Headers and dual exhaust here we go!

 

Yup, headers and dual exhaust. Since I messed up the exhaust for the Crown Vic and had 2 mufflers and a bunch of 2.5 piping leftover; I decided to install them on the Mercury. But I know well that is not the choke point of these cars; which is the stock exhaust manifolds and cats. So I bit the bullet and got Stainless Works long tubes and cat'd mid pipes. Ran into 2 problems though. Can't get the driver side header installed without taking out the dipstick tube. Which is currently fighting me tooth and nail. The other problem is that I noticed that the flange on the SW mid-pipe has a slight bend to it. I hope that is there to level the path of the exhaust; and not SW making sure I have to buy their exhaust system (which is $$$$$). We'll see. I am going to spend what's left of the day wrestling with the dipstick tube.

 

So that dipstick tube is seized in there. I began the afternoon by cleaning the port where the dipstick tube goes into the block. Doused it good with water; and put the heat gun on there. That did nothing. So I went in and grabbed the mini butane torch; and doused the area again with water; and torched the tube until smoke came out of the top of the dipstick. Donned welding gloves and tried to pull the dipstick tube out; no can do. So I went in and grabbed my bottle of thinking juice to get some more ideas. Decided to take a trip to Home Depot and find a pickling fork and prying bars. I bought a couple cheap scrapers/pry bars to see if I can make them work. I think I will bring one to work on Monday and grind a 7/16" notch into the blade; and bevel it. I'm thinking if I can get under the dipstick tube shoulder; I might be able to pry and/or hammer that point upwards. If that doesn't work; I will have to sit down and drink more thinking juice for more ideas.

 

Are you sure it's pressed in, man? Maybe there's a bolt and a tab further up the tube you don't see? I'm not a Ford guy, so don't really know. Just taking a guess here. I'm surprised Andy hasn't made a suggestion as he services Fords on a regular basis.

 

Have you looked up the replacement part as in OEM replacement part to see a picture of what you are dealing with? I'm sure they were discontinued long ago, but some sites will still have exploded parts diagrams and if there is enough detail, you may be able to see how the tube mates to the block. Could be a hand tight screw in with an o-ring. Who knows. Might have been the o-ring melting with the smoke and all or could have just been..... Oil.

 

Just one bolt attached to the block up by the exhaust manifold. The oil tube is pressed into the block with an O-ring. Some people say they didn't have too much trouble pulling it out. Youtube videos show all of the horror stories of the oil tube snapping it the 4.6/5.4/6.8 blocks. Mine is very tight; and despite heat and Liquid Wrench; no amount of twisting and pulling will make it budge. I am going to try mod'ing the pry bar and push it up out of the block. Hopefully that will give me good (hence not snapping) results.

 

 

Nice fabrication, job, man. It seems to work perfectly on the new one. Let us know if it works that well on the OLD one.

 

Well, my improv tool bit into the shoulder and as I was wedging and pulling; it broke the dipstick tube at the block. I was told that this was highly probable and that I should have broken the tube weeks ago and extracted what's left; but I had to try this method anyways. I ordered a Promaxx Ford tube extractor kit. ETA Monday. I will fit the header up to see what kind of room I have; then take it back down and wait for the tool to arrive. I may need to call out sick; but I will see what the weather is like this coming week. I would be annoyed, but I am getting used to the failures.

 

Glad I spent the time to fit the driver side header. Discovered a few things in the process:

1) One of the studs is too close to the primary tube. I will have to put the header in place and screw the corner nuts and bolts a couple threads. While the header is away from the block, I should be able to thread that one nut on the stud.

2) While the header is away from the cylinder head, I will try to install the oil dipstick tube. If I install the header before the oil dipstick; it will not fit, as it hits the primaries and/or the engine mount. With the header loose, I should have some wiggle room; hopefully.

3) Two of my allen bolts are blocked by the middle primary tubes. I have 2 options; buy another 6mm allen key and cut it down to fit in the small space; or use the header bolts that came with the headers. I may use the header bolts and in the meanwhile, go get me a 6mm allen key and cut it down.

I went on the other side and found a few of the bolts and studs loosened. I tightened them down; but I had already applied copper gasket sealer and reused the stock Ford gaskets. The gasket sealer has been dried for a week, so I hope by my tightening those bolts/studs late; I still have a seal. We'll see when I eventually get around to starting this car up.

Tomorrow I will go over the passenger side header again to make sure it's all cinched up. I will then go about reinstalling the a/c compressor and accessory belt. At least that will be out of the way when the time comes.