Hi all,
New member and semi rookie with mechanics. My pops gave me his 55 f100. It’s got a 352 Fe. Got an exhaust leak from tailpipe/manifold connection. I can see a small space and getting blow by from connection. Want to get new manifold or possibly headers in the future but just want to fix the leak for now. Looking for advice on how to get a socket on the nut to tighten it up or loosen to put a new donut in. It’s recessed into the gasket and is right against the pipe. One pic is the affected right side and second is the drivers side which shows better what I’m talking about. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

Welcome to FTE,
That is interesting on how it was even assembled. I think it looks like you are almost, or are,out of threads on the studs already and would best be off to remove the nuts. Put a couple or three lock washers or spacers back on first then new brass nuts. Those existing nuts will probably need to be heated to red hot with a torch before they will come off. You will need a socket that is a six point and has no lead in chamfer to the hex pocket. Probably you need to go to a pawn shop and buy one then grind the end back to remove existing lead in.
Sounds like you have a nice hand me down truck from your dad. You should post some pics🙂
Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the advice Farmtruck!
Going to hit it with some more PB blaster and acetone mixed with tranny fluid (recommended by my dad). Then I’ll heat with my butane torch for sweating pipe. Then I’ll get that six point on it and give it a shot. Got one today. Just need to grind down the lead in first. Thank you for the advice!

 

Huckle, welcome to FTE the best Ford truck forum on the World wide Web.

Nice 55. It looks solid. Does the roof just have surface rust? Not rusted through?

Do you have the hood trim?

 

Huckle
The 55 looks like a keeper. Your Dad is right about the 50/50 ATF and Acetone mixture. It works. I mixed some up a two days ago to free up an old vice for a friend. It works like new now. I have a copy of an email from 2010 that claims that it is better than any commercially available product. The email states that a Magazine called Machinist's handbook tested all of the usual products along with the ATF/Acetone mixture and the home brew came out a head.
Enjoy the truck.

 

Thanks for the advice. I got the nut off. Cut off the lead in on a socket, banged it on, heated it up, and it broke loose. Such a great feeling! Abe, mostly just surface rust. There is a little deeper rust at the bottom rear of the cab but I think it can be cut out. It was painted with primer before it sat for 16 years outside. I like the look of it but for the sake of preserving it I think I should get it painted. No idea how much it would cost. For now going to get that exhaust sealed up and drive it for a while with my family until I save up enough to get it painted.

 

I know I have the side trim for the hood but gotta look for the front.

 

Huckle,
That's good news. Use brass nuts and they won't rust on with all the heat cycles. Use the spacers so the socket has a good surface contact. That 2 bolt flange is not the correct style, the nut should not go into a pocket like that. It should be a flat 1/4" thick with maybe a chamfer on one side to match the exhaust pipe flare and push the pipe up against the donut gasket. It is a good feeling to succeed, that is why we all do this stuff.
Drive on and enjoy😊

 

Glad you got nuts off. You said you were going to use a butane torch. I have used a MAP gas torch as it gets hotter. Just giving you another option. Cool truck. Have fun with it.