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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