D23 DOHC Cylinder Head Removal & Installation
 

Ok guys. Had to pull my head because of a blown head gasket.

This thread will have a lot of threads tied into it because of the nature of the job.

Haven't found many references for this kind of work so I'm putting it up here for everyone to use.

Not going to get finished all in one shot......so give me a couple of weeks before you start commenting.

Step 0: Disconnect your battery and make sure the leads don't touch it - or just take your battery completely out for safety.

Step 1: Remove your intake manifold and valve cover. Follow the link to the other thread.
THREAD: https://www.ranger-forums.com/2-3l-2...lation-144280/

Step 2: Align & Lock Rotating Assembly
Once you have your valve cover off, turn your engine to where the first bump on your cams faces upwards/inwards a little. The slots on the back of your cams should line up so you can fit a file (book says there's a tool for it but a file works just as well) in the slots. Getting the rotating assembly to this position puts your #1 cylinder at TDC and sets the conditions for you putting your engine back together in correct timing. You don't need to put the file in right now - I'm just showing you what it looks like. You'll have to do this step on reassembly.

REMINDER - PUT STEP & PICTURES IN ABOUT CRANK LOCKING BOLT ON SIDE OF BLOCK

Here's a couple of pictures with the cam's out so you can see what I'm talking about.
https://www.ranger-forums.com/member...ment-16629.jpghttps://www.ranger-forums.com/member...tion-16626.jpg
12

Step 3: Remove your radiator, fan shroud, and e-fan.
(Been a little while since I did this one, so I might have forgotten a step or two) You'll need to get these out of the way to give yourself more space to work and reduce the chance you'll smack your radiator with a tool and damage the fins.

3.1 Disconnect the upper, lower, and overflow lines from the radiator.
3.2 Remove the bolts off the back of the fan-clutch and remove the fan blades.
3.3 Disconnect the line to the E-fan.
3.4 Remove the 2 upper mounting bolts and lift out the radiator with E-fan still attached.

12

Step 4: Remove your accessories & Exhaust Manifold off the passenger side.

4.1 Remove Alternator
4.2 Remove AC Compressor. I chose to leave my AC system alone. The compressor is currently prop'ed up on a piece of wood in the engine bay so I don't have to break the seal/reseal/recharge my AC system. It does get in the way while doing this, so if you're doing it during the winter time and can go without AC for a while, feel free to remove it. Not much to show on this one, just a bunch of unbolting. I'm beginning to run out of picture space on this forum so I'm not posting pictures of this part and saving the slots for more important pictures. (Down to about 7 slots remaining)
4.3 Remove the mounting brackets for the accessories.
4.4 Dismount the Exhaust Manifold. This is a RMF and a severe PITA. One of the coolant lines is mounted on the studs used to hold the exhaust manifold on. I got the line unbolted, then went to pull the manifold back and found out there were 2 more nuts holding it on. There is not enough space between the head and the AC box to pull the manifold back off of the studs. You will have to remove the studs. I used the 2-nut trick to get them out. PITA!!!! I had to grind down the washer-style-nuts ford used to hold them on because my wrenches had teeth that are too wide to fit between the washer spots when you screw the nuts together.

12

Step 5: Remove your fan-clutch. Follow link for the other thread.
This step may not be necessary if you have a 1/4" ratchet with the right length deep-well sockets. (I don't - but will be getting them at tax time).

5.1 THREAD https://www.ranger-forums.com/2-3l-2...e-help-116736/
5.2 After you've got the fan-clutch off, spin the pulley to line up the holes with the timing cover bolt that is under the pulley. There are 2 other humps under there that feel like a bolt head, but only one of them is actually a bolt.
No need to take the pulley off if there is nothing wrong with it.
5.3 (optional) If there is some damage to it, get a gear puller set and remove it.
Don't remember: its either an 8mm or 10mm bolt.

https://www.ranger-forums.com/member...lley-16631.jpg

Again, if you have the aforementioned 1/4" drive ratchet with appropriate sockets, you don't need to remove the fan-clutch.

12

Step 6: Remove your crank-pulley/harmonic balancer.
The book says use one of your timing cover bolts for this (8mm). I didn't have any luck with that. Due to age, bad manufacture, or some other problem, the radius of the hole in the crank pulley didn't line up correctly with the hole in the timing cover behind it. I tried to screw it in, and ended up stripping out the threads in the timing cover hole and had to use a broken screwdriver in that hole to hold the pulley in place (screwdriver head snapped off a while back, put it on a grinding wheel and flatten it out on the end, then had my buddy hold it while I torqued on the pulley bolt). There is no key-way in the crank snout, this pulley is held in alignment entirely by the torque of the pulley bolt.

For you guys that have worked on Ford Focus's before with the 2.3L DOHC, this is the same engine in a RWD configuration.

6.1 Remove 8mm timing cover bolt.
6.2 (if needed) Turn crank till hole in pulley lines up with hole in timing cover (should be vertical or very close to TDC alignment)
6.3 Screw in timing cover bolt into hole in pulley, timing cover threads.
6.4 Standard thread, lefty-loosy. Break crank bolt loose, remove bolt.
6.5 Remove crank pulley/harmonic balancer. Make sure you don't lose the shim that might come out with the pulley. I think its a .010 shim or something close to that.
6.6 Inspect for cracks. My pulley is cracked in 2 places so I'm going to have to replace it (across one of the spokes and through the side next to it)
https://www.ranger-forums.com/member...-8mm-16632.jpghttps://www.ranger-forums.com/member...oval-16630.jpg

12

Step 7: Remove timing cover.
At this point there shouldn't be anything stopping you from being able to pull the timing cover off.

7.1 Remove all the bolts from the edges of the timing cover. I left the Crank Position Sensor connected to the wiring harness so I wouldn't lose it.
7.2 Remove bolts in the middle of the cover. (You already took the one off that's under the fan pulley which is why its not yellow-squared in the picture) They are all 8mm and 10mm bolts if I remember correctly.
7.3 Clean up your cover. Now is the time to clean up your timing cover, get rid of all that grime/crap/oil/sludge on it.
7.4 Replace your front main seal. Don't reuse the old one.
https://www.ranger-forums.com/member...iers-16633.jpg

12

Step 8: Mark your Timing Gears and Timing Chain for reassembly

Step 9: Remove Timing Chain Tensioner

Step 10: Remove Timing Chain

Step 11: Remove Timing Chain Guides

Step 12: Remove Cams

Step 13: Remove Fuel Injectors

Step 14: Remove Head

Step 15: Remove Components from Head

Just posting some pictures off my photobucket to keep the threads open for edit till later when I can get it organized with step info.
1
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...pskhoza5zg.jpg
2
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psprvw7ex1.jpg
3
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psacxejsuj.jpg
4
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psnhejmajo.jpg
5
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psxq8ievpp.jpg
6
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psbdnkei03.jpg

12

Delete from here up.

Ok guys. Had to pull my head because of a blown head gasket.

This thread will have a few threads tied into it because of the nature of the job.

Haven't found many references for this kind of work so I'm putting it up here for everyone to use.

A little common sense – if you can afford the head gasket set, DO NOT go cheap and skip getting the tools for this job. Tools cost about $20. It is possible to do this work without the cam/crank locking tools, but it’s a chance that can be avoided with the tools.

Step 0: Disconnect your battery and make sure the leads don't touch it - or just take your battery completely out for safety.

Step 1: Remove your radiator, fan shroud, and e-fan.
(Been a little while since I did this one, so I might have forgotten a step or two) You'll need to get these out of the way to give yourself more space to work and reduce the chance you'll smack your radiator with a tool and damage the fins.

1.1 Disconnect the upper, lower, and overflow lines from the radiator.
1.2 Use a chain-wrench and either a pipe wrench or a clutch-fan tool and remove the fan-clutch.
1.3 Disconnect the line to the E-fan.
1.4 Remove the 2 upper mounting bolts and lift out the radiator with E-fan still attached.

Step 2: Remove your intake manifold and valve cover. Follow the link to the other thread.
THREAD: https://www.ranger-forums.com/dohc-2...lation-144280/

Step 3: Align & Lock Rotating Assembly
Once you have your valve cover off, turn your engine to where the first bump on your cams faces upwards/inwards a little. The slots on the back of your cams should line up so you can fit a file (book says there's a tool for it but a file works just as well) in the slots. Getting the rotating assembly to this position puts your #1 cylinder at reasonably close to TDC and sets the conditions for you putting your engine back together in correct timing. It also causes the alignment hole in the harmonic balancer to line up with the bolt hole in the timing cover at the 6 o’clock position.

You don't need to put the file in right now - I'm just showing you what it looks like. You'll have to do this step on reassembly.

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psa75e60vu.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psrnsnqj6f.jpg

Here's a couple of pictures with the cam's out so you can see what I'm talking about. I took these pictures back before I picked up the locking tools. The flat black bar in the top picture goes where the hand-file is in these pictures.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psfryxj0tr.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psil9665c5.jpg

Step 4: Remove your accessories & Exhaust Manifold.
4.1 Remove Alternator. 2 bolts, the plug-in on the side, and the PITA wire on the back (nut was difficult to take off because of the boot covering it).
4.2 Remove AC Compressor - 4 bolts. I chose to leave my AC system alone. The compressor is currently prop'ed up on a piece of wood in the engine bay so I don't have to break the seal/reseal/recharge my AC system. It does get in the way while doing this, so if you're doing it during the winter time and can go without AC for a while, feel free to remove it.
4.3 Remove the mounting brackets for the accessories.
4.4 Dismount the Exhaust Manifold. This is a RMF and a severe PITA. The studs are all in difficult places to get to. None are easy accept the front one. One of the coolant lines is mounted on the studs used to hold the exhaust manifold on. I got the line unbolted, then went to pull the manifold back and found out there were 2 more nuts holding it on. There is not enough space between the head and the AC box to pull the manifold back off of the studs. You will have to remove the studs. I used the 2-nut trick to get them out. PITA!!!! I had to grind down the washer-style-nuts ford used to hold them on because my wrenches had teeth that are too wide to fit between the washer spots when you screw the nuts together.
4.5 Don’t forget to pull the 2 bolts and dismount the Crank Position Sensor. Lower passenger side of the crank pulley/harmonic balancer.

Step 5: Remove your fan-clutch. Follow link for the other thread.
This step may not be necessary if you have a 1/4" ratchet with the right length deep-well sockets. (I don't - but will be getting them at tax time).

5.1 THREAD https://www.ranger-forums.com/dohc-2...e-help-116736/
5.2 After you've got the fan-clutch off, spin the pulley to line up the holes with the timing cover bolt that is under the pulley. There are 2 other humps under there that feel like a bolt head, but only one of them is actually a bolt. Its an 8mm like the rest of them, but its longer than the rest of the timing cover bolts.
No need to take the pulley off if there is nothing wrong with it.
5.3 (optional) If there is some damage to it, get a gear puller set and remove it.

Again, if you have the aforementioned 1/4" drive ratchet with appropriate sockets, you don't need to remove the fan-clutch.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...pst8t0lfc1.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psyu7ldvsz.jpg

Step 6: Remove your crank-pulley/harmonic balancer.
The book says use one of your timing cover bolts for this (8mm). I didn't have any luck with that. Due to age, bad manufacture, or some other problem, the radius of the hole in the crank pulley didn't line up correctly with the hole in the timing cover behind it. I tried to screw it in, and ended up stripping out the threads in the timing cover hole and had to use a broken screwdriver in that hole to hold the pulley in place (screwdriver head snapped off a while back, put it on a grinding wheel and flatten it out on the end, then had my buddy hold it while I torqued on the pulley bolt). There is no key-way in the crank snout, this pulley is held in alignment entirely by the torque of the pulley bolt.

For you guys that have worked on Ford Focus's before with the 2.3L DOHC, this is the same engine in a RWD configuration.

6.1 Remove 8mm timing cover bolt.
6.2 (if needed) Turn crank till hole in pulley lines up with hole in timing cover (should be vertical or very close to TDC alignment)
6.3 Screw in timing cover bolt into hole in pulley, timing cover threads.
6.4 Standard thread, lefty-loosy. Break crank bolt loose, remove bolt.
6.5 Remove crank pulley/harmonic balancer. Make sure you don't lose the shim that might come out with the pulley. I think its a .010 shim or something close to that.
6.6 Inspect for cracks. My pulley is cracked in 2 places so I'm going to have to replace it (across one of the spokes and through the side next to it)
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psrhdfq4sa.jpghttp://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psdbjprbqc.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psxcipnsmv.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...pssux0q8a0.jpg

Step 7: Remove timing cover.
At this point there shouldn't be anything stopping you from being able to pull the timing cover off.

7.1 Remove all the bolts from the edges of the timing cover. I left the Crank Position Sensor connected to the wiring harness so I wouldn't lose it.
7.2 Remove bolts in the middle of the cover.
(You already took the one off that's under the fan pulley which is why its not yellow-squared in the picture) They are all 8mm and 10mm bolts if I remember correctly.
7.3 Clean up your cover. Now is the time to clean up your timing cover, get rid of all that grime/crap/oil/sludge on it.
7.4 Replace your front main oil seal. Don't reuse the old one.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...ps0aqdbavz.jpg

Step 8: Mark your Timing Gears and Timing Chain for reassembly

IF YOU DON’T HAVE THE TOOLS and don’t have the time to wait now is when you’d want to put marks on your cams, crank snout, and timing chain.
IF YOU DO HAVE THE TOOLS You’ll be using them shortly. Go to next step.

Step 9: Remove Timing Chain Tensioner
9.1 If you have something to put in the hole (paper clip, etc), pull back on the chain tensioner and lock so its not putting tension on the chain anymore. If not, just do what I did: put a towel at bottom so it doesn’t fall in your oil pan (it’ll go flying when it comes off) and do the next step.
9.2 Remove the two 8mm bolts holding the tensioner on.
9.3 Put the bolts back in the holes so you don’t lose them or mix them up with other bolts.

Here's a picture from when I was putting the motor back together. Comes with a clip in to hold the spring.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psocdmv5mw.jpg

Step 10: Remove Timing Chain
If you had to mark your chain, be careful that you don’t erase your marks when you pull the timing chain off. Set it aside somewhere where it won’t be disturbed.

Step 11: Remove Timing Chain Guides
11.1 The one on the passenger side is a hinge and just slips off the dowel at the top.
11.2 The one on the drivers side is solid mounted, remove the bolts at the top and bottom.
11.3 Put the bolts back in the holes.

NOTE: reuse them if you have to, but the mechanic I talked to mentioned it’s not advisable to reuse them because the rubber will start chunking out. I replaced mine with new ones. I think they were $20/ea on RockAuto.

Picture from reassembly.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psntsorhjn.jpg

Step 12: Remove Cams Caps & Cams
12.1 Take a look at the cam caps and note which way they face and what the order is. Each one has a label in the top center, E1-E5 and I1-I5. #1 for both Exhaust and Intake should be at the front and #5 is in the back by the firewall. If they are not in this order someone has been in your engine and probably did a crappy job. While they are all identical, keeping them in the correct order is a OCD/do-it-or-you’re-stupid move. Doesn’t matter which order you remove them in, just keep them together and in correct order.

Easy ID – the INTAKE cam is the one with the odd shaped prong sticking up at the rear of the cam. Double check this in case yours are different from mine.

Picture from reassembly
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psba3ukn72.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psvsktamkg.jpghttp://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psaswu49px.jpg

Step 13: Remove Fuel Injectors
I didn’t bleed the pressure in the fuel system before starting the work, figured I’d leave the injectors attached to the fuel rail. I took the 2 bolts out that hold the fuel rail on, then slowly wiggled the rail until the whole thing came out of the head (fuel rail with injectors still attached). I did accidentally cause one to vent some pressure and had a small amount of fuel come out, but that was it. I had it out, and moved it out of the way for the rest of the work.

Step 14: Remove Head
You might need a friend for this step. A piece of wood (2x4 or something like that), T55 torx bit, an extension, and a breaker bar. They are Torque-to-yield bolts, so they are going to be a pain getting them out because they’ll be torqued in there so tight. 10 bolts. Start at one end and work your way to the other.
14.1 Remove all the head bolts
14.2 Unbolt the ground strap from the firewall. To prevent forgetting where it attached at, I disconnected mine from the firewall instead of the head.
14.3 Break the seal, lift the head up a little to clear the 2 hoses that is still attached at the back of the head. Put the wood under and then slide the head back to get clearance to be able to disconnect the coolant hoses and remove the head.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...pskhoza5zg.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psacxejsuj.jpg

Step 15: Remove Components from Head
Now is when you can see how this engine was never meant to be a RWD (NS) configuration and how FORD screwed all of us by being cheap and taking a short-cut. Dealershits and mechanecks have to charge massive amounts of labor because of the way FORD decided to adapt this engine to a truck.
15.1 Remove the EGR valve
15.2 Remove the EGR tube.
15.3 Remove the water neck.
15.4 Take your head to a reputable machine shop and have it cleaned up and serviced (valve job if needed). You may have to give them the cams with the head so they can check cam journal clearances (mine did). You’ll probably get the head back from them with the cams bolted down, so understand you’ll have to take the cams off when you get the head back in order to put head bolts in on reassembly. I also gave them my timing cover to clean up.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psx2jq3kup.jpg

Step 16: Clean up.
16.1 Common sense. Clean up the deck and timing cover mating surface. You’ll be using a new head gasket, but there is no timing cover gasket – you have to use RTV to seal it. Was designed that way. There is a fine line between genius and insanity and I think they leaned more toward the insane side with this engine.
16.2 Clean out head bolt holes. 2 of mine were filled full of oil due to the head gasket being blown. How the hell that happened, I don’t know, but the bolts had suction on them when I tried to pull them out from the bottom being full of oil. Use an air hose to blow out the dirt and oil from the holes.
16.3 Use a tap & die set and run a tap down each of the holes to ensure there are no burrs. I had a burr in one of mine and ended up chewing the first thread off the bottom of one of my new head bolts. They are M10-1.25 threads. You’ll be better off if you can find a long handle tap. My short tap only went about ½ way down the threads – I was lucky my tap was long enough to reach the spot where the burr was. I ended up re-using one of my old head bolts since you can’t by them individually.

http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...pswuf2gjhn.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psnksqvqff.jpg

Step 17: Set crank to TDC and lock it with tool.

17.1 Put your harmonic balancer back on with the bolt. Use it to turn your crank.
17.2 Put your dial gage on top of your #1 cylinder.
17.3 Turn your crank to get it to as close to TDC as possible.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...ps2gmqufu6.jpg

17.4 Remove the bolt from the passenger side of the engine.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...pstqeiguvz.jpg
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psmybka2xu.jpg

17.5 Screw in the tool – locks the crank and prevents it from moving while you’re reassembling everything.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...pspyttpvvv.jpg

Now you just have to wait for the machine shop to get done with your head before you start REASSEMBLY.

If you have to replace any hoses, now’s the best time. While I had mine off, I replaced the coolant bypass hose that goes to the degas bottle from the thermostat.
http://i1075.photobucket.com/albums/...psnovoez1k.jpg