Have been dealing with this noise for several years, and now it's time to get emission test so I have to fix it. Looking for any stories about what you did to fix the egr leak (where the nut is disintegrated and the tube is leaking at the nipple in the manifold).
Brand new tube, but the new nut won't thread on due to old nut metal fused to the fitting. Tried chasing the threads w/a die, can't get it started and not much clearance to work in there.
I'll tackle the job, but want to hear if anyone had success getting the fitting out of the exhaust manifold, and how they did the job.
I'm almost ready to use muffler patch on it. Or JB Weld.
Thanks all.

 

Yea, you end up replacing the manifold and EGR adapter, IF you have one. There's two types.

The manifold is "Dorman" product that comes as a kit and is fairly inexpensive. You get the EGR nipple(s) (adapter) and two new exhaust flange bolts.

Best way to go.

 

Thanks jbrew! I do have the Dorman nipple, but not the manifold.
Next question, will the bolts break off in the head? That's been my main concern with the job.
Thanks again, I appreciate your advice.

 

Oh, also it's a 4.2l V6. Sorry, I forgot to mention that.

 

Bolts breaking off is always possible, but personally, I haven't heard of the 4.2L having breakage issues.

I know I would get the manifold tho, definitely. You don't wanna mess with rigging that one up, if you don't have to anyway. That's a bad spot, I doubt anything would work for too long. They rust out to bad there. The V8's always do as well, if your with in the snow belt.

 

My grandson is dealing with that right now on his 98 4.6 - we REALLY want to get the nipple out without pulling the manifold. Can you get a 6 point socket on the nipple? I dunno about the 4.2, but a 1 inch deepwell fits his perfectly. Start soaking it with PB Blaster, this may help. One idea we have been kicking around is get the manifold around the nipple good and hot, then hit the nipple with some freeze mist.

Got a shop here with a certified Ford master tech who used to be the lead tech at the local Ford dealer - he told me for $120 he can get the nipple out. Grandson also says he might be able to get the high school auto shop teacher to look at it.

Looks like someone in the past DID use JB Weld on it.

 

BTW, - I believe Dorman has kits that come with manifold to head bolts. IF yours are that bad. Personally, as bad as mine looked, not one broke. The studs are stainless, but the nuts aren't. On the V8's anyway.

I one breaks inside (worse case), you'll want to use a left handed drill bit to pull that piece out. One w/cobalt and a center punch that fits the hole. Yea there's always that chance unfortunately lol. But, it's not to bad with the right tools/bits on hand.

 

Ok, will order the Dorman manifold. Think I'll go spray the bolts and by the time I get the manifold, they should be ready to remove. Thanks again, I appreciate the good advice.
Looking forward to the truck not sounding like a tractor. I forget what it used to sound like.
Have a great weekend!

 

That's pretty brave. Mine was completely fused, I had the manifold in the vise, got it cherry red and it wouldn't break free. I ended twisting the top off. I have pictures of that somewhere, wanna see?

 

Ouch.

We REALLY don't want to mess with the manifold - in fact, it already has some broken studs.

The old tube is fine - the nut is broken off it but the flare flange is perfect. The nut is essentially gone. Maybe we should just slap it over the nipple and wrap some Tiger Patch around it and see how long it lasts.

 

Yea, I know, but it ends up being more hassle not messing with the manifold. It's difficult to cheat this fix. If the nuts gone, it doesn't really matter what kind of shape the flare is in. I mean the nut comes before the flare correct lol. I'm not sure how you could get around it.

You can't weld that there because of the dissimilar metals. That pipe is 100% stainless I think lol. That pipe gets hotter than hell right there as well.

That job sucks enough, - with all the right stuff lol...

 

Well, I've done a pretty good job of hijacking this guy's thread, but I guess it's OK being that we have identical issues.

Talked to my son in law today - it looks like the kid can bring it into the school's auto shop and get the labor done free of charge by the class. We figure about $150 worth of parts when we get done, that's not bad. That would be doing it right and replacing the manifold.

He's driving the thing now - sounds like chit and it's throwing a P0174, no biggie.

 

See how yuh are.

 

tom-rad, -

Also, when my 98's EGR tube connect rusted that bad, - I went ahead and installed LT's at that time. I planned to do it anyway, just not as quick lol.
(Long Tube Headers)

That wasn't easy first time around. - Time consuming and a lot of customizing to get them to work back then. All in all a PITA.

BTW, the use of a 5mm wrench to assist on those studs will help with keeping them in one piece. That's what your suppose to do anyway .. 12-13mm on the stud nut and 5mm @ stud end. All that can be hard to see if the rust build up is bad. You may want to see if you can squeeze a wire brush or wheel in there to clean your wrench/socket locations.

 

That's okay, he didn't post back anyway.