Cylinder Head

Removal & Installation

2.4L Engine

To Remove:

1. Relieve the fuel system pressure.
2. Drain the engine oil.
3. Drain the coolant.
4. Remove the air cleaner assembly.
5. Remove the thermostat case assembly.
6. Remove the front exhaust pipe.
7. Disconnect the throttle cable.
8. Disconnect the EVAP purge hose.
9. Disconnect the brake booster vacuum hose.
10. Disconnect the cruise control vacuum hose if equipped.
11. Disconnect the ignition coil and fuel injector connectors.
12. Disconnect the manifold differential pressure sensor connector.
13. Disconnect the throttle position sensor connector.
14. Disconnect the front oxygen sensor connector.
15. Disconnect the capacitor.
16. Disconnect the camshaft position sensor.
17. Disconnect the idle air control motor.
18. Disconnect the EVAP purge solenoid.
19. Disconnect the EGR valve.
20. Disconnect the fuel lines from the fuel rail.
21. Disconnect the pressure hose.
22. Remove the engine oil dipstick and tube.
23. Disconnect the lower pressure hose.
24. Disconnect the spark plug cables.
25. Remove the ignition coil.
26. Disconnect the upper radiator hose.
27. Disconnect the PCV hose and breather hose.
28. Remove the rocker arm cover.
29. Remove the spark plug oil seals.
30. Disconnect the coolant hose.
31. Remove the timing belt.
32. Remove the power steering pump with the hose attached and secure it out of the way.
33. Remove the exhaust manifold bracket.
34. Loosen the cylinder head bolts using a cylinder head bolt wrench (special tool #MB991654). Loosen each of the bolts gradually and evenly in a few steps in the opposite of the tightening sequence.
35. Remove the cylinder head assembly.
36. Remove the cylinder head gasket.

To Install:

1. Clean the sealing surfaces thoroughly.
2. Install the cylinder head gasket.
3. Install the cylinder head assembly.
4. Before installing the cylinder head bolts, make sure the shank length of each bolt does not exceed 3.91 in (99.4 mm). Before installing each bolt, coat the threads and washers lightly with clean engine oil.
5. Use a cylinder head bolt wrench such as MB991654 to tighten the bolts to 58 ft-lbs (78 Nm) in the sequence shown.

   Cylinder head bolt wrench (#MB991654)

6. Completely loosen all bolts in the reverse of the tightening order.
7. Retighten the bolts to 15 ft-lbs (20 Nm) in the sequence shown.
8. Make a straight line mark across each bolt head and cylinder head. Tighten the cylinder head bolts 90° in the specified order.

   CAUTION
   Make sure each bolt is tightened EXACTLY 90°. If a bolt is under-tightened, it might not be correctly fastened, and if it is over-tightened, loosen it fully and retighten it.

9. Tighten the bolts another 90° in the specified order. Make sure the alignment marks you made on the cylinder head bolts and the cylinder head line up correctly.
10. Install the exhaust manifold bracket.
11. Install the power steering pump.
12. Install the timing belt.
13. Connect the coolant hose.
14. Install new spark plug oil seals.
15. Install the rocker arm cover.
16. Connect the PCV hose and breather hose.
17. Connect the upper radiator hose.
18. Install the ignition coil.
19. Connect the spark plug cables.
20. Connect the lower pressure hose.
21. Install the engine oil dipstick and tube.
22. Connect the pressure hose.
23. Connect the fuel lines to the fuel rail.
24. Connect the EGR valve.
25. Connect the EVAP purge solenoid.
26. Connect the idle air control motor.
27. Connect the camshaft position sensor.
28. Connect the capacitor.
29. Connect the front oxygen sensor connector.
30. Connect the throttle position sensor connector.
31. Connect the manifold differential pressure sensor connector.
32. Connect the ignition coil and fuel injector connectors.
33. Connect the cruise control vacuum hose if equipped.
34. Connect the brake booster vacuum hose.
35. Connect the EVAP purge hose.
36. Connect the throttle cable.
37. Install the front exhaust pipe.
38. Install the thermostat case assembly.
39. Install the air cleaner assembly.
40. Refill the cooling system.
41. Install new engine oil.

3.0L Engine

To Remove:

1. Relieve the fuel system pressure.
2. Remove the timing belt.
3. Remove the generator.
4. Remove the intake manifold.
5. Remove the exhaust manifold.
6. Remove the water inlet pipe.
7. Remove the breather and blow-by hoses.
8. Remove the PCV hose.
9. Remove the spark plug cables.
10. Remove the battery cable from the rocker arm cover.
11. Remove the rocker arm cover.
12. Remove the timing belt rear cover.
13. Remove the battery cable from the cylinder head.
14. Remove the cylinder head bolts using a cylinder head bolt wrench such as special tool #MD998051. Remove the bolts using the opposite of the installation sequence.
15. Remove the washers.
16. Remove the cylinder head assembly and gasket.

To Install:

NOTE: When installing the cylinder head bolts, use a cylinder head bolt wrench such as special tool #MD998051 to tighten the bolts.

NOTE: Make sure the rounded outer edge of the cylinder head bolt washer is facing up.

1. Tighten the bolts in 2 or 3 steps using the sequence shown to 80 ft-lbs (108 Nm).
2. Loosen the bolts in the opposite sequence.
3. Tighten the bolts again in 2 or 3 steps using the sequence shown to 80 ft-lbs (108 Nm).
4. Install the battery cable on the cylinder head.
5. Install the timing belt rear cover.
6. Install the rocker arm cover.
7. Install the battery cable on the rocker arm cover.
8. Install the spark plug cables.
9. Install the PCV hose.
10. Install the breather and blow-by hoses.
11. Install the water inlet pipe.
12. Install the exhaust manifold.
13. Install the intake manifold.
14. Install the generator.
15. Install the timing belt.