In the process of cleaning everything up, what fun... lol...

prolly won't get the heads back until monday or tuesday. Prolly take me a couple days to put her all back together. Plan on checking compression with the lower intake off with lifters and pushrods exposed to make sure everything operating correctly. Prolly a week or so and hopefully Guadalupe (my trucks name lol) will be back on the road

 

So I have a question that hopefully somebody can help me out with. I ordered a head gasket set from fel-pro part # hs 9902 PT-3. The guy at the machine shop called me saying the new valve seals won't fit because the ones I have on my head are a different size then the ones I gave him that came in the kit I ordered. Apparently ford made some changes on the engine in the 2nd half of the year in 99. So the correct set from fel-pro is hs 9902 PT-4. I ordered the first set online but my heads are going to be done tomorrow. Wondering if anyone knows if the head, intake, exhaust manifold and valve cover gaskets will still work. Hoping they will and I don't have to wait for a return and shipping of the new gasket set so I can just go ahead with the rebuild. I don't think there different, same year gaskets just one set for up to August of 99 and one set for after august. Any help would be appreciated, going to try to get ahold of fel-pro tomorrow as there closed now.

 

Ford changed the valve stems from 8mm to 7mm in 1999.
Everything else should work, but check this link just to be sure when it comes to the valve cover gaskets.
My 99 has the spaghetti style and since both gasket sets contain the same spaghetti style, there's nothing to worry about there.

Make sure you get the right head bolts too.
My block was screwed up at the factory, assuming the link is correct.
I have the recessed threads indicating that I needed the long bolts, but the bolt holes were too shallow by about an inch and the thread size way too big to accept the new bolts.

Some more advice...
There is a left and right and "UP" to the gaskets, when correct the large water ports at the front of the block are "blocked" off, but both open at the back.
Don't be tempted to use RTV on the gaskets unless the instructions tell you to do so.
And they do in small places on the valve gaskets as well as the "end" seals where the lower intake manifold meets the block _ you will see when it comes to that.
Don't use any on the lower intake manifold gaskets.

Ford Ranger II 3.0 liter Engines

 

Thanks, that's what I was hoping is that they only changed the valve seals. Saves me a few days on shipping everything back and forth.

The head bolts looked the same when I matched them up, I'll double check before I put it back together.

 

It will be extremely obvious if the head bolts are wrong when comparing them to you old set.
If they're wrong, they simply won't fit.

Yours will be either long and skinny or short and fat.

 

I have been gone for awhile and just had a chance to get updated on this thread.

I am kind of dumbfounded that you have decided to spend time and money on this engine without a compression test with a known good tester.

A simple compression test and leak down test would have let you know for sure what was wrong before even spending a dime.

But its your time and money, I just hope it all works out for you.

Good luck

 

I don't think the compression test I originally did was completely wrong. Yea I didn't do a wet test, I found my problem instead of screwing around with test after test. You can only do so many tests after hearing over and over from quite a few people what most likely the problem is. Believe me I didn't want to believe I needed a head job, the truck ran to good I kept telling myself. I suppose it potentially could be the piston rings but I really doubt it. I saved myself alot of money by doing most of the work and because I stopped driving it soon after I originally posted this. I don't have to many doubts it will run fine after I put it back together

 

Well my gut instinct is telling me you will be in for a rude awakening, I say this because of all your post.

Your first claimed you tested the compression on one cylinder and stated it was good.

Then later you claimed you tested the compression on each cylinder and found them all to be low.

After some time with back and forth post here you said you would re test the compression on each cylinder.

But instead you reported that you tore the engine apart. Well let me start by saying this is exactly why I will no longer be coming here to help anyone.

It seems evidence found by way of proper diagnostics is not needed on these type of forums.

I am now convinced that everyone with every problem should just start randomly ripping their vehicle apart while replacing parts based on what worked for some other vehicle.

I guess I am pissed that you reached out for help, yet once you got the help you needed you quickly decided that a half hour of diagnostic work was too intensive or too exhausting to complete. What a load of garbage.

Why not admit the truth, you never ran a compression test and only have been using forums to try and find a magic cure all common repair that you could try on your vehicle.

Either way I am done wasting my time on people that do not want to learn.

Again I hope you get your truck fixed.

 

How the hell is it you can presume what anyone else is thinking or doing when you don't know anything about me or anybody else on these threads. Sorry dude but you seem really full of yourself. I did do a compression test, not that I have to prove it to you. Was it a suspect compression test? At first I thought it was after looking back and realizing all the exhaust valve seats were bad not so much anymore. And please don't talk to me about running tests. I cleaned and tested my MAF, cleaned my IAC, changed my coil pack and plugs and changed and regapped my spark plugs TWICE, swapped the fuel injector for cylinder 5 and the code still came back. I do tend to second guess myself alot because I'm not a certified full blown mechanic so I do appreciate a little knowledgeable help when I can get it. If you don't want to help people then dont, don't try to throw it out there like a threat or it's a hindrance to you. I don't want a cure all method and sorry but yea sometimes despite all the tests and cleaning and adjusting of parts sometimes you do just have to get in there and physically see what's going on. Have a nice day to you and just like my truck I hope LIFE works out for you.

 

Holy Cow Kevin, didn't get your cup of morning coffee yet, or too much Red Bull ?

It wasn't all for not, the machine shop did find that the valve seats were thrashed.

Give Ed the benefit of the doubt, he did post his compression umbers in post 7.
They may have been a bit off, (too low), but I think he did do the test.

 

I have 160-170 psi on all my cylinders after rebuild, I just checked with a brand new compression tester I bought. I put it all back together Friday and have been driving it all weekend. Blah blah believe me or not idk why the hell you'd think someone would lie about something so stupid. Usually when a mechanic that used to work on race cars and has 20-30 years as a mechanic tells me he can garuntee me what my problem is, I tend to listen. Thanks Jeff and everyone else that gave me positive and constructive advice. No thanks to the guy that wants to act like a angry teacher because his students (which I'm not) don't do exactly what he says lol

 

Thanks for the follow up.
Nice to hear things worked out.

EDIT:
Did you replace the chain and sprocket gears _ just curious ?

 

No, truck only has 120k on it. Hoping the chain will last another 80k. I looked up what I had to do to replace the chain and it is a job that's for sure. Couldnt really spend the time or money after what I spent to rebuild the top end. Same as the water pump, figure if it isn't broke don't fix it. I'll deal with it when the time comes

 

I did replace the multi function switch on the steering wheel with a dorman from autozone. Cost me $70 but I can just run to autozone to replace it if it ever goes bad again, I read they go bad alot. I tried to take it apart and clean it but after i put it back together it wouldn't work right, I was getting the phantom wipers before I rebuilt the top end. My IAC needs to be replaced but that's about it

 

Glad to hear it worked out and that you're back driving it again! Thanks for the update :)