head replacement-novice issues! Help!
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nesty
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 19
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head replacement-novice issues! Help!
All,
I've been doing the easy stuff on my trucks for years, but when the local mechanic told me I had a busted valve spring (or other valve issue) I got pretty excited about attempting this myself. Opted to just put a remanufactured head on instead of trying to manage the one valve issue. I have a 1995 F-150 with a 302.
Two quick questions (and I've searched the site, I didn't see an existing thread, if I missed it, my apologies):
1) In setting the motor to to TDC, the 0 timing mark on the damper is totally misaligned with the distributor. Truck had been running horribly (presumably due to the valve issue) but then really lost power which I is when committed to this project. timing chain check while I am at it?
2) the two little bolts that secure the throttle cable plate to the upper manifold are frozen in place. soaked in wd-40, hit them straight down with punch, chipped at them sideways, nothing seems to free them. they openly mocked the craftsman ez-out prior to busting it off. Suggestions?
thanks in advance,
learning everything the hard way as always,
nesty
I've been doing the easy stuff on my trucks for years, but when the local mechanic told me I had a busted valve spring (or other valve issue) I got pretty excited about attempting this myself. Opted to just put a remanufactured head on instead of trying to manage the one valve issue. I have a 1995 F-150 with a 302.
Two quick questions (and I've searched the site, I didn't see an existing thread, if I missed it, my apologies):
1) In setting the motor to to TDC, the 0 timing mark on the damper is totally misaligned with the distributor. Truck had been running horribly (presumably due to the valve issue) but then really lost power which I is when committed to this project. timing chain check while I am at it?
2) the two little bolts that secure the throttle cable plate to the upper manifold are frozen in place. soaked in wd-40, hit them straight down with punch, chipped at them sideways, nothing seems to free them. they openly mocked the craftsman ez-out prior to busting it off. Suggestions?
thanks in advance,
learning everything the hard way as always,
nesty
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,017
Likes: 209
From: SoCal
1. Sounds like maybe the timing chain has skipped a tooth. This is usually due to worn chain and sprockets. The simplest solution is to replace them. I am assuming that the damper is in good condition, and that the rubber between the hub and outer ring has not cracked, allowing the ring to slip.
2. There might have been some thread lock on the bolts, and the way to overcome that is to heat them up. Of course, since they're so close to fuel sources, you must be careful if you use a blow torch. Even if there was no thread lock, heating them up would burn off some of the corrosion, and the thermal expansion/contraction will usually break up whatever is seizing them. At this point, if you can get the EZ-OUT out of the way, you can try to drill out the bolts from the inside, using progressively larger bits, and hope you don't ruin the thread in the manifold. If you do, you can expand the hole to the next size.
2. There might have been some thread lock on the bolts, and the way to overcome that is to heat them up. Of course, since they're so close to fuel sources, you must be careful if you use a blow torch. Even if there was no thread lock, heating them up would burn off some of the corrosion, and the thermal expansion/contraction will usually break up whatever is seizing them. At this point, if you can get the EZ-OUT out of the way, you can try to drill out the bolts from the inside, using progressively larger bits, and hope you don't ruin the thread in the manifold. If you do, you can expand the hole to the next size.
Senior User
Joined: Apr 2004
Posts: 167
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If you are setting the timing mark at 0 degrees and expecting the distributor rotor to be pointing to cylinder 1, you are forgetting to factor in the initial advance setting.
I haven't had the chance to work on many later FI 5.0's though, so these may be different than the carbureted motors I'm more familiar with.
I haven't had the chance to work on many later FI 5.0's though, so these may be different than the carbureted motors I'm more familiar with.
Senior User
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 369
Likes: 2
From: BC Cana'duh
Zero degrees on the balancer corresponds to top dead center on no. 1 cylinder.Who's to say that the dizzy was installed correctly.If you're replacing the passenger side head then this will be really easy.Make sure you're at zero on the balancer.Take note of where the piston is.Turn the crank a few degrees left or right to see which way the piston moves.If it moves down then you're at TDC.If it moves up,then you're off TDC.If the head is on,then simply place a light thin screwdriver in the sparkplug hole with the balancer just before TDC.A second person can help in this situation.Turn the balancer to zero and feel for movement of the screwdriver.Do it a few times and you'll get the feel for it.The piston will move up and down but will "hover" at TDC very briefly.Check for timing chain slop by turning over the engine and watching the dizzy rotor.They should turn together.There shouldn't be any lag.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
There are two #1 TDC positions in the firing order. One is TDC of the firing stroke(for #1), the other is TDC of the exhaust stroke(again, for #1). If you have the balancer lined up to 0*TDC, and the rotor isn't pointing at #1, then rotate the crank one full turn back to TDC and see where the rotor is pointing then. As for that frozen bolt, the one garanteed way to remove it is to weld a nut over the top of the bolt, filling the nut with weld, then just as the nut cools to grey, try unscrewing the nut with a wrench. The bolt should come out with it, the heat will break it free. If this doesn't work, try welding a nut one size larger, again filling it with weld and repeat.
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Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Oh, and before buying a head, pull the head you're replacing and identify it before ordering another head to be sure you're getting the same head casting. Personally, I'd pull the head and have the problem fixed instead of buying one head and hoping you get the right one.
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Thread Starter
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nesty
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
All,
1) First and foremost, ended up buying the Home Depot propane torch to get the throttle plate bolts. took a lot of nursing: heat, drill, wrench, repeat...but they are out.
2) Will address the timing as I get a little deeper into the motor since I'm still pulling accessories
3) of course I will have to add the timing chain/gear to my To Do list...THESE THINGS NEVER GO AS PLANNED!!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE HELP...OBVIOUSLY I don't know enough to provide useful insight to others, so I am simply logging back in and financially contributing to this site.
THANKS AGAIN,
Best,
nesty
1) First and foremost, ended up buying the Home Depot propane torch to get the throttle plate bolts. took a lot of nursing: heat, drill, wrench, repeat...but they are out.
2) Will address the timing as I get a little deeper into the motor since I'm still pulling accessories
3) of course I will have to add the timing chain/gear to my To Do list...THESE THINGS NEVER GO AS PLANNED!!
THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH FOR THE HELP...OBVIOUSLY I don't know enough to provide useful insight to others, so I am simply logging back in and financially contributing to this site.
THANKS AGAIN,
Best,
nesty
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