My 1987 Two Door Crown Victoria AKA THE BROWN BLOB

[87gtVIC]

'bout half way there...

[DerekTheGreat]

Ya poor bhastherd... You must be really good at that now.

[87gtVIC]

Started this mess this afternoon.

Removed upper intake, drivers side header, alternator, fan shroud, fan and drained coolant. Just about to pull off the power steering pump pulley and the sky's opened up so I had to call it quits.

Quick recap...end goal is changing out drivers side head gasket, swapping in a t moss ported gt 40 lower intake and swapping in a new power steering pump and high pressure line. I have the newer steering box so I have to cut and re-flare the high pressure line of the pump to adapt to the newer steering box' stock high pressure line.

This (in red) may have been said in error.

I check my new 1987 power steering high pressure line and it seems to fit right into the double flare coupler I installed years back to adapt the newer boxes odd ball high pressure steel line to my stock set up. Fuzzy memories but I think I am good at just reinstalling the stock style high pressure line to the modified police box high pressure line through the double flare coupler....

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Fuzzy memories but I think I am good at just reinstalling the stock style high pressure line to the modified police box high pressure line through the double flare coupler....

You are indeed good to go. The box pressure line is 5/16" SAE (45-degree) double flare, the line nut it uses to attach to the box steering gear is also the correct thread to go into any standard 5/16" SAE flared union. So no mods needed to the box pressure line, just some creative routing.

[87gtVIC]

You are indeed good to go. The box pressure line is 5/16" SAE (45-degree) double flare, the line nut it uses to attach to the box steering gear is also the correct thread to go into any standard 5/16" SAE flared union. So no mods needed to the box pressure line, just some creative routing.

Perfect. The routing was always a bit funny because of the silly shape of that hose.

I vividly remember flaring something while hunched over the fender for the steering box upgrade.

It was the steering box side high pressure line. I installed it, cut to fit and did not want to remove it from the box in fear of damaging the seal in the box so I toughed it out and double flared the bastard in the bay. Un fun.

All bits from old lower intake are now swapped onto the T moss ported lower intake and ready to go.

Plan to clean out the threads in the block and p.side head and suck the coolant out of the lower head bolt areas and slap the head on tomorrow. Working outside kinda sucks..No not kinda but does A LOT.

[87gtVIC]

Got the head on a torqued as well as the lower intake. Next up I want to drop the dizzy back in and then install the push rods and rockers.

[mitymerc]

Looking good meng.

[sly]

Note to self... Do not trust TrickFlow hardware... bin it and get ARP.

This isn't my first run-in with crap stuff from TrickFlow. The valve spring compressor I got for the valve seal job on the 93's original engine broke on the second valve spring. They make good heads, but I have yet to see anything else they make that is decent or good quality.

[85crownHPP]

Have you done a head gasket write up yet, separate from this thread?
It'd be nice to see such a thing, to help convince me to finally do mine... ...I'm sure others in my situation in the future would love it too...!
Especially if you list all the things you would have done differently the first few times...!!!
I might copy posts out of this thread to assemble a make-shift one for the meantime?? And I think you'd be able to edit it too to add tips and hindsight 'druthers type info..., maybe it would be easier that way??

[His Royal Ghostliness]

Especially if you list all the things you would have done differently the first few times...!!!

You mean like just pull the engine out and do it on a stand? lol

[85crownHPP]

You mean like just pull the engine out and do it on a stand? lol

D'oh... this would be tough for me... is it really that much of a difference in ease/time ?? It'll be a parking lot job Unless I thought I could do it in a weekend... hhmmmm.... What are the chances of needing head surface work done, for a gasket blown between two cylinders??? didn't ever overheat or anything... how long does it take to do at least new valve seals/seats/guides and all??? I could always push it out of the shop if I'm not done by the next Monday morning.... !! Or roll the engine hoist & stand outside... so many options... desire to do it - growing..!!!!

[86VickyLX]

If she fails again I got a nice engine in a certain 92 Grand Marquis you can have for the right price...

[packman]

ARP bolts and Cometic head gaskets. I was told by a lot of people at E-Town and the local speed shop that is the way to go. They're pricey, but for a performance application, you save yourself a lot of trouble.

[gadget73]

Head gaskets are easy. Unbolt all of the things attached to the heads and remove. Unbolt the heads and remove. Change the bad parts, bolt it back together.

honestly the worst aspect of the job, particularly with iron heads, is the physical access. Lots of leaning over the fenders, and hauling the heads in and out sucks ass. None of it is particularly complicated, its all just a bunch of heavy awkward shit.

[85crownHPP]

What about doing valve guides/seats/seals??? Isn't this something one should do at that time??