Do I need to remove a front seat in order to remove the engine cover/doghouse? It's a 98 E350 V10.
Years ago I had an early 80's E150 and it didn't require seat removal but things look a lot tighter in this van. Seat removal would probably facilitate easier working conditions anyway but thought I'd ask.

Thanks

 

i'm not sure about the v10, but on my 99 e150, the seats do not have to come out. you will need to put both seats as far back as they go and slowly work the cover out. kinda tricky, but it should come out. i got a cheap smog check and the guy had me remove and install the doghouse. i didn't care as long as i passed smog.

 

i've got a '97 e150 with the 5.4, & i've pulled the cover off without removing the seats. yeah, it's tight, but it can be done. of course, if you're going to be working on the engine, it probably wouldn't hurt to get the seats out of the way.

 

Any tips or tricks you can share? The seal is getting stuck on the underside of the dash, do those parts need to come off? If so how? If not, how do you guys manuever the doghouse out?

Equium, why did you have to take the doghouse off for a smog check? What did they need to do?

 

it's going to take some work but that cover should come off. i do not know why the smog checker needed the cover off. i assume it was for the "visual" inspection part of the smog check (EGR valve, etc.)

 

I've had the doghouse out of our '97 E-350 V10 several times and never had to remove the seats - just slid them back all the way and lifted it out over the passenger seat - quite easy.

FWIW,
Isaac

 

On our 95 Ford van, the aftermarket company changed out the engine cover console with a very large wooden one and there is a floor console with the tv etc. between the front seats. I had to remove the floor console to get the engine cover off.