And the carnage begins....

[07EddyB]

The Explorer is up in the air. The right front wheel is off as well as parts of the splash guard. The starter has been removed - that is a job in and of itself. The heat shield is removed from the exhaust manifold (this aided in the starter removal). Up top - the entire air cleaner assembly has been removed along with the coolant recovery tank. The coolant Y is disconnected from the valve cover and moved as far out of the way as the hoses will allow. Everything has been sprayed with PB Blaster and is soaking while I rest from round one.

 

[07EddyB]

Not looking good so far - I'm one for one on broken studs. Top front. It was loose - I thought it was coming out but it just had a few threads holding it in. Gone on to the next - it is very tight. That might be a good sign.

 

[GeorgeH]

Keep up the good work!

Are you doing just the passenger side this time?

 

[07EddyB]

Second one out unbroken - stud came out instead of the nut coming off.

I have a feeling I'll be drinking early today.

 

[07EddyB]

Keep up the good work!

Are you doing just the passenger side this time?

Yes - JUST the passenger side.

Isn't that enough for you? Lay off on the pressure man!

 

[07EddyB]

Stud number 3 broken - front bottom. So both fronts are broken in the head. I appears they are broken in the head below flush with just two or three threads holding them in. I've learned so far that if I have trouble breaking it loose it will probably come out - if it's easy to break loose then it's already snapped. I just took that one out with a quarter inch ratchet with no effort at all.

So one out two snapped.

 

[07EddyB]

Stud number 4 - nut came off - stud intact. I'm 2 for four and half way there.
My wife came out - said 'Hey - you got three out and only two snapped - hopefully the last one won't be bad'.
Uh - honey - there are 8.
Oh she said worriedly as she left the garage.

 

[07EddyB]

Studs number 5 and 6 - none snapped - one stud came out the other the nut came off.

 

[tripplec]

Oh my, sounds like she see a lot of Murphy at your garage! Bummer for sure

I have been reading a number of thread you have and it sure sounds like your problems have been quite excessive.

Boot Murphy and good luck

 

[07EddyB]

Studs number 7 and 8 are out. As with 5 and 6, one nut came off and one stud came out. I still have 3 intact studs to remove as soon as I figure out how to get the manifold out.
If I can't get the manifold out with the remaining studs I'll try to get them out with it in. Hoping it will come out with studs in because when I reassemble it will be a real juggling act to get the gaskets in.

 

[07EddyB]

Oh my, sounds like she see a lot of Murphy at your garage! Bummer for sure

I have been reading a number of thread you have and it sure sounds like your problems have been quite excessive.

Boot Murphy and good luck

Murphy visits often but I never let him stay. Seems like every job on the Ex is complicated by something. I mean really - how hard should it be to pull a radiator? How come our spark plugs can break in two? The list goes on.
My problems haven't really been excessive - I'm just a drama queen

 

[tripplec]

Well looking earlier at the 5th gen with the Water Pump build into the block engineering in a transverse mount makes that vintage a deal breaker. Already owners with issue with it built into the block. Engine pull required for repair if the motor did not blow.

Its engineering and it seems Fords been earning a bad wrap lately because of many decisions they had made. 2009/2010 probably the best years with a V8 but do I want to buy a new to me vehicle next year or so that's already almost 10 years old.

The one reference in the sig, is my son's !!! (new to him)

 

[07EddyB]

So I couldn't get the manifold out with the three remaining studs in. I got one out - it's a 5mm by the way. The other two rounded off and I'm not able to get any locking pliers in there. So I decided to go ahead and jack the engine up some on that side to maybe gain a little more room. I have a feeling I'll need it for the drilling anyhow. So those 18mm bolts are tight when a 3/8 ratchet is the biggest thing you can get in there. There may have been a cheater pipe involved in their removal.
So where is the best place to jack the engine? I've heard a piece of wood under the oil pan but that doesn't sound very good to me. I was going to try to go up to the flange but the pan is deeper than I remembered. I know a few of you have done it - please give me that benefit of your experience.

 

[PotatoExplorer]

Go Eddy go!! I'm rooting for you man. I hope you're able to extract those broken studs with ease!

 

[tripplec]

Well if you will be replacing the studs as Explorer_PL has then a replicating saw will shorten them quick enough. I am not sure if a full set of stainless steel studs was on the menu.

Clearly you are replacing some at this point.

 

[07EddyB]

Well if you will be replacing the studs as Explorer_PL has then a replicating saw will shorten them quick enough. I am not sure if a full set of stainless steel studs was on the menu.

Clearly you are replacing some at this point.

You ever head down a path and get blinded to other options while you try to make it work? Well - I just did. Of course I'm replacing the studs with a set of stainless. Of course cutting them shorter would make it easier.
I'm still thinking about sourcing a stud remover set locally but that will definitely be my next option. Thanks for that.

I'm actually going to call it a day. I have three more days to finish and I'm pretty happy with where I am today considering it's my first attempt at this. I'll start fresh tomorrow morning. I think I'll spend the evening watching how to videos because it occurred to me this afternoon that I hadn't actually watched any yet. Hope to pick up some pointers for tomorrow.

 

[tripplec]

Well if you have exhaust or other specialty shop nearby. If it were me I'd call and take it in to finish it off. Especially if removing snapped off studs are involved. If it were me I'd prefer and proven tech addressing them. What they have to replace them with, well that's another question unless you already have the stainless ones in hand. There are plenty of time one has to admit its beyond once skill set and if something goes wrong its going to cost a lot more money to fix it all.

Just putting it out there !!!

All the best.

Cheers and bottoms up on that Ale....

 

[07EddyB]

I know I said I was done but I did go ahead and cut the one stud at the back with the Dremel. It's completely loose now but not out of the Ex.
I'll find out tomorrow if I have to take it somewhere. That's when the extraction of the broken studs begins.
That wasn't a surprise to me - I knew there would be broken studs. Thus far I'm pretty happy that there are only two.
I wouldn't exactly say this was over my head.or beyond my skill set. Have I done it before? No. Everything I've done today I've done in some form at some other point in the past. It's basically been disassembly at this point. If I sounds like I'm struggling I'm not really, just posting what the job is like. They all have their challenges and they all have their rewards.

 

[GeorgeH]

Have a beer!

 

[Conestoga Actual]

Good luck!
I'm having an IPA in your honor right now