It’s on a 08 Gas 5.4. I have spent a little time on this prob in the dark after work but no luck yet. I’m gonna dive in while I’m installing the GoGo HD Direct Clutch solenoid in the trans today seeing as Im already under it. So with this day of electronics I thought I cheat and save myself time and ask if anyone has experienced this and what did you do to fix.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com /><o></o>
Here's the problem:<o></o>
It’s an annoying tick under acceleration under the driver’s floor board. I did Get the flange apart earlier in the week. I shifted it around and retightened and of course its worse. Which tells me I’m in the right area? The only telltale sign of soot is at the head pipe to manifold flange and its slight. I can’t feel it when it’s running. I did notice the rear lower mani to head bolt has sheared off. This is a common occurrence from what I read. But the leak doesn’t appear to be at the mani to head interface but rather down at the flange.<o></o>
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Thanks for advice<o></o>
Steve<o></o>

 

normally with the 5.4 it is the manifolds that have the leaks and tick.

 

Here is the fix for that annoying tick/leak:
I bought all new hardware copper coated studs, nuts, gasket set, head pipe to flange nuts and studs etc. $135 worth of hardware!
Had to heat the 2 head pipe nuts, they came off with 3/8 drive impact ok. Didn’t damage the studs... (That’s because I bought the $12ea studs to keep Murphy off my back).
Soaked the manifold bolts with PB-Blaster for 2-3 days before job.
Everything to my surprise broke free. I had to gently use the impact on a couple. I had one sheared stud lower rear. There was enough meat and threads to screw on an old nut. I hit it with the MIG welder. Used the impact to gently coax it out. Cleaned the head with right angle die grinder with 3M roloc disc. The mani had some raised spots off the gasket contact area. Tapped it with a hammer to chip them down. Used the die grinder with a 60 grit disc to knock it down and I did a final clean up with a large file to level everything. I would have preferred to have this milled...I blew out the stud holes in the head.
There’s two gaskets. I put in two studs diagonally to match the gasket holding features. Installed the gaskets, they are directional but either side can be facing out. The flat spot on the "D" faces down to match the ports on the mani. Once the mani was hanging off the 4 studs I started the nuts on them to hold the mani. Then installed the remaining studs and nuts. Everything got a liberal coating of copper high temp antseize. I didnt have to lower the passenger head pipe.
The hardest part of the job was getting it torqued down ( ahh for a lift). You have to crawl around top to bottom to access in order to do the proper pattern which is lower rear #1, upper rear #2, next lower rear is #3 and so on working your way to the top front. Final torque is 18 lb/ft, I did 20. I will re-torque after a few thermal cycles. So far No leak! That is until the other side goes? Might try to re-torque that side just for *****s but you know where that will lead…..