Ok, I really need some input here, I have to have my truck running by Mon. evening since (thank God) I work in the late afternoon. I got the manifold off on the passenger and two of the bolts broke off with the nut but I was able to get them out with vise grips. I have all but two of the studs out on the drivers side but I'm sure vise grips will take those out as well. My problem is, I broke the 4 bolts (2 on each side) that hold each manifold to the factory H pipe that has the cat's ya know. Now I wasn't planning on spending the money on any headers because I just spent pretty much all I had on an air compressor and an impact gun and hose and so on and so forth. SO! I obviously, at this point, must buy something to put on my damn engine, and I figure for the price and effort I'm gonna spend looking for the factory manifold replacement, I might as well spend the little more that I have in my bank account on some headers...

So what headers can I buy (that come with header bolts since mine broke) that will be worth a **** but still mount up ok with the rest of the factory exhaust???

Also, If the new headers could be added onto easily in the future with some catback system then that would be great too, but I just need to get my Truck operational for the time being...

Please share any info possible because I have a lot to learn about exhaust since I have never really messed with it...

Oh! and also, how should I take the little pipe off that goes up to the throttle bocy(area) from the drivers side manifold? Do I break it loose from the manifold or up top? Where does that go if you put headers in? Is there a place on the headers for it?

Thanks a ton!

 

Thats the first question. Second is time, obviously monday is not going to be reality, this being Easter sunday now.

To save time, I'll address both motors. The 4.6 dont bother with headers since you will loose a ton of torque. The 5.4 will also loose a little unless you go long tube, but $$$ seems to be a factor. For shorties, look on Ebay there is a seller with direct bolt on's for $169. in stainless.

If you have a 4.6, I might have a set of stock off a 97 Expedition (same). I have to confirm that they were not junked already with the pulled motor though. I will check, if you reply asking me to do so.

Lowflyingbird

 

Well It turns out that my roomate is going out of town tomorrow so he said I could borrow his car if I dropped him off at the airport Mon. I think I'm going to be able to drill a new hole in the manifold flange and put a different bolt through it like Jbrew suggested in a PM (Thanks Jbrew!). I don't think I am ready to drop $300 on headers right now, or even more? Since mine is the 5.4...
Since all the dealerships are closed around here, my biggest problem is finding the right grade of bolts to replace the "manifold to head" studs that broke. What strength do they need to be so that they can be properly torqued without breaking them? I guess I'm just going to have to go to Home Depot or something for them lol

You wouldn't happen to know the torque on those stud/bolts that hold the manifold to the engine would you?

Thank You

 

DO NOT buy your bolts from HD, I have had MANY fail under light load. They just snap, it's one of the MANY things that HD has had suppliers "under grade".Those of you plumbers out there know what I'm talking about!!
Go to a REAL hardware store or better automotive store and buy REAL GRADED bolts, or studs if you can find them. Spend the extra $3.00 on a set of grade 8, dont be cheap, and use antisieze on the threads.

Lowflyingbird

 

Ok, so is grade it pretty much the highest? Do you happen to know what I need to torque the head/manifold bolts/studs to?

Thanks

 

Grade 8 bolts or even ARP studs dont be cheap on this stuff

 

Son of a...! I just took the tip of my thumb off with the grinder lol ouch.

Thanks for the info guys, I really appreciate it.

 

I can't get one of the studs out of the head for the life of me. Gonna try to weld a nut on it tomorrow or something...

 

Ok, so I went to the dealer to buy replacement manifold/head studs and they did indeed replace the old part with a new one. I'm assuming because the old studs weren't strong enough since they always break! Anyway, the damn things are 7 bucks a pop!!! I was wanting to replace all 16 of them so I don't have to worry about them breaking again but that would cost $112 plus tax!!! I have to go to a hardware store or something and find replacement bolts that is just rediculous. Ford screws up and issue replacement bolts because the other ones are breaking and they gauge us on the damn things...that's not even including the nuts!

 

I just got done with that project. New studs, nuts, gaskets, and manifold were installed, along with ne o2 sensors. I got the manifolds from ebay, for $28 each. I bought a new EGR tube, as the fitting on the manifold was gone. That was about $55. Not exactly sure, but the Ford bill was over $200, and another $160 for the rest of it. The gaskets were the most expensive parts. I get a pretty good deal at my local dealer.

I was able to double nut the broken studs in the head, and they came out. All the other studs came out with the nuts. Didn't bother trying to drill out the pipe studs in the manifolds. New ones were cheap enough. There was a set of shorties on ebay for $132, but I decided not to do that.

The truck runs way better now. Replaced the holey muffler with a straight pipe, and it's surprisingly not loud. No more exhaust leaks, and my gas mileage is back up to 16 on the breezeway.

 

Yeah I got gaskets from O'reillys. I ruined my EGR tube's fitting as well but the dealer wants 80 bucks for the damn thing! I'm going to have to rig something up or find a used one cause I'm not paying 80 bucks for a metal tube lol. I might try and get used manifolds on Ebay if mine give me trouble when I go to bolt them together. The funny thing about the studs is Ford replaced the old ones with a lower grade of stud. I would have thought they would replace them with a higher grade since they snapped but I guess the softer grade isn't as brittle.. So do the shorties bolt right up to the factory Y-pipe or would there be cutting and welding involved? How did doing that increase your gas mileage?

 

I didn't do the shorties. I thought about it, but with 204K on the truck, I went the cheaper route and bought the Chinese cast iron replacement manifolds. They fit perfect. The shorties are supposed to be a bolt in item. Make sure you get the right ones. 5.4 and 4.6 have a different EGR fitting size.

The manifolds didn't help the mileage, I think. Maybe some because of no more leaking. But I think the two new O2 sensors helped the most.

Gotta haggle a bit with the Ford parts guys. Be nice, and maybe go to several different ones. Tell them you'd like better pricing. I've been in mine enough to know their names. It helps. I paid a bit of $50 for my new EGR tube. It was just easier to cut the old off, and buying a new one, than trying to cobble something up with the old one.

I'm just trying to get another couple years out of this one, so I can buy a 2010 F150 Diesel!

 

The 28 dollar manifolds fit on just fine? I just need to find some of those...

 

Yup, bought mine off E-bay. Same part as the $45 Replacement Manifolds from AutoParts, PartsTrain, etc online. The Dorman manifolds cost alot more, but come with studs and gaskets, not the head studs, though.

I put a straight edge on the port surface. They were pwerfectly flat, so I am not concerned with them leaking in the future. I think I'll check the toque this weekend.

 

the only ones I could find on Ebay are at least 45 dollars each...