So my passenger side manifold is ticking on my 02 5.4L. My first obvious thought was cracked manifold. So I started poking around with a piece of fuel hose up to my ear. The ticking is coming from behind the manifold near the rear port. It has also become a big leak in a matter of 2000 miles. Those two clues make me think its a gasket instead of a crack.

Either way, the manifold has to come off. At 100k miles, I see no real reason to put the stock manifolds back on if its just a gasket. They might crack soon anyway.

So I would like to replace them with something while they're off. Question is... what something? Dormans? Junkyard manifolds which might crack tomorrow? Shorty headers? I figure Dormans would cost $100, Junkyard manifolds would be $50, and shorties would be $200 plus decent gaskets and whatever coating I put on them.

Is my logic good, or am I overthinking it and I should just put the old manifolds back on if its just a gasket? Since it came on so quickly, is it logical to conclude that its a gasket and not a crack?

 

Dormans being $90/$100 are far worth the extra $50 over salvage yard manifolds. I wouldn't bother with headers unless they are longtube. So I would do Dorman manifolds, Ford gaskets, and new studs.

 

Hey curtis73 youd be surprised how easy it really is to fix this problem the passenger side has quite a bit more room than the drivers side. My profile has pics i recently fixed this same problem and went with DNA long tube headers, high flo cats, new o2 sensors, locking arp exhaust studs, new egr valve all of that was cheaper than having a shop just remove the exhaust in labor only.

 

My 04 was cracked in two places on the passenger side. I took it to a muffler shop and they had replaced the manifold and commented that the gasket is what causes the problem. The aluminum oxidized with the manifold and puts pressure on the manifold causing it to crack. They used an exhaust sealant like red rtv snd no gasket. I haven't had any problems with it since.