I just got back from the muffler shop cuz I had been hearing a rattle coming from the engine area when I start her up cold. if she's already warm no rattle. I suspected it could be the exhaust manifold. I just replaced my muffler and cat. well the guy told me (a friend of mine) that it was the manifold and that there probably was a crack somewhere. question: how long should I wait before replacing? another: how much do you think it would cost me to replace by a mechanic? thanks.

 

I have a crack in mine also. The muffler guy told me most mechanics will charge at least $200 just to get to it to take it off. and then they can weld it or you can put a new one on. I didn't have the money so i haven't done it yet and that was over a year ago. hope to do it soon though.

 

Before you go thinking "cracked manifold" - check the torque on the screws holding it to the head, especially the lower rear ones.

Due to clamping iron and aluminum together, the screws get worked loose - and the fact that it goes away when it's warm tells me that's what you should check first. I retorque mine annually - I invariably find that one or two is loose (the sound goes away when hot because the manifold flange expands enough to close up the gap again.)

 

I will definately check that out tomr. thanks for your thoughts.

 

if it is cracked they really arent that hard to replace just a little time consuming since you have to remove the intake to get it off

 

Just passing along what I've learned from experience...

Forgot - check the stud nuts at the header collector (where the downpipe joins up) as well. They can work loose over time, and present as a manifold crack.

 

it more than likely split at the collector like all the rest...replace with a new one...if you provide the header i wouldnt pay more than 2-300 for it to be put on.

 

I checked all the bolts and stud nuts and everything looks great. I think I will look into a cracked manifest a little more.

 

No worries. It's just one of those things - if it's a loose screw or two, you've fixed it. If it isn't, you're just out the half-hour you spent checking.

If you replace the manifold, you'll end up fixing the problem either way - but if all it was happened to be loose screws, you've spent a couple hundred bucks that you really didn't need to. Just trying to help you avoid that...

 

I appreciate it. It's always nice to save a buck when you can.

 

I have a cracked exhaust manifold as well and am actually in the process of getting a used one from the junkyard for $22. Its going to be a pain in the butt to replace it but its alot better than spending hundreds of dollars to have somebody replace it for me

 

ive had two crack where the two pipes conect it's pretty easy to take of and weld imo i wished you lived arournd me i would only charge $75 to take it off and weld it up save you money and make me some

 

on ebay there is someone that sell them with some flex hose welded into it. it prevents the cracking from happening again. i got mine shipped to my house with a new gasket. me and buddy put it in in about 3-4 hours but we took the intake manifold off as well and cleaned it up.

ill try and find ya a linky

 

here ya go bud cheaper than i payed!!!
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/95-96...A1%7C72%3A1171

 

the other day I crawled underneith the jeep after I started her up cold. the rattle underneith was loud so I figured it would be easy to locate the problem. I noticed where the exhaust manifold pipe and the muffler meet just at the first hanger for the exhaust system it was hitting or rattling. so i took it back up to the muffler guy and he fixed it for nothing. considering they were the ones that installed a little sloppy the first time around. problem fixed and no cash out of my wallet.