460 Manifold Bolt problem

[Steve R.]

I just removed my passenger side exhaust manifold (1997 F53 Chassis 7.5l)
with NO CRACKS to replace the last bolt, nearest the end of the engine. I
see my bolt holes being quite expansive in the manifold, so I believe I am
safe. Being an ex-mechanic, I'm thinking of replacing the broken bolt with a
grade 8 and a washer. My father disagrees with me on this, and says I should
check with Ford. I know I might just be opening a can of worms here, but
what would you do (no headers, child support just went up!)? And what's the
torque specs on these things? Any anti-seize?

Thanks in advance!!

[Lone Haranguer]

Post by Steve R.
I just removed my passenger side exhaust manifold (1997 F53 Chassis 7.5l)
with NO CRACKS to replace the last bolt, nearest the end of the engine. I
see my bolt holes being quite expansive in the manifold, so I believe I am
safe. Being an ex-mechanic, I'm thinking of replacing the broken bolt with a
grade 8 and a washer. My father disagrees with me on this, and says I should
check with Ford. I know I might just be opening a can of worms here, but
what would you do (no headers, child support just went up!)? And what's the
torque specs on these things? Any anti-seize?
Thanks in advance!!

Repeat after me: Our Father, who art in heaven......
LZ

[Lon VanOstran]

Post by Steve R.
I just removed my passenger side exhaust manifold (1997 F53 Chassis 7.5l)
with NO CRACKS to replace the last bolt, nearest the end of the engine. I
see my bolt holes being quite expansive in the manifold, so I believe I am
safe. Being an ex-mechanic, I'm thinking of replacing the broken bolt with a
grade 8 and a washer. My father disagrees with me on this, and says I should
check with Ford. I know I might just be opening a can of worms here, but
what would you do (no headers, child support just went up!)? And what's the
torque specs on these things? Any anti-seize?
Thanks in advance!!

Have the manifolds machined. It won't cost much.
Go with Ford on the bolts.

Lon

[Steve Barker]

Standard Grade 5 bolts, flat washers and lock washers. Use COPIOUS amounts
of antisieze and retighten now and then. Don't use the grade 8, they're too
brittle for the application. Also, the bolts ford will sell you will work,
but they're interference bolts and really don't work as well as standard
bolts and lots and lots of antisieze. Tighten to a normal amount of tork
for a grade 5 3/8 bolt and DO NOT use a gasket. Did i mention the antisieze
compound?


steve

Post by Steve R.
I just removed my passenger side exhaust manifold (1997 F53 Chassis 7.5l)
with NO CRACKS to replace the last bolt, nearest the end of the engine. I
see my bolt holes being quite expansive in the manifold, so I believe I am
safe. Being an ex-mechanic, I'm thinking of replacing the broken bolt with
a grade 8 and a washer. My father disagrees with me on this, and says I
should check with Ford. I know I might just be opening a can of worms here,
but what would you do (no headers, child support just went up!)? And what's
the torque specs on these things? Any anti-seize?
Thanks in advance!!
--
Steve, 2006 Sonata LX
Home for sale in area near Laughlin, NV-
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/rfs/463926931.html

[Hustlin' Hank]

Post by Steve R.
I just removed my passenger side exhaust manifold (1997 F53 Chassis 7.5l)
with NO CRACKS to replace the last bolt, nearest the end of the engine. I
see my bolt holes being quite expansive in the manifold, so I believe I am
safe. Being an ex-mechanic, I'm thinking of replacing the broken bolt with a
grade 8 and a washer. My father disagrees with me on this, and says I should
check with Ford. I know I might just be opening a can of worms here, but
what would you do (no headers, child support just went up!)? And what's the
torque specs on these things? Any anti-seize?
Thanks in advance!!

If that was the original bolt, it lasted 10 years. How long do you
want it to last? Are you going to be putting on headers at a later
date, if so, any bolt will probably hold until you get the headers.

Hank <~~~would use Ford bolt

[Steve R.]

Thanks all for the input and from those on rv.net as well!


The bolt holes are HUGE and I assume I have modfied manifolds. And I checked
trueness- 1st port short by .0015 and last port short by .0030, it's warped!

It's going in tomorrow to get surfaced and a replacement bolt from Ford, if
possible. Hope to use a stud instead and will use anti-seize in the event I
get to do this again.

A side note- book says plugs every 30k, the odo reads 37k and the plugs look
good, are Autolite Platinums but since I'm in this far...
--
Steve, 2006 Sonata LX

Home for sale in area near Laughlin, NV-

http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/rfs/463926931.html

Post by Steve R.
I just removed my passenger side exhaust manifold (1997 F53 Chassis 7.5l)
with NO CRACKS to replace the last bolt, nearest the end of the engine. I
see my bolt holes being quite expansive in the manifold, so I believe I am
safe. Being an ex-mechanic, I'm thinking of replacing the broken bolt with
a grade 8 and a washer. My father disagrees with me on this, and says I
should check with Ford. I know I might just be opening a can of worms here,
but what would you do (no headers, child support just went up!)? And what's
the torque specs on these things? Any anti-seize?
Thanks in advance!!
--
Steve, 2006 Sonata LX
Home for sale in area near Laughlin, NV-
http://lasvegas.craigslist.org/rfs/463926931.html

[Neon John]

Post by Steve R.
A side note- book says plugs every 30k, the odo reads 37k and the plugs look
good, are Autolite Platinums but since I'm in this far...

Hi Steve. I'd leave those plugs alone. With modern fuel and EFI, plugs are good for
the life of the engine in most cases, the exception being an engine that's an oil
user. I quit changing plugs a couple of decades ago. 140k miles on a Toyota with
the original plugs. 120k on my 94 Caprice with original plugs. 100k on the Ford
Aerostar van that I'm driving now.

The downside to changing plugs is that there is some minor risk of either damaging a
plug hole or getting a bad plug. I learned the latter lesson back in my racing days.
An old mechanic's adage is "Never start a race on a new plug", referring to single
cylinder engines, of course. I've had new out of the box plugs within minutes of
installation, crack an insulator, lose a side electrode or just turn up bad for no
reason that I could discern. One of the more boring tasks I had to do as a race
mechanic was to "burn in" enough plugs for each race. That involved running them,
usually in a dyno mounted engine, for a few minutes to break 'em in and cull the bad
ones.

If it were my engine I'd leave well enough alone.

John
--
John De Armond
See my website for my current email address
http://www.neon-john.com
http://www.johndearmond.com <-- best little blog on the net!
Tellico Plains, Occupied TN
Remember, amateurs made the Ark, professionals made the Titanic.