Cleaning up cast iron manifolds

[RICH MUISE]

I got the used cobra manifolds for my 4.6 today. I know they can hardly be seen once they are installed, but I'd sure like to make them look good anyway...just something about putting something old and rusty on my car. So..what's the best way to make them look good? Is sandblasting going to cause any problems? I can't imagine it would, but I wanted to ask. I imagine even an engine enamel is going to burn off real quick..so is ceramic the way to go? Is it expensive? Also, I'd like to replace the studs that attach the exhaust flange. Are they readily available?

[Frankenstein57]

Rich, my headers were rusty, I wire wheeled them and used a high temp paint from KBS coatings. It's a brush on paint , I used a silver/gray. Held up nicely after a season of cruising, they still look good.  The studs should be available at a good auto parts supplier,Mark

[RICH MUISE]

didn't burn off. That's good to know. If they were out and visible, I wouldn't mind spending the $ for ceramic. Thanks for the input.
Do the tuds have a left hand thread where they screw into the manifolds?

[Ford Blue blood]

Rich sand blast them and then coat with Eastwoods Stainless manifold paint.  Should hold up a good long time.  Several hot rodders have it on their manifolds with really good results.  Aluminum flame spray is a good alternative as well.  Mine in the street rod have been covered since 1981 and still look like dull aluminum.  The Navy (and ship yards) use this treatment on steam valves that are subjected to 1200* heat cycles.  The studs are probably normal right hand threads, may be metric.  If they are frozen use a torch and heat the area around the stud cherry red and it will back out effortlessly.

[RICH MUISE]

Good info Bill..thanks. I can't believe I can have so many questions on a simple part. A few more...the passenger side manifold exit port is oval, not round like the driver's side. I assume this is because there was a catalyctic converter attached there. I'm also assuming this is a normal 'problem' for a good muffler shop to adapt to. Also, the drivers side has a threaded outlet that I assumed was the oxygen sensor port, but on the one I got it has been capped. Is this from someone removing the sensor from their system? or is it suppose to be like it is, and if so what's it for?
Also a pic of my motor mounts on the plastic mock-up

[Ford Blue blood]

I believe those to be the O2 sensor mounting points.  Sure way to find out is look at the threads and does it have a small machined surface around the opening.

[57dohc]

Rich,
The exhaust manifolds on my Mach 1 engine look the same.  The drivers side takes a oval metal "biscuit" gasket clamped between the manifold and the head pipe.  The passenger side is oval and takes a metal shim gasket not unlike older cars.  I too am puzzled by why the are different.
I also have the port on the drivers side.  Mine is not capped off;  it contains a metal tube(approx 1/2 inch) plumbed to it that extends up behind the engine and ultimately re-enters the rear of the intake manifold.  Some sort of control is attached to the re-enter junction with electric connections.  I am assuming this has something doing with emission controls but I don't really know!
You might try to find headpipes for a cobra or Mach as I do believe they will hook up without modification and will contain the oxygen sensors.
Might be cheaper!  Al

[RICH MUISE]

quote: "The drivers side takes a oval metal "biscuit" gasket..." oval? did you mean round.
Good thought on the cobra exhaust...may be pretty hard to find though..what about the ones from your donor car?
I'm trying to figure out if I have a problem with the new motor mounts I got. They are not mirror images of each other, and the mounting stud is about 3/8 diference from one side to the other height wise..measuring roughly with a scale (ruler)  to the top deck surface on the block. At first I thought it may have been the mock-up engine block I got, but it is not. The block has the mounting holes in the same location on both sides.
The mounts I got are different left to right. The problem is I don't know for sure that they are not suppose to be.  One of them has the stud centered on everything, while the stud on the other side is off by 3/8 inch.?? Do you have your mounts seperated from your motor by any chance where you could take a look at them?

[RICH MUISE]

Just got off the phone with Anchor Motor mounts. They have the Ford oem samples there as well as samples of their runs. The Ford oem mounts are in fact also different left to right. the stud on the left mount is centered, and the stud on the right mount is off center 1/2". Suppose to be that way, go figure!!

[57 Ford Kustom]

Rich,
   I've found a lot of re pop stuff a little off center! Lol
Tim

[4banger]

Blasted and heat paint 3 years ago. Just about ready for a redo.  The easy way , is to use SKUNK RUST. Spray it on and watch it turn to bare metal. Rain will not faze it. Paint it when you are ready.  Skunkrust.com  Hope you like to spend $$$$$$$

[RICH MUISE]

I tried going to the site but McCaffee blocked it saying it was a risky site.

[Frankenstein57]

There is an add on Milwaukee craigslist, auto parts. 2001  mustang/cobra 4.6 stock exhaust manifolds. Make offer, if anyone buys them I can help out with pickup, ship, whatever.  Mark

[RICH MUISE]

back to the motor mounts...is this odd or what??...the mounts attach to the motor with metric #10 bolts, yet the stud where it attaches to the crossmember is 9/16-12. I guess it's in that era while detroit was still trying to switch everything to metric, but hadn't got there 100% yet.? I wasn't able to find #14 nuts to try, so I guess it's a posibility the stud is #14 metric,and is close enough to the 9/16-12 that they interchange, but the fit seemed right....snug but hand turnable.
I guess now that I think of it, my Grand Cherokee is mostly metric, but I have run into a few things sae.
Rich