Broken Valve Spring
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From: tampa bay area
You learn something new everyday.
For those who might read this in the future while searching. When you unbolt the intake manifold fully it will easily lift out. You don't have to pry it off the heads like I have had on older cars. I say this because it is easy to miss the 2 bolts, one on each side, at the very rear of the intake. If you miss those and try to pry the intake off you will break the manifold. If you can't find the rear most bolts, finger around in the accumulated dirt at the back of the intake for awhile and those bolts should surface at some point.
For those who might read this in the future while searching. When you unbolt the intake manifold fully it will easily lift out. You don't have to pry it off the heads like I have had on older cars. I say this because it is easy to miss the 2 bolts, one on each side, at the very rear of the intake. If you miss those and try to pry the intake off you will break the manifold. If you can't find the rear most bolts, finger around in the accumulated dirt at the back of the intake for awhile and those bolts should surface at some point.
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From: tampa bay area
The moment of truth. Will this piston be OK?
It looks like the valve bounced of the piston a few times before it bent shut. By looking at the valve you wouldn't be able to tell anything happened....aside from the fact it won't move in the head.
I am guessing the piston is aluminum and the valve is steel. You can see the mark on the piston and I can feel a slight sharp edge. Will I be OK to just have the head redone and put it back together? Mabey take an abrasive pad to the piston and try smoothing it out?
Opinions PLEASE!
It looks like the valve bounced of the piston a few times before it bent shut. By looking at the valve you wouldn't be able to tell anything happened....aside from the fact it won't move in the head.
I am guessing the piston is aluminum and the valve is steel. You can see the mark on the piston and I can feel a slight sharp edge. Will I be OK to just have the head redone and put it back together? Mabey take an abrasive pad to the piston and try smoothing it out?
Opinions PLEASE!
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From: tampa bay area
Well the Mustang community seems to have the opinion this piston will be fine after I smooth out the contact area.
I see a water pipe running down the center of the engine under the intake manifold. Do I need to worry about doing anything with that? I don't see anything about it that makes me worried.
And the exhaust studs. Should I think about throwing these stock things out and going with something like header bolts? All the studs looked just fine and came out relatively easily.........most of the studs came out instead of the nuts coming off the studs.
I only have the passenger side head off right now. There were two exhaust nuts which were kind of up under the motor mount so I couldn't get a socket on them. The only way I got those free was to unbolt the head and have the head up and out further so I could get the socket on the nuts. Is there a trick to those that I didn't know........I would like to know it before putting the head back on!
I see a water pipe running down the center of the engine under the intake manifold. Do I need to worry about doing anything with that? I don't see anything about it that makes me worried.
And the exhaust studs. Should I think about throwing these stock things out and going with something like header bolts? All the studs looked just fine and came out relatively easily.........most of the studs came out instead of the nuts coming off the studs.
I only have the passenger side head off right now. There were two exhaust nuts which were kind of up under the motor mount so I couldn't get a socket on them. The only way I got those free was to unbolt the head and have the head up and out further so I could get the socket on the nuts. Is there a trick to those that I didn't know........I would like to know it before putting the head back on!
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That piston will be fine but the damaged area must be polished smooth to get rid of any stress risers and potential hot spots (a small metal edge will act like a glow plug causing serious pre-ignition). Other than that youll be fine. Good luck
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From: tampa bay area
Are the heads in a 05 Expedition with a 4.6 identical to my 01 castings except for the threads in the plug holes? When I said heads I mean the entire assemblies.......heads, cams, valves, etc.
I keep reading Ford put out better castings in 05 to address the spark plug blow out issue. I'm curious to see if I might get a pair of these to put on my motor.
I keep reading Ford put out better castings in 05 to address the spark plug blow out issue. I'm curious to see if I might get a pair of these to put on my motor.
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Joined: Jan 2009
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From: Chesapeake, Va.
Are the heads in a 05 Expedition with a 4.6 identical to my 01 castings except for the threads in the plug holes? When I said heads I mean the entire assemblies.......heads, cams, valves, etc.
I keep reading Ford put out better castings in 05 to address the spark plug blow out issue. I'm curious to see if I might get a pair of these to put on my motor.
I keep reading Ford put out better castings in 05 to address the spark plug blow out issue. I'm curious to see if I might get a pair of these to put on my motor.
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Senior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 270
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From: tampa bay area
Well I have had the engine torn down for awhile now. The Piston smoothed out nicely. I had the heads rebuilt and had them put inserts in all of the spark plug holes so I don't have to ever deal with the spark plug pop out problem.
I realized I had read quite a bit about this problem but could never get a firm grasp if this problem was specific to the 5.4 or if the 4.6 like mine was also a potential problem. Well, I took a pic....looks like the 4.6 can have this problem as well.
The inserts they put in are the same idea as the Timeserts....just by a different maker. I'll post a pic of them in the near future.
One problem I ran into during the tear down was getting all of the exhaust nuts/studs off the passenger side exhaust manifold. 2 of the bottom studs were behind the motor mount with no way to get a deep well socket on them. To get it apart I lifted the head enough to get a socket on those 2 nuts. I still wasn't sure how I was going to get it together. I talked with a Ford mechanic last night and found out the trick is to leave the manifold bolted to the head and take them out together. All you have to do is un-do the coupling from the manifold to the Y pipe. Tricks of the trade.
I am going to follow the instructions for head installation and timing chain install from this write up. It seems too easy with what is written.
http://www.modularheadshop.com/Artic...stallation.htm
I realized I had read quite a bit about this problem but could never get a firm grasp if this problem was specific to the 5.4 or if the 4.6 like mine was also a potential problem. Well, I took a pic....looks like the 4.6 can have this problem as well.
The inserts they put in are the same idea as the Timeserts....just by a different maker. I'll post a pic of them in the near future.
One problem I ran into during the tear down was getting all of the exhaust nuts/studs off the passenger side exhaust manifold. 2 of the bottom studs were behind the motor mount with no way to get a deep well socket on them. To get it apart I lifted the head enough to get a socket on those 2 nuts. I still wasn't sure how I was going to get it together. I talked with a Ford mechanic last night and found out the trick is to leave the manifold bolted to the head and take them out together. All you have to do is un-do the coupling from the manifold to the Y pipe. Tricks of the trade.
I am going to follow the instructions for head installation and timing chain install from this write up. It seems too easy with what is written.
http://www.modularheadshop.com/Artic...stallation.htm
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Joined: Jul 2003
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From: tampa bay area
I took 2 days off of work and put the engine back together. Doing the head bolts, and basically everything, with the motor in the truck SUCKED but was doable. There was no need to pull the body, lift the body, or remove the engine to do this job. A suggestion is to get the fan and shroud out as soon as possible which allows you to use the radiator support as a seat with your feet in the engine bay as you work. Your ribs will thank you!
The thing I was most apprehensive about was putting the timing chains on. I used the web link I posted in my last post and the chains went on like butter. It was so easy I was afraid I was doing something wrong. There is no reason to buy all those different specialized tools to do that job as long as you follow the article.
I got the motor fired up today. I pulled the fuse on the fuel pump and spun the motor over for a little bit to start getting oil to all the new parts. It fired up immediately when I put the fuel pump back on line and ran like new.
Thanks to everyone here who helped during this journey.
Oh, I forgot to take a picture of the spark plug inserts before putting the heads back on. Sorry. I'm sure everyone here can probably come up with a good mental picture.
The thing I was most apprehensive about was putting the timing chains on. I used the web link I posted in my last post and the chains went on like butter. It was so easy I was afraid I was doing something wrong. There is no reason to buy all those different specialized tools to do that job as long as you follow the article.
I got the motor fired up today. I pulled the fuse on the fuel pump and spun the motor over for a little bit to start getting oil to all the new parts. It fired up immediately when I put the fuel pump back on line and ran like new.
Thanks to everyone here who helped during this journey.
Oh, I forgot to take a picture of the spark plug inserts before putting the heads back on. Sorry. I'm sure everyone here can probably come up with a good mental picture.
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