Shop discovered a crack in passenger exhaust manifold of my 1988 F150, 302 truck, and hole in the tailpipe. Recommended replacing exhaust manifold, and replacing the rest of the exhaust (combination of 2 1/4" and 3" pipe and two catalytic converters, and muffler) with all 3" pipe, only one hollowed out converter and the muffler. They say that this will improve gas mileage, exhaust flow, and overall performance. I don't have to worry about emission inspections.
Does this make sense and is the price of $560 US reasonable? Any other suggestions/advice?
Thanks,
Frank

 

Many 302's cracked their manifolds due to excessive heat. opening up the exhaust eliminates this problem.

If you don't have to worry about emissions, then consider replacing both manifolds with long tube full length headers, eliminating the cats, ang going with true dual exhaust and mufflers, something non restrictive like a flowmaster.

Doing this WILL give you a noticeable increase in power and fuel millage with your 302.

The total cost will probabibly be more, but maybe not much. Check it out

that being said, what the shop has sugested is also going to help, just not as much.

 

I'd say that's a super deal. I paid about $200 for just a muffler and tailpipe. Those exhaust manifold are a pain to get out.

 

when i pulled the manifolds on my 88, i was expecting a pain, but all the bolts came right out, no prob. very easy.

 

on my 1991 i just changed my exhaust from single 2 1/4 to dual 2 1/2 inch with 40 Series Flowmaster they sound AWESOME! and i noticed a HP increase! not really gettin better fuel milage although the 351W has never been very good.....oh well....the whole thing cost me about $650 Canadian.....sorry don't have a currency converter.........anyways it was worth the money and then some!!!

 

for about as much as you are going to pay a shop you can get full lenth tube by bassani exhaust and a cat back system also bassani that bolts right in no mods needed. try the wed link below. I bought this for my 95 with a 302 took more time to get the old pipes and manifolds off than it took to get new stuff in and did my engine love it fuel economy went up and engine breathed much better and HP increased...plus the system is stainless steel with hi flow cat and I went with the powder coated headers
http://www.proficientperformance.com/bassani.php and the good thing it is all street legal and emissions legal in all 50 states


PS I paid 981 tax shipping included to my door thats right shipped to my door for all parts and customer support was great

 

Sounds fairly reasonable. I have right at 500 dollars in my exhaust right now, and that includes Hedman Hedders, rear cat "falling off", 3" from front cat to a 40 series Flowmaster and dual 2.5" pipes exiting under the rear bumper. We haven't touched the front cat yet (gonna replace it with a 3" catco) and I don't think we'll do anything to the Y-pipe.

 

Cracked exhaust manifold is not the end of the world.

Take off the manifold, and grind the crack down so it's notched the best you can. Then using a cast iron compatible welding rod, fill in the notch you made and seal it up. Then using an oxy/acetelyne torch, heat the manifold evenly to relieve the stress in the iron your weld caused.

Then enjoy the manifold for many years to come. Sometimes aftermarket or decent junkyard manifolds can be had for a decent price, but sometimes tracking one down for older vehicles is a pain in the butt. I find fixing cracks less time consuming than trecking around to different junkyards trying to find stuff they think they have, but clearly don't.

Ebay always is an option of course.

 

I ground a vee into the exhaust manifolds and drilled a hole at the end of the cracks. Then I heated the manifolds in the oven. However the braze never lasted over 2,000 miles. I ended up using after market exhaust manifolds because every salvage yard manifolds already were cracked.

 

well, thats cause its a braze. i know thats all some people are capable of in terms of equiptment, but a actual weld will last forever.

 

If by chance if some one will be needing a set of factory exhaust manifolds I will be departing from mine they are off of a 95 f150..they are in a pristine condition at the moment...finally installing my equal length tubes from Bassini

 

And if you can braze, you can weld. The process is the same, except the rod is different, and there is more heat. Most people braze with an oxy-acetelyne torch anyway, so just crank it up and weld a nice bead.

Cast iron manifolds can be arc-welded too.

I can gas braze, gas weld, and MIG weld. I cannot arc-weld. I either get not penetration, or a melted project.

#*$&@(#*$& ! ! !