Pay to fix the exaust manifold leak or try headers?

Meziked · Jul 30, 2017

Hey All,
Like many of you I have been fighting broken exhaust manifold bolts. So far I have not found anyone in this area that is willing to tackle this for under 650.00 a side. Both sides are now leaking. My thoughts are, why not just buy headers and install them myself? The only thing that worries me are the broken bolts. One slip with a drill and I'm buying a new head.

But, 500 dollars and I have a bolt on upgrade complete with hardware...

Any thoughts on this or experience?

LB3711 · Jul 30, 2017

i was going to go with shorties when I was going to do mine. it was going to around 700 for the shorties and a bit more for install if I wasnt going to do it myself with a friend.

ramportin1 · Jul 30, 2017

Meziked said:
Hey All,
Like many of you I have been fighting broken exhaust manifold bolts. So far I have not found anyone in this area that is willing to tackle this for under 650.00 a side. Both sides are now leaking. My thoughts are, why not just buy headers and install them myself? The only thing that worries me are the broken bolts. One slip with a drill and I'm buying a new head.

But, 500 dollars and I have a bolt on upgrade complete with hardware...

Any thoughts on this or experience?

My exhaust buddy would say "don't do headers unless you need every lick of HP. " I on the other hand say GO HEADERS lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

racerx20 · Jul 30, 2017

ramportin1 said:
My exhaust buddy would say "don't do headers unless you need every lick of HP. " I on the other hand say GO HEADERS lol

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G935A using Tapatalk

I would tell your buddy "who doesn't need every lick of HP!?" :naughty:

Bluto · Jul 30, 2017

Seems to be a hot topic these days. Well if you are out of warranty or Chrysler won't cover you because your truck was born in Canada like mine.

I went with ceramic coated BBK shorties. I think MOEs has them around 400. Stage 8 locking head bolts and OEM gaskets. Been I think almost a year and no issues.

The broken bolts suck. The best method it spot weld a nut to the bolt.

HammerHead · Jul 31, 2017

Meziked said:
Hey All,
Like many of you I have been fighting broken exhaust manifold bolts. So far I have not found anyone in this area that is willing to tackle this for under 650.00 a side. Both sides are now leaking. My thoughts are, why not just buy headers and install them myself? The only thing that worries me are the broken bolts. One slip with a drill and I'm buying a new head.

But, 500 dollars and I have a bolt on upgrade complete with hardware...

Any thoughts on this or experience?

First $650 per side is outrageous. You could buy the extractor kit for removing the bolts, 90 degree drill, shorty headers for less than half that. Only problem with doing it yourself is if you have a broken bolt that isn't broke off flush. I just replaced a broken bolt not to long ago and was lucky the bolt broke off flush with the head. And it was on the upper row of bolts that made life much easier, my little 12v drill fit into the tight space perfectly. The bottom row your not getting anything in there except a 90 degree drill. Keep in mind I have a 2013 so I don't know how different our trucks are. If you pull the front tires and plastic wheel well you'll be looking straight at it. The key is to drill Slow, and drill a deep enough pilot hole the extractor can dig into the broken bolt head, if you go to shallow it will just strip out and then your back to drilling. Took me 45 minutes to drill a proper pilot hole, nice and slow, let the drill bit do its job.

HammerHead · Jul 31, 2017

Bluto said:
Seems to be a hot topic these days. Well if you are out of warranty or Chrysler won't cover you because your truck was born in Canada like mine.

I went with ceramic coated BBK shorties. I think MOEs has them around 400. Stage 8 locking head bolts and OEM gaskets. Been I think almost a year and no issues.

The broken bolts suck. The best method it spot weld a nut to the bolt.

Welding the nut onto the broken bolt head is the best method ive seen, if you got a mig welder go that route.

OnSale · Jul 31, 2017

I'm dealing with 2 or 3 broken exhaust manifold bolts right now. Thank God im still under the factory Chrysler Warranty. Ram Service said they might have to replace my whole head if they can't get the broken bolts out, and more might break off when they try to get them out aswell.

My truck is at the Ram dealer right now getting this problem fixed. I'll let you know what happens and how bad it is. Plus I'll let you know the price (free cause of warranty) but I'm sure the price will still be listed on the paperwork.

• 2012 Ram 1500 RCSB Hemi • 22" SRT-10 Wheels Plastidipped Black w/ Bridgestone Tires • Smoked Taillights • Custom Quad Headlights • Opt-7 FluxBeam-X 6000k LED Lows • MicTuning 6000k LED Fogs • K&N 63 Series CAI • Flowmasters Muffler • Line-X Bed • OEM Black Badges All Around • 20% Tint All Around • Lund Tri-Fold Tonneau + plenty more coming soon...

Gamester · Jul 31, 2017

Meziked said:
Hey All,
Like many of you I have been fighting broken exhaust manifold bolts. So far I have not found anyone in this area that is willing to tackle this for under 650.00 a side. Both sides are now leaking. My thoughts are, why not just buy headers and install them myself? The only thing that worries me are the broken bolts. One slip with a drill and I'm buying a new head.

But, 500 dollars and I have a bolt on upgrade complete with hardware...

Any thoughts on this or experience?

Well, if you are the kind like me that will do as much as possible to get more HP, then go with some long tube headers. If you are one of those guys that is more for comfort and "quietness", then just replace the gaskets and bolts on the stock exhaust manifolds. I like engine noise and love my ARH long tubes as they made the truck sounds pretty bad ass IMHO :waytogo:

pickupman66 · Jul 31, 2017

I opted to just replace the bolts myself. i didnt have the Funds to get headers nor pay someone that kind of $$ to do it. I just did one side and had several broken ones. some were broken right at the nut head so I heated them up really hot and twisted them out with vice grips. Heat made all the difference. then I had one that was beyond flush with the head. I use a 90° drill head and drilled it enough to get the screw extractor in it. The heat from drilling the hardened bolts was enough to allow them to break free and allow me to remove them with the extractor.

was it easy, no, it was stressful but it went just as it should for me. saved my self a boat load of money.

skirider · Jul 31, 2017

What kind of extractor u using

smiley · Jul 31, 2017

My guy is charging me 350 to install

Meziked · Aug 1, 2017

HammerHead said:
First $650 per side is outrageous. .

What should I be paying, or whats fair price? By the time I buy the tools and parts, I'm probably going to have a lot into this. If 650 a side was from one dealer local here that immediately said "Yeah, they break exhaust bolts, they are known for it"..

Gamester · Aug 2, 2017

Labor rates will vary a lot per location, in fact most shop's rates are twice or more where I live now compared to where I used to live back in KS.

Bee1971 · Aug 2, 2017

Irwin Hanson makes a decent quality screw extractor kit with left handed cobalt drill bits

Search for a local mobile welder in the back of his truck that will come to your house if you already have the truck ripped apart to weld on a nut if its broken off below flush
At least get some more quotes

pickupman66 · Aug 2, 2017

I bought a set like these.. once I had drilled enough to get a good deep bite, I slowly worked them in they used a tiny little wrench to torque on them and they came right out.

https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-HANSON...d=1501708484&sr=8-8&keywords=screw+extractors

this video while cheezy gave me good confidence. the old Man Bill shown here. start about 7:30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCMO6QAAb8I

skirider · Aug 2, 2017

Anyone know why the bolts for manifold changed part number in 2012 oem

Also is it me or does it aleays seem to be the heat shield bolts that break

daveray9 · Aug 4, 2017

pickupman66 said:
I bought a set like these.. once I had drilled enough to get a good deep bite, I slowly worked them in they used a tiny little wrench to torque on them and they came right out.

https://www.amazon.com/IRWIN-HANSON...d=1501708484&sr=8-8&keywords=screw+extractors

this video while cheezy gave me good confidence. the old Man Bill shown here. start about 7:30

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCMO6QAAb8I

Notice the pic of the beer in the left hand.... I'd recommend drinking about 5 or 6 of these before you even start.

Pay to fix the exaust manifold leak or try headers?

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