03 navigator 5.4 32v tear down and rebuild project

[Andy J]

Hey guys,

My names Andy. I joined a few weeks ago when i bought my 2003 navigator. Its a very nice truck and i knew it had a few issues when i bought it. It had a very bad misfire and it would buck and jerk when i drove it. I gave it a full tune up, and changed half of the ignition coils, which took care of the majority of the misfires, but it still had a slight miss. I had a friend hook up a ford IDS, and he came back with a 10 percent drop in compression on cyl 6, but that shouldnt have been enough to cause the mis i was feeling. It wouldnt even give me a code for a miss. The other main issue was the timing chain rattle when it was first started. I knew that it probably had a bad timing chain tensioner, but it consistantly got worse.

Well, today i finally has enough and started to tear into it. I plan on tearing it down all the way to the bare block and completely rebuilding it. I bought the navigator so that i would have something larger and safer as my wife and i are expecting our first baby any day now.

I will take pictures and document the process so yall can follow along and maybe get some inspiration to tackle your own projects.

Heres where i got to today...

 

[Andy J]

I got the upper and lower intake off and found this in the valley, apparently its been leaking for quite a while, and the antifreeze here is.literally a slime consistency.

 

[Andy J]

The intake ports are literally disgusting. There is a sludge layer around every single port, with the worst one having a quarter inch thick coating and the "cleanest" having an eighth inch thick layer. I find it interesting because the only way that the oil sludge could accumulate at the top of the head port would be if it was coming from the intake manifold which is also filthy by the way, via the pcv valve. I plan on replacing the pcv valve along with a host of other parts.

Well this is as far as i got today in 4 hours. The intake was a pain in the butt. This is my first 32v engine tear down, and about my 34th modular build. I was a heavy line ford tech (mostly diesel) for a few years after going to school for auto repair and engineering before i changed career paths, but i was still kinda angry at myself that it took me this long to get the intake off, all the while wishing it was a 16v manifold lol.

I will keep yall updated, lemme know what you think.

Andy

 

[Bain64]

holy hell that intake port is gunked up! I look forward to following the rest of the rebuild. Thanks for sharing.

 

[johnboneske]

BTW, a 2003 Navi, is just a 16 Valve motor, not a 24 valve... not sure where you got 32 valve from?

Ford/Lincoln didnt have the 24 valve engine in their SUV's until 2005...

 

[Andy J]

Lincoln offered a 32v 5.4 v8 as an option in the first gen navigators, it was the only option in the 03 and 04 navigators. The 32v went away for the 05 model year when they started using the 24v. The 32v engine was called "intech"

this is a picture of the ignition coil cover on my drivers side valve cover.

 

[Andy J]

It sure isnt as easy to work on as a 16v ill tell ya that lol i wish it was.

 

[Andy J]

Well... um yea lol. No wonder my timing kept hunting all over. When i first got the truck, i changed the oil, and the filter felt exceptionally heavy. Guess the aluminum i mean oil pump packed the filter full of it. This is not what i wanted to see, but i kind of expected it. I cant believe that the passenger guide is literally half missing. I was hoping the bottom end would be ok, but after seeing this, i dont think i have a choice in rebuilding it due to the fact that im 99 percent the pickup screen will be plugged and the bearingd probably got deprived of oil. Funny thing is that it wasnt knocking though. Dang, my works cut out for me isnt it.

 

[Andy J]

Wow

 

[JExpedition07]

BTW, a 2003 Navi, is just a 16 Valve motor, not a 24 valve... not sure where you got 32 valve from?

Ford/Lincoln didnt have the 24 valve engine in their SUV's until 2005...

Fake news

 

[1955moose]

1999 thru 2004 Lincoln used the 32 valve motor. 2005 they started with our much loved 24 valve spark plug breaker. Ford did introduce the 24 valver in 2004 for the F150 pickup! As Walter Brennan used to say, no brag, just facts!

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk

 

[Andy J]

Well today, i got the exhaust unbolted, removed the wiring harness, unbolted the heads, and pulled em off. I also unscrwed the passenger side block drain and with the help.of a punch, broke through the layer of rust and casting sand that was clogging it and got the block drained. I plan on removing the rest of the engine tomorrow and getting it onto a stand. I also found my exhaust leal which was quite obvious by the black area by the rear of the head.

 

[Adieu]

The intake ports are literally disgusting. There is a sludge layer around every single port, with the worst one having a quarter inch thick coating and the "cleanest" having an eighth inch thick layer. I find it interesting because the only way that the oil sludge could accumulate at the top of the head port would be if it was coming from the intake manifold which is also filthy by the way, via the pcv valve. I plan on replacing the pcv valve along with a host of other parts.

Well this is as far as i got today in 4 hours. The intake was a pain in the butt. This is my first 32v engine tear down, and about my 34th modular build. I was a heavy line ford tech (mostly diesel) for a few years after going to school for auto repair and engineering before i changed career paths, but i was still kinda angry at myself that it took me this long to get the intake off, all the while wishing it was a 16v manifold lol.

I will keep yall updated, lemme know what you think.

Andy

View attachment 24790

Oh that's nothing

Ever torn down a high mileage diesel bimmer?

Looks like coal, sticks like epoxy...

 

[Andy J]

I was suprised how dirty it was for a newer fuel injected gas engine. My dirtiest was my old 83 mercedes 300d i had when i was 23. I yanked the intake and turbo at 590k when i replaced the turbo. The intake was so bad i tossed it in a tupperware tub with 6 gallons of gas, 1 gallon simple green, 1 gallon purple power, and let it sit for a week lol.

 

[1955moose]

Your Lincoln motor is a classic example of shear neglect. Coolant was so old it turned to sludge with age and heat. Oil changes looked like non existent. It's rebuild able, but your machine shops going to love you. Keep us posted with your progress.

Sent from my N9131 using Tapatalk

 

[johnboneske]

Lincoln offered a 32v 5.4 v8 as an option in the first gen navigators, it was the only option in the 03 and 04 navigators. The 32v went away for the 05 model year when they started using the 24v. The 32v engine was called "intech"

this is a picture of the ignition coil cover on my drivers side valve cover.

View attachment 24821

Well Damn...guess I do learn something everyday! How is that motor? Hows the HP and Torque? Fuel Mileage? I am assuming better than the 16 valve 5.4, but better than the "replacement" 24 valve?

 

[1955moose]

Let's put it this way, pushing a 5800 pound flying brick down the road, is not going to be neck snapping, but my 260 hp Eddie Bauer 16 valve gets me going just fine. Yours has 300 hp, so right off the bat 40 horses will definitely be felt. Along with new pistons or just rings, although looking at that motor I doubt it. Fresh 3 angle valve job, and you got a brand new used truck. Do it right, and you've got 10 years of good driving. Just use quality parts and you'll be fine. Also break it in easy the first 1000 miles.

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[Andy J]

Oh for sure. I will be documenting the whole build. I have a kinda unique way of prepping modulars as far as priming the oil system etc. Im pretty picky about breaking engines in. I usually fire them up and run at 2000 rpms for 20 mins if im breaking in cams, then ill change the oil. Then drive the vehicle for 100 miles then change the oil, then do it at 500 miles, then normal intervals.

 

[Andy J]

The only parts in the bottom end i plan on reusing are the crank, rods, and pistons if they are in good condition. The heads will get a full valve job, new guides, and new stem seals as well as a good cleaning. Im also going to check the lash adjusters and rockers.

 

[Andy J]

Heres where i got to today. I got the short block out and onto the engine stand. The pistons look good thank god, but i still need to drain the rest of the coolant, oil, and yank the pan and get into the bottom end. I even found a freebie in the water jacket. Looks like the top from an old bottle of gear oil. I hope theres no other suprises but im sure there will be.