylinder head price and they said $53 each without the cam (overhead cam style which obviously is not what I'm after), with cam it would be more. So you see, when you say intake manifold, thats is. No other parts attached or you get charged for them too. No biggie though since they sell stuff pretty cheap. I just dont want to pay single $ for anything I dont need.

Thanks for all the suggestions. It's all useful.

Dave2000GT · Dec 1, 2013

The junkyard is cool with you having at the engine bay with a sawsall ??
Doesn't seem right to me

JD1964 · Dec 1, 2013

They acquire vehicles for less than scrap metal value. Anything they make on parts sales just sweetens the pot.

The only prohibited tools are jacks and tire irons. They will lift the car with a loader forklift if you need it. If you need to take a wheel off, you must use sockets and breaker bars or impact guns.

It seems that safety might be their bigger concern even though you sign a waiver before you go in.

JD1964 · Dec 3, 2013

Yard opens in a fee minutes. I'm going in. May The Lord be with me.

JD1964 · Dec 3, 2013

Done. Spent a half hour just hunting. Decided on regular GT 40 from a '96 explorer.

The Lord was with me. The intake was already off. I don't need it anyway.

Post pics later.

Mustang5L5 · Dec 3, 2013

Not a bad choice. Don't need to worry about special headers.

Can you do me a favor and list the part number for the head and tell me if it has thermactor ports? This is more for my own knowlege

JD1964 · Dec 3, 2013

Casting # F3ZE
AA

These are the real GT40's. Found only on Cobras and 96 Explorer only. (From what I've heard)

I don't know what thermactor ports are. Do you mean the smog tube connections? If thermactor ports are the smog tube holes, then no, they don't have them.

stykthyn · Dec 3, 2013

gt40s are just as good as the p heads. I run them. Bought the entire engine on half price day at the u pull it for 150. put another 200 into the heads to uprade the springs and for 350 I had a low mile engine that pulls way harder than the stocker.

mikestang63 · Dec 3, 2013

John Dirks Jr said:
Done. Spent a half hour just hunting. Decided on regular GT 40 from a '96 explorer.

The Lord was with me. The intake was already off. I don't need it anyway.

Post pics later.

Nice. Got the same heads and intake. Now, get the TFS springs and have a machine shop do a quick cleanup of the heads- a new set of valve seals, and you are good to go. If you have the money send the lower intake to Tom Moss for porting and he'll have that thing flow like a river.

JD1964 · Dec 3, 2013

Heads look decent. 134k was on the ticker. The valve tips show no wear. None of the valves are stuck. Valve faces have good margin at edge so I doubt the valves or seats have ever had a re-grind. After I clean the valves and seats, if they look good enough, I may just lap them with valve grinding compound.

I'm gonna do mild porting and polishing myself. Any tips of areas I should focus on would be appreciated.

Also, I will surely have a machine shop mill the heads for a good flat surface. What is the max I would want to take off? I don't mind asking for a bit more to come off to gain some extra compression.

I need the machine shop to get two broken intake manifold bolts out too.

Grabbin' Asphalt · Dec 3, 2013

my gt40p heads are milled at 30/1000, believe thats real close to the max before having the lower intake milled to fit right.

JD1964 · Dec 3, 2013

.030 is what Ill ask for then. What would my compression be after this? I'm asking because somebody told me that the GT heads have a slightly larger chamber than my E7's. If thats true, I at least hoping to make up the difference by milling.

Pulling Heads From Explorer

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

mikestang63

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

madspeed

Colonel Mustard

NIKwoaC

中國製造

mikestang63

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

Dave2000GT

Active Member

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

Mustang5L5

That is…until I whipped out my Bissell

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

stykthyn

I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

mikestang63

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

Grabbin' Asphalt

JD1964

there is enough sticking out to grab on to

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