OK.... I am usually pretty good at these things, but I am struggling. I am installing headers on my 2001 Expy with the 4.6l. I am trying to remove the header bolts and have managed to remove 1 so far. They are all rusted to the point that literally a layer of metal has disappeared off of each of them. I could weld nuts on the studs on the top row and turn them out that way (If they dont break off in the block) if it came down to it, but I see no way possible to get to the lower studs to get them off. I tried Craftsman brand bolt-outs (the spiral fluted socket style that is supposed to bite and pull onto the nut when turning them. Is there a brand that actually works well that someone knows of???) with no success on the top bolts that I can get to much easier. Short of removing the motor, someone have some good ideas that have worked for them on this project. i cant believe how bad the nuts are rusted on. I feel like I am working on a 25 year old car. I know that others have cut them apart to get them off, but I dont want to end up in a situation where I cut the manifolds up to only find out I wont be able to get the bottom studs out. I have called around to several shops and the cheapest to install them is $672. I am thinking that they actually pull the motor with that price tag. Need some help gentlemen.

 

You think incorrectly; add $2K to pull the motor.

From the sounds of it, you might have no choice but to cut. Sometimes the only way is to do it in sections...cut just enough out of the way to access a lower bolt, one at a time until you get all of them.

 

I cant remove the bolts that I can get to. I have rounded one off to a perfect circle. I have tried heat, vice grips, and the bolt outs like I said before. I am looking for ways to get the studs out with the nuts as bad as they are. I know with a little work I can get the tops out. THe bottoms are the concern. If I cut the manifolds how do I get the studs out of the bottom row if the tops are that bad. Plus, the engine mount blocks part of the nuts on the passenger side to the point where I cant even get a socket on them. Not the nicest design by Ford, given they just need to trim the mount plate by 1/4 inch for plenty of clearance.

 

If they are all that boogered up I would just put that one bolt you got out back in, return the headers and just roll with the stockers. I have seen 4.6 header swaps before in Mustangs and those made me cringe...

If they are that goobered up and rusted up then yeah you are going to at least have to weld nuts on the end of them and back them out easy after letting them soak with a penetrant (pb blaster or some such) and probablyl hitting them with a torch too. And I'm not talking about some chincy propane job, I'm talking about a real acetylene jobber that'll get them to come out nice and smooth.

 

unless you have another vehicle to drive around in while working on your expy i would do what scotty suggested. i put a set of headers on my 5.4 expy and while i did not have as much trouble with the old bolts as you are having, i did end up snapping a couple off in the head. i was able to drill them out without removing the heads using a long flex bit but that was the easy part. putting the header themselves in was the hard part.
there is almost no room on the passenger side to install the new header bolts. you cant get your hand in there and have to get creative with every tool in your box. the drivers side while there is more room was still not a cakewalk either.
all in all it took me about 4-5hrs to get them in there. if your still going to go ahead with the install just be prepared for it to take alot of time, a case or two, and some bloody knuckles.