Last week while pulling home from a camping trip I started hearing a ticking whistling. Inspection revealed the number 4 upper exhaust manifold stud had broken. It makes a lot of noise on start up when it is cold which quiets pretty quickly but never completely goes away. I know this is something that will need to be taken care of sooner than later.

My question is has anyone removed and replaced the passenger side exhaust manifold in a later Expedition or F150? I am not sure what year they changed to IFS but after that the strut tower is very high and the exhaust manifold is buried behind the frame. I can see the upper studs and probably reach them from above and from the wheel well, but the lower, I can hardly even see them! There is so much stuff under the engine on that side in the way. All the youtube videos I have seen are for older trucks that don't have such in the way once you remove the inner fender cover. I can not find much on later trucks.

Any tips, strategies? I have read scattered advice saying everything from remove A/C compressor, starter, sway bar, remove engine mount and lift the engine, to pulling the engine. I do not have a lift but plenty of jack stands and jacks, and air tools, and do almost all my own work. Is this something that can be done in the driveway over a weekend or do I really need to take it in ? Still waiting for a quote from the dealer.

Thanks!

 

I have come to the conclusion I will be doing this job. Got a quote back from the dealer yesterday of about $1450! I also concluded since my dealer changed hands a couple years ago they are now a total rip off (did not used to be). When I asked for a little detail, the advisor said if the manifold was still good (not likely) I would save $258. For the manifold?? I asked why they had a $100 mark up ABOVE the official Fordparts.com price and nearly $200 above an aftermarket part? He couldn't say. He also said most of the job was labor, 6.5 hours, and later said the labor was $1050 of the total. So $1050 / 6.5 = $160 per hour labor rate my deal is now charging. Wow! When I reminded him at least one stud will have to be extracted he said oh yea, that will add some labor too.

I found some videos yesterday afternoon showing the job on a 06 Explorer which is very similar, they are exceedingly helpful, I will definitely have to make a contribution! I spent some time really looking the truck over to see how I can access the studs. The two middle lower are going to be really hard, I may have to take out the starter, and PRAY they don't break. Fortunately the broken number 4 upper is the most accessible so it will not be hard to get a drill and extractor on to remove the piece of stud in the head. I also live in the SoCal desert, so there is nothing but a bit of surface rust on the manifold and nuts, the studs are even still steel color. I am going to get everything together and do a mock up. Pull the wheel and fender and see if I can get the socket on all the studs before the actual event. The alternative is to try to find a local shop that is familiar with this job.

One decision I have not made yet, do I use regular steel stud and nut kit, stainless coated with copper ant seize, or the new factory studs which are a copper coated stainless and cost about $8 each.

Sigh, this is why I do not have a hobby, every time I want to start doing something for fun another fire will pop up for me to put out.