Failure mode - Ford 7.3L Godzilla Gasoline (Super Duty 2020+, E-Series cutaway 2021+)

Exhaust manifold leaks (broken manifold bolts)

Reliability tier: aggregated - verify before ordering, see /disclosure/

Symptoms

ticking at cold start that quiets as metal warms (classic leak signature)
exhaust smell / soot trace at the manifold flange
reported most often on trucks used for regular heavy towing (rear bolts)

Compare with the other causes of the same sign on this engine: ticking, knocking, rattle or whine (4 causes)

Root cause

Broken manifold bolts and resulting flange leaks are a recurring Ford-truck pattern that carries to the Godzilla; owner reports concentrate on rear bolts on heavy-tow trucks. Cosmetic-annoyance tier in most cases, but a sustained leak can cook plug-well hardware and skew downstream oxygen readings.

Diagnosis

listen at cold start at each manifold runner; look for soot trails at the flange
confirm the tick is exhaust (warms-and-quiets), not valvetrain (constant)

Fixes

replace broken bolts and gaskets; both banks are conventional PFI exhaust without aftertreatment hardware in the manifold path ()

exhaust-manifold - more than one option: Godzilla Exhaust Manifold Gasket (OEM), 7.3L Godzilla Exhaust Manifold, left, 2020-2022 (OEM), 7.3L/6.8L Godzilla Exhaust Manifold, left, 2023+ (OEM), 7.3L Godzilla Exhaust Manifold, right (OEM, current service number), 7.3L/6.8L Godzilla Exhaust Manifold, right, 2023+ (OEM), Godzilla Exhaust Manifold Stud Kit, 2023+ (OEM)

Prevalence

common

Parts for this repair run about $15-$770: see them next to the other repairs on this engine in repair costs.