FInally found the right one, 2000 E250 - Prepping some axles...

[sdski]

So I got in there with a boroscope today and took a peek inside the cylinder and at the threads. I don't see any metal chunks in the cylinder, such as obvious pieces of threads, but obviously even though I shut it down right away they would still have been tossed around if anything had fallen in. Then I backed it out and checked the threads. The threads appear to be in tact from what I can tell, and there is definitely no obvious fresh metal. I can say that the sparkplug I pulled looks like it might have a few more than the 5k miles the previous owner claimed on it. The threads on the sparkplug also show no real damage, and no aluminum threads that had sheared off in it.

Anyways, I talked to a co-worker who had this happen on a 4.6, he said he bought a new plug, torqued it correctly and never had a problem again. He doesn't know exactly how many miles, but its been a while. I think at this point my plan is to get all new plugs, a new coil and pull all the plugs and torque the new ones correctly to spec so that I know it has been done right. I think I am just going to put a new plug in this hole, with no apparent thread damage I see no reason to drill out and helicoil, I think the plug was undertorqued and backed out. If the PO was correct these plugs have only been in there for 5k miles and were put in by a private shop, not the dealer.

As far as the axle, I have been thinking a lot about this, and it didn't help when Scoutkid brought it up, but maybe I should spring for the Sterling 10.5 rear. I wanted to go a little higher gear ratio than 3.73, but got the front to match the rear so I wouldn't have to re-gear. I can get a good 4.10 front and matching rear from the same guy I got the busted 3.73 axle from as a replacement, then I don't need to mess around with adapters and I have disks in the rear. It will cost me a little more up front, but I am hoping I can sell the current rear and recover a little of that and it will be a better rig in the long run. Deciding down the road that my 3.73s aren't enough is going to cost me a lot more than matching axles with 4.10s will right now... That is, assuming that I can get the axles without having a van to pick them up in.

 

[sdski]

Blownout Sparkplug Update

I've been pretty busy, but I'll be getting back to the van tomorrow. I bought a Time-sert kit which was more than I would have liked to spend but man I really am blown away by the quality of this kit just looking at it. I'll find out tomorrow how well it works and put a few pictures up of the process. If anyone else here has this problem I might be willing to rent the kit out to recover some of the cost, its a win-win!

Here is the kit:

Made in the USA

 

[nely]

Thats the kit we use at my work. Those are my absolute FAVORITE thread repair kit.

Good luck with the repair. It isnt that bad to do when you have that kit to use.

 

[sdski]

Thanks Nely. Like I said, the quality of this kit really impresses me and everything is designed to bottom out and stop at correct depths which is awesome. The one thing that confused me is that now that I have the kit the tools say "Big-Sert" on them and the inserts are their big-sert style. Browsing around the internet last night I realized that they don't make their standard time-serts in the correct size for the Triton engines and that the Ford specific kit is really their big-sert kit with the extra counterbore tool for clearing away material to seat the insert properly in the Romeo heads (I believe all the vans are Windsor?). So its removing a little more material than I would have liked, but if I ever come across someone with a blown helicoil I'll be able to fix that too!

 

[sdski]

Spark plug hole is fixed. The time-sert kit worked great. I put a hose through a rubber stopper that fit in the spark plug hole and blew a little air through to make sure the valves were closed before starting. This is a lot nicer than pulling the valve cover.





Greasing the cutters really helped keep shavings from dropping in the engine



Before inserting the insert I took a piece of cotton wrapped over this nylon engine brush which I sprayed with brake cleaner.



This cleaned the grease out really well. I tried using a vacuum with a hose connected to vacuum the cylinder to clean up the bits that made it in the cylinder, but with the grease and everything (not having much control of the hose once its in the cylinder) it really didn't do much for the little bits that got in. Knowing that my valves were closed I found that putting a small diameter vinyl hose in the cylinder and blowing air through (and letting it whip around a little inside the cylinder) worked way better. I could see and feel the aluminum bits coming out through the spark plug hole.

I would not attempt this fix without an air ratchet and a borescope.

After I fixed the hole I pulled and replaced all the other plugs. This was way easier than I anticipated, and none of the others were loose. I checked each one before pulling it and they were all to torque. I hope this is the end of the sparkplug issues, its time to get back on track to 4x4.

 

[ujoint]

Nice. I bet you're glad that's done!

 

[chasespeed]

Time-serts are AWESOME. I have used them in a lot of different things, their efectiveness NEVER seems to amaze me...

Good job man...

Chase

 

[sdski]

I have been slacking on the updates.

The guy who sold me the busted D60 front with 3.73s was nice enough to take it back and swap me for a D60 front with 4.10s, so I picked up a Sterling rear from him with 4.10s to match. It wasn't my initial plan, but now I don't have to fumble with matching the lug patterns, plus I have disc brakes, plus I've got a little extra torque back there to help the 5.4 with 33s. I calculated it out and my RPMs at 65mph with 33s and 4.10ss (cruising in OD) would theoretically be around 1900, whereas with stock tires and stock 3.73s its theoretically somewhere around 1840.

Going down to pick up the axles made for an interesting day, the guy who owns all the trucks uses a forklift to move them around his yard (with an attachment on the forks and chains to the front frame rails) and drove too close to a ditch with the mast up around 15 feet... Thank god he wasn't pinned under the forklift or worse, I don't know how he escaped. The truck lurched in after, thankfully he had a tow truck to get it out so I could pull the axle off, when I left he was giving up on getting the forklift out for the night.



Here are the dirty axles:



And the front getting stripped down and ready to get cleaned up:



it was about this time that my roommate pointed out that this axle seemed like the tube was pushed back (angled backwards) in the casting. If thats the case then there is no way in hell I'm getting more parts from this guy, but I can't tell if it really is or if its my eyes playing tricks on me, and the only way I can think to check is by pulling the axle shafts and gears and checking to see if the tubes are concentric with a bar through the tubes from one side to the other. I really don't want to spend the time to do this...





So I got to work on the rear axle, and got to use a plasma cutter for the first time, I don't know how I ever got by without one.



Then I got out the good ole POR 15 and shined things up a little (I'll grind off for spring pad placement when I determine my pinion angle, thats for another day, I couldn't get it all done last weekend):





I also went ahead and weighed the front of my van for suspension purposes, I just need to figure out the weight of all the TTB crap to subtract out:




(the other side was around the same weight, but I don't have my notebook with me to say exactly)


SO, heres where I am at and I have a few questions at this point too. First I need to make a decision on that D60 front, the tube seems straight into the casting, but doesn't seem concentric with the other side, but it might just be the casting playing tricks with my eyes. Does anyone else have pictures of a D60 front on sawhorses in that position that I could compare too? Anyone know a better way to determine if its straight? I took some measurements and I have some math to do tonight to get a better rough idea, but we'll see.

As far as brakes for the Sterling go, for those who have converted the rear van axle with drums to sterling with discs, what did you use for a proportioning valve? I am thinking of trying to find one out of a 5.4 F-250, but otherwise maybe a "universal" adjustable one? What have you used for e-brake cables? How does the length compare?

For front driveshafts, does it make the most sense to pick one up from a superduty and have it modified for the van? Or have one custom built from scratch?

For shock mounts on the rear, I have the factory superduty ones that attach with u-bolts. Initially I was planning on just welding my own tabs on, but does anyone have experience with these? Seems like I should just paint them and re-use them.

So thats where I am at, thanks to all who have helped me and the wealth of information I have gathered from other posts. Once I make a determination on what to do with this axle hopefully this thing will be sitting on 33's in no time at all. Hopefully.

 

[ujoint]

The axle is playing tricks, I've seen the same thing. if you run the 271 t-case, get a donor truck shaft. It most likely will need some modification depending on how you do the suspension, but you'll save $$ by going this route. The van axle shock mounts are wider than the truck, so I would go with your plan to weld some tabs on. The truck bolt on mounts use a dowel pin for locating, and you won't be able to use that.

 

[sdski]

Thanks Chris, that is reassuring. I will be running a BW1356, so I was planning on modifying the driveshaft no matter what, I just wasn't sure if I could save some $$ by using a stock superduty shaft.

Let me get my "ducks in a row" and then I think there might be a few things I need from your site...

 

[ujoint]

Do you already have the 1356? The SD shafts have a flange, and the 1356 most likely has a yoke. So you probably won't be able to use it. Consider the 271, it's a better t-case and you'll save $$ on the front shaft.

 

[sdski]

Yeah I have a 1356, I got a good price on it from the local junkyard. Unfortunately there are no good junkyards around me that I have found with trucks. And yes, it has a yoke output for the front. I'll have to think about this one, if I come across a 271 for a good price then maybe it will make sense to pick it up, but I'll probably just stick with the 1356 and find something that works.

I still haven't opened the 1356 up however, so if something is wrong then I'll seek out a 271.

Thanks for the help, I appreciate it.

 

[sdski]

So ujoint, you say you have had front axles that were messing with your eyes and seemed "bent" before? I decided I was going to tear it down this weekend and replace all seals, ball joints and u-joints, and when I got the passenger side axle shaft free from the knuckle seal (so only the inner axle bearing and spider gear were holding it in) it was forced all the way towards the front of the axle inside the tube (towards diff cover) at the end of the tube. It does not come in and out easily, and getting it concentric with the tube takes a little pushing backwards (towards pinion). I forgot my camera this weekend, so its hard to describe without pics, but I think I might have a junk housing. Perhaps I can try to straighten it? Or is this normal? I would think I should be able to slide the axle shaft straight in the axle and not have to go in the tube at an angle to get it to seat right.

I would just toss this one in since I likely won't have functional 4x4 for a few months and I don't think it would cause problems driving in 2wd (plus then when I find a good one it will be a quick bolt-in, everything will be done), but that means spending money replacing ball joints and such on an axle that I know is bad.

 

[ujoint]

Thats definitely not normal for the axle shaft to be cocked like that. It must have taken a pretty hard hit to the pass side.

 

[sdski]

Yeah the truck I pulled it from had no front end damage, but I know it came from another parts truck and was put under that one just so it could be rolled around the yard, so I have no idea what the story was with the original truck. The ujoint on the passenger side axle shaft had two busted caps though, when I started pushing it out they were falling apart. There is no other damage that would suggest a hard enough hit to shift the tube though...

I'll get a pic next time I have it out of the back of the van (its great when your project vehicle is also your garage).

Any chance you have any decent housings laying around? I found a few complete axles for the $800 range around here, but I don't want to pay that. All I need that I don't already have is potentially one wheel bearing, one seems good, one has play.

Has anyone ever tried straightening a tube in the casting?