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Head gasket install

6K views 13 replies 4 participants last post by  1995F150 
#1 ·
I was looking at the head gaskets and it looks like one of them gets installed with the printed side facing down, am I correct. The top of my pic would be the front of the engine. The gasket is a
Fel pro 8548pt2.


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#4 ·
You have to install them that way so that the coolant ports in the gasket will be at/on the rear of the block.If the coolant ports get positioned at/on the front of the block,the engine will overheat because coolant wont circulate to the rear of the engine.The most important thing is to orientate both gaskets so the end thats labeled front goes to/on the front of the block.It doesn't matter which side of the gasket is facing up.
If both gaskets are installed correctly,you should be able to see a squared off corner of each gasket sticking out at the front,lower corner of each head where the head meets the block.The picture & diagram below shows the protruding corner of the gasket you should see & the orientation of the coolant passages to the rear.
I don't know if the people at Ford designed only one gasket to save time and money or to make it easier for the buyer so there would only be one part number to worry about,etc??If only one gasket is manufactured to fit both banks,I can see how it would be easier to use this method because if there are alot more customers blowing the head gasket on the passenger bank of the engine compared to the driver bank,the demand for the passenger bank gasket is gonna go up while the demand for the driver bank gasket is gonna drop,so rather than worrying about the manufacturing headache of making 1000 of one bank and 100 of the other,its easier to just make 1100 that'll fit either bank.Well that's my theory & 2 cents anyway.
 

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#8 ·
You have to install them that way so that the coolant ports in the gasket will be at/on the rear of the block.If the coolant ports get positioned at/on the front of the block,the engine will overheat because coolant wont circulate to the rear of the engine.The most important thing is to orientate both gaskets so the end thats labeled front goes to/on the front of the block.It doesn't matter which side of the gasket is facing up.

If both gaskets are installed correctly,you should be able to see a squared off corner of each gasket sticking out at the front,lower corner of each head where the head meets the block.The picture & diagram below shows the protruding corner of the gasket you should see & the orientation of the coolant passages to the rear.

I don't know if the people at Ford designed only one gasket to save time and money or to make it easier for the buyer so there would only be one part number to worry about,etc??If only one gasket is manufactured to fit both banks,I can see how it would be easier to use this method because if there are alot more customers blowing the head gasket on the passenger bank of the engine compared to the driver bank,the demand for the passenger bank gasket is gonna go up while the demand for the driver bank gasket is gonna drop,so rather than worrying about the manufacturing headache of making 1000 of one bank and 100 of the other,its easier to just make 1100 that'll fit either bank.Well that's my theory & 2 cents anyway.
Excellent post. Thank you very much. I also need to put thread sealant on the lower bolts correct?

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#10 ·
So I got the heads installed over the weekend, do I need to retorque the heads again?

Also when I adjust the stock rocker arms do the lifters need to be pumped up first? They are new. View attachment 982244

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If they’ve been properly torqued then they are good... for now. After you fire the motor up and heat cycle it a few times its always a good idea to go back and re-torque them.

Lifters are better adjusted on setup non-pumped up. That’s why you dont soak the lifters for days or longer before installing them (unless you purge them). Typically take out of package, dip in some oil and put them in. Set up your valve train and go.
 
#13 ·
Chiltons calls for 18-25lbft with the lifters on the base circle of the cam,which basically means the lifters for that cylinder are all the way down in the lifter bore.Ive always set the #1 piston at tdc (on compression),torque both rockers to 20-25lbft,then rotate the crank CW 90° (which puts the next piston in the firing order ~#3~ at tdc) torque both rockers for #3 & do the same procedure for the remaining 6 cylinders, following the firing order.Pedestal rockers arent
as finicky as adjustable roller rockers are.Pretty much torque em down to spec & you're good.

Make sure to retorque the lower intake bolts too,as they tend to loosen up after a heat cycle or two.
 
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