I've been studying on this topic and I'm about to proceed on fixing my passenger side exhaust squeal that has been present since I purchased the truck. All studs are there, but last week I finally put a wrench on them and the front 2 just spin and spin....you can also feel the leak with your hand when you crank the truck.

Question #1 - Do the studs seize in the heads (the unbroken ones)or do they come out pretty easily?

Question #2 - Is it ok to go back with stainless studs?

Question #3 - I assume I should replace all the studs while I have that side off, is it common for studs to break when you are trying to remove them?

 

In my case the studs didn't seize in the head but they did break off as you tried to remove them. In my case I had three break off even with the head and for that the common approach is to weld a nut on the end of the stud with a wirefeed welder in which I did. This worked for two out of the three. The third one I had to drill out and tap. I used stainless studs as my replacements. I also did both sides which takes twice as long. It is a pain in the butt to do this and your back will not be happy with you when you are done..

 

Do you have a parts list of the bolts needed to correct this issue? Seems like a good preemptive move to go ahead and replace them all with stainless.

 

I don't remember the part numbers I got mine on Ebay, just punch in 5.4 exhaust studs..

 

Have a look at the threads below. The new studs n nuts are improved material. The stealership had them and they were not too much. Was not as bad as I thought it was gona be...not sayin it was fun by any means.

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

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...+exhaust+studs

 

Any idea what they cost from the dealership? Can get the studs in a few days off ebay for $16. I need them asap and would rather go to the dealer but if it's considerably more I will order them tonight.

 

I dont remember I did this 5 years ago. Parts to do one side that included gaskets, studs nuts and the head pipe 3 studs n nuts was around 100 or so if memory serves me? Give the stearleship a call and ask. Have the last 7 or 8 numbers of the trucks VIN available as they will ask for it.

 

I have been looking at these studs: Ford 4 6 5 4 Liter V8 Stainless Exhaust Manifold Stud Kit for 2 Manifolds | eBay

And these gaskets: https://www.summitracing.com/parts/sce-4046

The stainless and copper should elminate future issues. I was going to get my manifolds ceramic coated to for extra protection and use antisieze on all the fasteners.

 

Those metric SS studs are the ones I'll be going to on my v10. The company that sells them is close to where i grow up and they don't sell cheap junk they supply metric stuff to many of the area MFG companies and shops so that's why I'll go with them.