i just bought a 93 f150 short bed 5.0 2wd for a lawn mowing truck. it needs oil pan gasket and a timing cover gasket.
my first question is can i really just remove the starter and lower the pan and work the new gasket around the pan without removing motor mounts and jacking it up? i read that on another forum.
are there any tips on a timing cover gasket? does the radiator need to come out? also the truck has 149,000 on it and i am sure never had a new timing chain...should that be replaced while i am in there?
any help would be greatly appreciated. thanks

 

cant say for sure bout the oil pan gasket, but my truck is hopefully gettin one this weekend so i might know for sure on monday...but for the timing cover...good luck those are long bolts that go though the aluminum cover and tread into the block, but since they go through the thick aluminum cover they tend to corrode inside and lock inside the cover. when you try to remove them the bolts you can get them to come out a little and all that corrosion binds up the bolts and you cant get them out ...i tried all kinds of ways to get the out and i ended up cracking the cover so i just busted it the rest of the way off and tuned the bolts out of the block with vise grips and got a new cover. so make sure ou can get another cover before you start the little project. oh and not all 5.0 covers are the same mustang covers have a dipstick hole trucks dont.

 

You're right on the oil pan. I would get one from the dealer due to the fact that they have been updated to a very good design. If you have to do the timing cover also, I would first unbolt the oil pan, then work on the cover. Yes, replace the timing set while you are there. After you get the cover done, then reinstall the oil pan.

 

ok, i starting tearing down the truck today and since there was a large amount of gunk i decided i needed to remove the pan to get it all cleaned up for a good seal. after jacking the motor up the driver side header hit the firewall. then i removed the header and now the upper intake hits the firewall and i still can't get the pan out. i got it to clear the bellhousing underneath but the oil pump still restricted it by about 2 inches or so. i guess tomorrow i will remove the upper intake and go up higher on the motor. i don't recall anyone else having to go this far..what's the deal?
also whoever installed these headers plugged off some stuff that i am unsure of. the tube from the oil fill neck is plugged and the valve coming off of the back of the heads has been cut and plugged. i am assuming these went to the factory manifolds...? is it ok to leave these like this or is there a more proper way to do it? thanks

 

Did you read my post? The pan will not come out. The gasket can be replaced without even jacking the engine.

 

yes i did read your post, but there is so much oil and junk underneath that there is no way i will be able to clean off the pan and block and get the new gasket in cleanly. how high do you have to go to get the pan out?

 

In order to remove it, you need to remove the upper intake and the exhaust pipes from the manifold. Even then, it may be necessary to unbolt the oil pump and pick up and let them lay inside the pan when removing. I have only done that ONCE! Been working on them for 20 years. Trust me, that is not a fun job, due to the fact of having to line up the pump shaft while working "inside" the pan. I suggest a scraper and a few cans of brake cleaner to clean off as much as you can. I have even placed plastic, or rags over the frame under the pan to keep it from getting dirty. If you buy the Fel Pro gasket, it will come with blue "screws" that bolt into the front and rear of the pan and hold up the gasket and pan to start bolts. However, that gasket is the exact replacement all rubber one that has already failed and will fail again. I really recommend the Ford updated version with the rubber coated metal sides. That is the only one I will use on the 5.0.

 

my blue fel-pro came with those blue screws and was a rubber coated metal. is that not the good gasket? i guess it's too late, it is already on. i went ahead and replaced it with the pan still under the truck. the motor was up as high as possible with headers and intake removed. the tranny was hitting the firewall and i still couldn't get the pan out by about 2".
i am going to put a new timing chain, gears, water pump, thermostat, and new hoses and she should be as good as new. thanks for the help

 

They may have updated that gasket, been a while. But, I strongly suggest that you unbolt the pan and let it sit while doing the timing cover. The cover seals at the front of the pan and is aligned with dowel pins on the bottom sides. I have done many, but to the inexperienced, I would let the pan hang. At least take all but the rear two bolts out to allow the pan to drop down in the front to make it easier.

 

as far as the tubes on the back of the heads no they didnt go to the stock manifold but they are a part of the smog system and its ok to have them plugged i took the tubes off completly and put a bolt in the hole on the head so it still plugged it but cleaned it up and noone could see them