281 16V engine. Where to start?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: USA
281 16V engine. Where to start?
Ok my first question is where can I get a manual for this truck, engine?
Guess my age is showing here. Looking at the 4.6 16V engine in my 09 last night.
Are spark plugs under black caps under the fuel rails on top of the engine?
I do not see any real spark plug wires? Will I have to remove fuel rails to change spark plugs?
Why do some bolts on this engine look like they were put on like a rivet? What are the long thin rods coming up from the bolts for? Can I snip them off to be able to get a socket on the bolts?
What are all the what looks like coils for on passengers side near fire wall?
Is all this electrical taped up delicate looking wiring and plastic covering going to hold up for 15 years? Tape is already falling apart in some areas with only a few hundred miles on the truck.
Never had a vehicle with a cup before. Oil catch cup that is.
Just wandering and feeling old school. "I am so confused"
Thank you
Andy63
Guess my age is showing here. Looking at the 4.6 16V engine in my 09 last night.
Are spark plugs under black caps under the fuel rails on top of the engine?
I do not see any real spark plug wires? Will I have to remove fuel rails to change spark plugs?
Why do some bolts on this engine look like they were put on like a rivet? What are the long thin rods coming up from the bolts for? Can I snip them off to be able to get a socket on the bolts?
What are all the what looks like coils for on passengers side near fire wall?
Is all this electrical taped up delicate looking wiring and plastic covering going to hold up for 15 years? Tape is already falling apart in some areas with only a few hundred miles on the truck.
Never had a vehicle with a cup before. Oil catch cup that is.
Just wandering and feeling old school. "I am so confused"
Thank you
Andy63
Senior User
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 210
Likes: 0
no traditional plug wires on that truck. those black caps that are covering the plugs are coils, each plug has its own. they have to be removed to get to the spark plugs and generally only last about 100k. you should be able to remove them without removing the fuel rail but it is a tight fit. I am not sure about what thin rods you are referring to nor the Coil looking things on the fire wall; pictures would be helpful. I would not worry about the truck lasting 15 years as long as you take care of it and keep up to date on the basic maintenance. the tape may now hold up but that is just cosmetics to make the truck look cleaner under the hood.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: USA
Thank you. Information makes this a little more clear.
Pictures are difficult. Want to get some for Gallery after bedliner and cap. But takes a few hours.
Bolts are on valve covers and look like a rivet before it is cut.
Have not been able to locate book, accesories or much else for 09 yet. Owners manual just says take it to approved dealer for spark plugs.
Coils or what ever are higher than every thing else and very obvious when hood is opened.
Thanks again
Andy63.
Hopefully this is the last truck I need and this is the place to come to keep it going.
Pictures are difficult. Want to get some for Gallery after bedliner and cap. But takes a few hours.
Bolts are on valve covers and look like a rivet before it is cut.
Have not been able to locate book, accesories or much else for 09 yet. Owners manual just says take it to approved dealer for spark plugs.
Coils or what ever are higher than every thing else and very obvious when hood is opened.
Thanks again
Andy63.
Hopefully this is the last truck I need and this is the place to come to keep it going.
Lead Driver
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 7,937
Likes: 2,651
From: The Great State of Texas
The rivet things are most likely threaded studs coming out of the heads with nuts screwing down the black valve covers.
Trending Topics
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: USA
Thanks for the help guys. I am used to older vehicles.
Computer sounds reasonable. Entire top of engine is nothing but wiring and a giant fuse box.
Not that I have any immediate plans to but is it ok to snip these to be able to get a socket on the bolts?
Guess it will be fun to learn the new quirks that will go along with all these changes as these trucks age.
Thanks again
Andy63
Computer sounds reasonable. Entire top of engine is nothing but wiring and a giant fuse box.
Not that I have any immediate plans to but is it ok to snip these to be able to get a socket on the bolts?
Guess it will be fun to learn the new quirks that will go along with all these changes as these trucks age.
Thanks again
Andy63
FTE Stories
Ford Trucks for Ford Truck Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Ford Trucks Ever Sold on Bring a Trailer
Joe Kucinski
2027 Ford Super Duty Buyer's Guide (Every Model, Engine, & Package)
Brett Foote
Top 10 Ford Truck Tragedies
Joe Kucinski
AEV FXL Super Duty - the Super Duty Raptor Ford Doesn't Make
Brett Foote
Lobo Vs Lobo: Proof the F-150 Lobo Should Be Even Lower!
Michael S. Palmer
Ford's 2001 Explorer Sportsman Concept Looks For a New Home
Verdad Gallardo
10 Best Ford Truck Engines We Miss the Most!
Joe Kucinski
2026 Shelby F-150 Off-Road: Better Than a Raptor R?
Brett Foote
2027 Super Duty Carhartt Package First Look: 12 Things You NEED to Know!
Michael S. Palmer
Postmaster
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,392
Likes: 0
From: Greenvile, SC
Though- there should be wire hangers/organizers stuck to some of them.
That's usually the intention of the studs sticking out...
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,512
Likes: 18
From: Detroit
Thanks for the help guys. I am used to older vehicles.
Computer sounds reasonable. Entire top of engine is nothing but wiring and a giant fuse box.
Not that I have any immediate plans to but is it ok to snip these to be able to get a socket on the bolts?
Guess it will be fun to learn the new quirks that will go along with all these changes as these trucks age.
Thanks again
Andy63
Computer sounds reasonable. Entire top of engine is nothing but wiring and a giant fuse box.
Not that I have any immediate plans to but is it ok to snip these to be able to get a socket on the bolts?
Guess it will be fun to learn the new quirks that will go along with all these changes as these trucks age.
Thanks again
Andy63
Fords seem to have always used some wimpy cloth tape to hold wire harnesses together. I believe they serve their main purpose during the initial assembly of the vehicle--to route wires together when they need to be together. I remember our old '86 Escort GT had many hanging ribbons coming off the wires, as did my wife's '98 Sable, and my '02 E150 If you want to be ****, you could go to a big computer store and buy the flexy nylon tubes (split along their length) and cover the wire harnesses with them.
Good luck. The 4.6 is a great motor and many have gone hundreds of thousands of miles in cop cars, taxis, limos, and trucks. The one in my E150 has 75k miles on it and used zero oil during the last change cycle--which was 6500 miles (on full synthetic oil, Quaker State Torquepower 5W20).
Do make sure to run the factory recommended 5W20 oil in it, and Motorcraft filters are as good as it gets for the mod motors.
George
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: USA
Do not need to right now. Have never seen these before. to long for a deep socket. Seems like another thing to tear you up while trying to work on the thing in the future.
Not to worried about tape but wow allot of wiring. Not even sure how to change spark plug coils if attached. Hopefully a manual will come out soon.
Hope it is a great motor. Hope it is the last truck for me.
For oil is it do as I say, or do as I do? Motor craft blend or Quaker State Torquepower? May try to stay with Motor craft recommended but usually brands change all the time.
Have used motor craft filters on a 58 Y block, 67 302, several 65,66 289, 94 302 and 73 351C they all leaked. Thought this was normal unitl I got another brand free when buying oil. Used it and wow no leaks. Have used several other brands with no leaks?
Ford may have finally figured out there oil filters leak. This truck has a oil catch thing under the filter.
Thanks again
Andy63
Not to worried about tape but wow allot of wiring. Not even sure how to change spark plug coils if attached. Hopefully a manual will come out soon.
Hope it is a great motor. Hope it is the last truck for me.
For oil is it do as I say, or do as I do? Motor craft blend or Quaker State Torquepower? May try to stay with Motor craft recommended but usually brands change all the time.
Have used motor craft filters on a 58 Y block, 67 302, several 65,66 289, 94 302 and 73 351C they all leaked. Thought this was normal unitl I got another brand free when buying oil. Used it and wow no leaks. Have used several other brands with no leaks?
Ford may have finally figured out there oil filters leak. This truck has a oil catch thing under the filter.
Thanks again
Andy63
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 4,512
Likes: 18
From: Detroit
Do not need to right now. Have never seen these before. to long for a deep socket. Seems like another thing to tear you up while trying to work on the thing in the future.
Not to worried about tape but wow allot of wiring. Not even sure how to change spark plug coils if attached. Hopefully a manual will come out soon.
Hope it is a great motor. Hope it is the last truck for me.
For oil is it do as I say, or do as I do? Motor craft blend or Quaker State Torquepower? May try to stay with Motor craft recommended but usually brands change all the time.
Have used motor craft filters on a 58 Y block, 67 302, several 65,66 289, 94 302 and 73 351C they all leaked. Thought this was normal unitl I got another brand free when buying oil. Used it and wow no leaks. Have used several other brands with no leaks?
Ford may have finally figured out there oil filters leak. This truck has a oil catch thing under the filter.
Thanks again
Andy63
Not to worried about tape but wow allot of wiring. Not even sure how to change spark plug coils if attached. Hopefully a manual will come out soon.
Hope it is a great motor. Hope it is the last truck for me.
For oil is it do as I say, or do as I do? Motor craft blend or Quaker State Torquepower? May try to stay with Motor craft recommended but usually brands change all the time.
Have used motor craft filters on a 58 Y block, 67 302, several 65,66 289, 94 302 and 73 351C they all leaked. Thought this was normal unitl I got another brand free when buying oil. Used it and wow no leaks. Have used several other brands with no leaks?
Ford may have finally figured out there oil filters leak. This truck has a oil catch thing under the filter.
Thanks again
Andy63
Motorcraft filters have never leaked for me, and if you read some of the online stuff, you'll see that their construction is better than most, excellent silicone anti drainback valve and a bypass valve at the engine end, not the far end of the filter. Where do your filters leak? Sounds strange to me. I've never had filters that themselves leak in 40 years of changing oil.
Not too much work needed on the mod motors. My van has 75k miles on it and I have never had the engine cover off myself. (The dealer did have to remove it for a warranty service thing.)
Good luck,
George
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 178
Likes: 0
From: USA
I hear you on the oil. Would not be able to pass up good quality oil for a buck a quart.
Will try to use MC synt blend as long as I can get it without much trouble. Right now both auto parts stores near me have it. Tried mobil clean 5000 for awhile in a Honda CRV. After I could not get it anymore I switched to castrol and it was flushing all kinds of stuff out of the CRV engine. Have been using it ever since in 73 Mustang Mach1 351C and current daily driver Subaru Forester with no problems. Of course each vehicle uses different weights and filters.
Motorcraft filters alawys have leaked from the base. I guess where rubber ring meets machined surface of engine. I have no idea about internals of oil filters would be interested to read? For some reason I tend to like Bosch or purolator usually because they are availabe free when purchasing oil on special at the stores.
I am hoping only regular maintenance is needed for this entire truck. Sure seems nice so far.
Andy63
Will try to use MC synt blend as long as I can get it without much trouble. Right now both auto parts stores near me have it. Tried mobil clean 5000 for awhile in a Honda CRV. After I could not get it anymore I switched to castrol and it was flushing all kinds of stuff out of the CRV engine. Have been using it ever since in 73 Mustang Mach1 351C and current daily driver Subaru Forester with no problems. Of course each vehicle uses different weights and filters.
Motorcraft filters alawys have leaked from the base. I guess where rubber ring meets machined surface of engine. I have no idea about internals of oil filters would be interested to read? For some reason I tend to like Bosch or purolator usually because they are availabe free when purchasing oil on special at the stores.
I am hoping only regular maintenance is needed for this entire truck. Sure seems nice so far.
Andy63
Posting Guru
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 1,512
Likes: 0
I wouldn't be so quick to start pulling things apart and messing with the engine on a brand new truck with warranty! Sounds like your not very mechanically inclined. If you have problems with the truck then return it to dealer to be fixed. If ya wanna just start messing with it for something to do then go ahead and keep us posted. It could get very interesting. 