Head Removal

[89 Stroker]

intake valve busted and a bad injector on my 97 7.3, so i need to remove the head, anyone have some detailed directions or something? any tips? anything to be aware of?

thanks a ton guys!!

 

[littleredstroker]

Unbolt motor mounts and trans mounts, jack + 2x4 to the ex mani and jack it up to rock to motor over would be my guess

sent while trying not to JJ My rods!!!!!!

 

[Nodge]

I was able to remove all my stock head bolts without rocking the engine.
Some of the front bolts can even be removed with an impact.
An engine lift would be useful to lift the head out if you're doing it by yourself.

Is it the passenger or drivers side?

 

[backwoodsboy]

Here is a link to the FoMoCo service manual:
http://www.thedieselstop.com/faq/9497faq/maint/stj/leftside=stjsd10l.htm&rightside=stjsd10r.htm
Cylinder head removal can be found under:
Index
03: Engine
Section 03-01D: Engine, Diesel, 7.3

 

[89 Stroker]

cant figure out how to edit the post, but it is the passenger side head if that matters

 

[Nodge]

Not that it matters so much, but the heater box is in the way (at least on a 97 it is, I'm not sure what it looks like under an 89 hood). The bolts on the passenger side should come right out once the heater box cover is out of the way. The rear bolts are a snug fit, but the bolts should slide right out. On the drivers side the rear most hole was hard to get a stud back in.
It would be a good time to put head studs in if you think you might want to go with bigger injectors later on.

It took me 2 afternoons to do valve springs, head studs, pushrods and injectors with the motor in the truck, so you could probably r&r a head in significantly less time.

 

[Lamont_24]

If I ever tend to take the valve assembly out of anything to run the valves too, which I'm sure you were going to do with changing out a valve

 

[89 Stroker]

does the motor and trans have to come loose for engine rotating like mentioned above? ^^ the heater box is by the pass head, got a good amount of working space with the tire off and fender off,

as far as the head coming off, it shouldn't be to much of a nightmare?

 

[Lamont_24]

If you want to be able to move the engine and transmission you will have to undo the trans cross member and the motor mounts, but make sure you secure it well with 2x4's or something like that

 

[89 Stroker]

If you want to be able to move the engine and transmission you will have to undo the trans cross member and the motor mounts, but make sure you secure it well with 2x4's or something like that

is it a must though?

 

[Lamont_24]

I've never pulled 7.3 heads off, but I imagine if you have the heater box off you wouldn't have to. But if you kept that on you could maybe move it around to get plenty of room

 

[backwoodsboy]

Like someone else said, make sure you either have a engine hoist or in a pinch a section of 4x4, with chain around it and a couple buddies to lift the head on/off. My bathroom scale weighed each head at 115lb, so they aren't something you are going to be able to wrestle yourself without damaging the new gasket.

 

[89 Stroker]

Like someone else said, make sure you either have a engine hoist or in a pinch a section of 4x4, with chain around it and a couple buddies to lift the head on/off. My bathroom scale weighed each head at 115lb, so they aren't something you are going to be able to wrestle yourself without damaging the new gasket.

that is if i want/need to be able to move the motor

 

[backwoodsboy]

that is if i want/need to be able to move the motor

No, I mean to remove the head with the engine still bolted down.
You can get the head off without tilting the engine by unbolting the heater box.
Use the cylinder head removal tool, Rotunda part #014-00932, and either a engine hoist or a chain around a 4x4, with a friend on each end lifting vertically while you guide the head out.
If you read through the link I posted earlier, you'll see a sketch of what the Rotunda tool looks like.

 

[bluedge8]

think twice about pulling the head in chassis. chances are that if you dropped a valve you have block damage and then you be pulling the engine anyway. I would pull the motor to do heads,,,, they are that heavy

 

[Rideracelivemx7]

i did not have to remove anything besides the first small airbox vacuum thing which is 2 bolts and the duct cover which is kind of a pain. other than that you can take all the headbolts out with out rocking the motor. so i do not see why youd need to move anything at all to remove the head. theres plenty of room. i did headstuds and vbalve springs in the motor. you only have to move the motor for the very rear headbolt on the driver side.

 

[Lamont_24]

I replaced a head gasket in a 4 cyl Perkins diesel not that long ago and it was a pain in the ass just to get it off, pry bars and hammers. And it took two people to lift it off and put it on. And that's with it being at chest height. They're damn heavy

 

[89 Stroker]

think twice about pulling the head in chassis. chances are that if you dropped a valve you have block damage and then you be pulling the engine anyway. I would pull the motor to do heads,,,, they are that heavy

i don't have the equipment or money to have the motor pulled out if this thing, with removing the heater box im sure ill have enough room

 

[neverkickn]

think twice about pulling the head in chassis. chances are that if you dropped a valve you have block damage and then you be pulling the engine anyway. I would pull the motor to do heads,,,, they are that heavy

Was gonna say that earlier but got sidetracked. It will cost you no more to pull it than to do it in frame. Actually it will likely cost you less to pull the motor, that is if you consider your time anything of value.

When you say that you busted an intake valve, what do you mean? Is the valve stem broken off?

 

[89 Stroker]

well took it to a shop and they guy told me he is leaning more toward a bent valve spring, how do things like that happen? age?