Ok, so I think I have found a replacement for my 4.9, and my question is when I go to remove the engine currently in the truck, if you guys have any tips or tricks from experience. I have a repair manual, but that doesnt always give you all of the steps, or includes some unnecessary ones sometimes.

so anyone here ever swapped out a 4.9 and have some dos and donts?

95 F150 4X4 XL btw.

 

Mark all your connections! I didnt do it on a 4.9 but the Crown Vic's V8 (Cant think of size) We swapped one out and made that mistake and it took forever and a day to get the harness back in place right. Its the pole connect sensors that are the biggest problem.

After that, take your time. RWD can be a PITA because of the trans. lineup or whatever but its not hard.

 

I did this swap a few years ago. It was a lot of work.

Disconnect both driveshafts and pull the transfer case out. It will make re-installing the transmission easier. This would be a good time to install new grease-able u-joints if they are original. If you have a carrier bearing or a CV joint (Bronco owners) now is the time to inspect and replace if necessary.

Unbolt the transmission from the engine (6 bolts) and the tranny from the crossmember. Support the back of the engine with a floor jack and a piece of wood and push the tranny up and slide it back.

Remove the hood (trust me) and the radiator (trust me). Take a ton of pictures of everything on the motor that you will be disconnecting. This really is the best way because the pictures will come in very handy when you hook everything back up. Marking connections is a huge PITA and error-prone. Also unnecessary for a lot of the connectors because it will be obvious where they go.

When you remove the bolts for something, put them in a ziplock bag and mark it with a sharpie. You will end up with about 20 bags of bolts and you will know where every single one of them goes this way. It speeds things up to be able to just grab a bag of six bolts labeled "Upper to lower intake" and know you have all the right parts.

Once you have everything disconnected, unbolt the motor mounts and pull the engine out. (that was easy, right?)

Depending on what you need to swap over to the new engine, the time to do it is when both are out of the truck. If your truck is a manual, this is a good time to install a new clutch kit unless yours is very new. Make sure to have your flywheel turned at a machine shop and the ring gear flipped if it's showing wear. Ask at the shop if you don't know, a good machine shop will know what you're talking about.

Install a new oil pump, pickup screen, and oil pan gasket. Also install a new side cover gasket. Use the right torque specs with gaskets or they will leak.

Have the upper and lower intakes, the throttle body, and the thermostat housing cleaned at a machine shop. This is also a good time to have the injectors sonically cleaned, there are places on ebay where you ship your injectors. They clean, inspect and test them and ship them back to you. I would go this route instead of buying new injectors.

You should also put a new water pump on, but if yours is very new you can just swap them over. Swapping them over is easier than putting a new one on because of the hassle of getting the fan off. If you do use a new water pump, take the fan off it with the motor still in the truck..

Don't use high volume water or oil pumps, they will cause more problems than they ever solve. Use a new 195* t-stat. Also look over the radiator and heater hoses real good and replace them if they are showing any signs or drying or cracking.

Obviously new new plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. Also new air and fuel filters and a new PCV valve.

That's all I can think of. Anybody see anything I missed?

 

If this is your very first time doing an engine swap, take your time, take pictures or do a video recording, if at possible, and return to here for any questions as you pull the motor. Labeling things is a good idea especially when its your first time (personally, I thought these particular engines have far less connections and more intuitive than the newer distributorless motors).

If it doesnt come apart easily after all retaining taps, washers, bolts, and wires have been disconnected by all means ask questions dont force it!

 

wow, thanks for the thorough write up, so it doesnt sound like an afternoon job like i was hoping.

 

Not if you want to do it the right way.

 

definitely want to do it right, just starting to get cold here in iowa and i cant do it in my garage so the less time i am outside working on it the better so wishful thinking was to be able to get it doen in 1 day

 

So i finally have the engine out, I havent been able to put a lot of time into it because i dont really have anywhere inside to work. Anyway, I forgot to unbolt the torque converter from the flexplate, so that was a nice mess when it came out too.

As I am getting ready to swap stuff onto the other motor, i noticed the fuel rail is bent pretty good and almost flat in 1 spot so i need to get a new one. I havent had a chance to go to yard and look for one yet, but does anyone know of someplace I can get a hold of a new one at a reasonable price?

This project has turned into a lot more down time than I anticipated, any of you guys in the Des Moines area want to come finish this for me lol.