[mttking]

Hey guys, been reading these forums for a while, so much good info on here. Looking for some upgrade advice. I am dropping my truck off monday to have some work done and am trying to decide if i am forgetting anything while the head is off.

Work being done
New head gasket
Valve job
Studs
Springs
Push rods
45% injectors
Coolant bypass

Anything else that i should think about that makes more sense to do now rather than waiting?

Garage is updated including work being done

Thanks

 

[Broaner]

Tap freeze plugs under valve cover for threaded plugs. Haisley sells the kit if they don't know about doing that.

They are resurfacing the head I assume? Magnaflux etc...

Which studs and what is the fueling level?

 

[mttking]

Are you referring to the plugs under the intake? If so they are already taken out and the cross-air intake was installed.

Yeah i didnt mention surface and magnaflux bEcause i cant imagine not doing that while it is off lol

As for fuel im running a fass 165, stock cp3 for the moment, want to see if it can keep up before i change it.

 

[Broaner]

The 1/2" plugs under the valve cover on the exhaust side. They pop loose and push coolant all through the crank case without you ever knowing until you are overheating or seized up from galling all the bearings. They are especially prone to pop out after a machine shop has just installed new ones. Its not mandatory but for $100 it will save a $7000 engine. Good to see you already have a coolant bypass so its not imperative but I'd still recommend it.

With stock fueling 425 head studs should be fine. If you had plans for heavy fueling I'd recommend 625 headstuds especially with compounds. 625's are also a good idea since it sounds like you are not resurfacing the block?

 

[Broaner]

Being an 07. You might not need a valve job. Its typically the older heads that drop seats. If they are doing the valve job, have them stake the new seats in.

 

[mttking]

i already asked them to do the threaded freeze plugs, no problems there, and im doing the valve job for peace of mind, i drive this truck 50-60k miles a year and if im taking the head off, i want to have everything freshened up and not worry about it.

i am not resurfacing the block, it is staying in the truck, and ive thought about going up to the 625s, but i dont beat on the truck, and i havent even had issues with factory head bolts for the past several months even with the compounds. I am doing this all for peace of mind, i didnt blow a head gasket and now i have to do it, i just dont know how the truck was treated before i owned it and i like to know where everything stands

 

[Broaner]

Huh? Pulling a head off a functioning truck? Nothing is wrong? Just clamp that thing down with 625's. The factory head gasket is the best it will ever be. The deck on the block being not resurfaced is more of a reliability issue than leaving the factory gasket down.

If you install the head studs one at a time to 90 lb/ft then you can take them to 150lbs/ft without disturbing the gasket.

 

[mttking]

yea i know plenty of people who have done it that way, and im sure its fine, i just will feel better knowing what everything looks like in there. I put around 60k on the truck per year and it needs to be solid. Ive seen people have issues doing both ways. this is the 1st thing im not doing myself, and its because i wasnt sure which way to go, and the shop is giving me a warranty on the gasket, so if its an issue... its their issue.

 

[mttking]

picked up the truck friday, what a difference with the new injectors. i only notice 2 issues which i havent had a chance to really check out yet.

1. not making as much boost, im assuming some kind of leak, exhaust or boost. only getting up to about 45psi where as before on stock fuel i was getting to 60ish

2. engine will not get above 185f or so. im assuming because of the coolant bypass, debating on going back to my electric fan setup that i had taken off because the controller went bad

 

[Baron85]

My truck runs cooler with the bypass. I think, I also changed from the factory electric fan clutch to the 90's ford fan clutch so that may play into it too. Before the bypass I would run 195 now I'm 190. Pulling mountains I would get to 215-220 now I haven't gotten over 210-215 I think. I just did the work so need more time on them to verify.