Cold Start Fix, Tune up, and VC Gaskets.

[chazzone]

The ol' BII has developed a cold start issue, and I tracked it down to the Engine Coolant Temperature Sensor.
This sensor is under the throttle body, in a pretty tight spot.
She also needed a tune up. (almost 100k since the last one)
She's got more than 325k miles on her and had developed leaks from the valve covers, so I decided to pull the upper intake to make the job easier.

Since I removed the upper intake, I picked up a Fel-Pro plenum gasket set.

Along with a complete Motorcraft tune up...cap, rotor, and wires.

Seems I never think about pics until I'm elbow deep in a project, but here she is topless...

Gaskets seperated and glued down...

I use synthetic 5W-40 Rotella in the summer and Mobil 1, 0W-30 in the winter, and the valve train is very clean...

same on the left side. No gunk here...

There is a step between the head and intake manifold, both front and rear

This gets a big dollop of Ultra-Black RTV

The new ECTS gets some teflon tape, and is ready for install...

Here it is in place...

The old plugs look pretty good

New plugs are gapped. Spec is .042 - .046

After the plugs are installed, the valve covers are next

Usually, I'd take the time to clean them up, prime and paint, but with all the miles this girl has on her, I'm saving that for the 5.0 swap.
Left side...

Next is the cap & rotor and new wires...

Finally, the upper intake is reinstalled, along with all the wires, vacuum lines, throttle linkage, and intake hose

Here is a shot of the left side header. They are coated Pacesetters, and look almost as good as new after more than 100k miles.

She fired up instantly and ran like a champ. Even though the idle was right on spec, I still checked the intake and all the lines to make sure that there was no vacuum leaks. She's ready for the summer.
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[jhammel85]

Very nice! I like how you documented all this.

 

[chazzone]

Very nice! I like how you documented all this.

Thanks.

Sometimes seeing someone else doing it is all it takes to jump in and do it yourself.

It did take a fair amount of hours to do all the work, but nothing was too difficult, and it was actually good to get a look inside after all the miles she has on her, and it gave me a chance to check a few things out.

I didn't really point it out, but I matched the upper and lower intake the last time I had her opened up, and that area is still pretty clean on the intake runners.

It was also very clean inside the rest of the intake, in addition to the area under the valve covers.

Good quality oil and regular maintenance is definitely worth it.

I mentioned the oil I use, and with the synthetic, I change it every 9,000 miles with a fresh filter and top off every 3,000.

Oil pressure is still 60 psi at start-up, just over 30 psi at warm idle, and about 45 psi as I'm running down the road, so in addition to being clean inside, it apprears as if wear is at a minimum, as well.

-zz

 

[rusty70f100]

That's about the same amount of sludge mine had when I took it apart. I do appreciate someone taking pics and posting them.

OBTW, what's that "Fuel Boss" thing clamped to your fuel return line?

 

[chazzone]

That's about the same amount of sludge mine had when I took it apart. I do appreciate someone taking pics and posting them.

OBTW, what's that "Fuel Boss" thing clamped to your fuel return line?

It's a couple of magnets that clamp on to the fuel line. Supposed to have an effect on the gas molecules for "better combustion". I don't know that it hurts or helps.

I know that the same thing will have an effect on hard water in a water system, but what it does to fuel, I can't say one way or another.

I got it from a rep when I was working at a motorsports convention, so I put it on right after I bought the truck in '92, and it's been there ever since.

-zz

 

[jhammel85]

Sounds like you've always taken great care of that truck. So have you always run synthetic through it or is this a recent thing? What are brand are you using?

 

[chazzone]

Sounds like you've always taken great care of that truck. So have you always run synthetic through it or is this a recent thing? What are brand are you using?

I use her pretty hard, so I've always taken care of her.

I've always used synthertic in this truck, and my other vehicles, as long as good syn's have been available. I used to use Castrol, but started using Rotella 5W-40 in summer when it came available and they reduced zinc in regular motor oil.

I use Mobil One or Castrol 0W-30 in the winter.

I'd like to use Amsoil, but just can't get up off the extra bucks for motor oil, although I use Amsoil for gear/trans lube.

-zz

 

[mgold97]

Can you post pictures of your ford oem spark plug wires routing? I bought same set but two of mine look different from the rest of the set(bit confused)

 

[chazzone]

The 2 wires that you're puzzeld over are the coil wires. One is for a different coil than we have. Just track down your original coil wire, and match it up.

If you're still having trouble, then let me know, and I'll get picks when it's light outside.

 

[mgold97]

I got the coil one on. One has a fat end that fits on spark plug and other one has some weird angle. I wish I could post up some pix, but don't have a cam. If you could post your wires pix and where they go it would help out alot.

Thanx

 

[chazzone]

I hope that you can see what you need to in these pics.

The first is the #4 Cylinder on the left front of the engine. This is where the "fat" one goes.

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Here are pics of #5 & #6:

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Here is Cylinder #1

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#2 & #3

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Here is the coil wire

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[mgold97]

Thanx big time. I put fat one on #1 and had to reuse my old plug wire on #4( metal clamp on the inside of a new wire came off when I tried to pull it off dis cap). Would it effect anything?

 

[RyanL]

From that picture above it looks like your power steering pump is leaking a bit. I had the same issue with mine a while ago. A buddy of mine who is an auto mechanic told me that adding a slight amount of brake fluid into the power steering pump makes the seal swell up slightly and fixes the leak. It's been a few years since I did it and haven't seen it leak since then.

 

[chazzone]

Yeah, the power steering pump leaks a ittle. It has for the last 100k miles. It's the original pump, and has over 300k on her, so I can live with a little dampness.
Might try your brake fluid "fix', tho.

 

[chazzone]

Thanx big time. I put fat one on #1 and had to reuse my old plug wire on #4( metal clamp on the inside of a new wire came off when I tried to pull it off dis cap). Would it effect anything?

It's not ideal, but you might never have an issue. I'd keep an eye on the old wire, and check it for arcing every once in a while.

OTOH, considering that you just did a tune up, and want to get the most out of your truck, I'd probably buy a replacement wire. Considering how long you'll have them on there, it really isn't all that expensive, especially when you factor in the pricew of gas, and how much you could be wasting.