Just bought a 03, the seller showed me a exhaust leak. I found a bolt broken off, flush with the head. Looked at the passenger side when I got home, that side leaks too, and found one broken off bolt there too. Question, are these easy to do? As in, I have extracted broken bolts before, but they where on my V10 and I could just weld nuts to them and they came right out.

Plans are buy new manifolds, bolts and gaskets. Any advice appreciated. This is my first Diesel.

 

if the manifolds aren't cracked a machine shop can resurface the face of them ,the machine shop i went to put them on a big sander that sanded the whole face at once and evened them up and it was cheap maybe fifty bucks,as far as taking them off when i did mine i cut the bolts behind the manifold(my motor was out and easy to get to)between the manifold and block pics sho where but i used a sawzall with a metal blade and used a few blades,if you cant get them from the top you could go through the wheel well with the liner removed,

once they are cut they usually back right out with a vise grip as a good portion is still sticking out,i had a very easy time getting the bolts out and i had 300,00 miles when i did it and they had never been out before.When i put them back on after the machine shop i used stainless bolts and star washers to put them back on.I got the bolts off ebay and the washers locally.









also these dont need gaskets and didnt come that way from the factory

 

When my 03's exhaust manifold started leaking I was told by several different sources that unless you get real lucky, the time and struggle you'd have trying to do that with the engine in, it's better to pull it. The oil pan was original, not real bad but getting there. They are known to rot and I knew it was only a matter of time before it'd start leaking too. Had that changed while 90% of the work was being done anyway.

 

Ok glad to hear there isn't really issues with the studs getting stuck in the heads! I am just going to buy a pair of new manifolds, and they come with gaskets... So idk if I should use the gaskets, or not...

 

I wouldn't say there aren't issues with the bolts getting stuck in the heads. I had to take a head to a machine shop to get several of them machined out and helicoils put in. I tried everything from a pipe wrench to welding a nut on, and they wouldn't budge.

 

I don't want to hear that!!!! I really don't want to have issues like that

 

I know. Nobody wants to hear those things, but you need to be aware the possibility exists.

 

I've never personally had bolts stuck in a cast head. I've had plenty stuck in aluminum heads though. I've had great luck at welding nuts to broken studs, so that's how I'm going to tackle the one that's broke flush when I get the manifolds here.

 

Been told with new manifolds not to. Just gives them another reason to leak at some point. Did not use any gaskets, quality parts were purchased and they have been fine. With that said you should only do what you have had luck with, not what anyone else says has or has not worked for them. Depending on the area and conditions each vehicle is used in, individual issues may be very different when it comes to frozen, busted or rusted items or whether your manifold may leak or not afterward.

 

I think you'd be better off having the original manifolds decked than replacing with new. The original manifolds have already been heat cycled and warped all they are going to and once made true again should stay that way.

If you do to with new I would suggest dropping them at the machine shop as well and getting them decked.

Are you going with bellowed up pipes at the same time? If you have the manifolds out it only makes sense if the stock pipes are still in there. Around $150 for a set of dorman's.

 

Idk about the up pipes.... I'm guessing they are stock.. Haven't really thought about changing them.

I know these manifolds have been decked once already kinda why I figured I'd get new... I just got the pickup on Friday n only stuff I've really found wrong is the exhaust leaks.

 

Funny, found the up pipe kit on Walmart.com for about $150....

Weird.....

 

stick with what you have clem is right in his assessment all the heat distortion is out deck em and get up pipes

 

Got to looking at these good, there's a gasket between them and the head. They leak at the front and back port on both sides, at the up pipe connection, where the up pipes meet that "y", and where the "y" meets the turbo!!! After I fix all that, this thing is prob going to drive way different!

 

Well good news and bad, good news is got the studs all out of the heads, bad is the manifolds are not salvageable, and I found more parts that need replaced in the process of getting the manifolds and up pipes off.

Here's the studs, weld a nut to them and they come right out.



I deleted the EBPV wile I was in there, two 1/2 pipe plugs in the turbo outlet, a 1/4 plug and a small machine screw in the pedestal.

Any other cheap/free mods I should be doing when I'm this far into it? I've got new manifolds, up pipe kit, turbo back 4 inch exhaust, a banks impeller and a rebuild kit for the turbo(stock impeller is chewed up a bit), the Napa filter upgrade is going on too, along with crank case vent relocation.