after a few short months im finally gonna fix my exhaust leak, which i think it is. Ordered a new set of Gibson header gaskets and instead of the 100 dollar ARP stainless studs i bought two sets of Dorman replacement studs for 18 dollars. After thinking about it i figured my truck is a 2004, just turned 100k and i still have all my factory studs and nuts. So i said f it and just got the Dorman's,they are coated with this black anticorrosion paint and im gonna silver antiseize the crap out of them when i install them. Im gonna rip the headers off Saturday and ill be sure to take plenty of pictures for everone

 

yes please take lots of pictures. i have an obnoxious exhaust leak too and i am thinking about the gibson headers

 

i have the Gibson headers already for five years, but it must have taken its toll on the gaskets so new ones it will be. hopefully the nuts come off without breaking the studs so i can have something to grab on too so i can remove the old studs and get the new ones installed. Most important the new gaskets better solve the tick i have if not im putting a brick on the skinny pedal and turning the truck into a tree!

 

Yeah I have the tick too, its all I hear with the windows down but no one else hears it...

 

its funny really i installed the stainless headers five years ago so i wouldnt have a problem, and yet i still got a blown gasket i think? Ive checked everything and its the only part i cant remove without having to replace the gaskets so saturday when im dont and i start my truck the dam tick better be gone. I hate the fact that i can remove the factory bolts from my 1977 F150 to install headers but a super clean six year old truck will do nothing but snap and rot off! All i know is that my 2004 will be my last "new" truck ever, my next truck will be a completely rebuilt from ground up 1997 F350 with a 7.3 and six speed manual. It will take at least a year to do a ground up resto but at least i know everything will last and ill have none of this bull crap problems with ball joints, sticking brake calipers, horrible auto trans, weak power steering, etc

 

well guys i just finished removing my headers and installing all the new hardware and header gasket..... and i STILL have this tick!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!

 

.

 

im gonna try and get these pictures and video in order....
upper inner fender mount, rust has started to get to it


passenger firewall- you can see my Eastwood rust paint i applied last summer, still looks brand new and no new rust forming


bottom of radiator support- factory paint is holding up well here


air box drain i cleaned it just to be sure since i could get to it

 

that blows dude

 

now the headers...

what i started with all factory studs 101k on five year old stainless Gibson headers

 

stock Ford studs, studs looked brand new in the block. The nuts on the other hand looked like they were in the ocean for the past 100 years!

 

holy crap your engine is clean

 

now the head before and after cleaning





had to cut the socket head off the back stud so the header would sit flush, stupid Gibson!

 

now the headers, heres my sand blast cabinet i used to clean them

 

yea Ive been losing sleep over this for almost two months, wondering if the stock head studs were gonna snap. They all came out perfect! I get everything back together and that F$CKING tick is still there!