whats so special about a 3.0l ford timing cover?

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Got an 04 ranger here at the shop. Timing cover to block gasket is leaking coolant . I've done tons of these jobs on other engines and they were real easy. This one calls for 10 hrs labor! What's the story behind that?
 
Mitchell shows that includes pulling the engine.

It is saying to remove the flex plate before removing the oil pan.
 
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trans has to come off to get oil pan off. you can get the comer off with out taking the pan off but you will get a little coolant in the pan.
 
Leave the pan alone. Pull the cover, do your thing and replace cover using some rtv on the pan gasket (top and bottom of gasket). Just remember that there are a couple of pan bolts that go up into the timing cover.
 
10 hours? [censored], I hope this doesn't happen to me.

I really don't see where they are getting that figure from though. I don't really see how anything on this motor in this truck could take 10 hours. I'd just wing it and proceed. The Vulcan in the Ranger is not complex...it's a 30 minute plugs or t-stat kind of engine. Nothing is complicated.
 
IDK if you actually have to pull the engine, but a lower flange of the timing cover goes between the oil pan and the block. It's a lousy design in that regard and can be a PITA.

If it's a 2wd you may be able to lift the front of the engine enough to lower the pan, but I don't recall for sure. But the risk of leaks there goes up. Most likely you have to pull the engine, thus 10 hr.

If you want to change the oil pan gasket, you have to pull the engine on the 2wd as the pan won't clear the cross member to get past the oil pump internally.

I've heard of folks actually cutting the new oil pan gasket and working it into place but they never seem to report back whether that sliced new gasket now leaks....BTW that tactic also assumed you can get the old gasket off from the side. Good luck with that.

You might consider pulling the engine and trans together, drop the oil pan as Ford says, then shoehorn the assembly back in as one unit without separating the two. It was separating the two that was the bad idea for me. Laying on my back in my garage is not the way to get the flex plate and trans to line up without major, major headaches, even with a neighbor helping.

On some 4wd there may be enough room between the cross-member and the oil pan that you can actually lower it without pulling the engine.
 
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Originally Posted By: The_Eric
Leave the pan alone. Pull the cover, do your thing and replace cover using some rtv on the pan gasket (top and bottom of gasket). Just remember that there are a couple of pan bolts that go up into the timing cover.


I forgot to mention- Just remember to be selective about the type of and amount of cleaner you use on the pan gasket. Since it's rubber, it will swell if you spray too much on it.

This the only way I've ever done this job and yet to have a problem.
 
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