vavle cover removel

[truckdude239]

okay i have an 1987 ford f-150 come to the conustion that the motors not blowen just have an oil pressure problem anyway how do i remove the vavle covers i know i have to take the intake off how hard is it and about how long does it take to get them off

[Fullyinvolved]

Ok, first, what kind of engine does your F150 have? If it is a 5.0, you WILL need to remove the upper intake manifold. That is the piece that comes up and curvs to one side. There should be six bolts, but the one of the ones on the inside dosnt use a socket to remove, it is a TORX head fastener (T30 or 40 something like that) then there are 8 bolts to each valve cover. Make sure you change the gaskets when you put them back on! This takes about an hour or two to complete. But a oil pressure problem might not have that simple of a fix. good luck!

[truckdude239]

well i've replaced everything undernieth new rod and crank bearings new oil pump and pick up screen seemed to fix it somewhat till it warms up then i lose pressure i've even put an new sender unit in and yes it is an 5.0

[unclebubbles]

Originally Posted by truckdude239

well i've replaced everything undernieth new rod and crank bearings new oil pump and pick up screen seemed to fix it somewhat till it warms up then i lose pressure i've even put an new sender unit in and yes it is an 5.0

Also, when you pull the upper intake off, be sure to cover the exposed holes, to keep trash and dirt out. It keeps bolts, and nuts, and sockets out too, in case you fumblefinger one and it goes flying. lol I like to use duct tape to be sure. Also blow the top of the motor off with air , before you start the tear down, if you have it. As far as the oil pressure drop when the engine gets warm, that is most likely because of a worn crankshaft. It could be worn enough to have excessive bearing clearence, and cause the pressure drop when hot, but not bad enough to cause a knock. If you ever do this again and you dont have the tools to measure the bearing clearence, use Plastigauge. It is a plastic material designed to measure clearences, and you can get it at most any parts store. It is very accurate , and easy to use, just follow the directions on the pack. Good luck, and happy motoring

[truckdude239]

when i put the new berarings in i used Plastigauge and according to it i and an owner manual i was still with in specs

[unclebubbles]

Originally Posted by truckdude239

when i put the new berarings in i used Plastigauge and according to it i and an owner manual i was still with in specs

Ok, if the clearences are in spec, but toward the high end of the limit, it could still cause some pressure drop. The more clearence, the more drop. .003 is within spec on some engines, but thats still alot of clearence. Have you used a manual oil pressure gauge to check the pressure or are you going by the dash gauge? A good manual gauge would verify the readings. Also, if this is a high milage engine , or one that hasnt had good maintenence before you got it, it could have wear in other places. Worn Cam, and cam bearings , worn lifters, and wear in the lifter bores in the block, side clearence on the rod and main journals. Try the manual gauge if possible and repost, and tell us what the hot oil pressure is at cruise rpm, and at idle. When you get those valve covers off, you may find the return holes in the heads stopped up from sludge, and not letting the oil back to the pan quick enough. This can cause an oil starvation problem, and loss of pressure. .........later.....Ed