Amazing skills. This thread keeps getting better and better.

 

Thanks everyone for the kind words!

I am sticking with the taper seat only because the motor already came with a new set of iridium plugs. The spark plugs as you can see in the one pic are fully threaded so I was willing to use them and a taper seat. There is just a small taper there that is visible. Torquing down the spark plug a few times "smooshes" out a uniform taper seat much like an aluminum crush washer.

If I didn't have these new plugs ($75 worth ish) I would have definitely gone with the crush washer spark plugs I posted earlier.

 

Got some stuff done today.

Anyone who has seen me post much or followed my 6.0 thread knows I use copper spray on pretty much every head gasket.


Bolt a head on. I checked while bolting on the head and found that 65ft/lbs was right about spot on after turning the bolts 180 degrees.


Lifters, lost motion adjusters, valve lash keepers, whatever ford calls them in.


Rockers in.


Cams in. Fun times not knowing where all the cam caps go. They are numbered but because everything was just thrown in a box I had to figure out what side the numbers were to and then if the numbers went front to back or the other way. I had to check one cap at a time and line up wear patterns from head to cap to find each caps its home.


Thats where I finished for the night. Its steak and beer time.

 

I see ford recommends 11ft/lbs for the spark plugs? I torqued mine to 20ft/lbs, I feel absolutely safe with having full threads and that it is less likely they will back out and "blow". lol

I just have the exhaust manis left to put on and it will be going in with the next step.

 

New oil dip stick and tube.

 

Way back when I use to peruse the Lightning boards, we always recommended 12 - 14ft lbs for the 5.4L engines.

Snowman, I truly wished you lived closer to me. I need someone to pull the engine in my L, go through it, and put it back together for me and I don't trust anyone around here to be as meticulous as I need.

Stewart

 

In my 89 300 I6 I cleaned the threads and seat about 10 times on the number 6 spark plug hole and no matter how much I torqued it down it would loosen up every time.

The last time I di an attempt I remember really cranking down on the plug and hearing and feeling s "crack" like a dry head bolt removal sometimes does. After that it never loosened up again.



I often think of a community of people with similar interest that share and trade ""work". I'd love to have a bunch of welder, fabricator, car, and truck nuts for neighbors.

 

What is the purpose of spraying the head gasket with copper? BTW--how do you do that??

 

It is a sealant. It helps seal up imperfections in the surfaces.

 

I'm dying for the pics of it going in the truck! Keep up the good work, I love how methodical you are.

 

This is looking good! I also use copper spray on all my head gaskets and a few otheres here and there. A "seasoned" engine builder/machinist taught me about that kind of stuff years ago.

Im lucky enough to have a large network of talented people in my area, welder/fabricators, machinists, mechanics and a 'mom and pop' tire shop that does anything. Grew up street racing, racing at the strip, wrenching, partying and most important, learning, with all these guys. I can make a call and either have something done or get help as needed.

 

Well that's a cool idea. As many car things as I do, I've never been beyond looking at the valve lifters. However I have PAID for a head gasket before that had to be replaced. Got the feeling there was no copper spray involved on that one. This is a real learning experience for me so thanks for doing this in so much detail.

 

It's good stuff! I generally use it on any steel shim type gasket. One thing to note, the copper coat will wash off with engine oil in the areas of the gasket that are exposed to it. And it can resemble bearing material...hopefully it's just the copper coat you didn't need!

 

While it isn't my "main thing" I assemble or build around 3 motors a year for different people/reasons. Unless it is a special situation or reason I always use copper spray on head gaskets. I have been using it for well over 10 years now and haven't had a failure yet. Even on cars pushing enough boost that the heads lift even with ARP studs the copper spray seems to seal them up good and keep the water inside.

My wifes birthday is sunday and we leave for camping monday so I don't think I will get into the next step until I get back from camping.

The next step will be taking the motor off the stand, install flex plate, mate motor and trans, install a few small things like starter and trans lines, and then dump the pig in the tank. When I get to this point I want to be able to pound threw the rest of the work to get it to a running state so I am able to move the X out of the shop if I need the room.

Then we will find out what this noise is everyone keeps telling me about. LOL I have looked 4 times now and it definitely isn't a cracked flex plate. The PO says he thinks it is the torque converter. The shop I picked up the motor from say they think it is the trans pump. PO said the trans fluid was clean red. It is going to be a surprise!

 

Did the stick and tube come together as 1 part number? All I really need on mine is the dipstick. The tube is usable.