OK Now to plan C Ford Cutaway van

[Sky King]

I try to buy low milage, well maintained vehicles with records also. Did you borescope the engine & do a compression test & oil analysis? My best investment was a quality 36" flexable non chinese bore scope. I thought it was running great?

 

[Jim_Rockford]

Update after working on it today ...so much for the ****** unreliable 5.4.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

Never said before today it ran great or even well. I said I got it running after sitting for 6 years , also it was a $700 van I don't bother with "well maintained" vehicles because they wind up needing the same **** replaced as cheap vehicles. This one runs like a top now after a well deserved tune up. Only thing left is fix the exhaust manifold leaks. Also good thing about these year 5.4s is the all aluminum manifold. Only the lower plenum is plastic and it don't have any coolant running through it so they last forever.

 

[maki2]

I must live under a rock.  What the heck is a "CIS male"?

Short for "identity crisis" Nowadays people are adding modifiers to make sure someone does not think they are one of those other types of males

 

[Jim_Rockford]

Well its out.verified 372094 miles. I would like to point out that this engine ran relatively well after I got done tuning it up and installing the new injectors, main reason for pulling the engine out to begin with was after I got it running well actually long before it ran while I was installing the new starter to get it to run are found at the rear exhaust manifold bolt studs were broke and it had a huge exhaust leak on the passenger side so I knew I didn't want to be fighting broken studs with the engine in the band I'm just not up for that much of a challenge I just decided to pull it out and while I have it out I'm going to reseal it and install a new timing chain set.

 

[Sky King]

Glad it's working out for you. I used to do my own wrenching but not able anymore. My ambo had 80k orig miles, new tires,2 new batteries, 250 amp altonater & belt, everythink works perfect, gets 16-18 mph at 75mph, front & rear heat & air,power everything & cruise, looks very close to new, no rust, good paint, wired for 120v & 12v, great lights inside & out, more storage than I'll ever use. I'm very happy at $2k for a $200k+ vehicle. Good luck my friend!

 

[Jim_Rockford]

Well its out.verified 372094 miles. I would like to point out that this engine ran relatively well after I got done tuning it up and installing the new injectors, main reason for pulling the engine out to begin with was after I got it running well actually long before it ran while I was installing the new starter to get it to run are found at the rear exhaust manifold bolt studs were broke and it had a huge exhaust leak on the passenger side so I knew I didn't want to be fighting broken studs with the engine in the band I'm just not up for that much of a challenge I just decided to pull it out and while I have it out I'm going to reseal it and install a new timing chain set.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

well its is in amazing shape. This engine is so clean.

 

[HalfShadows]

I had a 1998 Ford F150 with the 5.4 Triton.  Loved that engine. I changed the plugs at 115k just for the heck of it. The plugs looked brand new. All the gaps were dead on. I had already bought new plugs so I changed them anyways. The only issues I had was  2 of the coils going out, one at 150k and the other at 180k. both on the same side, I found out those 2 coils inherently go out from water pooling in the those perspective spark plug wells. I live in a very wet environment. Traded that F150 in with 215k 4 years ago and bought a 2010 with the 5.4.

 

[Doubleone]

Well, at least it looks like they kept the oil changed and used some decent oil. That exhaust leak likely sucked air and played havoc with the O2 sensor and computer. I'll bet it will run even better after you get the exhaust sealed up. Check those manifolds closely for hairline cracks. You can find hairline cracks by spraying some carb cleaner on inside and look for it weeping out through cracks. Be sure to use composite style gaskets with the stainless/fiber sandwich... because they tend to be more forgiving. I coat exhaust gasket surfaces with some copper/graphite anti-zieze because it helps to keep the gaskets intact with the thermal expansion.

 

[Headache]

At least you're good on that E4OD. That boat anchor has had all the proper modifications by now. Not watching videos but will drop in here from time to time. Have fun!

 

[Jim_Rockford]

Well got the liner for my welder and installed it and set out to getting the broken exhaust studs out, managed to get all the broken ones out the other day and today i went and started checking out the bottom end,  pulled the No.8 piston out and these where the bearings  from the No.8 rod.

 

[highdesertranger]

how many miles did you say were on that engine? highdesertranger

 

[Doubleone]

Yeah... Whoa! Wait a minute... Those bearings are way way way to clean for 300k! Have you mic'd the crank and bore? Appearances are just not adding up here. What do the shell sides look like, any varnish, numbers?? Based on those pics I'm thinking this must be a newer engine, wondering if it got a crate motor somewhere along the way... You may have gotten very lucky in the deal.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

Yeah... Whoa!  Wait a minute... Those bearings are way way way to clean for 300k!  Have you mic'd the crank and bore?  Appearances are just not adding up here.  What do the shell sides look like, any varnish, numbers??   Based on those pics I'm thinking this must be a newer engine, wondering if it got a crate motor somewhere along the way...  You may have gotten very lucky in the deal. 

Nope. no crate engine and no rebuild, timing chains where worn slam out  to the point of eating into the oil pump body, Timing chain guides where date coded 98 , bearings are FOMOCO bearings, std size, pistons are standard size  bore miced out to a perfect 3.554 no taper and still had the cross hatch. Pistons had a little wear on the skirts and I got new std. bore pistons and rings to go back in and new bearings and no one had ever cracked the bolts  to remove the rad support  to be able to remove the engine. I figure it just had regular oil changes and having a 4 10 gear and the short tires it specs and not being loaded full to the max GVW didnt stress this engine at all.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

ok got my new pistons on the rods today , waited all day for my ring compressor to show up from amazon didnt get here till 4 , so i changed the oil on the engine and the rearend  of my little nissan and put my rings in trans fluid to soak, while I was cleaning the old parts off the bench I snapped a pic of the lower mains, and the date code on the rod bearings before they went in the trash. 

 

[bullfrog]

Those bearings look like they are only slightly worn, you sure there was a crankshaft in that engine!!! LOL!!! Hope the new bearings work out as well as those did.

 

[B and C]

Almost all the engines I blew drag racing had bearing wore more than that and they were very low mileage.

 

[Doubleone]

Sure enough! 1998 Absolutely amazing how little wear and varnish... Looks like a little crud went through a couple of the mains, probably on first start up. Who ever had it before you probably changed the oil religiously... and looks like they used good oil.

 

[Jim_Rockford]

yep Im amazed every time I work on it.