Hey guys I'm going to be replacing the head on my 4.0 SOHC and the gaskets that follow with it on my drivers side. Have had a tick for the longest time on my truck and I've had rough idle. Just haven't cared much figured I'd fix it when it takes a crap. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uoU9Sk9wtQ8 truck still has good power and everything but I've known she wasn't as fast as before the tick. I still beat many a car and she runs strong, (only a ford) I beat on it really really hard and it takes it really well. Never really had a serious issue other than the noise but it's been there for a long time. Not really sure how it happened but I've just ran with it. I'm sure it was from over-reving and I got valve float which made it impact the piston.

So I decided to fix it finally as my truck REFUSES to make me do it. So I performed compression tests all around. Every cylinder still super strong 158-160 PSI EXCEPT Cylinder 5, now I've known this to be the source of the MisFire at idle not when driving only under 1200rpm. And there was always oil on the plug in one way or another. So cylinder 5 had ONLY 60 PSI!!! I was like DAMNN!!!!!! down 100psi Performed a leakdown test which showed 80 percent leakage, checked where it was leaking from, was coming from the Exhaust and Radiator, also the Crankcase filler but I assume that's just from the PCV valve letting the air leak to the other side because its connected to the other Valve cover. So either way I have to pull the Cylinder head to replace the head with a new remanufactured one.

So I've determined it to be the Exhaust Valve and or the Intake valve which both would get fixed anyways. As well as a head gasket. I've also determined I simply do not think its a bad ring on the piston or bad enough walls because my oil doesn't have gas in it. Its black like it should be at 5000 mile intervals, no milk. If it is however bad rings I'm simply going to replace the entire engine because the Cylinder work would cost too much and I can get a 2004 engine with 60k miles for around 750 bucks.

I've determined that I'm going to photograph the entire event, and was wondering if anyone had the Ford Service way to remove and replace the Cylinder head on the 4.0 SOHC and what tools I would need. I used to have one but I had lost it, it was REALLY really precise about exactly what I needed to do and I'd like it if someone could so kindly re-provide it to me.

Thanks guys!
Adam

EDIT: Pulled motor got new one installed Installed pics up sometime tonight.

 

PM zabeard...I think I got him Alldata access

 

Thanks, I'll PM him

 

i never got it to work something about licenses.

 

That's no good. It still works here...I'll PM him

 

Do a leak-down test to confirm that it is a valve related issue on that cylinder.

Or, do the compression test again, but this time add a teaspoon of oil to that cylinder before doing the test. If the numbers stay the same, it's likely headgasket or valve related issue. If the number jumps up, then it's a piston ring issue.

If I remember correctly you have to pull the engine to pull at least one of the cylinder heads, as the cam is run off of a chain that ties into the crankshaft at the back of the block. If it's the front timing chain head, you may be able to remove it with the engine in the vehicle. They're a real PITA regardless, crappy design.

 

Already did a leak-down test and thats the results it found. Now that I have all the guides and stuff ready to roll what's the easiest way of keeping timing correct when I replace my head with a Reman one.

 

If you decide to replace the whole motor and want a lower mileage motor.I know a j/y with a 4.0 out of a 09 with 17k miles and they ship.

 

Where is that and how much

 

You need a motor too?

 

Got the rattle

 

http://www.higginsauto.com/

Their asking $925 plus whatever shipping will cost.I think you may need to change a few things over from your stock motor to make it work.

 

Gonna need a new motor it looks like the Piston is SHOT pictures are explainitory enough. What do you think was happening? Piston got slap and hit plug which bent rod causing constant Piston Slap on the Head?
This looks ALOT like detonation, but then again I'm not sure I'm just a computer person haha who has a liking of engines and trucks.

 

Which also leaves me with a good question, I'm finding alot more 2004 engines right now could I just use one of those? They also usually cost alot less.

Can you guys even believe the engine was running as good as it was? What would you guys suggest, I'm game for anything. I know for a fact the Piston NEEDS to be replaced but whats the easiest way of doing so. Or should I just drop a used engine in. I can get a 2004 engine for 700 dollars with 34k miles but I'm not sure if its the same engine.

 

i'd just drop in a new engine man

 

Thought I'd post here rather than reply to your email:

The SOHC is an "Interference engine" - if the timing chain breaks/stretches the valves WILL contact the piston. In the first photo you can plainly see the carbon swept from the piston face where the valves reside - especially the intake. If the rod is bent, the piston will not come as far up the bore, so there would be no carbon sweeping of the intake valve, like you see here. There would also be signs in the bore - scoring, etc. This appears to be a PURELY mechanical issue - most likely the result of "FOD" (Foreign Object Damage): something dropped in the cylinder/intake tract. Look for missing injector parts (pintle cap, etc), failed spark plug, snapped/missing ground electrode, wrong plug length/type/heat range, etc - all of which might have been destroyed AFTER the damage. It can be the TINIEST thing, creating a chain reaction in, what I like to refer to as a "cascading casualty"; picture the proverbial snowball rolling down a hill.

Compression leaking in to the radiator tells me the head is compromised (cracked), and in to the exhaust suggests a bad/compromised valve seat, but the real issue is the compression loss in the crankcase - that could be a cracked piston/failed rings. It appears that the piston land is missing from 11 o'clock to 2:30? Is that right? That, with the excessive carbon in the cylinder suggest blowby (ring failure) and the constant flow of escaping compression gasses (heat) finally forced the land to crack and let go - causing the damage. Again, a guess, based on the photos.

Since the engine was ticking before the tune, I believe it was something that happened some time ago and wasn't discovered/investigated until now.

Was this a rebuild/replacement engine? The Ford manual (4.0L SOHC specifically) is RIDDLED with the phrase "Failure to follow these instructions may result in engine damage." - many shops reuse the intake manifold/injectors from the failed motor (even spark plugs!) - effectively reintroducing the cause of the initial engine failure to the "new" engine.

Only a "postmortem" will tell for sure. Please post pix of the piston/injectors/plugs and take a GOOD look in the lower intake and Bank 2 catalytic converter for debris.

For "repair" - IMHO, I would not even CONSIDER replacing the head/gasket - that entire bore is suspect and the piston IS bad - period. Rebuild/replace the engine, along with the upper and lower intake manifolds (they are plastic and therefore "disposable"), injectors, plugs and basically anything that can't be hot-tanked/steam cleaned. Cleanliness is VERY important with these engines.

Fred

 

Not thinking it was your tune Fred, you're gonna be the one tuning the new one haha. I'm thinking it might have been the Bama Tune I first had. As far as I know it is not a Rebuilt, Or replacement engine. But the truck DOES have a salvage title. So what do you think was causing the noise then? Also doesn't it look kind of what detonation would look like? At this point I'm looking at an 04' engine and was wondering if that would work. It has only 34000 Miles, I was simply wondering if it would be a Drop in and connect piece since its so close to my model year and they did most wiring changed in 04.

Thanks,
Adam

 

I don't think it was either tune. How many "ticks on the clock?"

 

Ticks on the clock?

 

How many miles ya got?

 

85952 miles

 

Wait is there a chunk missing from the 3rd cly from the front??

 

Yeah there was it was the 5th cylinder though. In other news the engine install is done! Pics going up now.

 

Lol I take off in 4x4 low and all 4 tires spin! Makes a mad chirp.

 

Whats wrong with the 04 4.0 SOHC