I gave a little thought to that. But chose to swap heads anyway. I borrowed a friend's valve spring tool, and he showed up as I was getting ready to use it.. He broke it, the tool. He spent nearly 30 years as a mechanic, so he went "old school" to get the keepers off the valves. Yep. Socket and a hammer.

There is a reason people don't do that much, and one of the keepers flew up and cut his eyebrow... Far from upset, he did it a second time, though with better results. I rarely ask him for help. And I never turn him away if he just shows up. I hate bugging people for free info on their day job stuff. But, he works in my group now, an Engineering Tech as well.

Earlier I had given a ton of thought to pulling the heads from the original engine and taking them to a machine shop for a light surfacing, valve job and such. But I get to return to work, finally, next week. And I'm tired of this project. But I expect, at some point, that trip to the machine shop might still happen, but for more than just the heads. But that is for another time.

Plan is, get it back together. I got it timed, double checked, triple checked, and did a fourth sanity check. Ensured the tensioner pins were pulled. So, front cover, valve covers and intake. And then the sundry bits and pieces. It will be hot for here, but the weekend could be in the upper 50s for a high and rain. And see what's left if not running by Saturday.

I'll have to put the doors back on the Jeep. Booooo.... But having them off also gives a chance to replace tbe driver door hinge bushings. Again. 5th set in the almost 14 years I've had it. I've got a pile of work planned for it, including the lift. It's been beat on and neglected for too long. Time to fix a few leaks, and such... But, that's later, and a different forum.

 

how did the headbolt trick work out for you?

 

I forgot to mention that. Seriously, the bolts slipped right out. BARELY... And the new ones went in fine. I was prepared to do it your way though.

This morning, on a Facebook group, someone asked the easiest way to remove exhaust manifolds. And I suddenly panicked. I broke 2 studs on one head when I pulled the original engine out. Did I put the wrong head back in?

Luckily, that head is still on the engine, on the stand. NOT in the truck. Whew. That was close.

I almost made a mistake I saw someone else on Facebook make... Note the crank trigger tone ring still on the ground.

At least, when I saw it, there were only a few bolts in and not even finger tight. Easy to recover from.

Thought I had misplaced the new sparkplugs. Grrrr. Lost an hour looking for them. Got 7 in, and one in the right side head just wouldn't go in... Some time ago I bought a cheap bore scope camera, plugs into a phone or tablet. Lucky me,, my tablet had a charge... The cap for the fuel rail schrader valve was in there... How the @###? Crevice tool on my shop account, and a chunk of vacuum hose, got it out. Plug went in fine.


As I stopped tonight. Weather is moving in, wind came up, blew the hood down twice on me. So I put stuff away, put the doors back on the Jeep.

I'll see what the weather gives me tomorrow. Exhaust manifold studs, injectors, coils, belt, fan, shroud, coolant hoses and coolant, intake and emissions stuff...

I go back to work Monday, for 2 weeks, then looks like week off and week on after that for a while... More I get done before the rain hits, the more likely I can drive it soon.

I feel like this is all I've done now for weeks. Groundhog Day... What are we going to do today Brain, "The same thing we do every night Pinky, try and take over the WORLD! Oh, wrong show...

 

must be just a hair more room then the 11th gens have

man I LOVED that show!!!

 

Thought the rain was going to beat me. Almost did. Had to stop for a bit. But, all back together.

Took it for a spin, and the smell of coolant kept getting stronger. The thermostat housing O ring failed. Well. I did re-use it.

Getting a new one later today. Be in business tomorrow again.

 

Got some running around done. Got the O ring. Weather let up enough for me to change it. And. No leaks. It will take a few days to get that coolant smell gone, and some steam. But I couldn't see any leaks at hoses, waterpump, heads or radiator. Including the plastic end tanks.

While taking it for a spin, it doesn't like full throttle or anything over 2,000 rpm. Sitting in the driveway, it will rev to 4000 easy, if I don't floor it.

My Bluetooth OBD2 reader and the Torque app doesn't show any codes. I'm at a loss for this behavior. Ideas? Is my Throttle Position Sensor is suspect?

 

I'd check for plugged cats, low fuel pressure, and dirty injectors.

 

I did a poor man's cleaning of injectors, with new O rings, pintle caps and screens. The cleaning consisted of a 9 volt battery to open the pintle, and sprayed carb cleaner through the injectors, before putting the new filters in.

Fuel pressure will be checked tomorrow while driving. Pretty sure OBD2 in that year didn't cover fuel pressure. So I will tape a gauge to the windshield...

Plugged cats, I'm going to doubt for now. Not an easy thing to test.

The truck feels like it hits speed limiter or a rev limiter, but kicks back in then out... Repeats until I take my foot off the gas.

Elsewhere, I had a suggestion of dirty MAF sensor...

 

2 ways to check cats:

IR thermometer

Remove O2 sensor, connect pressure gauge, muffler shops can do this.

 

I know someone with an IR thermo...

 

sounds like its starving for fuel to me

I've personally seen someone did an at home fuel pump install on an Expedition, and managed to trap the pressure line between the front tank strap and the frame (like right next to the bolt hole). Pinching off most of the fuel supply volume. Something worth checking over if you find out your pressure drops off while driving

 

Worth looking at when the ground is dry again.But might be later in the week as I see how many days I'm back to work this week. Grabbing some MAF sensor spray cleaner, and pull that other TPS I have...

 

The Expedition idled normal, and would only build power/speed if you very lightly pressed on the accelerator. More pedal meant too much air and starving for fuel

curious what you come up with!

 

My Harbor Freight fuel pressure set leaked fuel at the gauge, so that was not performed. A set purchased 12 years ago for my daughter's Jeep Cherokee cheap Jeep... While I have a new fuel pump, it doesn't mean it performs as it should. TPS and MAF are original to the truck, so changing them might be Of benefit.

I wish I could datalog with more timely info in Torque Pro. I wonder if there are better apps that work with my Bluetooth OBD2 reader. Giving a LOT of thought to a USB OBD2 reader for my laptop and Forscan. but need more info. Havi g great difficulty connecting my laptop to that OBD2 dongle in Bluetooth. Quite strange. Makes me wonder if if a Arduino or Raspberry Pi option is available.

I guess I wonder what your Expy solution was...

 

60 bucks, but this is what you need:

https://www.obdlink.com/ex/