I have been asked by several people to finish out my previous thread...so here it is. I won't go into much detail, because it's all pretty straight-forward. Remove studs, remove manifold, remove gaskets, clean mating surfaces, re-install gaskets, reinstall manifold, and re-install new hardware (studs).

I do have a couple tips for you:

#1) Plan on drilling out the studs that hold the Y-pipe to the manifolds (2 on each side). They will be rusted in there good. I tried heating them, welding a nut to them, etc...to no avail. You'll just have to grind them flat and drill them out. I drilled the holes out a little larger, and just put a bolt through it with a nut and lock-washer on the other side instead of re-tapping it.

#2) Loosen the Y-pipe from both sides if you are going to remove or install the manifold while the studs are already installed in the head. I fought hell trying to pull the Y-pipe over enough to get the flange to mate with the manifold, while trying to line up the studs to the corresponding holes in the manifold. I had one foot pushing against my torsion bar, the other foot on the front frame rail, using my left hand to pull the Y-pipe towards me as far as I could, while my right hand was trying to shove the manifold into place and line up the studs. Lets just say the Bronco has a good size dent in it now from a flying manifold....
It is possible to install the studs after the manifold is in place, but you'd have to have very small and flexible hands (the opposite is true for me)

Anyways, here are the pictures:




Old manifold's mating surface:






New (refurb.) manifold's mating surface:









Ford's new 2-piece gaskets (re-useable):





And here's where I welded my Y-pipe back together after the modification. Stick welded if you can believe. I'm pretty impressed...up until that point, I've never used a 40-year-old welder with baby rods on that thin of metal, and on pipe nonetheless...

 

Nice pictures, how much did the machine shop charge you to machine your manifolds?
BTW pretty nice stick welding.

 

Nice looking weld job

 

I'm good friends with a guy who works there (and I'll be putting in an application here in a week or so), so he only charged me $25.

Thanks for the welding comments...stick is my "specialty", whereas most people are set on MIG or wanna-be-TIG people

 

And FYI, tools needed are:

13mm deepwell socket (stud nuts)
1" extension
15mm deepwell socket (for "collector" nuts)
5mm socket for studs.
Die-grinder with the plastic "mesh" type attachment for cleaning mating surfaces
Plenty of Penetrant/lubricant (PB blaster or Kroil)
Dictionary of cuss words (or prayers...it's your choice)

I also had to use a 9/16" deepwell socket and wrench for my new collector bolts. I went to LOWES and bought 4 bolts and nuts to replace the collector studs so I didn't have to re-tap the manifolds.

If your origional manifold studs and nuts are rusted, you will probably have to go back and forth between a 12mm, 13mm, and 14mm deepwell socket to get a good grip on them. Whatever fits the best is what I used, and they all unscrewed without a single problem.

 

Can you tell me what number rod you used and what amperage was your stick welder on? I can burn nice holes with my old Lincoln buzz box.(LOL)

 

75 amps, Not 100% sure on the rod, as it had no markings on it at all. Looked to be 6010 though...And it was one of the smaller diameter rods you can get (5/64th or 3/32nd...something around there).

A buddy of mine let me borrow his welder and some rods for this project...