Replaced right exhaust manifold, omg!

[34Ford]

Developed a leak so I decided I would fix it myself. What a pain. This is one of those jobs you have to reach and feel of the bolts, nuts that you cannot see.

To easy for the ratchet to work, to tight for your fingers. I layed on my back for 30 minutes at a time trying to remove or replace 1 stud or nut.

And typical of the 5.4 the back studs were broke due to the warped manifold.

Had to completely remove the transmission cross member and the mount and also unbolt the front driveshaft from the transfer case, all this just to get the cats out of the way.

I had to buy a right angle air powered drill motor. Thank goodness the studs that broke was the back ones as you can see if it had been the front 3 cylinders the motor would had to come out.

 

[34Ford]

The rest of the pics.

 

[34Ford]

New manifold.

 

[ExplorerTom]

Nice work. How's the driver side?

 

[JExpedition07]

My manifolds on the 07’ are original and corroded but no leaks. If it ever does develop a leak it will be a mechanics job.

 

[Trainmaster]

You should be proud; you did a nice job. Thanks for sharing. How many miles of that truck?

I've got an '08 too, so now I know what to expect. I think that's a worse job than the 2000 I did... When this thing starts leaking, I'm just going to sell it.

Guess they don't use much road salt in North Carolina. That motor and exhaust looks new.

Did you use new stainless studs to be certain that nobody could ever drill them out again when they snap?

 

[1997SCEBFEX]

thanks for detailed report & pix.
++ on nice job.

 

[1955moose]

Isn't that the idea of stainless so they don't rust out? Theirs always expensive titanium drill bits. They are scary sharp. Like surgical sharp. But the price, yeow. $20.00 for a small 1/4 inch drill bit. But they cut like nothing you've used before. I bought one years back to cut through a shim bucket on a 4 cylinder Honda 1100 motorcycle.

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[gixer2000]

Wow, I didn't remove the cross member, mount or drive shaft to do my 07. Did removing that stuff make it any easier? I only had my bottom rear break and it was just a little under flush with the head.

 

[1955moose]

Sometimes removing that one part opens everything up so you can get at it.

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[34Ford]

Wow, I didn't remove the cross member, mount or drive shaft to do my 07. Did removing that stuff make it any easier? I only had my bottom rear break and it was just a little under flush with the head.

The reason for having to remove cross member and tranny mount, plus unbolt driveshaft was that damn orange hanger mount you see riveted to the trans mount.
The one on the left is 2 piece so it opens. But the right one is solid so there is no way to get the cats down low enough to make room for the manifold to come down from its home.

Oh and I forgot the starter had to come out as well. The top bolt on it was a royal pain, you cant see it from the bottom so its a feel thing. You must have, ratchet extensions and a swivel joint.

And I broke a 5mm socket removing the studs.

 

[34Ford]

Nice work. How's the driver side?

I dont think you will ever have a problem with the left one. I say that because there are several videos of F150's with warped right manifolds.

From what I could see the left manifold is more exposed. No starter on that side is a plus.

 

[34Ford]

I bought the steel studs before I ordered the manifold and used moly anti seize.

Here is a tip. The Dorman manifold is $70 cheaper but it does NOT include the heat shield that the Motorcraft one does.
The Motorcraft one includes the studs & nuts and look like they have the copper anti seize on them.
But it does NOT include the 2 studs in the end for the down tube. So I had to remove the old ones.

I figured as had as this job was to remove the old manifold I was going to buy the Motorcraft.

Oh and I used a #2 center drill to start the holes in the broke studs. I had to get real close and personal with the truck frame so I could hold the drill steady and push. Very loud drill too.

 

[34Ford]

You should be proud; you did a nice job. Thanks for sharing. How many miles of that truck?

I've got an '08 too, so now I know what to expect. I think that's a worse job than the 2000 I did... When this thing starts leaking, I'm just going to sell it.

Guess they don't use much road salt in North Carolina. That motor and exhaust looks new.

Did you use new stainless studs to be certain that nobody could ever drill them out again when they snap?

About 130k. I hate stainless, I have been in the machine shop trade for 40 years now.

 

[34Ford]

The easy side of the tranny mount. See the split hanger.

 

[Trainmaster]

Dennis, have you ever seen this fixture?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Ma...=item2600c6fd05:g:8~kAAOSwl7Natb17:rk:19:pf:0

It centers the drill bit under a bushing for drilling out a broken stud. I bought one of these when I did my 2000 but didn't need it. The advertiser states it fits 1997 through 2009 4.6L and 5.4L. Did something change for the years after that? I also used a small Milwaukee right angle battery powered drill.

Here's a higher priced version of a similar drilling jig:

http://www.freedomracing.com/csb-00...MImbn2zZCv3gIVl0oNCh2Yqg3iEAQYAiABEgK_GvD_BwE

I'm with you on your choice of Ford manifolds. I would never invest that kind of work on a Chinese casting.

 

[34Ford]

Dennis, have you ever seen this fixture?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Exhaust-Ma...=item2600c6fd05:g:8~kAAOSwl7Natb17:rk:19:pf:0

It centers the drill bit under a bushing for drilling out a broken stud. I bought one of these when I did my 2000 but didn't need it. The advertiser states it fits 1997 through 2009 4.6L and 5.4L. Did something change for the years after that? I also used a small Milwaukee right angle battery powered drill.

Here's a higher priced version of a similar drilling jig:

http://www.freedomracing.com/csb-00...MImbn2zZCv3gIVl0oNCh2Yqg3iEAQYAiABEgK_GvD_BwE

I'm with you on your choice of Ford manifolds. I would never invest that kind of work on a Chinese casting.

Well Ill be dog gone. That is a nice find.

 

[Trainmaster]

I did all I could to prepare for the job. But when I had at it on my 16 year old (210K mile) truck, all the studs came right out, although the nuts were practically rusted away. The front of the manifold actually had holes eroded through it.

 

[1955moose]

Now you know why you hear time after time don't do exaust work at home. To do any exaust work at home or shop, you need heat, experience, and a big old can of penetrating spray. Not to mention some pretty trick thread drilling jigs like pro machinist have. The top front bolt on the starter can be removed/installed with a long extension and flex socket. You remove right front tire to get at it.

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[gixer2000]

The reason for having to remove cross member and tranny mount, plus unbolt driveshaft was that damn orange hanger mount you see riveted to the trans mount.
The one on the left is 2 piece so it opens. But the right one is solid so there is no way to get the cats down low enough to make room for the manifold to come down from its home.

Oh and I forgot the starter had to come out as well. The top bolt on it was a royal pain, you cant see it from the bottom so its a feel thing. You must have, ratchet extensions and a swivel joint.

And I broke a 5mm socket removing the studs.

Fordtechmakuloco has a specific way of pulling the manifold out that is pretty simple without dropping the cats down. Thats how I did it and it was probably the easiest part of the job.

I did buy all the motorcraft updated stainless hardware but used the Dorman manifold.

I think the worse part was getting that top starter bolt out. I ended up using my milwaukee m12 ratchet with long extension(2'+6"+swivel+13mm deep socket). Snaked it all under the manifold and was able to get it straight on.