Help reqiured doing up EA Falcon - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

02-08-2003, 21:52

Hi,
My son is doing up his 1989 EA Falcon (Fairmont). It is a 3.9.

Is it possible to remove the motor without removing the transmission? Or, should the motor and transmission be removed as one unit? Is it more desirable to remove the motor and transmission as one unit? If the motor is removed and the transmission left behind, are there any problems getting the motor connected back onto the bell housing?

Also, when he removed the rocker cover, there was a moulded platsic component that seemed to be some sort of a seal. It follows the shape of the rocker cover, that is, staight along the intake manifold side of the engine and curved in-and-out along the exhaust manifold side on the engine. Does this item come as part of a gasket kit?

Is is replaced with a cork gasket?

Also, can some one provide me with information about the torques:

What tension should the head bolts be torqued to?

What tension should the cam carrier be torqued to?

What tension should the sump pan be torqued to?

What are people's thoughts on the replacement of head bolts?

Any advice on how to proceed would be most appreciated.

If you prefer, you can contact me direct on nicmac@deakin.edu.au

Thanks, Nick.

ViGiLaNtE · 02-08-2003, 22:14

All specs can be found in the Gregories manuals that some people have. Maybe you could purchase one, or if someone can help you with the specs from their manual.

Motor and Gearbox is usually best as you dont have to muck round too much with lining up the input shaft to the crank bush and torque converter. Some people may disagree.

It depends on what you doing to the car, if your only freshening up the engine, then mentally go thru the process of what you have to take apart to just get the engine out. Tailshaft will have to come out when you take gearbox out, shifter, exhaust, park brake cable etc, may have to be moved for everything to slide out.

Its up to you how you want to do it in the end.

ViGiLaNtE

02-08-2003, 22:20

Thanks for a very quick response. I cannot get into the chat room (will not load on PC).

We have removed the radiator. Do we need to remove the running gear (eg, power steering pump, air pump) before lifting?

Martin · 02-08-2003, 22:21

IMO the Max Ellery workshop manuals are better than the Gregorys, you should be able to get them from KMart. Or even better would be the factory ones...

Moran · 02-08-2003, 22:42

It is easier if you unbolt the Power steering pump and leave it in the car sitting in batterys place is usually good. the airconditioning compressor should be enbolded you can leavi it on the crossmember with lines still attached saves on regassing later.
As to wether to remove engine with or without transmission
I recommend with the transmission
The engine has been out of my car twice the first time leaving the transmission in car then the second taking both out together.
Getting the bell housing bolts out of transmission while in car is a very annoying process. plus lining the transmission up when putting engine back in it a pain in the neck I have been thru the prcess of with both auto and more recently with a manual It is so much simpler working with the engine and transmission attached rather than seperating in the car.

SiX_iN_a_RoW · 02-09-2003, 00:15

yeah there isnt much room to get to the engine/bellhousing bolts, I cant remember the torque specs at the moment, from your description I think you are talking about the rocker cover gasket, replace it with the rubber EB style gasket as the cork ones are terrible. when you do the head, replace the head bolts with AU2 falcon bolts, never reuse the headbolts as they stretch and will bottom out before the correct torque is reached. Im guessing you are reconditioning the head if you are pulling it off? Make sure you use a good quality head gasket, use the correct torque sequence and specs ( someone will have the info u need )
oh and by the way, when refitting the rocker cover, be sure not to over-tighten the retaining bolts as the cover is only made of a soft alloy and cracks very easily, just over finger tight is sufficient.