Engines out, what to do

JD3020

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
4,002
Reaction score
0
Location
Farmersville/Dayton, Oh
Picked up a "new" engine for my truck yesterday. Its a late 97, was told it only has 120k miles on it, and its been sitting for 2-3 months. Overall the engine is very clean, the back of the block where the valley drain is clean, you can wipe your finger down it and not get any grease on ya. The oil pan is rust free and not leaking, oil cooler is clean and not leaking. Only real dirty spot is on the passenger side back of the block/head, it looks like the rail plug had leaked. But the plug looks clean, so i'm assuming they replaced it.

But while its out i'm gonna go ahead and fix some things before they become an issue. Not wanting to spend a ton of money, or mess with something that doesn't need it, but i don't want any headaches in the future. Here is the list i have so far. I will be swapping over my water pump, injectors, turbo, HPOP/IPR/ICP sensor over. This engine doesn't have a flywheel/trans adapter so they will be going on as well. Give me your input on anything else i should do. Hoping to have the engine ready to go in by Saturday.



  • Pull the oil pan, weld or loc-tite the cooling jets. Weld the pick-up tube.
  • Install a new Melling LPOP.
  • Replace all 4 oil rail plug o-rings, fuel rail bolt o-rings, and drilling out fuel rail banjo's.
  • Steam clean and paint engine.
  • Possibly new engine/trans mounts.
  • Install 910 valve springs.
  • Install new Motorcraft GP's.
  • Install SS manifold bolts and Fel-Pro gaskets.
 

Chvyrkr

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
2,197
Reaction score
0
What are you welding on the pickup tube? Maybe I'm missing something obvious, just never heard that.

I wouldn't weld the cooling jets, but thats just me. I'd be satisfied with quality locktite.

Get a valve spring micrometer and do the springs properly, to the correct height.

Other than that you're on the right track. I wouldn't mess with a single additional thing, other than doin the one at a time thing with head studs.

Is this engine out of a manual truck?
 

JD3020

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
4,002
Reaction score
0
Location
Farmersville/Dayton, Oh
What are you welding on the pickup tube? Maybe I'm missing something obvious, just never heard that.

I wouldn't weld the cooling jets, but thats just me. I'd be satisfied with quality locktite.

Get a valve spring micrometer and do the springs properly, to the correct height.

Other than that you're on the right track. I wouldn't mess with a single additional thing, other than doin the one at a time thing with head studs.

Is this engine out of a manual truck?

I'm pretty sure my truck had a cracked pick-up as it would get a choppy idle, and aerate the oil. I remember back when i was researching it i came across threads about welding something on the tube to prevent the cracking. Gonna look it up later tonight.

Why wouldn't you weld em? I'm sorta torn on what i wanna do. I can have a buddy TIG weld whatever I need, but thats an hour drive each way plus beer money. But we have plenty of red loc-tite.

And unfortunately i'm not doing studs right now. I just don't have an extra $500 to drop right now. But i'm not planning on going bigger than my 2's anytime soon, so i should be safe. Only upgrades i'm doing are the springs and LPOP as they are budget friendly.



I got the bolts from Fastenal. They're M10x60. I also got SS lock-washers. 16 of each.
 

Hotrodtractor

Moderator
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
4,934
Reaction score
14
Location
Mingo, Ohio
What are you welding on the pickup tube? Maybe I'm missing something obvious, just never heard that.

I wouldn't weld the cooling jets, but thats just me. I'd be satisfied with quality locktite.

Get a valve spring micrometer and do the springs properly, to the correct height.

Other than that you're on the right track. I wouldn't mess with a single additional thing, other than doin the one at a time thing with head studs.

Is this engine out of a manual truck?

You weld the two part pickup tube together.

You weld the two part oil squirters so the tube doesn't come out of the plate.

Welding the cam gear onto the camshaft is another good thing to do.
 

Chvyrkr

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
2,197
Reaction score
0
You weld the two part pickup tube together.

You weld the two part oil squirters so the tube doesn't come out of the plate.

Welding the cam gear onto the camshaft is another good thing to do.

Honestly didn't know that was an issue... I don't know where I got the impression, but I thought the squirter weld was bolt head to plate, as I was under the impression people had found squirters in their pan due to the bolt backing out...
 

Magnum PD

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
9,566
Reaction score
6
Location
VA
Loctite should keep bolt in, the oil squiter can come out of the plate and seize the piston in the cylinder.
 

campbellflage

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
Messages
745
Reaction score
0
Location
Hudson, FL
I would probably do the oil cooler gaskets while its outta the truck as well. Maybe I missed it in one of the above replies, but welding the oil pickup tube nut to the pan is also a good idea.
 

JD3020

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
4,002
Reaction score
0
Location
Farmersville/Dayton, Oh
You weld the two part pickup tube together.

You weld the two part oil squirters so the tube doesn't come out of the plate.

Welding the cam gear onto the camshaft is another good thing to do.

I've thought about welding the cam gear, but haven't decided if i wanna pull the front cover. Does the cam need to be pulled to weld it, or can it be done in the block?


Also, would MIG welding be alright for the pick-up tube/cooling jets? Like i said i can have it TIG welded, but one of our good friends has a 110v MIG welder that i can borrow, and weld everything right in our shop.
 

Chvyrkr

New member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
2,197
Reaction score
0
I would probably do the oil cooler gaskets while its outta the truck as well. Maybe I missed it in one of the above replies, but welding the oil pickup tube nut to the pan is also a good idea.

You mean the dipstick tube, right?

I've thought about welding the cam gear, but haven't decided if i wanna pull the front cover. Does the cam need to be pulled to weld it, or can it be done in the block?


Also, would MIG welding be alright for the pick-up tube/cooling jets? Like i said i can have it TIG welded, but one of our good friends has a 110v MIG welder that i can borrow, and weld everything right in our shop.

Dunno a thing about welding, other than it's hot and bright...

But, I don't think it'd hurt anything to weld the cam gear in place. The way I've usually seen that done is just a few evenly spaced tack welds around the circumference of the end of the cam. Obviously touching a welding torch to the engine while it's in the truck with the wiring harness all hooked up would probably be a bad idea, but it should be ok otherwise.
 

campbellflage

Member
Joined
Dec 17, 2012
Messages
745
Reaction score
0
Location
Hudson, FL
You mean the dipstick tube, right?



Dunno a thing about welding, other than it's hot and bright...

But, I don't think it'd hurt anything to weld the cam gear in place. The way I've usually seen that done is just a few evenly spaced tack welds around the circumference of the end of the cam. Obviously touching a welding torch to the engine while it's in the truck with the wiring harness all hooked up would probably be a bad idea, but it should be ok otherwise.

Yeah, where it attaches to the pan. I tried to do the guzzle kit fix on mine, but it still seeps a little oil.
 

JD3020

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
4,002
Reaction score
0
Location
Farmersville/Dayton, Oh
I would probably do the oil cooler gaskets while its outta the truck as well. Maybe I missed it in one of the above replies, but welding the oil pickup tube nut to the pan is also a good idea.

I may do the oil cooler gaskets, haven't decided yet as this cooler hasn't leaked a bit. But i'm sure it would as soon as it was in the truck. LOL

And i've been trying to figure out the best way to fix the dipstick issue while the engine is out. My current engine hasn't leaked, but its always been something i've kept an eye on.
 

HOOV3R

New member
Joined
Dec 25, 2011
Messages
3,684
Reaction score
0
Location
Central PA
If you are welding the cam gear on in engine, do not allow it to ground through the bearings.
 

Magnum PD

Active member
Joined
May 18, 2011
Messages
9,566
Reaction score
6
Location
VA
I don't about the heat on the bearings.

I just silicone the hell out of the inner part, if that's what y'all are talking about. Isn't there an o-ring on the dipstick tube?
 

HOOV3R

New member
Joined
Dec 25, 2011
Messages
3,684
Reaction score
0
Location
Central PA
So just make sure its grounded to the cam gear? Will the heat hurt the bearings any?

Electricity will take the past of least resistance, so grounding through the gear will keep from arcing across your bearings. You'll be fine as for heat, as long as you just stitch it.
 

Latest posts

Members online

Top