okay so i have the infamous exhaust leak... im getting the bbk shorty headers for it and i plan on installing them myself. Is this an easy fix or should i take it to the shop?
i really dont want to take it to a shop...
im thinking its the gasket because when the car heats up and the metal expands it goes away slightly but you can still hear a distinctive tick... maby the header and the gasket... i just want to replaces them and upgrade ya know?... mostly on the driver side... and i also hear LTs require custom welding exhaust stuff too
You may try to change the gasket first. If you are going to replace the gasket, do not buy the paper(asbestos) ones. Get real metal exhaust manifold gaskets......
I just replaced my headers with the BBK Ceramics. My 01 has always had a very small tick, but it only recently get very bad, very loud, made the check engine light come on. My header cracker around the flange on the pass. side, right along the weld on the inside of the header all the way around, something that couldn't really be seen. Anyways, I put the headers on and its not that bad, the biggest pain was probably the dipstick, but it wasn't even that bad. And I used the factory studs, not the bolts from BBK.
__________________
Jesse Berger 90 LX, Previous 4 cyl. (Decommissioned, 351W on the way)
H/C/I+Bolt Ons
Best ET: 12.54@106 mph 2001 V6 5 Speed Daily Driver Windstar Intake, Dual Exhuast, CAI, Headers
Best ET: 15.6@88 mph (stock trim)
wow! thats bad it just broke off... ceramic was probably the way to go looking at that ... lol but thanks for the advice and i might try and change the gasket first... i understand the shorty headers dont add much hp to a v6 but if they are cracked ill replace them... it is a small leak because when the engine heats up and expands the leak seals itself... yea ill buy the metal ones... if something has ever broke on my car i always fix it with better parts why fix something with a part that already failed?
haha my P/S manifold broke exactly like in stalker's pic...i replaced it with a new oem manifold, the P/S seems to me that it would be the harder one to replace cuz it has the EGR line going to it and theres less space to work, but its still really simple. also, i re-used the metal gasket, and i havent heard any leaks. good luck
I just replaced my headers with the BBK Ceramics. My 01 has always had a very small tick, but it only recently get very bad, very loud, made the check engine light come on. My header cracker around the flange on the pass. side, right along the weld on the inside of the header all the way around, something that couldn't really be seen. Anyways, I put the headers on and its not that bad, the biggest pain was probably the dipstick, but it wasn't even that bad. And I used the factory studs, not the bolts from BBK.
how'd you manage to re-use the studs? i tried using pb-blaster/wd40 but mine were rusted in...ford charged me 40 bucks for the 2 of them, ripoffs i know...
how'd you manage to re-use the studs? i tried using pb-blaster/wd40 but mine were rusted in...ford charged me 40 bucks for the 2 of them, ripoffs i know...
Did you hit them with an impact wrench? I sprayed pb blaster on mine, then hit them.....
The meatal gaskets are fine to re-use. I have them on my long tubes as well. The paper gaskets are crap.....
Did you hit them with an impact wrench? I sprayed pb blaster on mine, then hit them.....
The meatal gaskets are fine to re-use. I have them on my long tubes as well. The paper gaskets are crap.....
i think its funny that a company would make a gasket out of paper for the hottest part under the hood.... next thing you know they'll be telling us to use rtv silicone or elmers glue.....
I never took my studs out, I don't like bolts for headers so I just used the factory hardware. Only one stud gave me clearance issues, so I just filed some of the shank off of the tip of the stud.
__________________
Jesse Berger 90 LX, Previous 4 cyl. (Decommissioned, 351W on the way)
H/C/I+Bolt Ons
Best ET: 12.54@106 mph 2001 V6 5 Speed Daily Driver Windstar Intake, Dual Exhuast, CAI, Headers
Best ET: 15.6@88 mph (stock trim)
Did you hit them with an impact wrench? I sprayed pb blaster on mine, then hit them.....
The meatal gaskets are fine to re-use. I have them on my long tubes as well. The paper gaskets are crap.....
no, i didnt use my impact, i didnt replace the header at work, i did it in my garage with hand tools...just for the hell of it i think i'll take the flange to work tomorow and see if i can get em off w/my impact, did you use a 3/8" or a 1/2", and what kind of socket did you use, the stud doesnt have a nut, its just a flat tip thing
Installing BBK shorties on my 00' v6 
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