OMG timing cover installation

[masospaghetti]

I've had a terrible time reinstalling my timing cover. 5.0 V8. What's the correct way to do this? Ford specifies engine removal (!) which is completely absurd. Without loosening the oil pan, it's impossible to get the timing cover seals to seat AND to get the cover to clear the locating pegs.

It seems like loosening the oil pan would be the best approach but would this cause leaks at the oil pan gasket, now that the seal has been broken?

I ended up reinstalling the cover with RTV between the cover and oil pan but I am not thrilled about how it turned out.

Thanks all!

 

[masospaghetti]

So I bit the bullet and lowered the oil pan. It's a cast aluminum pan (ie, RIGID) so there's virtually no flex. I had to loosen every bolt around the pan to get it to drop at all.

It would have been a cinch in a 2WD vehicle. However, the front pumpkin blocks access to about half of the bolts on the driver's side, and it was a MAJOR pain to get to a handful of them. Lots of extensions, swivel joints, and busted knuckles. A 15 minute job turned into 2 hours.

I got the timing cover installed with the new seal and bolted the oil pan back up. I don't see how its even close to possible to do this without lowering the pan. Both the Haynes manual and the instructions provided by Fel-pro both say nothing about lowering the pan.

Now I just hope the pan doesn't leak, now that the seal has been broken...

 

[bobflood]

So I bit the bullet and lowered the oil pan. It's a cast aluminum pan (ie, RIGID) so there's virtually no flex. I had to loosen every bolt around the pan to get it to drop at all.

Now I just hope the pan doesn't leak, now that the seal has been broken...

So - have you had any oil leaks from the pan?? I'm thinking about tackling this same job on my 97 5.0 w 2WD; trying to read up on it. Thanks in advance for your response.

 

[masospaghetti]

There's been some minor weeping of oil from the pan gasket. I honestly don't know if they are new leaks or if it was weeping before. I'm not worried about it.

Good part is that yours is 2WD. Will be much, much easier to get to the bolts.

 

[Iqinsanity]

Engine removal is not absurd when shops charge by the hour and not doing it the right way just leads to warranty work and upset customers. People expect to get charged a fortune at a shop or worse a dealership, what they don't expect is leaks even tiny ones. I wouldn't take it to a shop either but really what's more work pulling a motor or always having to top off oil or having to expect a small leak will turn into a big one. Also if you pulled the motor you could have changed the pan gasket. I'm a fan of changing gaskets and with the way a 5.0 timing cover uses the pan gasket, in my opinion, the pan gasket is used and junk. They compress over time and just don't seal as well.

Maybe I pulled too many motors in my day but even a 5.0 from a 4wd explorer is only an hour to pull with the right tools. (Yes I have done it)

 

[masospaghetti]

You may be able to change the engine in an hour but IMO that's not realistic for most folks, even those that are mechanically inclined.

 

[bill06447]

Maybe an hour to pull, another 5 to remove all the crap holding it down

Bill

 

[Iqinsanity]

6 hours to pull a motor? Even a 3.4l Dohc z34 lumina isn't hard enough to take that long.

With air tools it really isn't that hard to do. Leave the power steering pump on the motor, disconnect harness at main connections not at every sensor, and what's really left? Some mounts and trans bolts. I'm not saying everyone can do it as fast but come on 6 hours just to pull a motor?

 

[vroomzoomboom]

6 hours doesnt sound to unreasonable to pull a motor. you do have to stop and think, a good amount of people dont have air tools, and no lift. all hand tools, and they are laying on their back using jack stands. however, yes, if you disconect the power steering lines, pull the alt. with the bracket, and the 2 main motor harnesses, the motor comes out. the hard part for the 5L i found was the passengers manifold to pipe bolts, and bolt going to the trans dipstick tube to the head.

 

[Iqinsanity]

I don't have a lift if I implied it sorry. I use ramps. Drive the car on them, unbolt whatever is needed, have a buddy help push it off. I usually don't put it back on ramps or stands if it's a truck because getting the bolts out is the hard part. I am a young thin guy though so maybe it's just easier for me than the average person here. I don't know the average age here.

It still seems like a stretch to take 6 hours to pull a motor that can be left mainly intact. It's a oil pan being changed so removing too much on top is just a waste of effort. But to each their own I don't want to sound like an ass it just seems like a long time to me.

Air tools are really worth it, a garage sale compressor and chinese tools are cheap if you work on your car enough.