My '05 MGM

[packman]

Going to try and put up the exhaust tonight, if it's not too windy outside. I got nothing done over the weekend. My Mom got a bad stomach bug and had to take care of her. Yesterday, the wind numbed my fingers and I could only put up the exhaust hangers before quitting. If it's like that tonight; I might just throw glasspacks up there and run it to the mechanic like that. And then deal with getting real mufflers up there when I get it back.

[packman]

I got it piped back to the X-pipe. Spent a good amount of time getting the exhaust the same length on each side. My not-so-straight edge said I was 1/16" off; so I am going with that. Evening crept in fast and I had to call it quits when I realized that I hadn't eaten anything all day. When I crawled out from underneath the car, my legs were jello. After I made myself a late lunch; I felt a bit better; so I flanged the X-pipe in the basement and will put it up tomorrow if I get back early enough.

[friskyfrankie]

Although things look difficult now, hang in there and when all is said and done, you will enjoy the success all the more!

[packman]

It's going to the mechanic. I drained the oil and flushed the dipstick tube with WD-40 to get anything that might have fell in there. I shoved paper towels in the dipstick tube and put the header back up; semi-permanent. I was going to start putting up the exhaust, but the bolts that came with the Flowmaster collectors are too short. So I will make a trip to Home Depot and get something temporary until I can find grade 8 stainless bolts of the proper length. Just gonna wait for this storm to end and begin putting up the rest of the exhaust.

Sorry for freakin out yesterday. It's frustrating when my projects fight me tooth and nail.

[Tiggie]

I've knocked the remnant of a dipstick tube into the oil pan on one occasion with a 302. It was an accident. It lived in there just fine since the oil pickup screen kept it from getting sucked up.

[Arquemann]

Heat and violence is the answer.
If it's still a problem after that, make it someone else's problem.

The dipstick tube is attached to an engine block, they're not going to suggest an engine replacement to remove a goddamn dipstick tube.

[packman]

I think this car is trashed. I treid the tool and got it very snug. Pried and hammered the dipstick tube without movement. After a little while, the tool popped out of the tube; and now it won't thread in. Even if I get the car towed to the mechanic; I think they will have a very hard time getting what remains of that tube out of the block. It's almost like it's welded in there. I don't even think dropping the pan would do anything; as hammering from the bottom (if it can be done) probably won't get it to move. I have no idea how the worker at the plant that this engine came from got that dipstick in there.

[packman]

So, I have been trying to login for a week without success. Something about a modifier not being supported. I can no longer post pics. So this will be all words.

I am still stuck with this project. In fact, I went a little backwards. I bought a scraper/prybar from Home Depot and cut a notch into the ends to fit around the oil dipstick tube. I then beveled it a bit so I could wedge it under the tube shoulder/flange. It must have been too sharp because what I ended up doing is biting into the shoulder and when I tried prying the oil tube up; it severed the tube instead. I was told that this was highly probable and that I should have broken the tube a week ago and extracted what's left. That's where I am at now. I ordered a Promaxx Ford oil tube extractor kit; ETA Monday. I hope it works as good as the YouTube testimonials claim.

I spent the rest of the afternoon to fit the driver side header. I wanted to see what I will have when I reach this step. 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 onto 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.

[packman]

So, I have been trying to login for a week without success. Something about a modifier not being supported. I can no longer post pics. So this will be all words.

I am still stuck with this project. In fact, I went a little backwards. I bought a scraper/prybar from Home Depot and cut a notch into the ends to fit around the oil dipstick tube. I then beveled it a bit so I could wedge it under the tube shoulder/flange. It must have been too sharp because what I ended up doing is biting into the shoulder and when I tried prying the oil tube up; it severed the tube instead. I was told that this was highly probable and that I should have broken the tube a week ago and extracted what's left. That's where I am at now. I ordered a Promaxx Ford oil tube extractor kit; ETA Monday. I hope it works as good as the YouTube testimonials claim.

I spent the rest of the afternoon to fit the driver side header. I wanted to see what I will have when I reach this step. 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 onto 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.

[packman]

Got the passenger side header installed. Driver side won't go in unless I remove the oil dipstick tube (thread about this in Tech section). Tried dropping from the top, but the bellhousing thwarts me every time. When I get the headers installed, the next problem will be the mid-pipes. The Stainless Works mid-pipes have a slight bend at the flange. Not sure if that is there to straighten the exhaust; or it's SW effort to ensure I purchase their exhaust. If that's the case; I will make my own mid-pipes.

[packman]

[packman]

I guess all those frustrating attempts at the exhaust paid off. I got home with a little sunlight left to get a head start on this. So I loosened all the fasteners on the driver side exhaust manifold. Took only 20 minutes. One of the stud nuts that was coming out, got caught at the end and ended up unthreading that stud. When I brought it in to put it among the other studs that came out; I noticed a metal shaving dangling. The stud is in good shape; so I guess it was from the head. My Dad told me to be really careful threading the replacement bolt. Maybe just snug it a little until I get a properly sized tap. So that will be the plan for this.

Tomorrow I will unbolt and move the a/c compressor out of the way and unbolt the passenger side exhaust manifold with the impact ratchet. I hope all goes well.

[packman]

Got the car back from the mechanic last night. I mentioned in the tech section that the CEL and wrench light lit up Monday afternoon because I failed to fully plug the mass air sensor connector back in. After plugging it back in, I reinstalled the stock air cleaner and sent it to the mechanic to have that galled stud removed. Since the car is acting normally with the CEL still lit; I reinstalled the cleaned up K&N. The car is a little snappier now for whatever reason. Though the air cleaner was pretty grungy. Now I will wait for decent weather to do the exhaust now that everything has been loosened up and replaced.

[packman]

This project is dead in the water. I got 15 of the 16 studs and nuts loosened. One of the rounded nuts reamed itself out and I can't even get the rounded-nut remover socket to work on it. At this point, I will have to get a nut welded onto the end of that stud and remove the stud itself. So, it's back to working on the Crown Vic and the house. Bright side of this is I didn't break any studs.

[packman]

I managed to remove 9 of the 16 studs (actually 4 of the nuts backed off); and loosened another 2 underneath the passenger side exhaust manifold. I will move the a/c compressor out o the way to get at the other 2 studs. I ran back into the problem that I had the last time I attempted to remove the exhaust studs; the 2 that I rounded off. I will come back at them tomorrow with the rounded nut remover socket. I hope that works as I am almost done removing the exhaust manifolds.

Kind of unrelated note: I was underneath the car with the earmuffs (impact ratchet + noisy compressor) and felt extra vibration and a slight rumbling. Popped one of the muffs off and realized it was an extremely low-flying airliner. Barely got out from under the car to catch the tail going behind my neighbor's backyard. That was the lowest flying jet that I have ever seen/heard; and that's with Newark airport only being 10 miles away. I will be watching the news tonight to see if there is any mention of it.