cut the nuts off?
 

Has anyone just cut the nuts off the exhaust manifolds with a cut off wheel? It looks like I could get one in there and or use my Dremel. Don't need to save the manifold really so if it gets cut a lil so what. Then you would have all the studs to work with. Seems like they come out of the head pretty easily.

not a bad idea, guess if it feels like it's going to break just cut it off.

V10 man, I just replaced exhaust manifold studs on both sides

on the passenger side the nuts were so rotted I ended up using 3 size sockets because they were deformed - 13mm, 12mm and 1/2" two were so rounded and corroded I could not turn them at all so I used my pneumatic 3" die grinder with cutoff wheel. I ended up having to cut the topside nut above the motor mount and of course the lower one right in the motor mount. It was a pita and took me forever to cut just the nut on the lower side because I didnt want to destroy my manifold.

I wouldnt worry about broken studs if you have a welder. I had about 10 broken below the surface that I extracted either first or second try by welding them out.

I'm in the process of doing the studs on the passenger side of my '99 250SD.

I have cut nuts off of studs and bolts before, and did it on one here with my angle grinder and a cutoff wheel. Got it pretty cleanly. I'm a welder and used to torch off nuts without harming the threads. The idea transfers easily to other tools.

Other than grinding off the nut, I used a 6" shank carbide oval burr to eat the nuts away on this job. Of my ten studs, one is broke off below the surface, one stud broke at the manifold upon removal, three had already broken off, the rest were burred off.

That burr is a magic tool, and I will never be without one again.

I used a chuck type stud extractor on the studs last night. Got 9 out in about 15 minutes. What took the longest was taking the extractor to the vise on every stud to get it out. The trick for my chuck type extractor is to hold the barrel in one hand and tighten the ratchet with the other. Once the jaws are tight it takes care of itself. I couldn't believe how easily the studs came out. Makes me wonder what's going to blow up next time I go at it.

I have to try welding that last stud tonight. I'll try to get a wire brush at it first, and maybe some solvent to clean off the top that I can reach. Other than that, I hope it goes well and quickly.

What's this chick type stud extractor you are talking about? Can you post a pic? Or maybe a link?

I saw a youtube video in which once the nut was cut thru on one flat, the nut could be unscrewed. Something about the nut explaning as the flat is cut loosens the nut.

exhaust
 

well I am getting ready to try and get the manifold off I got 1 stud/nut out rather easy, and the front one was broken already, the three rear nuts are badly eaten up so I bought a set of those socket style damaged nut removal sockets, I hope they work. I have done all the repairs to my f350 sd my self so I would hate to get rid of the truck, kinda feels like it is part of me, I just finished putting new leaf springs front and rear, when the manifold started leaking, but at least my truck sits perfectly level. Any additional advice would be greatly appreciated.

I cut all 20 of mine off - here is the thread on the project and a second one on the install of headers and exhaust.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...r-dummies.html


https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...r-dummies.html

Thanks for these links, Christina. I really enjoyed and appreciated the many pictures.

Aside from the mileage gains after install of the Banks (which you mentioned), did you notice an immediate and obvious performance difference?

Yes. Broke loose a rear tire on the first test drive after that second thread was completed. It had been awhile since I'd be able to break one loose.

Put Mike's Tunes on it a few weeks later and run 87 Perf or Eco on it most of the time. Daily around town driving I stay in the 10.6 range - trips and mostly HWY I can see 13-14.

She growls now with the header's when she starts - neighbors knows I'm leaving but it's not obnoxiously loud. Just a healthy 10 cylinder loud. :)

Excellent!

Your original thread stated your local/around town mileage improved to 12.4. But you're now saying it's back to 10.5 or so?

Right now I'm about 12-13 hwy with a little mix of local.
All local I'm about 10.5

Not sure what it was back right after but that's what it is now and doesn't appear to have lessened any over time.

Not leaking exhaust will help your mileage but let's me honest nothing is going to make a V10 fuel efficient. I was more concerned with damage to my engine and the poor performance, those are the two things that made me dig in and fix it.

I had an oil test around that time and it was showing high fuel levels in my oil that motivated me.

Amen to that! I just wanted to clarify your mileage figures. I got very excited/interested when you said it went from ~8 (abnormally low) to ~12 (abnormally high). 10.5-ish is right about where I'm sitting with in-town driving.

Sorry to have hi-jacked this thread.

I think the local driving depends on where you live. Small town or big city makes a big difference. We live 6 miles from a small town. My wife gets 12 MPG local driving. It drops considerably in winter. On longer trips 14 mpg with a best of 16. She doesn't check MPG when I drive it. She does have a very light foot unless someone gets her dander up. I could see losing 1 or 2 mpg if we had to deal with congested city traffic. OK not really, cause I'd shoot myself before driving in that crap twice a day.