1989 f250 4x4 460

I have an exhaust manifold leak. Previous owner recently installed high end gaskets, there already leaking so the manifold is probably bad.

Sounds like installing new headers is the way to go. Rather than replacing a manifold?

what set do you guys recomend? Cheapest price that are decent.

My stock exhaust is in really good shape; do any of the headers bolt right up?

I was going to use the acusta seal from napa and not use gaskets. That was my plan for manifolds, is it the same for headers or should I use gaskets?

what would be approximate cost to have a shop swap out manifolds for headers?

Or cost to just swap out one manifold with a new one?

Thanks all

 

I've got ceramic coated hedmans, they were about 600. Good for the price, I've had them about 7 years. Remflex gaskets are the best, my bolts have been snugged up once, they've been solid ever since.

 

You can take the factory manifolds to a machine shop and have them decked so the mating surface is flat, clean the head and install without a gasket like OEM was. Or, go headers, your choice. I dont know if you live in the rust belt, but if so, plan on the EGR pipe from the rear of the drivers manifold snapping off. Theres a funny elbow that connects the pipe to the manifold, and only ford sells it and its not cheap. The pipe on the other hand is readily available through dorman. So do whatever you can to save that elbow!

 

Thanks guys. What would approximate cost be to have a shop remove, resurface and reinstall? Just a ballpark, so I can decide if ill do it myself or not.


That's assuming no bolts are seized or will break. Previous owner replaced gaskets within the last year so should be ok with that. Unless he broke one off and didn't tell me.

 

Did you ever decide on what to do? I'm curious because I have an 88 with the same problem and might go the headers route

 

I'm in the process of changing the heads to aluminum pro-comp heads and some other mods I'm wondering about hooking headers up and if the EGR pipes will also be able to adapt to the headers or what I can do to cap them without messing my computer up, any suggestions on what headers will work, and I'm assuming I need valve covers that will accommodate these hoses ??
thanks I'm not real informed this type of setup but I can get it done with the right advice, and anything else you can think of that will help me would be appreciated!!!
thanks

 

Joe F., you didn't say what truck you're working with but if it's a 460, your truck intake will not mate to those aluminum heads. No aftermarket intakes are made for EFI 460 trucks.