Where is the best place to buy the parts to fix leaking up-pipes on an early 1999 F350. Should I just fix the stock ones, or go with aftermarket ones. Which will give me the best results for my money. Anyone have any advice or instructions about replacing them?

 

I Dunno if early 99 and 99.5 use the same up pipes, but you can go to the IH dealer and get a bellowed set. Kwikk has a thread about this with the part numbers and all. Let me try to find the link


EDIT: here it is http://https://www.ford-trucks.com/f...age-gains.html

 

I am kind of new to a lot of this stuff. so please excuse my ignorance, but what exactly is the "IH dealer" I keep reading about? Also, what does the bellowed kits have over the non-bellowed kits?

 

IH dealer = International Harvester Dealer. Which is pretty much just known as International anymore, but thats what it means.. And if i understand right, the bellows get ride of the donuts, which often go bad, well, pretty much everyone will have this leak at some point. Im not sure if that kit can work with the early 99, without changing the turbo, and everything else over to 99+. But i could be wrong.

 

EDIT: here it is http://https://www.ford-trucks.com/f...age-gains.html[/QUOTE]

Your does not work.. Can you try again?

 

Since Kwik's recent post regarding the up pipes & mileage gains, I've done a little research on this potential source of power & fuel mileage issues. As I see it, the stock pipes are of a rigid design employing the afore mentioned donuts to create a seal. Years of use can lead to leaks which then cause loss of power and poorer fule mileage. Kwik's post has a wonderful picture of the pipes from an E series van which shows exactly where they hook into the turbo and the exhaust manifolds.
From what I understand, IH sells the pipes and so does Black Widow Diesel. BWD's site has the rigid pipes as well as bellowed ones. The bellows allow for some movement due to expansion/contraction and thus would arguably be the best solution on the hottest part of the motor. This design also eliminates the donuts.

I also understand that the pipes can be removed completely from the the bottom of the vehicle. Swivels, extensions, Aleve (for the body...) I think replacing them as opposed to servicing them is the way to go. They will be rusty, bolts will be stubborn, etc. You might need to unhook the exhaust downpipe from the turbo, but the turbo itself can stay put.

First up, of course, is to see if you even had a problem with them in the first place. With a cold motor, wrap your hand around the pipe side of the flanges at the collector "Y" and determine if soot is present or if it's just dirt. Crawl under the truck and do the same where the pipes meet the exhaust manifolds. No soot should mean no leak. Kwik's pic of the van motor says it all. Look for the soot on the pipes.

 

Some really good pics of the bellowed up pipes are here:

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/6...new-stuff.html

They are on my list.

 

Check this out:

https://www.shop.blackwidowdiesel.co...?productId=304

 

Those are some nice pipes!

 

I know. My hands are sweaty and itching to enter the credit card number.

 

If you go to the International dealer, make sure you have the part number with you, because they will not look up parts for a Ford. I was in there the other day and when I gave the guy the part number, he asked what it was for and I made the mistake of telling him a 7.3. I got a lecture about how there parts won't fit Fords stuff. Tell them it's for a T444. Btw, I paid $345.99 with 5.6% sales tax.

 

I brought this up before but had no asnwer. I think the EARLY 99 might be a closer fit to the obs 94-97 then the later ones. BWD website does state that it will fit an early 99 but there are two different part #'s from 94-97 and 99.5-03. I might get ambitious enough to call around when I can find time.

 

I will look into it also. Mine are still sealing , but I'm sure they will start leaking soon.

 

I'm interested as well since I've never done the doughnuts.

 

I would not think the older style 94-97 would fit the early 99, since the OBS uses a flange mount compared to our trucks which use a marmon clamp. Perhaps getting the up pipes themselves from an OBS and using the turbo/flange from the newer model could possibly work, but i do not think the way they sit they would work.