Here are a few take aways from the head gasket project that might help some others out. DD51T - F6A .First of all this job is very doable without removing/dropping the engine. I did not remove or disconnect the carburetor either. I didn't lose any coolant to speak of or drain the coolant either. You will need to re-time the engine most likely. Reference this link that will walk you through it. http://www.minitrucktalk.com/showthread.php?15689-Engine-timing You will need a size 8 hex head driver to put on a torque wrench so you can remove and re-install the cylinder head. You will also need an assortment of 8mm, 10mm, 12mm, and 17mm wrenches and sockets with a variet of extentions. I used a deep 5/8 socket for spark plug removal. You'll also want a "creeper" or some way to easily move around under your truck unless you have a lift. Otherwise you gotta jack up the front of your truck about as high as you can get it safely. I would also have several cans of brake cleaner, engine degreaser, PB Blaster break free, wd-40. I bought a full engine gasket kit for the F6A so I had all of that on hand when I began the project. It took me 4 full days (about 26 man hours) to do because I was learning as I went and the engine timing process through me for a loop despite being pretty simple (wasted a day on that). If I was to do it again I think I could do everything in 1 day. Maybe a day and a half. Alright so heres what I did. In order of what I did. 1. Remove seats 2. Remove rear engine access cover 3. Remove air filter box - (two 12mm bolts on the bottom of it, access from under the truck) 4. Remove alternator - (total of 3, 12mm bolts and disconnect two wires) 5. Loosen A/C compressor mounting bolts so it can swivel in place 5. Remove the A/C belt and Alternator belt 6. Remove a metal guard plate that sits above the driver side CV axle where it connects to front differential. Held on by two phillips head screws access from under the truck. 7. Step 6 allows you enough room to get a 1/2 inch drive air impact wrench with 17mm socket onto the bolt that hold the alternator pully onto the crankshaft. Pop that bolt loose and pully will come off with a little coaxing. 8. Remove timing belt covers and oil dip stick. (Several 10mm bolts and one nut to hold dipstick in place) Dip stick and its sleeve will just pull out of the engine once the nut is removed. 9. Remove spark plugs 10. Remove valve cover 11. Remove intake manifold - without disconnecting vaccum lines unless you feel comfortable putting them back on (Several 10mm bolts holding intake mani on. Be patient, some are hard to reach and you'll need a combo of wrenches and sockets with different length extensions. One of the intake bolts sits up near the thermostat housing and is much longer to accommodate its further reach. I believer there are a total of 7 bolts and two nuts holding it on. I know its a total of 9 threaded items holding the intake manifold on. 12. After bolts removed use a plastic or similar material thin prying device and with a little coaxing the intake manifold will break free from the cylinder head. You'll only be able to lift the intake just high enough to get off the cylinder head since we did not remove the carburetor and vaccuum lines. 13. Remove heat shield on bottom of the exhaust manifold. (3, 10mm nuts) 14. Remove exhaust manifold (10mm) There is one 12mm bolt that is about six inches below the exhaust manifold that is put in place so that the exhaust manifold can't come off even if you removed the 10mm mounting bolts. You have to remove this 12mm nut and bolt to get everything to drop away from the engine. 15. Remove the distributor gear assembly (access through engine bay in truck bed) by removing the 3, 10mm bolts that hold it onto the cylinder head. About 4 tablespoons of oil will spill out. 16. Loosen 12mm timing belt tensioner center bold and disconnect the spring right next to it. 17. Use impact gun and 17mm socket to remove the camshaft gear. Timing belt should also come off at this point. 18. Now its time to remove the camshaft brackets (8mm I believe) They are numbered from 1 to 5. Also remove the rocker arms and pay very close attention to how everything was before you take it out and make sure to put it back exactly the same. 19. Once the camshaft is free of brackets and obstructions grab the back of it where the distributor gear is and lift away from the cylinder head. Now you'll see the cam hang up near the timing belt housing back plate. Gently pry the back plate away from the engine while maneuvering the cam shaft and you will get it to come out. 20. Now you can access the 8mm hex head bolts that hold the cylinder head onto the engine block. Remove them. For 12 valve engines like my F6A the book calls for 600-650 kgcm which I converted to 45 ft/lbs of torque upon reinstalling them. 21. At this point you should be able to pry the cylinder head off the block and take it over to a work bench to clean up. Plug all the holes with damp paper towwls before you begin removing old gasket material. You definitely want to use a small 90 degree angle air angle grinder with a scotch bright pad (scotch bright pads and roloc attachment piece available at autozone) to clean off the old gasket residue. 22. Make sure to use the air grinder with scotch bright pad to clean off the intake manifold and exhaust manifold while they are still sitting in the engine bay. Its not ideal to be cleaning these off while they are still in the engine bay however we saved a ton of time and work by not removing the carb/vaccuum lines and not removing the exhaust pipe and muffler. 23. Once you got it all cleaned up install your new head, intake, and exhaust gaskets and begin assembling everything. Head bolt torque should be about 45 ft/lbs. 24. Now its time to start re-installing everything in reverse. STOP when you get to the timing belt and distributor installation and reference the timing link I posted at the top of this thread. Do not install alternator until after you get the timing dialed in. Once you get timing done then proceed with the timing belt covers and re-installing alternator.
Real good post,like spaner said the "do I have to remove engine" comes up a lot and way too many people get themselves in trouble by just jerking vacuum lines off with no thought of putting things back together. This would make a good sticky.
Glad I found this info,enabled me to get the intake manifold off mine and fix a leaking water line,thanks again.
Unfortunately, I think I'm going to find myself perform this task on my truck pretty soon. When sitting for more than a couple hours, it produces a bit of white smoke upon starting and it seems to be getting worse. The writeup looks very good, but I can't seem to find the article about engine timing. This might be what I need: http://minitrucktalk.com/threads/engine-timing.15689/#post-91135
