Sounds like you've made up your mind. That's fine - hope I helped some on the 5.4 side. We've towed our horse trailer with a single horse (say 6K lbs) over about 8000 ft passes, and while it's no turbocharged diesel, it doesn't have to be floored to do it - we have the 3.55 gearing too. The 2V 5.4s make their torque lower than the 3V ones do, plus have way less complicated engine stuff going on = lugable and reliable. Enjoy the new ride!

Scott

 

Yeah Mark, diesel motors are costly, high maintenance. I've usually have told people do you really need a diesel. In 2001 it was an option, but since fuel costs have greatly risen. I ran a 2018 F-350 gas for a day trip, got about 12mpg where with my 6.0 I would get 18mpg. Fuel costs plus the extra expense make sense to me today in a commercial market.

I think you have some life in that van, but I'd make the determination after myself bolting in an aftermarket manifold gasket, then see where I was. Paying someone 7-8 bills, not so much.

 

I think it's feasible for me to install the manifold. I will soak the bolts with some penetrating fluid. What do you think? It may take me 2 months to complete the job after our camping trip. Not a big deal.

Rock Auto sells aftermarket exhaust manifolds for $120. AutoNation White Bear Lake sells Exhaust Manifold - Ford (3C3Z-9430-AB) manifold for $102. The aftermarket may be more desirable as it includes a gasket to compensate for warpage.

The shop quoted me $232 for a Dorman. I mostly do not do Dorman. It reminds of cheap parts that my father installed on bicycles when nothing else worked..."Wald, when the best will not do." That is a close quote from the manufacturer. Wald supplied junk parts for discount bicycles.

 

Is that family in the pic?

Looking at your images, that’s very rust free. When the guy put my engine in he greased everything well and all the manifold bolts and up pipe bolts came apart easily. Yours may too, but pre oiling with a mix of ATF and acetone will help any issues.

Was there a specific reason for the manifold replacement? I realize it was quoted, but unless there is damage a slight warp can be corrected with a gasket. Another option is to have it lightly machined for flatness. BTW, has anyone checked if those two bolts are tight?

 

Dang! there you go again... Who named you king of common sense? Ok, well maybe you just are... Had a mid 90s Ford F250 460. It had a cold exhaust leak that went away once warm. Then it got worse - finally poked my head under there and it actually had 2 leaks, the original (and yes I checked the manifold nuts) and a new one: leaking where the stud had broken off, nut and all were gone... Local wrench charged a couple hundred and got the old stud out and new one in. Ahhhh, quiet again -- would have run a long time leaking tho... Man I miss that truck...

 

I have the doghouse off. I will check tomorrow morning. Jack, why do you always make things easy??? Most of us overlook the obvious.

 

I'm not hopeful that will be the answer, 'cause if it's loose it should have fallen out.

 

Agreed, that was a neat truck. We had one when we were going for that business, Performance Friction got it. We ran it at home for about 6 months then sent it out to Bill Stroppes in Signal Hill to be part of the runoff. Ended the lease one the program was done. Everyone out there said it was the nicest one of the group. Most groups send the trucks out fairly rough as a test vehicle. I sent them out pretty, wires laid proper, and a cover over the bed so you couldn't see the weight package. Sometimes it mattered. That's a long story.

 

So i have been following along this entire thread.
And i have owned my 04 since new so i feel as if.i know, feel and hear all the intricate nuances of a 6.0.
Am i the .the only one that doesnt hear a pronounced "chirp" in the video?
Will all the money you have sunk into a high mileage vehicle that will likely sell for little i think i would keep driving it and fix/change the manifold yourself when you can and stay away from Dorman product.

 

No, you're not. You're atleast the third and that was said.

 

It's hard to hear. When the engine is cold, I don't hear anything. I start noticing at 170 or so.

The money slipped by quickly. It does not run or look like a high mileage vehicle. This is one repair that I better do on my own.

I got sidetracked cleaning the brake calipers, installing brakes pads, and bleeding the lines on my Subaru. I have not so much as looked at the brakes in 10 years. Calipers were clean and moved freely. Brake pads almost down to the metal. Brake fluid was not that dirty. I use a turkey baster once a year on all my vehicles to suck out the reservoirs.

Tomorrow, I start fresh on the van again.

 

After completing the 45-minute brake job on my Subaru, I drove the van 90 miles to my friend and For Diesel Mastertech Wes. Even before arriving there, he was really skeptical about the exhaust manifold leak making the sound. I popped the hood and removed the doghouse. I showed him the driver side exhaust leak where the mechanic said the sound was coming from. The sound is actually louder on the opposite side.

Wes said he believes this sound is internal and is often a failed lifter. He could do little more than listen here and there. He is confident that it's not a good noise. Additionally, he advised against dropping the engine to figure it the root cause.

He has a driveway full of 6.0 customer trucks. I gave him a 6 pack of Lagunitas IPA and offered to pay him for his time and he politely refused. I bought him more beer which he willingly accepted.

I received a private message today from a member that works on Fords for a living and here is what he said "If it helps, positively identifying the source of this noise will change pitch when water from an aerosol type dispenser is sprayed onto the suspected area (exhaust leak).

If in fact diagnosis does positively identify the exhaust manifold to cylinder head clearance as the source of your noise, replacement is not terribly difficult. As you know, from the factory there are no gaskets installed. During service, gaskets can easily be installed. Believe it or not, if the manifolds (and the fasteners) are in relatively decent condition, you can even install gaskets without physically removing the manifolds from the van itself, if that's a cost-effective idea you'd like to think about.

I sprayed a fine mist of soapy water on the leaky areas and saw bubbles. The noise pitch did not change. I brought my wife and son out to listen and both heard it more on the passenger side. This seems to rule out the mechanic that said it was coming from the leaky driver side exhaust manifold.

I torqued the closest passenger and driver side bolts to 28 ft pounds while the engine was still warm. Both sides were off by a few pounds. Noise still present.

Here is a new video of the passenger side:
This van will remain in my fleet of personal old noisy vehicles for a while doing mostly day trips.

I thank everyone for offering bits of wisdom and advice. The investigation has been a great learning experience. I hope to pass on what I learned in this process...

I left the doghouse off and will record a video with a cold engine. Cannot stop thinking about the chirp. Maybe a bird is stuck in the engine compartment.

 

The metallic tap is more like what I heard in my motor. it's a tough call, Mark.

 

I listened to both vids, and as I think you'd suggested before: it would be nice to have a "knowledge-base" of folks 6.0s sounds to listen to. My truck has been parked for several months but I think I should go out and start it, just so you can hear that yours sounds the same...

I don't hear what you are hearing, but I could hear Jack's thump... If you want to get all paranoid and need a reason to go buy that gasser van then this is it... Enjoy the next trip and stop obsessing on this noise nobody, on this side of the internet, can hear...

BUY the 5.4!!!!

 

Maybe I have a little bit of Jack in me from engineering days. I usually don't stop until whatever is bothering me stops or I forget about it.

I am selling my E150 camper van marketed as a stealth camper van to pay for part of the E350. I will swap out the best parts from the diesel and put on the gas van. PW and PDL will go into the 98 E350 gas van. Bilstein shocks too. America's tires will swap rim and tires for $64. New gas van has nice rims and 8-year-old tires. Should I be concerned? The Odyssey AGM batteries are coming out of the van and going into the gas van. I could install a box under the frame and keep a spare. Front Ford "Blue box brake pads and calipers" are going into the gas van.

I plan on keeping the diesel for my daily driver, grocery getter, church runner, and 6.0 forum contributor. The gas van is for camping only. My 2 boys can fight over the 91 Honda Accord. My wife gets the '99 Subaru.

The gas van has a cracked radiator. This was disclosed in the Craigslist ad. Any suggestions on a new radiator? 2 failed FORD cracked radiators while on camping trips. A good aftermarket radiator will do as I can change it out after 10 years.

Seems like everything is falling into place.