Replacing head Gaskets on a 76 360

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Apr 13, 2002 | 01:21 AM

FordOffRoader

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From: Oregon City, OR

Replacing head Gaskets on a 76 360

I recently bought a 76 F-150 as a non-runner. I just got it about a week ago and just started messing with it, when i finally got it to start it blew alot of white smoke out of the exhaust, im pretty sure its a blow head gasket. Also it isnt running on all cylinders whitch i think is related to the head gasket. My question is sense ive never done engine work on a car before beond carbs do i have to remove the rocker arm assembly so remove the heads?? If someone knows tell me cus it would be a huge help.
Thanks alot
Oh yeah im dieing to get it running so i can go get it muddy!!!!!!!!

Apr 13, 2002 | 06:37 AM

jowilker

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From: Creedmoor, North Carolina

Replacing head Gaskets on a 76 360

Olliver, Don't turn a single bolt on that engine until you get this book. How To Rebuild Your Bigblock Ford by Steve Christ ISBN 0-89586-070-8. Get plenty of quart, 1/2 gal, gal zip locks, masking tape and a marker. When you remove a section of bolts ID them and put them away until you finish. If you have a photograffic memory, disregard.

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Apr 13, 2002 | 11:23 AM

banjopicker66

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From: Coal country

Replacing head Gaskets on a 76 360

Jowiliker's post is right on the money: READ up on FE motors BEFORE turning a bolt on it. Fortunately, FEs are easy to work on, and most of the parts are interchangeable. For example, if you have a bad head, you can use just about any FE head - 332, 352, 360 or 390, from a 4 or 2 bbl. You can change an FE to 4 bbl or 2 bbl just by changing the intake manifold and carb (and the linkage, of course.) You could use specialty heads for 427, but then you 're looking at a lot more money, and for mud busters like you, I don't think the extra is worth it!

Apr 14, 2002 | 01:39 PM

karlsd

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From: Collierville, TN

Replacing head Gaskets on a 76 360

To answer your question, you don't need to remove the rocker assemblies in order to remove the heads. Even if you do, though, it's no big deal. The FE motors have shaft mounted rocker arms, and the entire assembly is held in place by four bolts through the pedestals and into the heads. You can remove the assemblies in one piece, set them aside, and put them back on again as one-piece units when you've replaced the head gaskets.

Apr 14, 2002 | 08:24 PM

Like M. Fords

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From: LAT 46.55501° & LON -122

Replacing head Gaskets on a 76 360

If you are doing both heads, then it would probably be easier to remove the intake first before removing the heads. To remove the intake, you must first remove the rocker shafts/pushrods. Unless you are going to sell the truck right away, I would remove both heads, have them rebuilt, and not worry about it for another 100,000 miles; unless you see any problems with the bores. Then...

Apr 25, 2002 | 12:21 AM

FordOffRoader

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From: Oregon City, OR

Replacing head Gaskets on a 76 360

Hey guys thanks for the help!!! I got it all apart and just waiting to get my heads back but I found some cracks in my intake so I gotta get a new one. But again thanks for all the help.