I've been looking for a write-up on this, but haven't found one yet so I'll just ask my question...
I seem to have blown my passenger side head gasket so I want to replace it. My truck is out of town so I'm going to take my tools and try to fix it where it is (which is luckily at a friends house.) At any rate I can't look at the engine to see if I can just remove the head or if I will need to remove the intake manifold or alternator, etc. Does anyone know off hand? Thanks.

 

What year?

 

1996, 360, 4x4, automatic

 

This is the step by step from the service manual, hope it helps you.

REMOVAL

1. Disconnect the negative cable from the battery.
2. Drain cooling system (Refer toCooling System for the proper procedures)
3. Remove the intake manifold-to-generator bracket support rod. Remove the generator.
4. Remove closed crankcase ventilation system.
5. Disconnect the evaporation control system.
6. Remove the air cleaner.
7. Disconnect the fuel lines.
8. Disconnect accelerator linkage and if so equipped, the speed control and transmission kickdown cables.
9. Remove the return spring.
10. Remove distributor cap and wires.
11. Disconnect the coil wires.
12. Disconnect heat indicator sending unit wire.
13. Disconnect heater hoses and bypass hose.
14. Remove cylinder head covers and gaskets.
15. Remove intake manifold and throttle body as an assembly. Discard the flange side gaskets and the front and rear cross-over gaskets.
16. Remove exhaust manifolds.
17. Remove rocker arm assemblies and push rods. Identify to ensure installation in original locations.
18. Remove the head bolts from each cylinder head and remove cylinder heads. Discard the cylinder head gasket.
19. Remove spark plugs.

INSTALLATION

1. Position the new cylinder head gaskets onto the cylinder block.
2. Position the cylinder heads onto head gaskets and cylinder block.
3. Starting at top center, tighten all cylinder head bolts, in sequence, to 68 N·m (50 ft. lbs.) torque. Repeat procedure, tighten all cylinder head bolts to 143 N·m (105 ft. lbs.) torque. Repeat procedure to confirm that all bolts are at 143 N·m (105 ft. lbs.) torque CAUTION: When tightening the rocker arm bolts, make sure the piston in that cylinder is NOT at TDC. Contact between the valves and piston could occur.
4. Install push rods and rocker arm assemblies in their original position. Tighten the bolts to 28 N·m (21 ft. lbs.) torque.
5. Install the intake manifold and throttle body assembly (Refer to Exhaust System and Intake Manifold)
6. Install exhaust manifolds. Tighten the bolts and nuts to 34 N·m (25 ft. lbs.) torque.
7. Adjust spark plugs to specifications (Refer to Ignition System) Install the plugs and tighten to 41 N·m (30 ft. lbs.) torque.
8. Install coil wires.
9. Connect heat indicator sending unit wire.
10. Connect the heater hoses and bypass hose.
11. Install distributor cap and wires.
12. Hook up the return spring.
13. Connect the accelerator linkage and if so equipped, the speed control and transmission kickdown cables.
14. Install the fuel lines.
15. Install the generator and drive belt. Tighten generator mounting bolt to 41 N·m (30 ft. lbs.) torque. Tighten the adjusting strap bolt to 23 N·m (200 in. lbs.) torque. Refer toCooling System for adjusting the belt tension.
16. Install the intake manifold-to-generator bracket support rod. Tighten the bolts.
17. Place the cylinder head cover gaskets in position and install cylinder head covers. Tighten the bolts to 11 N·m (95 in. lbs.) torque.
18. Install closed crankcase ventilation system.
19. Connect the evaporation control system.
20. Install the air cleaner.
21. Install the heat shields. Tighten the bolts to 41 N·m (30 ft. lbs.) torque.
22. Fill cooling system (Refer toCooling System for proper procedure)
23. Connect the negative cable to the battery.

 

This is the head bolt tightening sequence -

 

Thanks for the help.

 

Good luck!

 

thank you, im going to be doing my head gasket soon as well

 

hey chaotic, if you've not ever fixed your plenum gasket this is a perfect time while you've got it tore apart.

 

I have actually. I installed this engine back in April and fixed all that when I put the intake on. But thanks.