5.0 timing cover removal struggle

[Mitchs07explorer]

Alright! I've got all my tools now, picked up my air compressor and impact wrench with all the accessories to go with. I love that impact wrench, I can't believe how easily it pulls tight nuts and bolts off. It ripped the crankshaft pulley bolt right out with little effort.

On to the repair... I've removed my water pump, I've pulled the bolts out of my accessory brackets for my PS pump and my AC pump and pulled those a few inches out of the way. I'm pretty sure I've removed all the bolts necessary to remove the timing chain cover including the 4 in the oil pan. From what I understand the TC cover needs to come forward 3/8th of an inch before it can come off. I've pried a little at the top and can make a small gap between the block and the cover but that's about it. Does anyone have any tips on removing the cover as far as the best places to pry at it, I also understand there are two dowels that hold the cover in place. The only helpful thread I came across was by @rizzjc from back in 2007, I'm just wondering if anyone has any more info, any advice would be much appreciated!

 

[CDW6212R]

The oil pan has a lip at the front which hooks into the lip at the bottom edge of the timing cover. Basically the oil pan needs to come own an 1/8" or so to let the TC pull straight out.

I've got to do that myself in the near future. I just received a new balancer to change when I do the timing set, WP etc. Good luck, be easy with the oil pan gasket, and take plenty of timing cleaning/drying the pan surface, and gasket. Place a decent amount of RTV along the pan gasket where you open a gap.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

The oil pan has a lip at the front which hooks into the lip at the bottom edge of the timing cover. Basically the oil pan needs to come own an 1/8" or so to let the TC pull straight out.

I've got to do that myself in the near future. I just received a new balancer to change when I do the timing set, WP etc. Good luck, be easy with the oil pan gasket, and take plenty of timing cleaning/drying the pan surface, and gasket. Place a decent amount of RTV along the pan gasket where you open a gap.

Thanks, I need to find a good way to pry out and up is what it sounds like. I'm so close I just want that damn thing to come out.

 

[CDW6212R]

Yeah, the two dowels are at least 3/8" long. They help a lot to keep the TC lined up when installing it, but they make getting the TC off, hell. I've never done it, but I have thought of leaving the dowels out one time, and see how different it might be the next time the TC has to come off.

 

[1998Exp]

Hmm, I've done this job twice, and the only challenge with the dowels was reinstalling the cover, not removing it. There was no need to pry on the oil pan -- and I don't think it will move much anyway with just the four bolts on the front removed. Are you sure you didn't miss a bolt somewhere? If all are out, the only thing that's holding it is the friction against the rubber seal at the half round bottom where it meets the oil pan and a bit of RTV in the corners.
If memory serves, I posted a couple write-ups on this job perhaps three years ago. It may help you to find it.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

Got that sumbitch off!
I didn't realize I could completely remove the accessory bracket with the alternator on it. Once I did that I was able to pull on the cover from the top and left side which made it mostly pop off. I had to hook the cover on the right side once the left was free and wiggle it the rest of the way out. There was quite a bit of slack in the chain and I'm also convinced the timing cover was leaking coolant too. Hopefully I'll tackle the rest of this job over the course of this week.

 

[1998Exp]

Glad you managed. No idea why you had to tackle the accessory bracket at all. Mine didn't get in the way. Perhaps your 97 is somehow different from my 98-1/2.
There are several gotchas with the reassembly, which, if not observed, will result in leaking oil, or coolant, or both. Read as many postings as you can about the experience of others.
Those dowels will now be fighting you, because all the fresh seals at the bottom are now pushing the cover up just so slightly. The dowels are tapered at the end to help, but even so it's a challenge. I pulled it in with two of the bolts - very gently.
Hope you have a good installation tool for the balancer. Don't use the center bolt for this purpose - it will only engage a couple threads at first, and you'll risk damaging the crankshaft - ouch... Some heat the balancer in an oven to help it slide on.
Hope you will use a torque wrench and not the impact tool to reinstall the center bolt. You will need to hold the crank. There are several ways to do that - read the posts. Good Luck!

 

[fastpakr]

Adding a photo for anybody that finds this thread later...

If there's any question about whether you've gotten all the bolts, check this photo. The three that are already on the water pump are -only- attaching the pump to the timing cover. All of the rest go through the cover and into the block.

 

[CDW6212R]

Great work, and a great picture there above.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

Glad you managed. No idea why you had to tackle the accessory bracket at all. Mine didn't get in the way. Perhaps your 97 is somehow different from my 98-1/2.
There are several gotchas with the reassembly, which, if not observed, will result in leaking oil, or coolant, or both. Read as many postings as you can about the experience of others.
Those dowels will now be fighting you, because all the fresh seals at the bottom are now pushing the cover up just so slightly. The dowels are tapered at the end to help, but even so it's a challenge. I pulled it in with two of the bolts - very gently.
Hope you have a good installation tool for the balancer. Don't use the center bolt for this purpose - it will only engage a couple threads at first, and you'll risk damaging the crankshaft - ouch... Some heat the balancer in an oven to help it slide on.
Hope you will use a torque wrench and not the impact tool to reinstall the center bolt. You will need to hold the crank. There are several ways to do that - read the posts. Good Luck!

The bracket wasn't in the way of the cover but I couldn't get a good angle to loosen it up from either side so it made sense to me to pull the whole thing out, I think it'll help with the installation as well. I like your idea of using a couple of the cover bolts to pull the cover back in place, do you remember which bolts you used to pull the cover back in place?
I do have a decent tool to push the balancer back in place. It's just the inexpensive harbor freight kit but seems to be made well. As far as tightening the crank pulley bolt I plan on using my torque wrench for proper torque. I read in the Haynes manual about wedging a screwdriver into the teeth on the flywheel from the torque converter access plate.

Sounds like you know your way around these vehicles, what do you think about this idea and is it even possible. I want to replace my oil pan gasket because it is leaking, it drips right on the exhaust and pools in the shield for the catalytic converter. Someone on another thread mentioned taking the proper oil pan gasket and cutting it, dropping the oil pan as much as it will drop, cleaning the old gasket off and then looping the new gasket around the pan. Use a high temp oil resistant silicone to reconnect the gasket. I wanted to attempt this while the timing cover was off to help make things a little easier. Then there would only be one spot where the gasket it cut instead of the 4 areas that would require the RTV to be sealed properly. Do you think that is possible?

 

[CDW6212R]

I like the thought. But it will be a slow process for sure. The best pan gaskets are not all flexible, they have a thin steel layer in the side rails. The stock kind, almost all, have a steel ring around each bolt hole, and those are easy to work with generally.

Cleaning the surfaces of the block, pan, and gasket are the toughest parts. The pan gasket doesn't have to have a full layer of RTV on it if the surfaces are clean of build up(flat top/bottom, and the rubber between). RTV is a must at the four corners because the mating points deform the gasket(they often leak without RTV there).

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

I like the thought. But it will be a slow process for sure. The best pan gaskets are not all flexible, they have a thin steel layer in the side rails. The stock kind, almost all, have a steel ring around each bolt hole, and those are easy to work with generally.

Cleaning the surfaces of the block, pan, and gasket are the toughest parts. The pan gasket doesn't have to have a full layer of RTV on it if the surfaces are clean of build up(flat top/bottom, and the rubber between). RTV is a must at the four corners because the mating points deform the gasket(they often leak without RTV there).

So do you think it's possible to replace the pan gasket like that? My biggest fear is knocking something into the pan while cleaning and not realizing it, or something that is too big to flush out the oil drain plug hole. Maybe I can get a hold of a flexible snake camera for cheap, then I would be able to see everything.

Worst case scenario I'll have to do what @Turdle did when he had to replace his oil pan which I really don't want to do but would be worth it in the end. If it wasnt leaking onto the exhaust I would just let it be, the actual leak is just a drop every couple hours but it definitely adds up and then it looks in the catalytic shield. Burning oil smell is not my favorite

 

[roscoe 0202]

the older engines did not use dowels pull them and use the dampner to align your cover when you reinstall
roscoe

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

the older engines did not use dowels pull them and use the dampner to align your cover when you reinstall
roscoe

I was considering that too, or possibly cutting the dowels at a 45 degree angle so the cover can slip in place easier.

 

[CDW6212R]

If you clean along the pan gasket seam very well, before breaking the seal loose much, then there should be almost nothing to fall in there. The tough part is getting your hands in along the whole seam. I haven't done it in theses Explorers, but most Fords are bad, and these are worse. So you can look it over well and feel what it's like in there, before going at it full bore.

The flexible cameras can be had for $50 or so, decent versions that just plug into the USB port of any PC.

 

[1998Exp]

It looks like the OP's vehicle is an AWD. It's going to be fight to get to some oil pan bolts because of the differential. Of course, he can remove the differential...

 

[delexploder]

Drop the front diff if you wanna change it , and get the blue one piece gasket or clean it and see if your pan bolts are loose , id try that first

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

It looks like the OP's vehicle is an AWD. It's going to be fight to get to some oil pan bolts because of the differential. Of course, he can remove the differential...

It is an AWD, and I was wondering about the differential being in the way. How much of a pain is it to remove that? All of this started from needing to replace the water pump lol.

 

[Mitchs07explorer]

Drop the front diff if you wanna change it , and get the blue one piece gasket or clean it and see if your pan bolts are loose , id try that first

I'm tempted to just try and retorque but figured since the timing cover was off and I have more room to work (at least in the front) I might just try to replace the whole thing. That way I don't have to worry about the cork pieces that came with the fel-pro kit. Do you think if I drop the diff I can get the gasket in without cutting it, or am I still looking at cutting it so I can get it in place?

 

[delexploder]

if you drop the diff ( three bolts hold it , front driveshaft , ect , you may have enough room without pulling the halfshafts out and just letting the diff droop ) its gonna be a fiddley job no doubt but very doable and well worth using the one piece gasket ,