This procedure covers removal and replacement of the main bearing caps and inserts on the 5.0L Coyote V8 engine, requiring complete engine removal and disassembly.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Main bearing set (standard or appropriate oversize) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Main bearing thrust washers × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Engine oil filter × 1 — FL-820S or equivalent
• Oil pan gasket × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Timing cover gasket × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Rear main seal × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Lower intake manifold gaskets × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Exhaust manifold gaskets × 2 — Use OEM specification
• Valve cover gaskets × 2 — Use OEM specification
• Coolant hoses (if degraded) × 1 — Use OEM specification
• Motorcraft Silicone Gasket and Sealant TA-31 × 2 — TA-31

Fluids

• Motorcraft 5W-20 Synthetic Blend engine oil — 7.5 qt
• Motorcraft Orange Coolant — 16 qt
• Motorcraft MERCON LV ATF — 1 qt

Preparation

1. Park vehicle on level surface and engage parking brake. Chock rear wheels.
2. Disconnect negative battery cable, then positive cable. Remove battery.
3. Drain engine coolant completely from radiator and engine block drain plugs into appropriate containers.
4. Drain engine oil and remove oil filter.
5. Remove engine cover and air intake system including air filter housing.
6. Relieve fuel system pressure by removing fuel pump fuse and cranking engine until it stalls.
7. Disconnect fuel lines at fuel rail using proper disconnect tools.
8. Remove radiator, cooling fans, and all coolant hoses.
9. Disconnect all electrical connectors from engine, labeling each for reinstallation.
10. Remove accessory drive belt and all belt-driven accessories (alternator, A/C compressor, power steering pump).
11. Raise vehicle on lift and support securely on jack stands.
12. Remove front wheels and inner fender splash shields.
13. Disconnect exhaust system at manifold flanges.
14. Support transmission with transmission jack.
15. Remove transmission-to-engine bell housing bolts and separate transmission.
16. Remove starter motor.
17. Attach engine hoist with chains to factory lifting points on cylinder heads.
18. Remove engine mount through-bolts.
19. Carefully lift engine from vehicle, tilting as needed to clear body and subframe.
20. Mount engine securely on engine stand using bell housing bolt holes.

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove external engine components
   With engine on stand, remove remaining external components: valve covers, intake manifolds (upper and lower), exhaust manifolds, ignition coils, spark plugs, fuel rails, throttle body, and all remaining sensors and brackets. Remove harmonic balancer using proper puller tool. Remove front timing cover.
2. 2

   Remove timing chain and oil pan
   Lock camshafts in TDC position. Remove timing chain tensioners, guides, and timing chains. Remove camshaft phasers using holding tool to prevent camshaft rotation. Remove oil pump. Remove oil pan bolts and carefully separate oil pan from block. Remove windage tray and oil pickup tube.
3. 3

   Mark and remove piston/rod assemblies
   Rotate crankshaft to position each piston at bottom dead center individually. Mark each connecting rod cap and rod with cylinder number and orientation using permanent marker or stamp. Remove connecting rod bolts and caps. Push each piston/rod assembly up and out through top of cylinder bore. Install rod caps back on rods to prevent mix-up. Place assemblies in order on clean workspace.
4. 4

   Mark main bearing caps
   Using permanent marker or metal stamp, clearly mark each main bearing cap with its position number (1-5, front to back) and directional arrow pointing toward front of engine. Factory marks may be present but create your own for verification. Take photos for reference.
5. 5

   Remove main bearing caps
   Starting from the outer caps and working toward center, loosen main cap side bolts first, then vertical main cap bolts in 1/4 turn increments in crisscross pattern. Remove all main cap bolts completely. Carefully lift each main cap straight up, keeping caps in order. If caps are tight, use gentle tapping with plastic mallet - never pry between cap and block.
6. 6

   Remove crankshaft and inspect
   Carefully lift crankshaft straight up out of engine block. Place on clean padded surface. Remove upper main bearing shells from block and lower shells from caps, keeping them with their respective positions. Thoroughly clean all crankshaft journals with lint-free cloth and solvent. Inspect each main journal for scoring, discoloration, or damage.
7. 7

   Measure crankshaft journals
   Using precision micrometer, measure each main bearing journal diameter at multiple points (minimum 4 positions at 90-degree intervals) and in multiple planes along journal width. Record all measurements. Check for out-of-round (more than 0.0005 inch) and taper (more than 0.001 inch). Standard journal diameter is 2.6570 inches. If journals are out of specification, crankshaft must be reground and undersize bearings used.
   ⚠Journal measurements outside specification require professional machining. Do not attempt to install standard bearings on worn or tapered journals.
8. 8

   Measure main bearing bores
   Clean all main bearing saddles in block and caps thoroughly with solvent and lint-free cloth. Using dial bore gauge, measure each main bearing bore in engine block (without bearings installed) at multiple points. Record measurements. Bearing bore should be concentric and within manufacturer specifications. Check for scoring or damage in bearing saddles.
9. 9

   Install upper bearing shells
   Ensure bearing saddles in block are completely clean and dry. Install new upper main bearing shells (with oil holes) into block saddles. Align bearing tang with notch in block. Bearing should snap into place and sit flush without gaps. Do not file bearings or saddles. Install thrust washers on center main bearing (position 3) if equipped. Apply light coat of clean engine oil to bearing surfaces.
10. 10

    Install crankshaft and check bearing clearance
    Carefully lower crankshaft into block, seating each journal onto its bearing. Cut strips of Plastigage to length of bearing width and place one strip across each main journal on top of crankshaft (do not place on bearing shell itself). Install lower bearing shells into main caps with correct orientation. Install main caps in correct positions with directional arrows pointing forward. Install and hand-tighten main cap vertical bolts only (do not install side bolts yet). Tighten vertical bolts to Step 1 specification in sequence from center outward.
    Torque spec

    Main Cap Bolts (Vertical)75 Nm (55 lb-ft) + 90°
11. 11

    Measure bearing clearance
    Without rotating crankshaft, remove main caps in reverse order of installation. Remove Plastigage strips and measure width of flattened Plastigage using scale on Plastigage envelope. Desired bearing clearance is 0.0009-0.0019 inches. Record clearance for each bearing. If clearance is too tight (less than 0.0009) or too loose (more than 0.003), diagnose cause before proceeding.
    ⚠Bearing clearance out of specification indicates wrong bearing size, worn journals, or damaged saddles. Do not proceed until corrected.
12. 12

    Final main bearing installation
    Remove crankshaft and clean off all Plastigage residue from journals and bearings with lint-free cloth. Apply liberal coat of assembly lube or clean engine oil to all bearing surfaces (upper and lower). Reinstall crankshaft into block. Apply light coat of engine oil to main cap bolt threads and underside of bolt heads. Install lower bearing shells into caps. Install main caps in correct order and orientation.
13. 13

    Torque main bearing caps
    Install all main cap vertical bolts finger-tight. Install all main cap side bolts finger-tight. Starting from center cap and working outward, tighten vertical bolts in sequence to Step 1 torque specification of 30 lb-ft using torque wrench. Then tighten each vertical bolt an additional 90 degrees using angle gauge in the same sequence. Finally, torque all side bolts to 22 lb-ft specification. Verify crankshaft rotates freely by hand without binding or tight spots.
    ⚠Main cap bolts use torque-to-yield method. Angle torque must be applied accurately. If crankshaft binds after torquing, disassemble and diagnose cause.
    Torque spec

    Main Cap Bolts (Vertical)75 Nm (55 lb-ft) + 90°

    Main Cap Side Bolts30 Nm (22 lb-ft)
14. 14

    Install piston and rod assemblies
    Check connecting rod bearing clearances using same Plastigage method as main bearings. Install new rod bearings with assembly lube. Compress piston rings using ring compressor. Install each piston/rod assembly into its original cylinder bore with orientation marks correctly positioned (typically notch on piston crown toward front). Guide rod onto crankshaft journal. Install rod cap with marks aligned. Torque rod bolts to specification per service manual torque sequence.
15. 15

    Reinstall oil system and timing components
    Install new rear main seal using seal installer tool. Install oil pickup tube with new O-ring. Install windage tray. Clean oil pan mating surfaces on block thoroughly. Apply TA-31 sealant in specified locations (corners where front cover meets block, and rear main seal retainer area). Install oil pan with new gasket, torquing bolts to specification in crisscross pattern from center outward. Install oil pump with new O-rings. Reinstall timing chains, guides, tensioners, and camshaft phasers per timing procedure with camshafts locked at TDC. Install timing cover with new gasket. Install harmonic balancer.
    Torque spec

    Cover Bolts20 Nm (15 lb-ft)

    Gasket Bolts25 Nm (19 lb-ft)
16. 16

    Prime oil system
    Using oil pump priming tool inserted into distributor hole or oil pump drive, prime oil system with drill motor until oil pressure is observed at oil pressure sending unit port and oil reaches all valvetrain components. This may take several minutes. Rotate crankshaft 2 complete revolutions by hand and verify smooth rotation.

Reassembly

1. Reinstall all external engine components in reverse order of removal: exhaust manifolds with new gaskets, intake manifolds with new gaskets, valve covers with new gaskets, ignition coils, spark plugs, sensors, fuel rails, throttle body, and all brackets.
2. Install all accessories (alternator, A/C compressor, power steering pump) with mounting bolts torqued to specification.
3. Remove engine from stand and carefully lower into engine bay using hoist, aligning engine mounts.
4. Install engine mount through-bolts and torque to specification.
5. Reconnect transmission to engine with bell housing bolts torqued to specification.
6. Reinstall starter motor.
7. Reconnect exhaust system with new gaskets.
8. Reinstall all coolant hoses and radiator assembly.
9. Reconnect all electrical connectors per labels applied during disassembly.
10. Reconnect fuel lines.
11. Install accessory drive belt.
12. Reinstall air intake system and engine cover.
13. Install new oil filter and fill engine with specified 7.5 quarts of 5W-20 synthetic blend oil.
14. Fill cooling system with specified 16 quarts of Motorcraft Orange coolant using vacuum fill method to prevent air pockets.
15. Reinstall battery and connect positive then negative cables.

Verification

• Verify all tools and parts have been removed from engine bay.
• Double-check all electrical connections, hoses, and fasteners are secure.
• Check that oil level is correct on dipstick.
• Check coolant level in overflow reservoir.
• Start engine and immediately verify oil pressure on gauge (should register within 5 seconds).
• Listen for unusual noises during initial startup. Slight valve train noise is normal for first few seconds until oil circulates.
• Allow engine to reach operating temperature while monitoring for leaks around oil pan, timing cover, valve covers, and all coolant connections.
• Check for proper operation of all accessories and verify no warning lights on dash.
• After initial warm-up and cool-down cycle, recheck oil and coolant levels and top off as needed.
• Perform test drive at varying loads and speeds, monitoring oil pressure and engine temperature.
• After 500 miles, change oil and filter to remove break-in debris. Inspect for metal particles in oil.
• Recheck all external bolt torques after initial heat cycle, particularly exhaust and intake manifold bolts.

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