My engine (4.2) in my 1997 E150 took a dump. So I'm thinking of pulling it out but how?

Any advice?

The van is in really nice shape even though it has 189,000 miles on it. The prices for used cargo vans are rediculous. I think I am better off fixing my own than buying something that could be worse.

 

Not that this really helps, but +2 on cargo van prices. I'm looking to buy an E-series truck and was astonished at the prices- for example, $4500 for a '98 E250, 250XXX miles, bent into a U-shape from being driven in the city. This was by no means atypical. If it makes you feel better, look at NEW van prices on Ford's website. Maybe when (if?) the economy improves used truck prices will fall.

That sucks though, removing an engine from a van. If it was a straight-6 you might have been able to drop it through the frame rails somehow, but I guess a 90 degree V won't fit. I've seen pictures of how others did it. If you remove the bumper, radiator, grill, hood, and header panel, you can slide the engine out the front of the van if you're creative enough to find a way to get a hoist in the 2" clearance between the head and the truck's body. Maybe you could build some kind of platform in front of the van and drag the engine out.

 

two ways.
remove hood and all things directly in front of motor

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or
Lift body off frame.



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If I keep my current E250 5.4 gasser much longer it will get a new motor---on a side note it'll come directly from Ford since they have great prices on long blocks, warranty included.

Anyway, its imperative everything in front of the motor as well as the hood and possibly fenders needs to be removed. Even then it won't be easy because most engine cranes will be a bit too tall to comfortably fit under the windshield cowl when raising the motor. I'm guessing the 4 or so hours needed to disassemble the front sheet metal would save hours fumbling around. This assumes one is doing it from the floor.

Honestly if I had the overhead space and proper equipment raising the body would be my one and only choice. Once raised the entire chassis is open which would allow inspection, repair and replacement of anything that's just so insanely difficult with body in place---think rear shocks--good gravy!!

Roll the chassis out, swap motors and reconnect everything there. Install new urethane body bushings and you're pretty much good to go. As most of us E van owners know removing the front seats is sometimes advisable---body in the air saves that step too!

 

I did an engine swap on an old '89 e150 don't remember if it was 302 or 351. You DON'T have to remove the fenders. The hood, bumper, grille, radiator, core support ALL HAVE TO GO. I know it sounds nuts but, at the time I didn't even have a GARAGE, I did it all out in the street in front of my house. Needless to say I was not treal popular with the neighbors. The hardest part I found was getting the hoist to roll on the pavement. There is NO LIFT room, just STRAIGHT OUT THE FRONT.
But, IT CAN BE DONE AT HOME.

 

While it's a bit of extra work removing the intake will give you more "lifting" room and you could even go so far as removeing the cylinder heads with the engine still in the van.

 

Funny, but that your pic clearly shows the hood in place.

Wish there was close up of the 'forklift' looking setup that cradles the motor from front & below its V. Presume it connects to front motor mounts? Sweet set up I'd never seen. Is it a FORD Special Tool?

Pulling a 302/351 is much easier than a 4.6/5.4 due to modular engine's taller OHC heads & wider V. There's more room to lift than it looks like after intake plenum is removed, especially on the old iron motors. Unfortunately motors also need to be lifted more than it looks like to get over the front suspension crossmember.

Still can't believe it's efficient to lift off the body. Presume w/shop lift that procedure is easier than it looks. Also presume OHC modular motors are so tight that heads can't be removed in place on Econoline?

Know these aluminum heads can't be removed in situ on F-150. Still seems like a miserable design. Have read claims its easier to lift off the cab than pull the motor JUST TO DO A HEAD GASKET even on a pickup truck! Yikes! And I thought a van's 'tunnel' was bad news.

 

The hood can be raised far enough that it can rest against the windshield but unless you have a good glassman on call removing the hood is far less expensive.

Lifting the body completely off the frame has the advantage of being less time consuming than removing so many individually front end bolted parts. Like most things it almost falls apart but reassembling and realigning all the removed parts takes a lot more time than most imagine. I can't think every engine replacement is done with the body off but it still seems the easier of the two options.

Then again if the removed engine will be nothing more than a core removing the heads for more lifting room makes complete sense. The problem would be reintalling the new engine--would head removal also be necessary? In a perfect world the engine could be reassembled out of the van and slipped into place with only a few connections left to be done.

Even if done outdoors a suitable hard flat surface and a creative body lifting method could be done somewhat easily. I'm thinking jacking points much the same as in the shop photo with eventual support via four rented tall heavy duty jack stands like used for tractor trailer servicing or something similar.

 

Pretty sure most of us can come up w/padding & rest the hood against the windshield w/o breaking anything.

Are you theorizing "Lifting the body completely off the frame has the advantage of being less time consuming" or is that a matter of fact? Wonder what FORD's Flat Rate manual says?

So are you confirming that modular motor OHC cylinder heads can be removed in place on Econoline?

 

I got a pair of new heads on my 2002 4.6 van under warranty due to a problem with bad cooling at the back of the heads on the early Romeo PI motors. (There was a TSB on the problem which started with a ticking in the rear cylinders from the exhaust valve guides getting deposits on them.)

The dealer replaced my heads without removing the engine so this is confirmed. The 5.4 might be a bit tighter yet because the deck height is taller.

George

 

Go ahead and pad everything and rest away---being in the windshield replacement biz I fully encourage this practice----job security and all! Its easier to simply remove four bolts and "rest" the hood elsewhere which would almost guarantee glass damage. Assuming of course no tools thrown in frustration hit it!


Flat rate manual? That tool of the trade designed more to enrich mechanics bottom lines? No thanks! Lifting the body still entails a bit less individual part and panel removal which means reassembly and realigning of the removed parts is also avoided. Add in there seems to be some question what kind of engine hoist is needed or whether the heads also need removed before engine can be slipped out the front, panels etc removed beforehand. The case for body raising looks more attractive minute-by-minute.

This isn't a theory since I once owned a body shop and am now daily in vehicle repair shops where common practices much in disagreement with shop manuals are practiced. A good example of Ford's better idea read the Econoline recommended procedure for heater core replacment where it says to remove the steering column AND complete dash board first---is that a common practice?

Lifting the body or multiple panel removal method requires somewhat specialized equipment or extraordinary amounts of time and perhaps unneeded efforts. Granted not everyone has access to such equipment but just reading the few replies here its easy to see its a challenge----I'd look to reduce that as much as possible. Removing one huge part (body) still beats R&R'ing the many parts seemingly needed to do the front pull IMO.

It does look as though more ways than one exist for this operation---have to go with what equipment is available to us at the time I guess?

Starrider I hope you'll give us a follow up on what you do---could be helpful to others in the future also facing this on their E vans!

 

I took JWA's word for it "The hood can be raised far enough that it can rest against the windshield". The hood on my Econoline is actually stopped by hinge design, well before "it can rest against the windshield". As such it poses a risk of slamming shut unless tied back, but no risk of glass damage.

"R&Ring" the grille, radiator & associated parts all looks extremely easy to me. Obviously pulling motors out the front is the common practice. Apparently "R&R'ing" these parts looked more attractive to Chilton & Haynes as well, neither suggests lifting the body. Neither says the heads need to be removed either.

Sorry, but I'm inclined to believe Bbasso's pic actually showing the "engine can be slipped out the front" w/heads in place.

If I'm not mistaken the pic of lifting the body shows a V-10. Perhaps "The case for body raising looks more attractive" only on these special oversized motor Econolines?

 

I've done a 300 I-6 and a 460 V8 ....both come out the front like a drawer..the I-6 was trickier due to overall engine hieght and it required a "special" fork type attachment on the end of the cherry picker to maximize clearance. On the 460 it came out quite easily except for the wieght... hopefully I will never have to remove my current 7.3....
As far as removing the body goes the 6.0 diesel requires that or engine removal to service the heads or fix bed plate leaks...

 

Had to double check my two E Vans, a '99 and '00 too---both allow raising the hood high enough to indeed rest on the windshield. I'm curious what years might have different hinge designs to prevent this?

 

Thanks everyone!

I still haven't made a decission as of yet.

I've been to busy trying to keep my 93 F150 on the road.