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Was doing some poking around looking at my stabilizer links as some of the rubber is deteriorating and I saw that the bottom boss on the driver side manifold that holds the up pipes are gone. I knew the bolts were rusted away and the up pipes are leaking and I have new ones waiting to go in but this just floored me today. What concerns me the most is the bolts that hold the manifolds to the head are not in the best shape ether. I believe those are aluminum heads and those bolts have been in there since new so it's got to be a bear to get them out and probably beyond what I'm willing to tackle now. I forgot to take a pics of the head bolts themselves and will later to show what kind of trouble I'm getting into. If I have a shop do these what kind of $ am I getting into? The passenger side is fine.
ting into? Also are the manifolds cast iron or steel?
Wow never would have thought of this. Searching on you tube found this guy cut off the the boss around the manifold bolts to relieve he pressure gripping the bolts. Although a different truck wonder if this would work.
My 96 C&C truck lived it's early years in Michigan, so it had a lot of rust issues. I found the bolts to the heads were rusted into the exhaust manifold. I wound up cutting the bolts off with a sawsall, removing the many, and using those Erwin bolt extractors to get the stub bolts out. It worked on all but one bolt that had snapped off flush with the head. That one had to be drilled out. By the looks of your pics, those bolts will be rusted into the manifold.
Did as bit more research and called a local diesel shop. labor just for manifolds $850. Ouch. anyway if I just blow off the heads of the bolts then knocked the manifold off and used my stud extractor that grabs the outside of the bolt shank, do you think what's left will come out? One guy said the 7.3s always come out. Also has anyone used or have heard the pros and cons of using stainless steel bolts reassembling it?
When I did mine, the bolts were really rusted tight in the manifold. I had a time driving the cut off bolts out of the manifold after it was removed. You may get lucky with just removing the heads of the bolts. Those stud extractors worked well for me. When replacing the manifold, I just used the stock bolts from Ford, but covered really well with anti-seize compound.
The reason I'm asking about the stainless bolts is that anti seize only lasts a while. Especially in a high heat areas like the exhaust manifolds. Just concerned at a later date that they may need to come off for whatever reason. Talked to another mechanic months ago about using stainless in one of my gassers for a similar problem and he though that stainless is too soft for the application. They would stretch too much over time with the heat cycles. I found that info yesterday about using stainless and the shop puts kits together and sells them on line for our 7.3s. Possibly there are different hardness's in stainless hardware.
The reason I'm asking about the stainless bolts is that anti seize only lasts a while. Especially in a high heat areas like the exhaust manifolds. Just concerned at a later date that they may need to come off for whatever reason. Talked to another mechanic months ago about using stainless in one of my gassers for a similar problem and he though that stainless is too soft for the application. They would stretch too much over time with the heat cycles. I found that info yesterday about using stainless and the shop puts kits together and sells them on line for our 7.3s. Possibly there are different hardness's in stainless hardware.
we used copper based antisense in steam pipes at a job I had. Seemed to work
Salt and this new brine they put down is eating everything up around here. It has an adhesive quality to it. It sticks to whatever it lands on then just eats it way through.
Salt and this new brine they put down is eating everything up around here. It has an adhesive quality to it. It sticks to whatever it lands on then just eats it way through.
The put the same stuff here. New cars last about 3 winters before it starts becoming a problem.
Put on your tin cap.... I think it is part of a conspiracy to eliminate aged vehicles.
Stop me if you think I'll blow up the truck or something. So here is what I'm planning on doing. Heard that the exhaust manifolds are cast steel and if that is the case they should be able to be welded. Did a quick test today by grinding off some of the rusted surface on the exhaust manifold and took my mig to it. it is only a 110v so this is a cold weld but much to my surprise it stuck. Took a 3lb hammer to it and it didn't budge. So when I install my up pipes for now I'm going to weld a stud onto the exhaust manifold and attach them that way so in a couple of years when I have the time I'll change the manifolds.
What I'll have to do is heat up the weld area with my acetylene torches and get it nice and hot then take my mig to it. That should get me the penetration I'll need to get everything to stick. I do have a Lincoln 225 thumb stone but it been 40+ years since I've done that kind of welding. Plus I wouldn't know what rod to use.
