Fixing Bertha tomorrow

[Skandocious]

Finally got a driveway to use so I can replace the lower intake gasket in Bertha tomorrow. She's been parked in the garage for I think over a month now

Anyway-- shouldn't be a big deal but I've got one question to anyone who has taken off the lower intake before. The instructions from my Ford manual say to drain the coolant system... Now I'm sure that I'll lose a bit of coolant but is it really necessary to drain the entire system? Thing is-- I just changed my coolant and replaced it with (expensive) Zerex coolant not very long ago. Would like to not have to drain all of it out, nor do I really feel like doing the entire drain and refill.

Thoughts?

 

[kiwi f150]

Sorry Chris you'll have to drain it into a shallow bucket to save for refilling - you will lose too much coolant by removing the hose. That bertha of yours is a real nice looking truck - so nice its a shame to keep it hiding in the garage.

 

[smokey]

You will need to drain most of the coolant.
I have a piece of clear tubing that fits on the petcock, and I drain right in to gallon jugs no loss of any coolant and no mess.

 

[Fellro]

Even with the rad drained down, some will remain in the block. If you can get to one of the block drains, it is better. Otherwise, just draining the rad will help considerably over just pulling it apart.

X2 on Smokey's post. You can direct it where you want it that way. The block drain will be messy if you take it off, and be aware that crud many times blocks the drain hole, so you have to poke through the crud for it to drain.

 

[5.0Flareside]

i've never drained it...

i always just yank the lower intake off, and stuff rags in all the intake ports and clean up the galley with a good rag after the coolant gets down into it. and then clean up the gasket surfaces, while having a rag down the coolant ports to keep the crap out of them. then put it back together add coolant, change oil.... and fire it up...

make sure you have a good gasket scraper, RTV Black, just a dab at the corners and along the cork block end gaskets, and a good wire wheel and a drill... i like cleaning the surface with a wire wheel, gets it real clean...

 

[Dirky]

Use Permatex "Right Stuff".

Even if you need to drain the coolant, save it and then filter it to remove any debris.

Good luck!

 

[Skandocious]

Unsuccessful...

Got the upper intake off with few problems and started on the lower. First I broke about 5 of the brittle vac lines while disconnecting the harnesses on each of the fuel injectors (did I mention I hate the electrical connectors with TWO clips on them?). Started feeling like I wasn't going to finish today (because of all the new vac lines I'd have to run), and then I pulled the first bolt from the lower intake. Well... I pulled HALF of the first bolt-- the other half decided to stay in the block This bolt is the front-most passenger-side bolt, right where gasket/RTV failed. And it was broken before I pulled it out. So it seems that this bolt snapped at some point and the lack of torque allowed the RTV to push itself out and start a leak

Well I certainly didn't have the tools or the time to do this repair in my buddy's garage so I think I'm going to have my brother tow it up to Toms shop by my moms house and finish it there. I don't want to keep working on it in my buddy's garage.

Real crappy day...

 

[5.0Flareside]

that sucks... hope ya get the time to fix it.. i know they are runnin ya ragged there at Apple...

 

[Fellro]

i've never drained it...

i always just yank the lower intake off, and stuff rags in all the intake ports and clean up the galley with a good rag after the coolant gets down into it. and then clean up the gasket surfaces, while having a rag down the coolant ports to keep the crap out of them. then put it back together add coolant, change oil.... and fire it up...

make sure you have a good gasket scraper, RTV Black, just a dab at the corners and along the cork block end gaskets, and a good wire wheel and a drill... i like cleaning the surface with a wire wheel, gets it real clean...

If you drain it down, you don't generally have to drain the oil, the point of draining it down, as well as not making such a mess. When you work pro, you have to watch that stuff.