Doing spark plugs and valve cover gaskets this Saturday on my 3.7 F150. Ill be driving it to my buddies shop which is around 20 miles away to do it. How long should I let the engine cool off before removing the plugs? Aluminum heads on this engine. Ill arrive around 6am. Would 3-4 hrs of letting it sit be sufficient?
How long to let engine cool off?
- Thread starter mobilnissan1991
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BrendanC
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drive up there then go get some lunch. should be fine when you get back
With the hood open 3 hours would be enough for me.
Hour at most should be sufficient
Yes, with hood open that is enough time to cool down, but what benefit is there to take it to the shop? I mean it is not as though putting it on a lift gives you an advantage, nor would a big air compressor/powered-tools. I suppose if you don't have a floor jack and jack stands (due to spark plugs sometimes being easier to get to the back ones, by removing the wheels and going in that direction) then there's that, but that is probably still easier to do jacked up from the ground than on a lift, so you can pick and choose whether top down or side-in access for each successive spark plug. YMMV, everyone has their own way of doing things.
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Maybe breakfast. He mentioned arriving at 6am.
Just do it after the valve covers are resealed.
If you want to stay friends, I wouldn't arrive at 6am on a Saturday morning unless the two a u are planning on going fishing.
So I dont have to do it in my driveway with the sun beating down on me. When your friend has a 2,000 sq ft shop, its a no brainer.
Fair enough but if you're starting at 6AM anyway, and then with a cold engine so you don't have to wait... how strong is the sun at that point in the day? I would wear a hat, or bandana if I didn't care about UV exposure and then my head fits better into the wheel well area than a hat with a brim would. Then again, spending a weekend day with a friend is justification enough...
Those are easy peasy. Make sure to get a new intake manifold plenum gasket as that has to come off on that engine to do plugs. Also maybe consider doing the coil boots, BL3Z-12A402-A, as they tear a lot.
A lot depends on ambient temperature, which all the previous exshperst left to me to point out. I am not a fan of dealing with hot plugs. Last time I did mine, I let it cool off for several hours, then ran it 45 seconds just to get it into the warehouse I changed them out in. That 45 seconds heated them right back up to "darnit' - it was about 85 outside. Had it been 55, there would have been a lot of difference.
Being able to lift me was a great advantage. F150 - I used a cherry picker to raise myself up high enough. I also pull my truck into the warehouse and use an forklift to stand on so I can both clean my windshield and check my oil.
There is zero advantage to him jacking his F150 up, there is a lot of advantage if there is a platform or a ladder or some way to get him up to F150 height.
Drop it off Friday night.
So you changed the spark plugs on the same engine? IDK about that particular engine in that particular vehicle, but there can be advantages to jacking vehicles up to gain access to the spark plugs with the wheel(s) off.
Cleaning the windshield, can't you just get a squeegee with a longer handle? Some of them even have a screw off handle where you can substitute a longer one from an old broom.
His 3.7 and my 2.7 are similar though his are much easier to get to. There can be an advantage on some vehicles (jack it up etc), but not on these gen F150's. Up and over the fenders, and if you can't quite get high enough most people end up laying across the top of the engines (and you don't want to be doing that on a hot motor) as the one back by the firewall is a major pain to get to, especially on the passenger side - he shouldn't have that problem as his are more directly on top though he has to take his intake off.
I could get a squeegee with a long handle or I can just pull it into my warehouse and save myself that trouble. I tend to clean the moonroof while I have it in there. It's 10X easier than climbing up in the bed.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 2.7 a straight 4 cylinder and the 3.7 is a V-6? That makes a difference. I'm just guessing that it may take 3-4X as long to do the V6 and potentially an assortment of socket extensions and swivels. If you can't get your arm down in, then your options are start taking parts off, or pull the wheel.
The benefit of the long handle squeegie is you don't have the warehouse when you're out driving, nor are gas station squeegie handles long. I suppose you could take along a step stool instead.
2.7 GM is a 4 cylinder, 2.7 Ford is a 6 cylinder. A 300hp torque machine V6 at that! His V6, once you remove the intake requires maybe a 4" extension, mine needed a variety pack......Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the 2.7 a 4 cylinder and the 3.7 is a V-6? That makes a difference. I'm just guessing that it takes about 4X as long to do the V6 and potentially an assortment of socket extensions and swivels.
The benefit of the long handle squeegie is you don't have the warehouse when you're out driving, nor are gas station squeegie handles long. I suppose you could take along a step stool instead.
I carry a bucket in the bed for emergencies lol! I drive up to 150 miles a day commuting from my girls house to mine and that bucket has come in handy for a couple of things. With my bad back it's impossible to squat, with my bucket I can stand on it or sit on it
While my 3.7 isnt a powerhouse in my crew cab truck, its extremely reliable and at almost 249k miles, Id trust it to go ANYWHERE. Im wanting really hard to pull the trigger on a 99-03 F350 srw or dually flatbed with the 7.32.7 GM is a 4 cylinder, 2.7 Ford is a 6 cylinder. A 300hp torque machine V6 at that! His V6, once you remove the intake requires maybe a 4" extension, mine needed a variety pack......
I carry a bucket in the bed for emergencies lol! I drive up to 150 miles a day commuting from my girls house to mine and that bucket has come in handy for a couple of things. With my bad back it's impossible to squat, with my bucket I can stand on it or sit on it
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