99 3.0l flex fuel

[alexb]

Bought a 99 that needs head gaskets. How difficult are they, est. Time, do I have have to get the heads shaved (one person told me this) and any tips

[djfllmn]

Originally Posted by alexb

Bought a 99 that needs head gaskets. How difficult are they, est. Time, do I have have to get the heads shaved (one person told me this) and any tips

yes you should

[alexb]

So would I be better off just taking the truck to a shop?

[rangerlocal]

Depends on your mechanical ability. Definitely take the heads to a machine shop to get them decked.

[alexb]

Well I'm pretty good with engines and tearing them down and replacing things just never got to do a head gasket. Just wanted to know what I was getting into.

[gcextreme]

Its all easy. Just a bunch of bolts and wires and hoses.
Just remember you will need to buy new head bolts and there is a very specific pattern and torque sequence when putting them back on...u cant just bolt them back up.

I just rebuilt a 3.0L and had the heads done and valves done at a local engine machining shop. Also had the exhaust manifolds done too. $180 for the heads and $60 for the exhaust manifolds.

You will need new head gaskets, valve cover gaskets, intake manifold gasket, exhaust manifold gaskets, and might as well replace the thermostat while you are in there.

There is also a pattern for tightening down the valve covers and exhaust manifolds too.

Here are my shaved heads.


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Here is the head pattern.

[KZEE]

If you haven't already done so, after you've done your head job you might want to consider running a 180* thermostat. I strongly suspect that the 197* T-stats that come stock from the factory are the cause for the disproportionate number of head gasket/head cracking issues that you hear so much about on the Ranger 3.0 boards.

[alexb]

Alright thanks for all the input. I'll be cracking into her this week.