You have to press the pins out of these pistons and they do not free float when they get up to engine temp because the pins are not held in with clips. The rod has to get hot enough that it turns blue to get the pins in the rod.

 

OK, so the rod is a press fit and they float in the piston.
There are no clips because the press fit into the rod keeps pin in place.
Got it.
I was worried because where the pin is totally free floating and needs the piston heated up to get the pin out, forcing the pin out when the piston is cold, will damage the close tolerance of the piston where the pin is.
The soft aluminum alloy will gall.

 

How did you lift the motor? My 2004 2.3 is sitting in the truck looking just like your picture, heads off, unbolted and ready to come out. I was going to bolt a chain in the head bolt holes, but I just don't feel like I'm getting enough threads to be comfortable about not causing any damage to said threads. If there were engine lift eyes, they probably came off with the head (a couple of years ago - this was supposed to be a project with my grandson - he lost interest and the vehicle has been sitting). I want to be careful about where I go from here.

Chuck

 

I cut a piece of 2x4 and drilled holes in it. One bolt back right and one bolt front left of the head. Just used the Head bolts and bolt in a lift chain. Just screw the head bolt all the way in hand tight. Use a big washer on the head bolt, put it through the chain, and put the bolt in the hole you drilled in the 2x4, and then screw it into all the way into the block hand tight. The purpose of the wood is so the long head bolts do not bend or mess with the head bolt threads and nothing scratched the head surface.

 

Worked like a charm. Thanks.

Found a broken piston and a cylinder scored by the wrist pin. Now I need to figure out my next move.

Chuck

 

Glad it worked out. Take it to a machine shop. I took mine all apart and brought the crank and block to a machine shop and had them clean everything and measure. Make you get new pistons do not try and clean them out its not worth it.

 

Get that block cleaned. Also buy a new PVC seperarater assembly oil these engines need to have that changed out often once it gets dirty and clogged it just kills the engine.

 

I'll get it cleaned and take it to a machine shop. I'll see what they have to say about the scored cylinder. Do they bore these motors out and sell oversized pistons or line the cylinders, or should I just consider getting a new block?

Chuck

 

The machine shop will know if needs to be sleeved and if so I am sure they could get what you need. Rock Auto sells oversized pistons, rings and bearings.

 

After having my block in the machine shop for over two weeks now, the shop machinist still hasn't determined if this block needs to be bored or sleeved (one cylinder is most definitely damaged). The shop has been telling me they're waiting on a call from someone in California.
Googling isn't helping me either. What is the practice to fix a cylinder, to replace the sleeve (one or all) or to stick it in the machine and bore it out to +0.50/0.75 mm?

 

With these engines its much more practical to find a used one or buy a reman, do not get them resleeved. The service usually costs over a grand and by that point you're halfway to a reman engine

 

Did you plastigauge your rod and mains or just lube them and torque the caps to spec? I’m needing to do exactly what you have done and don’t want to do it incorrectly. This would be my first engine build. Thank you!

 

No I just measured the bearings and journals with gauges, if do not have the gauges then you can use the plastigauge.

 

Thank you! My block, head and crank are at the machine shop now. I’m sure the machinist will advise on bearing sizes.

Do you have any tips on getting a fully assembled engine back in the frame? It was a bit of a pain to pull, motor mounts in the way and clearing the trans input shaft.

 

If you can connect the tranny to the block then install it that's the easiest. If not just make sure your converter is seated in the tranny before you install. Also I installed the head after the block was installed.

 

This truck is a manual. I had intentions of assembling it completely, all the way to the intake manifold, on the stand. Unless that’s not advised?

 

Do it it as a unit if you have the room in your shop, mating the trans after the fact is a real bitch.

Mine is a Vulcan V6, so I left the heads off when I did mine.
I can't advise you other then to mate the trans first and install it as a unit.
If you think there is room to lower it all into the engine bay with the intake manifold, then install the manifold.

Ford would have likely had the whole thing assembled when it went in.
Probably the exhaust manifold on too.

 

How did you properly set the valve lash on the head? I pulled all the lifter cups and did not annotate where they went, assuming it does not matter now with a valve job being done and all new exhaust valves. Some of my cups are the same, some are different. Any help is appreciated.

 

There are plenty of videos on YouTube that show you how to set the valve lash it just is going to take a little longer because you did not put them back in the same place. When you get a head rebuilt they should check that for you because these heads to not have adjustable lifters, you have change the caps to adjust lash.