Hi .. great forum. I posted this question on another forum, but didn't get many responses.

Fairly new to me 2005 Expedition Limited 4X4, 5.4 engine. Failed state inspection for passenger side exhaust manifold crack (amongst other things). They (local indy) want almost $900 to do the manifold job (right side only). I got a new manifold (Dorman) for under $100 at NAPA.

Looks like it's tough access (probably why so much $$ at the shop). I gained as much as I could above and below (battery, computer, etc. removed from engine bay and wheel liner, starter, etc. removed from underneath). I can at least "see" 6 of the 8 bolt/nuts, but the forward/lower 2 are still buried. I might be able to get a mirror and see them from above, but not sure how I can get some PB Blaster in there and a socket would be tough to get there too. Any advice? It seems like the shock/spring mounting are in the way and I can't see removing them easy.

I did get some PB Blaster on the other 6, and from what I can see they don't look horribly rusted ... I actually put a socket on the bottom rear nut and it turned without too much force.

Any advice from someone who has changed the right manifold on this year range of Expedition? Someone in the other forum suggested removing engine mount bolts and jacking up a couple inches. Would that involve just the mount bolts or would I have to seperate the tranny and/or remove a bunch of other stuff to raise the engine up?

Thanks for any advice.

Dave

 

Did you remove the entire plastic wheel well shield? With that out and the tire off you should be able to access every thing fairly easily. FWIW, you have the easy side to do, the driver's is much harder. Over there you have to deal with the EGR tube and the steering shaft.

 

Yes, I did remove the entire wheel well shield, and that helped a lot, but like I said there's still some structure between the strut mount and the engine mount so the forward/lower studs are still pretty inaccessable. I did manage to get some penetrating oil on them by looking back down the area from the front of the vehicle (good thing PB Blaster has a long stream) but I still can't see getting a socket on them and being able to actually turn it.

Ironically the steering shaft was another inspection failure item but I got that out without much problem (part was big $$$ from dealer but labor was not too bad, especially since it was my labor), and I commented that the left side exhaust manifold looks like a breeze because I can see all 8 studs pretty clearly.

I'm still hoping there's someone out there that has done this on this vintage Expy (or F-150, I imagine they are identical) or has had to jack up the engine for some other reason and can give me some advice.

Thanks again to all who help on this forum.

 

Any update to how you got the two last studs out? I'm about ready to tackle the same job and I'm wondering how you got it completed?

 

Well Alloro I have to disagree with you on which is the tougher side to do, I did the drivers side in a day and all studs came out with my ratchet, now with this said lets go over to my passenger side. As soon as I removed the inner wheel well I felt sick but couldn't afford the $1,000 plus it would cost. What were nuts on the studs seemed to be welded to the manifold from the corrosion, no way would anything come off with a ratchet. I spent a full afternoon with my 4 " grinder with cutting wheels and cut the manifold off in pieces. Then again with my main artillery, I cut the nut stud combination off even with the flanges and removed the flange section, 2 fell off and 2 needed persuading. I took out five studs with vise grips but the three remaining were very seized in place. I tried getting a stud remover but living in central Ontario, things like this need to be ordered and I wasn't about to cut them flush to the head to drill them out. It takes a week to get the stud remover in and to be honest I'm unsure it will work but no way can I have my Expedition sitting another week, three days was bad enough already. So I took a chance, because of how the ones that stayed were situated I felt it might just seal everything with five in it so threw up the gasket and new manifold, bolting it in place. I expected at least a small leak someplace but figured I could live with it until I had the stud remover but when I fired it up I was stunned, no leaks and it sounded as it just came off the showroom floor. I spent two full afternoons cutting out the old manifold, oh used my sawzall as well as my grinder. It's the worst job I've ever had to tackle on any vehicle I've owned, all Fords lol Now I'm heading out for a nice quiet drive.

 

That only because the studs on the passenger side gave you a harder time. All things being equal, if the studs came out the same for both sides then the passenger side is easier to do because you don't have to deal with the EGR tube, steering shaft, or the oil dipstick tube.

 

Wait so you only used 5 bolts for your exhaust manifold? Possibly i misunderstood you. I think the bolts play a major role in difficulty. If they all come out easily, i can see the driver-side being more difficult. I just recently did the passenger side and had 3 broken bolts towards the front of the motor (2 were below the surface of the head). 2 i got out with the welding method and the 3rd, I drilled and tapped. What a nightmare!!

 

You read correctly and positioning is very important, I think. lol Both at the front came out but the next one back top didn't, then the back two top didn't. My Expedition was already off the road for 4 days and I needed it badly but since all studs were still outside of the head I figured if I could buy a stud remover I could get them out but no luck. I had to order the 8 mm stud remover and there was no sense wasting time with a cheap one. So I installed it with the five figuring I would have to live with a small leak or two until it came in and then take it apart to fix it properly. When I started it, I was blown away, no leaks anywhere and since it's still this way, I'm leaving well enough alone. With my luck I would break something taking it off again just to be able to say there were eight in it. She has 360,500 km on it and ran like a piece of crap when I bought it. People should do a tune up on things they want to sell. I changed the plugs and one coil and it turned into a beast. Since I got such an incredible deal I don't mind putting a little money into it. So I put in new front bearings and CV joints plus the manifolds and new brakes all around using vented Rotors. At $236.00 C for vented rotors with ceramic pads, delivered to my door from maxbrakes.com. There's no way I could come anywhere's close to this elsewhere and she now stops on a dime . I found this Expd just before I lost the head gasket in my Explorer so winter project to get her going again. Oh btw the Drivers exhaust manifold was simple compared to the passengers side, you need extra long fingers plus be double jointed to get the bottom bolts in on the passengers side.

 

Well im glad its running ok for you.. I would just keep an eye on that, or an ear! IMO that you will not have any leaks right off but over time that manifold will definitely warp. The bolts keep the manifold from bending away. Theres significantly less holding power now. Just 1 missing bolt and I would be worried. I hope im wrong and it doesnt cause you problems.. Btw, did you jack up the motor and trans? I lifted a couple of inches and it made a world of a difference.. Plenty of room to work.

 

After reading your comments I think you could be right about warp-age in time to come and better order the stud puller. Actually I didn't lift the engine but after hearing you reminds me of the video I watched and this is what they did too, sometimes I forget at my age lol then do things the hard way but when I get the stud puller, I'll lift it and make life much easier for myself, don't want to have to buy another manifold. I wanted to use shorty headers, not so much for performance but they have a bit of give and stainless won't rust out but all there was at a reasonable price was one for the 4.6 and nothing for my 5.4. Thanks for the practical thinking and getting me back to reality...