blown99 Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 I had one come in a few weeks ago with a coolant leak between the front cover and block. Replaced the gasket, and had a heck of time getting the big fat o-ring between the intake manifold and front cover to squeeze in. I lubed up the o-ring and finally managed to get it in by angling the cover a bit. Pressure test and road test were good unitl it came back two weeks later for a leak. Found the leak to be at the fat o-ring between the intake and front cover. I removed the intake and found the fat o-ring to have gotton cut when I squeezed it in there. Just wondering what you guys have done to get the front cover back in place? Do you always remove the intake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 There are repairs where I simply loosen/remove the intake bolts and lift the intake a few inches - great for EGR coolers & HPOP's. Since you already had the fan stator and the FEAD belt off this would only have taken, what... 5 minutes? the only bad bolt is the one under the fuel filter housing but a 10mm gear wrench gets it loose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blown99 Posted May 21, 2010 Author Share Posted May 21, 2010 I considered doing that but, the chassis I was working on is known for picking up lots of little pebbles and tossing them into the engine bay. I feared having a pebal/debris fall down into the cylinder head and cause damage. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Bruene Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 I loosen the intake bolts also. Works like a charm. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikill Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 I considered doing that but, the chassis I was working on is known for picking up lots of little pebbles and tossing them into the engine bay. I feared having a pebal/debris fall down into the cylinder head and cause damage. Before I remove or loosen the intake I take my air gun and blow air down the sides and then get my light and see if anything is stuck between the intake and head. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Originally Posted By: blown99 I considered doing that but, the chassis I was working on is known for picking up lots of little pebbles and tossing them into the engine bay. I feared having a pebal/debris fall down into the cylinder head and cause damage. Before I remove or loosen the intake I take my air gun and blow air down the sides and then get my light and see if anything is stuck between the intake and head. +1, also, like Keith mentioned using a gear wrench for the bolt under the fuel filter housing, I've found that an 8mm wobly impact on a 6 inch extension gets that bolt easily on MOST trucks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted May 21, 2010 Share Posted May 21, 2010 Yep. We have discussed this before. Blowing debris off of the top of the engine before we pull things apart is a good practice and an even better habit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbl35 Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Also a good practice on fuel tanks before removing sending units. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clint80 Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 I ALWAYS BRAKE CLEAN AND BLOW AIR BEFORE DISSASSEMLY AND USE MY CRAFTSMAN WET/DRY VAC WHEN EVERYTHINGS APART TO GET ANY LEFT OVER DEBRI. KEEPING EVERYTHING CLEAN GIVES ME PIECE OF MIND WHEN I GO TO FIRE THESE MONSTERS UP AFTER A BIG JOB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GregH Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 You can also put the fat o-ring into it's pocket on the front cover, then take a lubed up paint scraper and lay it on top of the o-ring. Set your front cover into place, levering the paint scraper down to clear the intake, then once the front cover is bolted in, slide the paint scraper out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bruce Amacker Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 Yep. We have discussed this before. Blowing debris off of the top of the engine before we pull things apart is a good practice and an even better habit. Twice when I had the shop we put in complete new engines caused by a chunkie falling into an open hole while an engine was apart. (these were sub jobs from other shops) Both times the debris entered the combustion chamber and cocked the piston sideways hard enough to break the cylinder wall. One was a 300 inch E-van 6 and the other was a 6.5 GM diesel in a P-van. Quite an expensive lesson! Just a few weeks ago I helped a buddy working on his classic car, he had the carb off and dropped a small piece of unidentifiable debris into the intake which lodged between the piston and head causing a wicked knock. We pulled the motor and head off to inspect the damage. He was lucky, no real damage so we put it back together and in, but still had 30+ hours invested doing it. I have many pictures supplied to me by techs that I use in my classroom presentations, some of which show 6.0s with the intake off and all ports open to the wind. I usually comment on how bad of a habit this is. It's much better to learn from someone else's mistakes than your own...... Cover those holes up, guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joshbuys Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 2" thick painters tape works well for covering intake holes....I usually put 2 pieces thick on each side. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Clyde Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 I have kept the intake covers from reman engines, whenever the intake comes off, they go on. The little tabs are great for staying in place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonathan302 Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 I have kept the intake covers from reman engines, whenever the intake comes off, they go on. The little tabs are great for staying in place. +1 This is exactly what i do too Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Browning Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 +2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mbl35 Posted May 22, 2010 Share Posted May 22, 2010 I learned my lesson with front covers. The first and only time i did'nt loosen the intake i cracked the doughnut despite all the grease on it. F-series is a cinch, e-series takes about an hour or so to loosen the intake but it takes the fight out of front cover instalation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aaron Posted May 23, 2010 Share Posted May 23, 2010 Pays pretty handsomely, especially since you just gotta loosen the intake off to get the front cover off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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