Exhaust Manifolds | Warped

[jws123]

Makes me wonder if a belt sander can actually hog enough met to get them flat enough to stop leaking?

I have done a bunch harbor freight belt sander takes sometime but it works.

 

[Flatblack79]

Cant believe i missed this thread when i had to do mine a few years ago. I used a belt sander and have had no issues since.

Heres a video for anyone that may find it useful.

Repairing Warped Ram 1500 Exhaust Manifolds

Repairing an exhaust leak caused by the cast iron manifolds warping and breaking a bolt. Parts Needed: Fel Pro - MS97083ARP - 661-1007 x 4 (does not work w...

youtu.be

 

[El_Dude]

I kinda wished I machined mine instead of getting the Kooks. Woulda saved so much money. Oh well, all is well.

 

[chrisbh17]

Question about the belt sander/Remflex/ARP bolts fix - if I use ARP bolts do I lose the heat shields? Do they make a double-ended bolt like stock?

Or am I better off using stock bolts/studs so I can keep the heat shield?

Thanks!

 

[Dodge 1500 4X4]

I find that using the factory bolts, did the best for me to reuse the factory heat shields, I got mine from RockAuto, and for sure the Remflex gaskets.

 

[mdc1990zr1]

I find that using the factory bolts, did the best for me to reuse the factory heat shields, I got mine from RockAuto, and for sure the Remflex gaskets.

You know, I've been thinking this through for a long time. It seems that the bolts that tend to break are the ones holding the heat shields on. I know that the manifolds tend to warp, and I have gotten a "seasoned" set of used manifolds and had them planed flat at a machine shop and am waiting to put them on my truck with the Remflex gaskets. But, I'm thinking that I am going to remove my heat shield nuts and heat shield. The logic being that maybe the second nut securing the heat shield is making these four bolts too rigid and not allowing them to expand and contract as the other bolts which are less prone to breaking, therefore leading to the broken bolts of the heat shield.

 

[EdGs]

I used Everbuilt hardware from Amazon, with Fel-Pro gaskets from RockAuto (didn't know much about Remflex gaslets when I ordered)

That said, I am about 70k past the change and still good. I wish I had spent a little longer on the belt sander as I didn't get them all the way flat, but all is well so far.

It does seem once the manifolds are heat cycled and fixed, they stay good. I kinda think the MDS is what causes them to go wonky from new.

The only other thing would be is if the manifolds werent normalized (not familiar with cast iron processes, though) when made, and if that were the case, it would mean that it wasn't done on a hell of a lot of parts.

 

[HEMIMANN]

Yeah, I'm between a rock and a hard place what to do. Getting mighty creaky to do this myself, my sons aren't around much anymore.

And my exhaust guy won't machine them, just buys that new design that breaks instead of the bolts. But man, can I ever hear that cold start exhaust tick on the right bank with hearing aids. Maybe I should just turn them off until the engine warms and ignore it.

 

[EdGs]

Yeah, I'm between a rock and a hard place what to do. Getting mighty creaky to do this myself, my sons aren't around much anymore.

And my exhaust guy won't machine them, just buys that new design that breaks instead of the bolts. But man, can I ever hear that cold start exhaust tick on the right bank with hearing aids. Maybe I should just turn them off until the engine warms and ignore it.

It really wasn't hard to get them out, and the passenger side is definitely easier.

I was lucky because mine were broken off under the head of the bolt, flush with the exhaust manifold, so I had a stub sticking out.

Do you know if yours is broken off flush with the cylinder head or with the exhaust manifold?

 

[HEMIMANN]

Yeah, I know. It's always easy for everyone but me. I'm not biting.

I haven't looked. Temp just dropped to the 20's (F) with howling winds and snow. But I can sure hear it, only from right front bank and only at cold start. Classic manifold exhaust leak symptom from a known leaker.

I'm not doing anything unless and until weather improves someday.

 

[EdGs]

Yeah, I know. It's always easy for everyone but me. I'm not biting.

I haven't looked. Temp just dropped to the 20's (F) with howling winds and snow. But I can sure hear it, only from right front bank and only at cold start. Classic manifold exhaust leak symptom from a known leaker.

I'm not doing anything unless and until weather improves someday.

If you get a chance, reach in through the wheel well and feel the corners of the heat shield.

If they are loose and (on the back side of the loose corner) you only feel what appears to be the thickness of the bolt head, you likely have a stub sticking out. ALOT easier to remove.

But, if you can feel the body of the bolt attached to the loose corner of the shield, the bolt is likely broken flush with the cylinder head.

I drove with mine being broke for at least 40K miles, fwiw.

Come on down to SW Florida!

 

[PowersOf12]

So, my truck is now making the loud ticking on cold start and gone within 1 mile from my home. I already had the manifold bolts replaced at 130K and the lifter/cams replaced at 155K. My gut says a manifold bolt is broken again but the heat shields don't budge when I tug on them. Can the middle bolts break and get stuck somehow? Although I have the lifetime warranty, they will not look and guess at issues without charging me if they don't find anything.

 

[TC]

How flat do you need to get seasoned manifolds before re-installing? I bought the $80 HF 4" x 36" sander with 40, 60 and 80 grit zirconium belts. Got the drivers side to 0.008" using feeler gauge. Passenger side was warped pretty bad - 0.076" out. I have gotten it down to 0.018" and I'm wore slap out. Will the new OE gasket seal this kind of gap? Should have found a machine shop but $ are tight these days.

 

[TC]

I just noticed while inspecting and in the process of removing the passenger side manifold, which is not leaking, when I noticed it is not OE but looks to be a Dorman with "China" and part # 385. No broken bolts, yet. Googled and found on Amazon. Anybody have experience with this aftermarket manifold? Says it resists warping...marketing or truth?

I wanted to be proactive and replace before warpage caused broken bolts like the drivers side. Maybe PO had it replaced after OE failed.

 

[Glen OS]

I just had mine replaced with manifolds from BD Diesel. Much beefier than the stock manifolds. They appeared to have a little better flow than stock. Thought about headers, but decided on these. Truck hasn't been this quiet since I got it.

 

[Rustypipes12]

I have an 09' TRX4. When I bought it they claimed it had a lifetime warranty on the drive train. Shouldn't exhaust bolts be covered under that?

 

[huntergreen]

I have an 09' TRX4. When I bought it they claimed it had a lifetime warranty on the drive train. Shouldn't exhaust bolts be covered under that?

I know it’s covered under my lifetime warranty, and I think I’ve read about guys having it fixed under the drivetrain warranty as long as you’ve done the required inspections required to keep warranty in in place. You also have to the original owner.

 

[PowersOf12]

Update, I have over 13K miles since the lifter / cam swap and 37K miles since the header bolts swap and no more sounds on startup. So, my gut is things need time to all quiet down. I am nearing 168K miles now and the truck still gets over 21 mpg on my long trips from Florida to Indiana and back.

 

[Dirty_white_boy]

I have a 2019 and decided to pull it and upgrade the cam cause I thought I had the tick aswell. The left manifold was completely cracked In half, I knew I had exhaust tick on that side but I had a tic on the right side aswell and when I listened with a homade stethoscope it was coming somewhere up near the fuel rail near the MDS cylinders. Anyway pulled it apart and found no significant wear ( see pic ) quite possible the MDS lifter spring was going. I also wonder if it was a noisy injector lol. Bit of a **** off but already bought the parts so...new stage one cam non MDS lifters and long tube headers.

 

[TitoT]

Cant believe i missed this thread when i had to do mine a few years ago. I used a belt sander and have had no issues since.

Heres a video for anyone that may find it useful.

Repairing Warped Ram 1500 Exhaust Manifolds

Repairing an exhaust leak caused by the cast iron manifolds warping and breaking a bolt. Parts Needed: Fel Pro - MS97083ARP - 661-1007 x 4 (does not work w...

youtu.be

This is exactly what I was looking for.