So I just got a 99 Ranger 4.0 for dirt cheap. It appears all it needs is a new clutch. I've started soaking the exhaust bolts with penitrating oil in prep for pulling the transmission. Spent some time under it last nigtht and it appears this should be pretty simple to pull down, but wanted to here from some of you that have done this.

Some questions off the get go:

1) I am assuming its just as easy to drop the trans and tcase together?

2) Hydralic line going to slave. Does this require a special tool? I didn't have a mirror on me and I couldn't see how it connects.

3) Does ford have any online manuals aviable to download? I hate working on something without the manual.

Oh, first time poster, I spent the last couple nights searching the forum and couldn't find anything but I am still getting acquanted with the site.

 

1. Can be, but I pull the tcase especially for reinstall. Watch out for bolts on the tcase though, had one break as they use threadlocker on some from the factory. I'd pull them together then take off the tcase when you have more room out of the truck.

2. Yes, tool can be bought for cheap but GET THE METAL ONE. Plastic is crap. New clutch and slaves come with a metal tool, I actually have two form my most recent job if you can't locate one.

3. SOAK THOSE EXHAUST BOLTS!!!! Can't stress that enough!!! I've had two sets break, it is not fun! Get a torch and heat them regardless, do not use an impact....use a big ratchet or breaker bar so you do not break the studs.....beleive me, it's easier to get a torch and heat them if they give you ANY trouble then torch out broken studs.

Simple Haynes or chilton will have te info you need, have fun!

 

I am assuming you are speaking of the 4 bolts that hold the pipes to the manifolds (2 each side)? They've been soaking and dealing with past projects I know how exhaust bolts can be. I am a little worried at the 1/2" size I see, seems like it will easily twist off if a breaker bar. Do you have to pull the manifolds to drill or torch them out if the bolts break? It's hard to tell if there's enough room with the exhaust still in the way.

 

No. 01's took about 2hrs and full tanks, but they broke off with some sticking out. A 97 that was a huge PITA broke off flush with manifolds. I actually wound up torching/plasma cutting new hole in the manifolds to use bolts. Both cases had enough room with the trans out, but in hind sight I should have been more careful both times and more importantly patient with the blue wrench.

 

The exhaust manifold collector studs and nuts are stainless steel. It WILL be seized together. You MUST use a cutting torch to heat the nuts cherry red to remove them without breaking the studs.

If you DO break the studs, and there's enough stud poking out to weld a nut onto it, do that. Then heat the manifold itself to orange (hot!), and simply unscrew the studs. This usually saves the threads, but I prefer nuts and bolts anyways, Dodge style.

 

Where you getting this from? I've never seen SS in any of the ones I've done, and I've never gotten SS from the dealer when I replaced them.
Some of the nuts are silver, but they are not SS.

 

Newer Fords, along with some other manufacturers use stainless exhaust studs.

My '05 Ranger has them, for example.

I worked on an '02 Mustang earlier today that had them as well.

I'd be more than happy to show you, if you live close enough to the shop I work at.

 

Ah, the newest I've seen is my 04....is Ford only selling SS now? When I did my 01 all the stuff I got from Ford was plain steel. All that crap rusts anyway, not sure anything would help those studs.

 

stainless steel will never rust. I've got a bar end of 304ss in the back of my truck from work. Been there since january and Its still Shiny as new.

 

Not all grades of SS are equal, some will corrode over time.

 

304 isn't going anywhere, its one of the harder metals to machine. If i ever have to I'll just make bolts out of some 316. Last the life of the truck then I'll put them on my next one.

 

True. The variety used on auto exhaust will turn brown over time. Very distinctive and easy to distinguish from regular steel. I have seen some confuse it for regular steel, due to the brown color of it.

I don't know the grade stainless Ford uses, but it is likely similar to 409 stainless, or at least in the 400 grade area, as I believe it is magnetic. It is more susceptible to corrosion than other types of stainless (like 200 or 300 grades), but it is cheaper.

Generally factory stainless exhaust systems last 10+ years. Common issues are mufflers blowing out along the crimp seams, flex pipes breaking, and design-inherent cracks on certain model vehicles.


As for exhaust manifold studs, I personally prefer to just use regular grade two 3/16 coarse nuts and bolts. If they rust, torch them out and put new ones in. Simple and easy. This doesn't work for blind holes, of course.

 

Well I finally got everything off and with out breaking the studs, just days of soaking and lots o heat! I coated the bolts with antisieze, hopefully that'll help keep them free so if i need to remove them again should be easy. Thanks everyone for the help and tips.