After a long battle of trying to fix my lean codes, i went to replace the lower intake gasket today and almost all the ears that the bolts go against either broke or werent even there to begin with.

I went to a junk yard and pulled a lower off a 93, with no trans, or wheels, so that made the job slightly more easy, not that anything about it was easy... but on my truck (96 f150) i cant just rip and tear stuff out of the way to make the job easier...

Any tips to make this job easier?

Do I have to remove the bolts that are on the exhaust manifold only, or just loosen them, or can I leave them alone to remove the lower intake?

 

the lower manifold or intake manifold properly termed ; the upper is technically the plenum, is prone to snapping the ears off. there is no simple way to do what you are doing. you need 4 arms 6 eyes -on the end of your fingers and magnets there too.

anyway i remove the entire unit and replace as a complete set how else can you do it ? the gasket is one set for intake and exhaust.

now here is the tear jerker-it hasnt happened to me-yet, but even by following exactly the ford manual you will likely break more ears off. many have reported doing so.
what is torque spec 22 pounds or something like that?
often breakage is due to misalignment or trying to hold everything together at the same time your threading bolts and sucking wind, upside down, bent over backward and your heart is cavitating for lack of blood.
its then you put one more twist on a brittle aluminum ear and it gives way.

check with the fellas on ford six forum maybe they have invented a clever way to do this.