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2003 SPI Head Remove & Replace

19K views 22 replies 7 participants last post by  StubbornMike 
#1 ·
2003 Focus SPI. Doing a favor for a friend. They had the car at the supermarket and barely started when the went out, running horribly. Had it towed to my house, pulled the plugs in anticipation of doing compression test but didn't need to go that far- #4 spark plug electrode was folded over like a pretzel.

Wonder if I could get a couple of tips. I'm close to ready to lift the head off. Leaving intake manifold on as many here have suggested. Have exhaust dropped down but still have exhaust manifold on- seems like could get it out with that on too but probably making it too tight for myself. I have still haven't disconnected the fuel rail but it also seems like you can almost pull the injectors and rail out and swing out of the way too. One major question is on accessories like alternator, ac compressor and tensioner. The online instructions I've seen indicate disconnecting or moving all of them. I didn't remove any of them and I got the upper and center timing covers off and timing belt of the upper sprocket. It seems like the accessories and brackets are not bolted into the head. Yes/no ?

Assuming I don't find a holed piston, it seems I'll need the following:

-Reman head (~ $200 auction site.. any rec. on seller?)
-Timing belt, tensioner, water pump
-Head gasket, vc, gasket, timing cover gaskets?

Anything else?

Thanks, Dean
 
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#2 ·
Can't answer about the accessory bracket as the earlier 2000 Focus uses a smaller bracket and the p.s. pump mounts directly on the head.

But....... you may want to pull #4 piston (especially if you plan on keeping the car) because if your car was running at all when the seat dropped it most likely pinched the top ring between the lands on the piston.

The rings must 'float' around the piston. If they get pinched, eventually they will wear and you'll lose compression in a short time.

Don't forget to clean all pieces of the broken valve seat from: EGR tube, Intake Manifold, Exhaust Manifold, Split Port ........
 
#5 ·
Ended up disconnecting the exh. manifold and the intake manifold.. Left the intake manifold bolted to the block. Much easier in my opinion compared to leaving the intake on.. then you don't have to get every last hose and electrical connector.

#4 piston was chewed up pretty good as expected. A few small bits made it into the other cylinders but nothing major. Looks like cylinder walls are pretty clean.

I'm finding pistons/rings really only available in a set. What about changing the whole set of pistons/rings? It is a 130k mile car after all. The pan will be down so how much more work could it be.. Other questions:

- are the rod bolts torque to yield like the head bolts and thus can't be re-used?

- Any other must change parts in this job? I'll do water pump, timing belt and tensioner.

- Can/must I use an impact tool to pull the crank pulley/bolt? Or block the flywheel or cylinder to keep the motor from moving physically?

Thanks, Dean
 
#6 ·
That's nearly the best news you could have - 'cylinder walls look good'.

#4 piston is the easiest to change because the 'windage tray' only covers the first three pistons and won't have to come off for #4 alone. How much work you want to do depends on your schedule, budget and expected length of ownership.

I don't think the rod bolts are TTY. I've reused them with no problem.

If it's the original starter on the car, it would be easiest to change it now before it fails, after you remove the intake manifold for cleaning it out.

A strap wrench worked well to hold the damper/crank pulley when removing its bolt.

You can reassemble the head with manifolds and reinstall it on the car fairly easily. You just have to watch the oil fill tube when lowering everything down on the block.
 
#8 ·
Mr. A2000, very helpful, thank you very much. Unless I find it much cheaper for a single piston/rings, I'll buy the set and then call an audible when I get the pan down.

I had thought of duct taping the block off and using tons of compressed air to clean out the intake manifold. If you think I need to really get it out of there, should be safe to use water and then compressed air? Is it all just cast passages I'll be blowing through with water?

I'm trying to pick the best ebay/reman head supplier- open to suggestions.

Thanks again.

Dean
 
#9 · (Edited)
I boiled out my intake - you'll have a lot of the valve seat trapped in oily gunk in the manifold. You need to clean everything mentioned earlier or be prepared to replace the head, maybe more, again. Remove anything electrical before cleaning.

I used this company for my head: http://www.headsonly.com/

Ideally you want the head reworked to AERA specs. Good luck.
 
#11 ·
there is a spec but I don't remember it..... you should be able to tighten them all down though.

I guess you got it figured out but all I had to do to remove the head was take off the accessory belt and loosen the tensioner on the timing belt and it was off (yes I took the manifolds off too). then again it's so easy when the whole engine is on a stand [werd]
 
#12 ·
Loctite on cam gear bolt and crank bolt

Thanks for the word on the rocker bolts.

Are you supposed to use loctite on cam gear bolt and crank pulley bolt?

Have one bad intake manifold bolt thread in new head... what a drag. I don't know if they are going to ask me to try to tap ....
 
#13 · (Edited)
yeah - they include a note saying threads are checked but you may encounter a thread that won't support torque. Or something to that affect. They ask that you put a helicoil in - easy job to do your self.

Don't forget to put a camshaft seal on before you attach the cam gear.

And I rotated the cam to torque everything the first time, so I could check clearance specs - the lifters weren't pumped up yet anyway. Later when the lifters were pumped up and I was checking a few things I did rotate the cam just as an added precaution to be sure I had plenty of threads started before cranking down on the rocker bolts - it's an aluminum head so be careful !

I don't have the specs in front of me but I think they might be here under SPI:

http://www.focusfanatics.com/forum/showthread.php?t=119031
 
#15 ·
I believe the wrist pin is pressed in - I replaced the piston and rod as an assembly.

You may want to consider not reusing the rod as it may have been stressed too when trying to compress big pieces of the valve seat.
 
#16 · (Edited)
Bent rod; oil pan gasket?

In fact impossible- now that I've pulled the pan and all pistons/rods, I found the #4 piston skirt in bits and the rod bent. I'll see if the machine shop that was going to swap my pistons has one.

Question on oil pan-- repair instructions indicate just make a gasket of RTV. Factory had a neoprene gasket on there. RTV method is ok? Pretty big channel in the pan- will be a good bit of RTV. [Update. Felpro makes the gasket -getting one]

Thanks, Dean
 
#17 ·
Project Summary so far

Machine shop should have 1 new rod and all pistons pressed on the old and 1 new rod by tomorrow. Also to be safe having them install the rings.

With the rod/machine shop labor, I think I'm at about $725 in parts now. $325 of that is the reman head. Near $100 for pistons/rings, about $80 for the water pump/timing belt/tensioner kit and the rest gaskets/misc.

Cylinder bores fortunately look pretty good. A whole lot of piston/skirt from #4 chunked its way down into the bottom of the oil pan.
 
#18 ·
Getting the crank cam timed correctly

Getting the car back together slowly. Bottom end of the motor all back together.

I'm thinking one of my biggest risks is getting the timing belt out of time. I know to get #1 and #4 cylinders at the very top of their stroke. What is the best way to know that I've got the cam at the right degree? I guess purely based on the mark on the cam gear? I've never done this before so I'm a little afraid of being off a tooth.
 
#19 ·
I am in the same situation, I've already taken the head off and everything but now I am having the hardest time finding a conn. Rod because mine is done. I have been having no luck whatsoever. I already have the piston and remanufactured head. Any help guys?
 
#20 ·
I got mine from an engine builder/machine shop. I needed them to press the new pistons on anyway.

16mo and modest mileage on the 'rebuild' and the car runs good. The new timing belt tensioner let go early this year though. No other damage; just changed it out.
 
#22 ·
I'm rebuilding a SOHC 2.0 SPI and have less than complete faith in the specifications provided by our trusty friends at Fel-Pro. Could I get a few second opinions on the torque specifications and end sequence for the Head Bolts? I currently have them all at 44 ft/lbs and will hold sequence until a consensus of the SPI gods has been made. Thank you.
 
#23 ·
I am curious how that worked out for you? I currently preformed a total rebuild however I used the specs as mentioned and 100 miles later I have a blown head gasket. It did NOT over heat, no water in oil vise vera. I had so much pressure coming out the reservoir you could not keep the cap on it. Block was resurfaced and head was a reman unit. I now reordered a gasket kit and new bolts again and should be getting them in the mail just after Thanks Giving...
 
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