How to shorten 300 manifold pipe

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 1, 2012

The manifold pipe on my 300 is quite long and I can't put the muffler on it in the shed without hitting the ceiling. My H can drive in with the muffler on but the 300 is a little bit taller to the top of the hood and the pipe projects about a foot above the hood. Is it possible to cut the pipe shorter in place either with a hacksaw or a cut off wheel in an angle grinder or will the fragments of metal get down into the exhaust valves and cause a problem? Could I put a rag or a wad of duct tape or something down into the hole and the vacuum the bits out after I make the cut? I can remove the manifold if necessary but I would prefer to leave it in place if possible. Any advice will be much appreciated.
Zach

rustyfarmall · Sep 1, 2012

(quoted from post at 07:31:52 09/01/12) The manifold pipe on my 300 is quite long and I can't put the muffler on it in the shed without hitting the ceiling. My H can drive in with the muffler on but the 300 is a little bit taller to the top of the hood and the pipe projects about a foot above the hood. Is it possible to cut the pipe shorter in place either with a hacksaw or a cut off wheel in an angle grinder or will the fragments of metal get down into the exhaust valves and cause a problem? Could I put a rag or a wad of duct tape or something down into the hole and the vacuum the bits out after I make the cut? I can remove the manifold if necessary but I would prefer to leave it in place if possible. Any advice will be much appreciated.
Zach

The total length of those pipes should be no more than 10 to 11 inches, including the threaded portion.

A pipe cutter would be the tool of choice to ensure a nice, straight cut, but a hacksaw will get the job done. What little shavings and chips that do fall into the manifold will easily be blown out the first time you start the engine. Might be a good idea to leave the muffler off for the first start-up.

uncle henry · Sep 1, 2012

i use a metal chop saw

GordoSD · Sep 1, 2012

Agree with Loren. Just stuff a grease filled rag in the pipe and go at it with a sawsall. Only a pro plumber would have a pipe cutter large enoufh for that 2 inch pipe.
Can you get a big pipe wrench on it and turn it out?

John M · Sep 1, 2012

My buddies 300 was the same way, the pipe had been replaced and the previous owner put a "in stock" piece from the harware store on it. He cut it with his sawzall. Please, please, if you have a shop vac, suck the shaving out with it. At a minimum, look away from it when you start it. My buddy got a piece of it in his eye, cause a bad infection and he lost that eye.

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 1, 2012

Thank you all very much. I will take 10 inches off with the hacksaw
later today. I hate using a sawzall to cut metal, maybe my
technique isn't right but I can never get it to cut straight and I think
it will be just as easy to use the hacksaw as the angle grinder in the
end.
Zach

JDnTN · Sep 1, 2012

I saw this tip on the "GEARZ" tv show (Speed). Put a radiator hose clamp at the cut spot and cut across the top of it.

notjustair · Sep 1, 2012

Don't ask me cause I tend to live too close to the edge. I did one by starting the tractor and idling it low. Cut the pipe off with it idling with a saws-all. The tractor was cold and so was the pipe when I started. Had the saw reasy and plugged in beside me. The pipe was off before the manifold ever got past warm.

rustyfarmall · Sep 1, 2012

(quoted from post at 08:11:10 09/01/12) Agree with Loren. Just stuff a grease filled rag in the pipe and go at it with a sawsall. Only a pro plumber would have a pipe cutter large enoufh for that 2 inch pipe.
Can you get a big pipe wrench on it and turn it out?

I've got a cutter big enough to do the job. Found it at an estate auction. Got the cutter and the pipe threading kit for a song.

Anonymous-0 · Sep 1, 2012

Do you or anybody you know have a large pipe cutter. Thats all I use and you can do it on the tractor without anything falling down into manifold and they make a straight cut.

sflem849 · Sep 1, 2012

I would NOT use grease on the rag because the chips will stick to the grease. This is the reason you use the grease and this is the reason that grease fails. You can't get all the chips out when you shop vac (or magnet) the rag off and they get stuck in the manifold. When you just use a dry rag and the shop vac 99% of the chips will suck right out. Leave the muffler off on startup and the rest should fly out.

This is a common debate in the Ford truck forums because you have to drill and tap the exhaust manifold in place for your pyrometer aka EGT gauge. I would have to say all opinions have their place and there is logic behind all of them.

sflem849 · Sep 1, 2012

Oh yeah, the pipe cutter is the best idea. The only problem is Loren seems to think we all have as many tools as he does. :lol:

Zachary Hoyt · Sep 1, 2012

Well, I tried the cutting while idling method and it seemed to work fine. I used a hacksaw and started the cut before I started the tractor. It was not the straightest cut I ever made but it is not too bad and the muffler covers it anyway. Thank you all for the help.
Zach

How to shorten 300 manifold pipe

Zachary Hoyt

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rustyfarmall

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uncle henry

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GordoSD

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John M

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Zachary Hoyt

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JDnTN

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notjustair

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rustyfarmall

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Anonymous-0

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Zachary Hoyt

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