Cylinder Head R&R

Remove and reinstall the single aluminum cylinder head on the transverse, chain-driven, non-VCT 2.0L Duratec HE (Mazda L-series derived) in the 2012 Transit Connect. Exhaust manifold with close-coupled catalyst faces the radiator, composite intake manifold faces the firewall, timing chain is at the RH (passenger) end under a one-piece RTV-sealed front cover that must be removed with the crank pulley, RH engine mount and bracket. Head lifts off with camshafts installed. New torque-to-yield head bolts, new MLS gasket, new crank pulley bolt, cam alignment plate 303-376B and crank TDC peg 303-507 required. Hands-on labor about 9 hours plus machine-shop time.

Warnings

Tools required

Parts

• Cylinder head gasket, multi-layer steel, 2.0L Duratec HE non-VCT × 1 — Ford OE head gasket, order by VIN
• Cylinder head bolts, torque-to-yield, set of 10 × 1 — Ford OE head bolt set, order by VIN
• Valve cover gasket with 4 spark plug tube seals × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE valve cover gasket
• Timing chain, tensioner, tensioner arm and fixed guide kit × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE timing chain kit
• Front crankshaft seal × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE front crank seal
• Exhaust manifold gasket × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE exhaust manifold gasket
• Exhaust manifold studs and nuts, set of 9 × 1 — Ford OE M8 exhaust manifold studs/nuts
• Catalyst-to-downpipe flange gasket × 1 — Ford OE Transit Connect downpipe flange gasket
• Intake manifold port seals, set of 4 × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE intake manifold gasket
• Throttle body gasket × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE throttle body gasket
• Thermostat housing / coolant outlet gasket × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE coolant outlet gasket
• Fuel injector O-ring set (8) × 1 — Ford OE injector O-ring kit
• Crankshaft pulley bolt, torque-to-yield × 1 — Ford OE 2.0L Duratec HE crankshaft pulley bolt
• Camshaft position sensor O-ring × 1 — Ford OE CMP sensor O-ring
• Oil filter × 1 — Motorcraft FL-910S
• Spark plugs, platinum × 4 — Motorcraft SP-411

Fluids

• Motorcraft Premium Gold Engine Coolant VC-7-B, 50/50 with distilled water — 6.3 qt
• Motorcraft SAE 5W-20 Synthetic Blend engine oil (XO-5W20-QSP) — 4.5 qt

Preparation

1. Confirm the diagnosis before cutting: combustion leak (block) test, cooling system pressure test, compression on all four cylinders and leak-down with loss pattern recorded. Rule out the plastic coolant outlet housing, radiator fan control and collapsed hoses as the overheating cause.
2. Soak the nine exhaust manifold nuts and the two downpipe flange nuts with penetrating oil the day before. Quote stud breakage and extraction as a possible add-on.
3. Battery is under the hood at the LH (driver) side. Disconnect the negative cable (10 mm nut), tie it clear of the post, wait one minute. This vehicle has no service or transport mode to invoke.
4. Drain coolant at the lower radiator hose/petcock at the LH lower radiator. Drain engine oil; coolant enters the pan during head removal.
5. Raise the vehicle on a lift, remove the RH front wheel, the RH inner fender splash shield (7 mm screws and push pins) and the engine undertray (push pins and 8 mm screws).
6. Photograph harness routing over the valve cover, intake manifold and coolant outlet before disturbing anything. Bag and label every fastener group.

Procedure

1. 1

   Remove air intake and battery
   Release the two spring clamps on the air cleaner outlet duct at the throttle body and MAF housing. Release the red sliding lock and disconnect the MAF connector. Lift the air cleaner housing off its two rubber grommets and remove with the duct. Remove the battery hold-down clamp (13 mm nut) and lift out the battery to open access to the coolant outlet housing and heater hoses at the transaxle end of the head.
2. 2

   Remove accessory belt and crankshaft pulley
   From the RH wheel well, rotate the automatic tensioner clockwise with a 15 mm wrench on its arm hex and slip the belt off the alternator. Fit the holding strap to the crank pulley and remove the 18 mm pulley bolt (torque-to-yield, discard). Pull the pulley off the crank snout. The crank snout is keyless, so there is no keyway to note; recover the friction washer and inspect it, and set the pulley aside for reuse of the friction interface only.
   ⚠The crankshaft is keyless. The pulley is located by friction only (friction/diamond washer between pulley and sprocket) and is NOT indexed to the crank. Do not rely on pulley position for any timing reference; crank timing is set solely with the TDC peg.
3. 3

   Support engine and remove RH engine mount and bracket
   Support the engine with the fender bar hooked to the RH lift eye or a floor jack and wood block under the oil pan. Remove the three 15 mm bolts securing the RH mount to the body bracket and the three 13 mm bolts from the mount to the engine bracket. Remove the mount, then the engine-side bracket (four 13 mm bolts into the front cover and block).
   ⚠The engine is now held only by the support. Do not go under it without a second support in place.
4. 4

   Remove belt tensioner, idler and clear the PS pump
   Remove the belt tensioner (one 13 mm bolt) and the idler pulley (one 13 mm bolt) from the front cover. Remove the power steering pump pulley bolts and the pump mounting bolts, and swing the pump clear of the front cover flange on its hoses without opening the hydraulic circuit. Tie it back.
5. 5

   Depressurize fuel and remove fuel rail
   Wrap a rag around the Schrader valve on the fuel rail and depress the core to bleed pressure. Release the 5/16 in push-connect coupler at the rail with the release tool, pull the line off and cap it. Release the squeeze-tab locks and disconnect the four injector connectors. Remove the two rail bolts (8 mm) and lift the rail with injectors; cap the injector bores.
   ⚠️Fuel vapor and residual spray. Cold engine, eye protection, fire extinguisher within reach.
6. 6

   Remove throttle body and intake manifold
   At the firewall side, disconnect the electronic throttle body connector, EVAP purge solenoid connector and hose, brake booster vacuum hose, PCV hose at the manifold and the MAP sensor connector. Remove the throttle body (four 8 mm bolts). Remove the seven 10 mm intake manifold fasteners at the head flange and the lower support bracket bolt. Lift the composite manifold straight off without prying and cover the head ports.
7. 7

   Remove exhaust heat shield, O2 sensors and downpipe flange
   Remove the upper heat shield (three 8 mm bolts) from the manifold at the radiator side. Release the sliding secondary locks and disconnect the upstream and downstream HO2S connectors. Remove both sensors with the 22 mm slotted socket and protect their tips. From below, remove the two 13 mm nuts at the catalyst-to-downpipe flange and separate the flange. Remove the manifold support bracket (two 13 mm bolts) from the block.
8. 8

   Remove exhaust manifold with catalyst
   Apply heat to each of the nine 13 mm manifold nuts before turning. Loosen from the ends inward and remove. Lift the manifold/catalyst assembly up and out toward the radiator. Discard the gasket. Renew all nine studs and nuts; extract any stud that shears from the aluminum head before proceeding.
9. 9

   Remove coils, spark plugs and valve cover
   Release the locks and disconnect the four coil-on-plug connectors; remove the coils (one 8 mm bolt each). Remove the four spark plugs. Unclip the harness from the valve cover studs and lay it toward the firewall. Disconnect the PCV hose at the cover. Remove the eleven 8 mm valve cover bolts and lift the cover off; break the TA-31 joints at the front cover with a plastic wedge.
10. 10

    Disconnect coolant outlet, sensors and grounds
    At the transaxle end of the head, release the spring clamps with hose-clamp pliers on the upper radiator hose and both heater hoses at the coolant outlet housing. Disconnect the CHT sensor connector. Remove the coolant outlet housing (three 8 mm bolts) and inspect it for cracks. Release the lock and disconnect the CMP sensor at the transaxle end of the head; remove its 8 mm bolt and the sensor. Remove the harness ground eyelets from the head.
11. 11

    Set TDC No. 1 with crank peg and cam plate
    Remove the timing peg blanking plug from the block at the LH (transaxle) end, rear face near the starter, and screw in 303-507. Temporarily refit the old pulley bolt and turn the crank clockwise until the crankshaft stops against the peg. Fit alignment plate 303-376B into the slots at the transaxle end of both camshafts.
    ⚠If the plate will not enter, the crank is 360 degrees out. Remove the peg, rotate one full turn clockwise, refit the peg to the stop and try again.
12. 12

    Remove front (timing) cover
    Remove the twenty 8 mm-head M6 bolts around the cover perimeter and the two 10 mm-head M8 bolts at the mount pad. The cover is RTV-sealed with no gasket; break the bond at the top corners with a plastic wedge, never a steel screwdriver. Lift the cover off its two dowels, keeping the oil pan flange sealant intact. Press out and discard the front crank seal.
13. 13

    Remove timing chain, tensioner and guides
    Push the tensioner plunger in and lock it with a 1.5 mm pin through the ratchet hole. Remove the tensioner (two 8 mm bolts), the tensioner arm (pivot bolt) and the fixed guide (two 8 mm bolts). Lift the chain off the cam sprockets and crank sprocket. Chain, tensioner, arm and guide are replaced with the kit.
14. 14

    Remove camshaft sprockets and alignment plate
    With the plate holding the cams, loosen and remove the two sprocket bolts and both sprockets. Neither the camshaft sprockets nor the crank sprocket are keyed; timing is set only by the cam alignment plate and the crank TDC peg, never by any keyway reference. Remove the alignment plate so the head can lift clear. Leave the crank peg installed.
15. 15

    Loosen and remove head bolts
    Engine fully cold. Using the 12-point 10 mm deep socket, loosen the ten head bolts in the reverse of the tightening sequence (outer ends toward center), one quarter turn each on the first pass, then fully on the second. Remove and discard all ten bolts.
16. 16

    Lift cylinder head
    Break the head free by rocking it on the dowels; do not pry between head and block. Lift the head straight up with the camshafts installed and set it on wood blocks so no valve contacts the bench. Remove the gasket. Stuff clean rags into the cylinders and plug the oil and coolant passages in the block deck.
17. 17

    Clean and inspect block deck
    Remove gasket residue with a plastic razor scraper and solvent only; no abrasive discs or roloc pads on the aluminum deck. Chase every head bolt hole with the M10x1.25 chaser, vacuum and blow dry. Check deck flatness with straightedge and feelers: limit 0.10 mm across length and diagonals. Inspect the cast-iron liner tops for coolant washing and the coolant passages for corrosion. Remove the rags and vacuum the cylinders last.
    ⚠Oil or coolant left in a blind bolt hole gives a false torque reading or cracks the block.
18. 18

    Inspect and prepare cylinder head
    Clean the head deck with plastic scraper and non-woven pad. Check flatness lengthwise and diagonally: limit 0.10 mm. Ford specifies replacement, not machining, for a head beyond this limit. Have the head pressure-tested and the valves and seats inspected at the machine shop. Inspect camshaft lobes and follower faces. Clean the head bolt holes and dowel bores.
    ℹ️Pressure test the head when the failure was coolant loss without a visible gasket breach; a cracked head reinstalled on a new gasket repeats the failure.
19. 19

    Install head gasket and cylinder head
    Confirm the crank is still against the peg. Fit the new MLS gasket dry onto the block dowels with the TOP mark up. Lower the head straight onto the dowels. Oil the threads and under-head washers of the ten new bolts with clean engine oil and hand-start all ten.
20. 20

    Torque cylinder head bolts
    Follow the Ford sequence: center pair first, then alternate outward on each side. Stage 1: 5 Nm all bolts. Stage 2: 15 Nm all bolts. Stage 3: 45 Nm all bolts. Stage 4: rotate each bolt 90 degrees with the angle gauge. Stage 5: rotate each bolt a further 90 degrees. Complete each stage on all ten bolts before starting the next.
    ⚠Do not read torque in stages 4-5; use angle only. A bolt that turns freely at any stage is stripped and the block thread must be repaired.
21. 21

    Install cam alignment plate and sprockets
    Refit 303-376B into the cam slots. Fit both sprockets and hand-tighten the sprocket bolts with clean oiled threads so the sprockets can still rotate on the cam noses.
22. 22

    Install timing chain, guides and tensioner
    Confirm the crank is still locked against the peg. Fit the new fixed guide (two bolts, 10 Nm). Route the new chain over the crank sprocket, up the fixed guide side over the exhaust sprocket then the intake sprocket. Fit the new tensioner arm (pivot bolt, 25 Nm). Install the new tensioner (two bolts, 10 Nm) and pull the locking pin so it takes up slack.
    ⚠The crank sprocket is keyless. Keep the crankshaft locked against the TDC peg throughout chain installation; do not use any keyway or pulley mark to set crank position.
23. 23

    Torque sprocket bolts and verify timing
    With the plate holding the cams and the crank against the peg, torque each sprocket bolt to 65 Nm while holding the sprocket against chain tension. Remove the plate and peg, refit the blanking plug (20 Nm). Rotate the crank two full turns clockwise, reinstall the peg to the stop, and confirm the plate enters both cam slots freely. Remove plate and peg, refit the plug.
    ⚠If the plate does not enter after two turns, loosen the sprocket bolts and repeat from step 21.
24. 24

    Install front cover and crank seal
    Clean both sealing surfaces to bare, oil-free metal. Apply a 3 mm bead of TA-31 around the cover flange and each bolt hole; the cover must be installed within 4 minutes of applying sealant. Fit the cover over the two dowels, install all twenty-two bolts and torque M6 to 10 Nm and M8 to 25 Nm from center outward. Drive the new front crank seal in flush with the cover face.
25. 25

    Install crankshaft pulley, tensioner and idler
    Reinstall the crank TDC peg 303-507 and turn the crank until it stops against the peg so the crankshaft is locked at TDC. Fit the friction washer to the crank sprocket and slide the pulley onto the keyless crank snout against the friction interface. Install the new torque-to-yield bolt; with the holding strap, torque Stage 1: 100 Nm, Stage 2: rotate 90 degrees, keeping the crank locked against the peg throughout. Remove the peg and refit the blanking plug. Refit the PS pump and its pulley, the idler (45 Nm) and the belt tensioner (25 Nm).
    ⚠The crankshaft is keyless: the pulley is located by friction (friction/diamond washer), not by a keyway, so its rotational position is NOT indexed. The crankshaft MUST be locked at TDC with the timing peg 303-507 before the pulley bolt is torqued, or crank/cam timing will be lost.
26. 26

    Install RH engine mount bracket and mount
    Refit the engine-side bracket (four bolts, 48 Nm), then the mount to the bracket (three bolts, 90 Nm) and the mount to the body (three bolts, 90 Nm). Remove the support bar or jack.
27. 27

    Install valve cover, spark plugs and coils
    Seat the new gasket and four spark plug tube seals in the cover. Apply a 6 mm dot of TA-31 at each of the four cover-to-front-cover joints. Fit the cover and torque the eleven bolts to 10 Nm from center out. Install the four new spark plugs gapped at 1.3 mm to 15 Nm. Install the coils (8 Nm) and connectors, clip the harness back onto the cover studs and refit the PCV hose.
28. 28

    Install coolant outlet housing, CMP sensor and grounds
    Fit a new gasket and torque the coolant outlet housing bolts to 10 Nm. Reconnect the CHT sensor. Install the CMP sensor with a new O-ring (8 Nm) and connect it. Refit the ground eyelets to the head. Reconnect the upper radiator hose and both heater hoses with the spring clamps on their original witness marks.
29. 29

    Install exhaust manifold, O2 sensors and downpipe
    Fit the new studs to the head, new gasket, and hang the manifold/catalyst assembly. Torque the nine new nuts to 25 Nm from center outward. Refit the support bracket to the block (25 Nm). Install both HO2S with a trace of nickel anti-seize on threads only, 45 Nm, and connect them. Fit the downpipe flange with a new gasket (45 Nm). Install the heat shield (10 Nm).
30. 30

    Install intake manifold, throttle body and fuel rail
    Fit the four new port seals in the intake flange. Set the manifold onto the head and torque the seven fasteners to 18 Nm from center out, then the lower bracket bolt. Install the throttle body with a new gasket (10 Nm). Fit new oiled O-rings to the injectors, seat the rail and torque its two bolts to 10 Nm. Reconnect the injectors, push the fuel quick-connect on until it clicks, and pull-test it.
31. 31

    Reconnect vacuum, electrical, air intake and belt
    Reconnect the brake booster hose, EVAP purge line and connector, MAP sensor, throttle body connector and PCV hose. Install the air cleaner housing and outlet duct, tighten both clamps, reconnect the MAF and slide its red lock home. Route the belt over the crank, water pump, alternator, PS pump and A/C compressor, release the tensioner and confirm the belt is centered on every pulley.
32. 32

    Refill fluids and reconnect battery
    Install the new FL-910S filter and 4.5 qt of 5W-20. Vacuum-fill the cooling system with 50/50 Motorcraft Gold to the MAX line on the degas bottle. Refit the undertray, splash shield and RH wheel (lug nuts 135 Nm). Install the battery, tighten the hold-down, connect the negative cable last.
33. 33

    Prime, start and bleed
    Cycle the key to RUN three times for two seconds each to prime the rail. Start and immediately check the rail and quick-connect for fuel leaks and the manifold for exhaust leaks. Run to full operating temperature with the heater on high, watching the degas bottle; top off as the thermostat opens. Shut down, let it cool fully, and recheck level.
34. 34

    Clear codes and perform relearns
    Clear DTCs and KAM with the scan tool. Idle relearn: idle in Park 10 minutes with A/C off, 10 minutes with A/C and blower on, then drive 10 minutes including steady 45 mph cruise. Confirm zero misfire counts and long-term fuel trims within plus or minus 10 percent. Run the crankshaft position variation (misfire profile) relearn with IDS or FORScan if random-misfire codes appear.

Reassembly

1. Reassembly is integrated in steps 19-34; every gasket, seal, TTY bolt and exhaust stud/nut is new.
2. Recheck degas bottle level after the first full cold soak and top off; recheck after the second heat cycle.
3. Re-tension nothing on the belt (automatic tensioner); re-check the front cover and valve cover joints for seepage after the first drive.

Verification

• Cooling system holds 20 psi for 20 minutes hot with no drop and no combustion gas in the degas bottle.
• No exhaust leak at the manifold-to-head joint or downpipe flange on cold start.
• No oil seepage at the front cover, valve cover, crank seal or CMP sensor after the drive cycle.
• Camshaft timing confirmed mechanically with plate and peg after two crank revolutions before the front cover went on.
• No P0300-P0304, P0016, P0335 or P0340 after the drive cycle; readiness monitors progressing; fuel trims within plus or minus 10 percent.

Related trouble codes on this vehicle

Codes that commonly send this job to the bay — tap one for symptoms, causes, and diagnostic steps.

Chasing one of these codes and not sure which part is guilty? Ask a master mechanic about YOUR car →