Some help with PI swap...

[96gt226410]

I was wondering if anyone had any good links for this. Also, for those who have done it already, how long does it take? Can I get it done in a day? I don't want to pull the motor to do it. Thanks guys...

 

[Dalamar]

Read over the "PI headswap and you" it's a Sticky on the top of this page.

then ask away if you have more questions.

It's a Long day of work if you havn't done a project like it before.
Yes it can be done in the car.

 

[96gt226410]

I read both of the stickys. I was just wondering if anyone had links with some pics... I've never taken the heads off of a Mustang before and I was just wondering about how long it'll take. Someone told me 12 - 15 hours. Does that sound right?

 

[Dalamar]

ya, that sounds about right.

perhaps you could do a search for "PI headswap" since it's a fairly common topic on here.

the tricky parts I remember is zip tying the head bolts in the head so they clear the strut tower, and the dipstick tube through the hedder, when placeing the head back on is a PITA.


Here's some pix from my swap:
In Car.

shiny!

 

[smasher41]

those new or remanufactured heads? they look very nice.

 

[Dalamar]

Thanks.
They were new heads, ported, valve job and cams.
Came all assembled

 

[96gt226410]

Sweet. Those heads look great. I just have stock heads. :'(... I was hoping to get it all done in one 8 hour day at my job. Maybe it'll take two Saturdays to get it done.

Should I make an appointment for a dyno tune? Or just wait until I install the LTs and gears? I can't do it all right now. I still need a tuner, an EGR delete kit, stage 8 locking header bolts, bearing and install kit for the rear, and a SpeedCal and I'm out of money, so I can only do the PI swap for now. Hopefully in a month, I can put the rest in. :dancing6:

And could I get away with running medium grade? 91 octane. Or do I have to run super? 93 octane.

 

[96gt226410]

At work Saturday I started the swap. I put in about 5.5 hours of work. I got the intake manifold off in less than 45 minutes. That was the easy part... I got the timing cover off, all of the accessories (which was a pain in the a$$ - 2 bolts rounded off on the water pump), and I loosened all of the head bolts. Do I have to take the master cylinder off to pull the heads? I can't get the bolts out of the heads because they're too long and hit the master. Or is there an easier way?... Once I got the timing cover off, I realized how bad my timing chain tensioners were. The right side was very loose. I know that one side is going to a little looser than the other, but not this loose. I ordered new chains, tensioners, guides, and followers through Ford. This swap is getting expensive now. Ha ha... I'll post pictures soon of where I'm at now. Can anyone help me with the questions I asked in my last post? Thanks guys...

 

[phil_the_thrill]

when you said you couldnt get all the head bolts out because they were too long, you have to pull them up as far as they will go them put tape around them to prevent them from sliding back down in the holes. be sure to do the same thing when to go to put them back on.

 

[Dalamar]

Ya, you have to stick them in the head and tape them, or zip tie - becasue the strut tower blocks the path to the hole.

 

[Adam]

Sweet. Those heads look great. I just have stock heads. :'(... I was hoping to get it all done in one 8 hour day at my job. Maybe it'll take two Saturdays to get it done.

Should I make an appointment for a dyno tune? Or just wait until I install the LTs and gears? I can't do it all right now. I still need a tuner, an EGR delete kit, stage 8 locking header bolts, bearing and install kit for the rear, and a SpeedCal and I'm out of money, so I can only do the PI swap for now. Hopefully in a month, I can put the rest in. :dancing6:

And could I get away with running medium grade? 91 octane. Or do I have to run super? 93 octane.

 

[Adam]

Wait till you put on the LTs before tuning. I ran 91 octane ethanol on my swapped 98. Just make sure your tuner understands that you don't want a tune n the edge. make it conservative..as in not a crap load of timing. I drove mine 3 hrs one way to get it tuned. I would wit till after LTs though.
On the head bolts i also used ruber bands. The head changing kit from Ford Racing comes with some rubber tubing that goes around the head bolts to hold them.

 

[96gt226410]

I was wondering what the hell those were. Ha ha... Do I still need to take the master and booster down?

 

[96gt226410]

When I took the passenger side head out, I was impressed to see how well everything held up. The valves were all clean, no carbon on the intake valves, no pitting on the exhaust valves, and pretty clean except for two ripped valve seals. I'm going to clean everything up and replace the valve seals and get the valves cleaned and then sell them. Does anybody need some NPI heads? ;D... I'll get a quote on porting and polishing from a local shop.

 

[96gt226410]

Do I need to take the master and booster off to take the driver's side head out? Can I take it out with the EGR still attached?

 

[96gt226410]

I got the driver's side head out with everything still attached. I think I'm going to leave out the EGR when I'm putting everything back together. It'll make my LT install so much easier... Anyone looking for NPI heads? I just hot tanked them, buffed them, and refurbished them with new valve seals. ;D

 

[Dalamar]

Ya, F - the egr.

I just made my own block plate.
you can get rid of that stupid square check valve thingie too.

 

[96gt226410]

What square check valve thing?

 

[Daywalker]

I've got a question, may be off topic though. For all that have done PI swaps, does your exhaust sound different afterwards? For some reason, PI GT exhausts always sound better than mine does. Does it have something to do with the cams maybe? Thanks...

 

[96mod289]

I noticed a differance. its because the motor dosent have to work so hard to suck air in. and the differant cams