98 expy headgasket help

[meats]

hi guys i have the dreaded headgasket problem, shes burning oil and leaking it on the passenger side head in the back. what is the best way to pull the motor without removing the body and do i fix this motor it just fliped 150,000. also i bought a 28 foot bunkhouse camper this past summer and it had a really hard time pulling it will a programmer help with this or what should i do thanks in advance for the help. i am also a mechanic and have changed motors before but not on somthing like this. thanks again

 

[stamp11127]

Sure the valve cover gasket isn't leaking? Both of mine are and it is on the list of things to do when I'm on Christmas Break. One advantage of working for a school system.
Motor can come out of the engine bay without lifting the body. I think Toms89 has posted pics of engine removal.
Check out the V10 swap also.

 

[Thermo]

meats you do not need to pull the motor to pull the head off. I have pulled the head a few times and never removed the engine from the truck. The big trick is that you will be able to remove most of the bolts, but the lower back bolt will need to be lifted as you go to pull the head. There is not enough room to pull the bolt out with the head in place. Kinda like when you go to put the head back in, you will need to slide the bolt into the hole with the head outside of the engine bay and then drop both parts in at the same time.

Unfortuantely, while the Expy is capable of pulling something like what you have, the Expy is not the best for what you have. Keep in mind that the motor only makes 235 HP (assuming the larger 5.4L motor) for your year truck. By todays standards, it is on the "weak" side. Adding a programmer might help, but also keep in mind that you are not going to get significant power gains either. The bigger thing the programmer can help you with is tweaking the transmission shift points to help you hold a gear longer. Keep in mind also that to get the bigger power numbers, it requires using premium fuel. Not saying to or not to use the programmer. But, look at what it can do for you.

If you need more info on pulling the head off, let me know.

 

[superexpy]

meats you do not need to pull the motor to pull the head off. I have pulled the head a few times and never removed the engine from the truck. The big trick is that you will be able to remove most of the bolts, but the lower back bolt will need to be lifted as you go to pull the head. There is not enough room to pull the bolt out with the head in place. Kinda like when you go to put the head back in, you will need to slide the bolt into the hole with the head outside of the engine bay and then drop both parts in at the same time.

Unfortuantely, while the Expy is capable of pulling something like what you have, the Expy is not the best for what you have. Keep in mind that the motor only makes 235 HP (assuming the larger 5.4L motor) for your year truck. By todays standards, it is on the "weak" side. Adding a programmer might help, but also keep in mind that you are not going to get significant power gains either. The bigger thing the programmer can help you with is tweaking the transmission shift points to help you hold a gear longer. Keep in mind also that to get the bigger power numbers, it requires using premium fuel. Not saying to or not to use the programmer. But, look at what it can do for you.

If you need more info on pulling the head off, let me know.

I thought the 97-98's had 260hp and the 99+ has 300hp?

 

[toms89]

I thought the 97-98's had 260hp and the 99+ has 300hp?

1999 and up PI head 2v 5.4 motors had 260 hp. 3v motors increased the output to 300.

 

[Thermo]

superexpy, as Toms89 states. In like 03, all the trucks got the 3V motors and the 300 hp.

 

[cymru]

Stupid question

I have a 99 5.4 V8 Eddie Bower Triton how do I know if I have the V2 or V3 I am hoping I have the V3 with 300hp. SOrry for my ignorance.

 

[meats]

thanks thermo that is better news we are very busy at the shop i work at and i didnt feel like pulling the motor. the bad part is i have the 4.6 but i think if i fix the headgasket and then change the gears to 4.56 i should be in better shape gas mileage doesnt matter to much i just need to help the trans out alittle when im pulling it

 

[Thermo]

cymru, you have the 2V heads. Only the Navigator got the 3V heads for the early years. It was one of the "benefits" of getting the higher end truck. Also, if you look at the cover over the throttlebody, the 3V head trucks had some writing on the cover that stated "3V".

 

[cymru]

2V

Thanks thermo!!!

 

[spadesluck]

Pulling the heads is just time consuming not overly difficult. Its the timing chains and all the associated crap in the front that has to come off first to get the head off thats difficult.