Exhaust and Intake manifolds on my 72 F are toast, what's the best path to take for replacing these ? 
Best Exhaust/Intake Manifold Route ? (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Clyde-2
- Start date
This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.
The exhaust manifolds usually crack, but what's wrong with the intake manifold?
Exhaust manifolds are kinda hard to find because they usually crack. Headers are the easy option. Intake manifolds are not as hard to find (I have a couple).
Exhaust manifolds are kinda hard to find because they usually crack. Headers are the easy option. Intake manifolds are not as hard to find (I have a couple).
- Thread starter
- #3
Thought the manifolds were all one unit. Intake is probably OK, but exhaust is original and cracked, etc. Headers sounds good, what brand do you have ? 
- Thread starter
- #5
Cool. Thanks !
- Thread starter
- #6
Do the Downeys bolt right on or do you have to make some mods ?
The Downey header will bolt right on. You may need to use an angle grinder to open up the slots for the bolts a little bit.
I have a Downey header on my 55 and I had one on my 40 for several years with no issues- worked great.
Make sure you buy the CERAMIC coated header. The first header I had was not ceramic coated (chrome) and cracked after about a year. I also pulled a cracked, rusted, not-ceramic-coated header off the 55 after I bought it.
The exhaust may need to be reworked where it attaches to the flange on the bottom of your header. A muffler shop can do this for you easily.
The header should also give you a little more HP and MPG.
I have a Downey header on my 55 and I had one on my 40 for several years with no issues- worked great.
Make sure you buy the CERAMIC coated header. The first header I had was not ceramic coated (chrome) and cracked after about a year. I also pulled a cracked, rusted, not-ceramic-coated header off the 55 after I bought it.
The exhaust may need to be reworked where it attaches to the flange on the bottom of your header. A muffler shop can do this for you easily.
The header should also give you a little more HP and MPG.
Last edited:
It bolts right on as well as any other header...be prepared to "fit" your header to your intage manifold. It will take some work, they all take some work to fit. You'll want an angle grinder, and a dremel, and maybe a couple of the good gaskets and some extra washers.
