Picked up a free 89 F150 with the inline 6 4.9l. Got her kicked over to the sound of a bent rod. Pulled the Rod Cover off to find two bent rods. One on cylinder 2 and one on cylinder 4. Now this is the Fuel Injected one so I know I gotta pull that tarantula off then the valve cover, but after this I am lost.

I know I will need replacement gasket for the valve cover and push rod cover, but will that tarantula need any gaskets. Am I going to be required to purchase the 90ish dollar gasket set?

I do have a rebuild manual but not currently with me. I'm trying to determine all the parts I will need to get this thing going. It looks as if oil movement is not a problem as the push rod cover has been leaking it for a while. The PO rebuilt the engine, but on inspection the rod cover was literally finger tight as well as the plugs.

Any help on this would be fantastic.

John

 

I'd say you need whatever gaskets are under the parts you want to take off. They sure won't want to come off in one piece after having been there 25 years.

 

Haha no better answer than that I guess. I'll just start tearing her apart and keep tabs on what needs to be put back together. I'll start a thread with my completely newbish adventures once I get started. Thanks Dixie.

 

Ok just wanted to update my post here. I did the work on the truck, replaced two severely bent rods. Lifters were all still up and working flawlessly, rockers all move nicely, and I pre-primed before firing the engine over. Everything went great just a very small leak at the back bottom of the push rod cover. After my helper over torqued a valve cover bolt and I pulled her out with an easy out we were well on our way to success.

Now I'm faced with a dilemma in the fuel system. My pump is working, and she starts up great however after she idles down to normal she will just die out.

Like I said just wanted to update for anybody who was curious.

 

Just hope there is no further issues and just bent push rods! I got a car once free. Engine was locked up after rebuild. The PO over tightened the con rod nuts locking up the engine! I wound up rebuilding that engine due to the PO didn't know how to properly.

Now with engine stalling, time to pull codes and see what the ECU is doing.