Fix It

Relieve the pressure in the fuel system as follows: Remove the fuel filler cap; Disconnect the fuel pump relay; Run the engine until it stops. Be sure to reinstall the relay when you have completed the repairs. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery. Be sure to disengage the security system before disconnecting the battery.

Drain the engine coolant into a container and save it for re-use or recycling. Remove the spark plugs, timing belt covers, the timing belt, camshaft sprockets and camshafts. Follow the procedures to mark the components in order to re-install the camshafts properly.

Remove the intake and exhaust manifolds (use the penetrating oil to loosen the bolts if necessary) and any other brackets, hoses or components blocking access to the heads.

Loosen the head bolts in the reverse order they are installed: Start with the outside bolts in an "X" pattern and loosen the center bolts last. The erence below will indicate the exact sequence. Remove the heads and place a clean towel in each cylinder to prevent contamination.

Clean the gasket mating surfaces caully and thoroughly. Install the new gaskets on the head locating lugs and install the heads with the bolts finger tight. Use the torque wrench and angle indicators in the tightening sequence and procedures to complete the installation process. Assemble the other parts in reverse of the order they were removed.

Place a container under the radiator and remove the drain cock. Drain the coolant into the container and replace the drain cock. Store the coolant for later use.

Disconnect the mounting bolts for the shroud on the cooling fan with a socket wrench, if your F-150 is so equipped. Remove the shroud and disconnect the hoses from the water pump. Remove the accessory drive belt, cooling fan, cooling fan pulley and fan spacer.

Remove the pivot bolt for the alternator and the mounting bolt for the alternator adjusting arm with a socket wrench. Disconnect the bracket for the power steering pump if your F-150 has power steering.

Remove the bolts that attach the water pump to the cover of the timing chain, using a socket wrench. Disconnect the water pump and discard its gasket.

Coat the new gasket with sealer and install the new gasket into its mounting groove on the timing chain cover. Connect the new water pump and tighten its mounting bolts to 18 foot-pounds with a torque wrench.

Connect the hoses to the water pump and install the shroud for the cooling fan if your vehicle is so equipped. Attach the cooling fan, the cooling fan pulley and the cooling fan spacer. Install the accessory drive belt. Replace the coolant in the radiator.

Remove the old gasket material from both sides of the exhaust youll be connecting with the copper gasket with the 2-inch metal scraper.

Wipe both sides of the scraped exhaust connection with the clean rag to remove loose debris from the surfaces of the exhaust connection.

Set the copper gasket on top of the worktable and inspect the gasket to ensure that the gasket is flat.

Tap the high spots of the copper gasket lightly with the rubber mallet to straighten the gasket, if necessary.

Open the squeeze tube of copper silicone sealant by puncturing the foil covering the end of the squeeze tube with the top of the tubes cap.

Run continuous beads of the copper embedded silicone around each opening in the exhaust connection.

Gently place the copper gasket on one side of the exhaust connection and then place the other side of the exhaust connection against the copper gasket.

Reconnect the exhaust system per your specific situation while keeping the copper gasket in place.

Straighten and resurface the cylinder head to within the specifications of the MLS gasket, usually between 20 and 30 Ra. Straightening and milling should be done by a machinist with equipment capable of resurfacing the metal to within tolerance as other resurfacing methods, such as by hand, may result in irregularities to which the head gasket cannot conform.

Install the MLS gasket by placing the gasket on the engine block. For reusing MLS gaskets, it is possible to apply a very thin coating of RTV silicone to replace any small gaps in the .01 inch seal factory installed on all MLS gaskets. Both sides of the gasket should be recoated with the very thin layer or RTV silicone, if necessary.

Install the cylinder head on the engine block. Tighten and torque the retaining bolts according to manufacturer specifications.