I got a 2000 4.6L I need to install a new valve cover gasket, my buddy and I want to try to do it ourselves. We are worried about removing everything in the way to get access to the valve cover. I have to do the passenger side, it seems like I have to remove the big wiring harness box that is on the firewall behind the battery, I worried about messing up some wires. or the hoses that are on top of the valve cover. Also what is the tightening sequence on the bolts. I know about the two dabs of RTV needed.

My friend thinks the injector couplers have to get removed as well.

Any info would be great. please share any problems you have experienced changing this gasket. Everyone says it is pretty easy to do. Just want to know what I should be looking out for.

I have never changed this gasket before it is the origanal.

 

have you tried tightening the bolts first? I've replaced them but with the engine out. Those gaskets are pretty durable. I replaced mine only becase the engine was out and it would be easy. once I got them off and saw them I regreted doing it because they look like they last forever.. I think you could do it without completely removing the harness. just undo the nuts that hold the harness down then loosen the bolts. They dont come out all the way. Pay attention to where the bolts are when you remove the gasket. The bolts hold the gasket in place. Make sure the bolts that have the stud for holding down the wiring harness are in the right holes..

 

I went to attempt to tighten the bolts, but I can only access about half of them, the rest have clips on them holding wiring in place or are blocked by the PCv tube, and the harness that holds the connectors for the coil packs. I am not going to tighen only some of the bolts, and by the time I get access to the rest, It will be easy to pull the cover off and slap on a new gasket.

How old was your engine and milage, when you did yours. Mine is 10 years old, and been through some tough winters, my engine bay is also pretty dirty.

 

Also.... I forgot to ask. If I try to just retighten the valve cover, how should I do it. From the middle out, or from the ends of the valve cover and work my way to the middle.

 

in order to tighten the bolts you have to remove the nut that holds the harness in place and lift the harness out of the way. Center out would be good. The pvc tube can be removed (easier then it looks if you have a big enough wrench or crescent wrench.. just gotta get it to move that first time then its good)

 

[QUOTE=jethat;4106843]have you tried tightening the bolts first? I've replaced them but with the engine out. Those gaskets are pretty durable. I replaced mine only becase the engine was out and it would be easy. once I got them off and saw them I regreted doing it because they look like they last forever..QUOTE]

Sorry to bug you again, but you didn't say what shape the engine was in when you pulled the covers off, how much milage, and how old was it at the time. where the area the truck has been driving through.

Also did you do your head gaskets then, How did they look?

 

The engine I did it to was an 03 with only 40k on it so pretty new But my 99's cam cover gaskets looked great. The head gaskets were leaking on the 99.. both. It can drip down on the manifold worst on the passenger side. If your problem is that you have a leak that comes above the starter down onto the manifold that a head gasket failure. Very common in the modular engines. The robot that assembled the engine would scrape the dowl causing bits of metal to drop on the headgasket leading to leaks down the road. From the way your discribing it that might be your problem now that i think about it.

 

Jethat I really appricate your time. I just took at a look at the engine to see how to get access to the valve cover. and I found something interesting.

I opened the oil cap, and I think my oil is foaming. The bottom of the oil cap, and the neck of the oil filler tube on the vavle cover is cover in a creamy film, looks like hand cream the same color as butter, I wipe it off and took it for a 10 minute drive, reving the engine good. when I came back the bottom of the oil cap had oil on it that was NOT foamed. Other then the filler neck and bottom of the cap, there was no other foam that I could see when I signed the light inside and looked at the cam lob.

Also, I have owned this truck since new, and never missed an oil change. every 3000 miles. The other thing I notice, is that the oil pressure gauge is reading a little higher. Ever since I owned this for over 110 000 miles the oil pressure gauge has never moved from centre. Now it is a higher then normal. Still well within operational limits.

I don't get why the pressure would be higher, if it is leaking from the valve cover or the head gasket shouldn't the pressure be less. What do you think. And I going to post this as a seprate issue and see what I get. But you seem to know a lot.

The other thing is I always had the dealer do oil changes, with convential oil, my buddy did an oil change for me in november with Valvoline semi syntheical, I only ran it for 1000 miles and then had the dealer put convential back in. I heard myths that sythetic can clean out the engine so good that it causes leaks, My friend has the same truck same motor, and has gone back and forth between synthetic and convential and never had a problem. I am sorry for the long message, just trying to give you a good picture.

 

I dont think switching oils like that would be a concern. Look at your engine. Crawl under it look above the starter you can see the headgasket tab if its soaked with oil you probably have a bad headgasket or intake gasket.. Its like I said a manufacturing defect. Nothing you could have done to cause or prevent it.
Dont worry about the oil cap condensation. Thats normal.

 

I was a little unclear, it is not really dripping on the manifold, but the pipe before the cat, right about where the o2 censor is, a little bit behind the 02.

also can you explain to me, what they mean, by modular engine, and what is the other type of engine, non modular. I hear modular engines all the time, but don't know what that refers too.

 

Modular is the name ford gave to this line of engine not because of anything to do with the engine itself but the way they are manufactured. All of the "modular" engines can be produced on the same assembly line(s)
That spot is where you will find indications of head gasket failure.look up there above the starter if oil is comming out of the tab its likely the head gasket is leaking.
Dynojet has posted there is a slight chance that you can stop the leak by re torquing the heads so that would be the first thing I'd do. Your engine is pretty high miles so if it were me if re torquing didnt do the job I'd look for a lower miles used engine. Thats what I ended up doing when I had this problem.

 

With retorquing the head, is all I have to do is take the valve cover off to access the head bolts.

When you buy a rebuild or new motor, what typically comes with it, You get new starter and alternator,

what about things like water pump, fuel injectors, coil packs,

assuming all new gaskets and seals and bearings on a rebuild.

Also do I have to use the same 220hp 4.6L that they made in 2000 or do I have options at getting the 240hp 4.6 in the 2002's or better yet the three valve version. Keep in mind I don't want to get into much more moding to accomdate the newer engines, I don't mind a couple minor things


And what can I expect with this engine, can I keep driving it, or is it going to get progressively worse.

You know any go websites or sources for finding 4.6L's and reasonable and qualified people to do it.

 

You can drive the engine as long as you can take the leak. just cheack the oil and all. Any PI 2v 4.6 will work. 3v swaps are not practical. When I found my engine I just opened the yellow pages and started calling junkyards. I think thats still the best way to find parts like that. Used engine come with everything pan to throttle body. Mine did not include and of the other attachable stuff (A/C ALT PS starter not included) I paid 1300 for an 03 with 40k on it.. If you dont want to do it youll have to find a guy..

 

I posted in the engine swap thread, How I think I might have someone pull the motor, I will tear it apart, and have them put it back, if the money I can engineer that thing better the a new from the factory. and take the time to do it right and make sure everything is prefect. If I buy a used motor, then I still got the same poor quality I had. And my motor is mint inside. clean as a whistle, I would take my internals over some other build.