Changing valve cover gaskets on 460

[Nick Danger]

Anyone changed valve cover gaskets on a Ford 460? Mine are leaking on my 19889 370 LE and I need to replace them. I just wanted to know if there were any anamolies with the 460 or any special order to do the work.

Also, there are 4 small tubes that traverese each valve cover gasket. They appear to terminate near the spark plug behind the heat shields. Any idea what these are?

Many thanks for your help/advice.

[swebster]

Nick,
While I haven't worked on a 460. I did replace the gaskets on my 454 last fall. Other than moving things out of the way to get to them it was pretty straightforward.

One question on the tubes. On the 454 there was an AIR pump system which injected pressurized air from two belt driven pumps into the manifolds as an emissions system. Are these what you are talking about with the tubes?

Any chance you could post a picture?

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Nick Danger

Anyone changed valve cover gaskets on a Ford 460? Mine are leaking on my 19889 370 LE and I need to replace them. I just wanted to know if there were any anamolies with the 460 or any special order to do the work.

Also, there are 4 small tubes that traverese each valve cover gasket. They appear to terminate near the spark plug behind the heat shields. Any idea what these are?

Many thanks for your help/advice.

Nick, I think Steven is right, those sound like AIR tubes. If you really, REALLY want to know, A.I.R. is an acronym for Air Injector Reactor, or an air injection system. They will no doubt be very brittle, and subject to breaking VERY easily. If they do (and they might) you will have two choices: either buy replacements from Ford, or disconnect the tubes, and take the drive belt off the smog pump. If you have emissions testing, and your MoHo is one that has to be tested, you pretty much will have to replace them. If possible, and if they are in the way, put some penetrating oil on the threads going into the manifolds, and let them sit overnight. This will (hopefully) reduce the tubes' tendency to round off, or crush, or break off.
If by some chance they are not AIR tubes, they could well be there to run the plug wires through, to keep the wires from being cooked by the engine heat.
If you can, post a photo of them, maybe we will recognize them.

[Nick Danger]

I'm going to try to post a picture.


Here it goes:

[Nick Danger]

Here is a better lighted picture. Note : tubes next to spark plug wires are the ones in question.

[Nick Danger]

Ouch!! That didn't come out as planned.........

[swebster]

Nick,
Yeah, those look like air injection tubes. Getting them off is a real bear because they are threaded into the exhaust manifold and the only thing you can get on them is an open end or tube wrench. I broke virtually every one on the drivers side twisting the tubes in the removal process, but I was taking them off to add headers.

From your pics they look like they are in pretty good shape. I would suggest hitting them with something like PB Blaster every day and try each one a little bit at a time. It may take a while but they might come out.

Of course, whenever I end up trying to be patient with a rusted nut it's only a matter of time before I get out the propane tourch and the angle grinder....followed by a late night trip to the parts store....but maybe that's just me

BTW - Those are some serious heat shields!

[Nick Danger]

Stephen..


Thanks for the info.

Where does the other end of the tube terminate?

Are the tubes readily available from an auto parts store or will Mr. Ford stick it to me?

Re: the heat shields - I've never had a heat/plug wire issue, so I guess they work as designed.

[87MH]

Originally Posted by Nick Danger

Stephen..Where does the other end of the tube terminate?

Nick:

I'll jump on this one -

The tubes terminate dead center of the exhaust manifold.

Installed, they look as if they take up a lot of space in the manifold interior and may restrict the exhaust gasses in the manifold somewhat.

The purpose of the tubes are to inject air from the engine driven (pollution) compressor into the exhaust (as close to the engine as possible) in order to meet federal mandated exhaust emission limits.

Some 454's actually have two pollution compressors.

In most aftermarket header installations these are not reinstalled - it's the owner's call, though, some states are more aggresive than others when it comes to enforcing the original polllution equipment requirements on older vehicles.

[ALANSD]

in our state, vehicles over 10,000 pounds are exempt.

[swebster]

Nick,
Dennis is right, on the 454 they actually terminate up inside the head about 3/4" - 1" from the exhaust valve. When you see them you begin to understand why mid eighties big blocks have "breathing" issues.

Not sure if they still offer replacements for the 460. I did find them for the 454 but the replacement cost exceeded the cost of the headers I was installing.

All of this seems like a lot of work what should be a simple valve cover replacement. Try soaking them with PBBlaster and see if you can even get the fittings to move. I would hate to see this turn into an exhaust project on you.

[Nick Danger]

Thanks for the tips, fellas.


As I'm going to Daytona for Biketoberfest in late October and taking friends in the coach, I think I will put this project on the back burner. I'd rather keep the small leak and replenish the lost oil on that trip ( only 300 miles round trip) than take the chance of hosing something up and not being able to complete a timely fix. I'll tackle it after the hedonism of Daytona.

Again, thanks for the tips. I'm sure glad I asked.

[overlander63]

Originally Posted by Nick Danger

Thanks for the tips, fellas.
Again, thanks for the tips. I'm sure glad I asked.

Nick, I think on the 460, the tubes terminate at an air pump check valve, also known as a gulp valve. From there, a rubber hose leads to a diverter valve, then to the smog pump.