Hello,

Two questions:

I'm thinking of buying a f-150, but since I've always done my own service I'd like to know if it's possible to pull the cylinder head on an '09 with the 4.6 liter engine with the engine in the vehicle?

Secondly, I had heard that you couldn't pull the engine out through the top if you needed to remove it. I was told that you lifted the body off to get it out. Is that correct?

I realize that the 4.6 liter needs little service and that they hold up well, but I'd really like to have these two questions answered before I pull the trigger....

Thanks!

Rob

 

You dont' have to pull the cab off to get the motor out....and yes...you can pull the heads with the motor in the truck....lots of people have had to do it on the 5.4's and the 4.6's aren't much different...just a bit smaller....

(thats all on an 08...but the underhood space is the same between the two)

 

Ryan50hrl,

I kind of thought that you might be able to pull the heads with the engine in the vehicle based on a quick observation yesterday, but I do know that the head bolts are quite long.

Thanks for getting back with me. I doubt that if I bought the truck that I would ever need to pull the heads, but it's good to know that it can be done without pulling the engine. My current 4.6 liter has over 200,000 miles on it and has never even had a valve cover off of it.

Rob

 

You'll probably find that if the engine makes it out of warranty, you'll never need to pull a head until the engine is long past worth pulling it...the mod motors are really very very sturdy (with the exception of the early ones with the cam phaser problems and spark plug issues)....

 

It is much easier to raise the cab as far as reaching the rear of things, but yes it can be done without.

 

Okay. Thanks, that really clears things up.

The reason that I was confused was that it sure looked like they could be pulled with the engine in, but the shop manual says to pull the engine. I know the head bolts are long, but not that long!

Rob