My Dad has a 1997 f-150 with a cracked exhaust manifold. Are there any good tricks for removing them. He also believes a stud is broken off. I know they are aluminum heads, and probably a pain in the ASS. A mechanic near my Dad wants $700.00 in labor, and I can't let him pay that. Any help would be greatly appreciated. I have most tools, torch etc. and will be bringing the truck back to my house for the fix.

i've fixed lots of these. The studs like to break, if lucky some of the stud sticks out of the head and visegrips easily removes them. I've had a few that the stud was broke off down in the head. I took the welder and welded a big booger on the end and grabbed the booger with the visgrips and they came right out.

This has become quite common on the 5.3L, 6.0L chevys on the drivers side back two studs. I've probably done a dozen of them or more in the last six months.

Thanks. Aparently its a problem with drivers side 4.6, just look on ebay. There were 50 LH and 1 RH.

The reason it broke the studs is due to the manifold warping. I usually weld a washer then a nut to the broken stud. Sometimes they come out, sometimes they dont and are tough to get out. I try not to drill these due to the soft head. A really easy way to get at the manifold (Im assuming the pass side?) is to remove the inner fender.

Does it help to have the head hot, ie: operating temp or not?

Not really. When the stud breaks, it will sometimes gall the end threads assuming it broke inside the hole. 700.00 is way outta line. I don't even get that to do these.

all the repairs i have made on this problem was in the $100-$200 range depending on the number of studs broken. I have yet to pull head or get the drill out. But when taking it into a shop or doing it yourself, be a little prepared for the worse.