If I ever get it apart. I am going to heat mine up before I try to loosen studs. If I start having breaking studs with the tools I will weld nuts onto the studs.

 

nmocean; Like I said, cutting/grinding off the nuts is a total b**** and will take most of your day, but you CAN do it. It took me about 6 hours with different rotary tools and I'd say a mini-right angle die grinder with a cone stone is your best friend in this process.
Its tough.

Gene/F-53/V10; you can usaually find them at an auto parts store like orielly's, or if you have a Grainger nearby you can purchase a high quality PROTO cam stud extractor, but the lesser will do fine... I have no idea how to post pictures on here but I'll try....
Never mind, here's a link to the product though.

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/items/1UDW4

You really can't go wrong with these things. It should work just fine with your 1/4" stud too. No promises, but I'd say it'll word down to about 1/8" exposed... It won't slip, so the only thing you have to worry about is the stud breaking, but these don't put so much stress on the stud so I'd say your chances are pretty darn good. Either way though, this is defintitly a tool every mechanic should have......

P.S. You can also (of course) order off Grainger's website or by phone if you don't have a retail location near you.
Personally, I have had nothing but GREAT experience with this company, both on location and on the web.
Web and phone orders are processed and shipped with somewhat surprising speed. I give huge props to this company and anyone still focused as much on customer service as they are......

 

I have taken the pass. side off I had to cut the exhaust manifold into three pieces I am putting on Ford motorsport headers so I cut it off. I have the studs soaking over night. I will heat them and spray them several times before I try to remove them. I was able to cut each nut off the one under the motor mount is the one I cut up the manifold. The dremel tool with cut off wheels is amazing. I still have to get the starter straightened out. Napa said they had a listing for a 99-2000 but no 04 I am going to take it up to see if it is the same. I have been two and 1/2 days so far. I should be looking pretty good tommorrow. I will not try to remove any stud without heating it.

 

Sounds like a plan.. It's kinda funny actually, I broke a terminal off my starter when removing it too becuase of corrosion.. got mine for $130 from orielly's

 

84ttb: Thanks for the explanation and photo site, I recall seeing some ads for this Cam Type now, heading to northern NY today, several auto part stores there, will try to pick up one of these extractors.
Really hope you are right on extracting 1/4" protruding studs too.

Many of you are talking about heating it up first, understand not to heat the stud, but the surrounding area around stud, is that correct?

Also, would a small bottle propane torch used for plumbing copper pipes give off enough heat and how long would I heat up the area before proceeding to attempt to back out the stud?

Thanks you guys are great. Eugene.

 

I am using a propane torch for heating the studs up. I think a regular torch is too much. I heat the stud then spray it with pb blaster I have done this a couple of times today. While working on the drivers side manifold removal. I am going to take the steering wheel shaft out to the way to cut off the manifold. I only have three more studs to cut on the drivers side. I hope the studs come out I have two that are broke on the rear of the drivers side.

 

I have the steering column removed and 1 stud left and then the rains came. So I still don't have the manifold off on the drivers side. First thing in the morning I will finish with the removal and then remove the studs. It looks like I might have to drill three out that were broke. I hope to finish up tommorrow God willing.

 

Ok day 5. The manifolds are off. We were able to get 17 studs using the stud extractor socket some heat and PB Blaster. I have three that are broke off in the head 1 on the pass. side and two on the drivers side. I have tapped 17 holes so far. I have the one on the pass side drilled and through it I will try to get it out on Sun and the other two. What I am going to do it remove the broken stud and then use the threads behind it they go in there several inches. The threads are metric threads in the head also. My dad is bringing an arsonal of tools tommorrow so we should be good.

 

Wow, you guys are having one tough time. The only advice I can offer is to keep at it and don't use those spiral EZ outs. Use the square tapered ones of good quality. Not the made in China ones.
I have one of those cam type extractors that I use for removing the studs out of Toyota 2F heads. I tried it briefly but it was worse than the socket style so I never gave it another thought. But it is 20 years old and well used.
Keep picking away, it will eventually be over.

 

Day 6, I got the passenger side on and together all that is left is the tire. All I know is the headers are close to the valve cover, I had to grind the head on these little tabs on the heads for clearance. The drivers side back exhaust port bolts were broken and had to be drilled out and tapped what a bad fiasco. We tried left handed drill bits, easy outs, screw extractors nothing worked at all. They are all tapped now and ready for the header install. After that I have to reinstall the steering shaft, the shock mount, shock and tire. Then the y-pipe and I can't forget to grind the head for clearance. Over the socket stud removers worked great as well as PB Blaster and heat. I was able to remove 17 studs and one broke but it ended up coming out. So we only had two really bad ones.

 

I will sell this truck when it is finished. Today I ripped the header gasket and can't buy new ones they are discontinued. I had to buy 5.4 gaskets and cut one and add it to make 5. No wonder detroit is in trouble, this is exactly why I have a Lexus and Honda in the garage.

 

nmocean: How did you manage to rip the header gasket, did you have to remove the head to get to the manifold studs?

I put some more time into my 5 remaining studs today, did some heat, PBlaster and hammer tapping on all 5 twice. Then decided to give the only remaining one which was not damaged by vice grips etc., put the Titan stud remover on it tighten up, and slowly began a back and forth motion, and it actually started moving, wow, I'm going to get one out finally, well no! It just broke off inside the head by l/8" so now looking to find a way to get a good center point to being drilling with a 1/8" bit, drill it right through and try a 1/8" square easy out first. I purchased two USA made high quality easy outs, the 1/8 & a 5/16" one. Plus a high quality 5/16" reverse bit.

Was unable to find a Cam-type stud remover in northern NY, Advance Auto, Auto Zone or Auto Plus, non of them carry it.

Other option is to rent a mig welder and have my son and his boss (who is a prof.welder come over and weld some nuts on the remaining 4 which are still sticking out of the head.

Last resort will be in physically remove the left driver side head and take it to a machine shop to have the studs removed. Have not gotten that fed up yet. It's a motorhome chassis and we really are too busy with family and a parent this summer to do any vacation/camping.

 

Where I had to tap on the drivers side rear #9 I put in studs I had the gasket attached to the header and it caught the stud and ripped in 1/2 Then I try to buy a new gasket nope they are discontinued. So I had to buy 5.4 header gaskets and make it for a V-10.
I used a stud remover (the socket type) I did buy both the one that looks like a drill chuck I didn't try it. We used everything under the sun screw extractors, easy outs, reverse drill bits nothing worked ended up drilling them with a 90 degree cordless drill PIA. The best tool that I found was a dremel with a reinforced cutting wheel it was able to get in places to cut the nuts off. I ordered the stud removers from website on the internet. The truck has been on jack stands for a week. I hope to finish it tommorrow if the weather holds out. I haven't really gotten mad about it just more disgusted than anything. I have read that I might have to bend the y-pipe to get it to fit I sure hope not I have the off-road piece in it. Worse Job that I have ever done on a car.

 

I guess we have to go easy, and expect the worst as others have posted here, it's not easy, but it can get done, eventually.
Guess you managed your manifold gasket crisis by using the 5.4. And your truck is an 04 and the gaskets are discontinued, now that's #*+!!.

 

Are the factory gaskets discontinued or the aftermarket header gaskets?
Either way its crap. I felt like trading my truck off when I was skinning my knuckles and wasting my time over an obvious manufacturing defect. Some of my studs had snapped off at 35 000 km.
But my present economics dictated keeping this truck for at least another year.