exhaust manifold repair

[SikVSix]

Hey guys,
if you have any cracked manifolds layin around dont throw em away.
I think I've found a place that can repair them pretty reasonable. If you want to donate any cracked ones I'm thinkin about having a few fixed to have on hand whenever anybody needs one.
I should be getting my 1st one back in a couple weeks so I'll let you know how it comes out. This isn't welding with nickel rod, its all cast iron repair and can be made to look like it never happened.
If this is old new sorry, I've never found any info about it on here before.

Sean

 

[sytyguy]

Re: exhaust manifold repair

Toss some pics up when done. I have several lying around that could use repair. I have a local guy, just haven't been motivated enough to take it to him.

 

[Lohand]

Re: exhaust manifold repair

Let me know as well. I have been driving (off and on) with a cracked passenger side manifold for over 1 year! At this point I am desperate!!!

 

[The Devils Own Chariot]

Re: exhaust manifold repair

I agree. Get a guy thats good at welding cast. All they will have to do is vice the crack shut and weld. Its good as new. I had some cast iron repair done just recently. A guy at a CarX shop did it.

 

[Brassmonkey]

Re: exhaust manifold repair

Good idea Sean, but I have one suggestion. Make sure the shop that does the repair has a good template for spacing the manifold, that is if it is cracked all the way through like mine was. I had the welder use an old 4.3 exh manifold as a template, but he didn't use the correct size bolts when bolting them together, so the bolt holes were still off a lot. I ended up having to oval out the bolt holes. Now my port match is worthless. :rotf:

 

[SikVSix]

Re: exhaust manifold repair

I completely forgot to follow up on this thread.
I got the repair done at custom cast repair in Va. www.customcastrepair.com and they did a great job. they had it back to me in just over a week including shipping. Typical time is 2 weeks but I asked them to rush it for me. I went to the UPS store on Saturday and got it back the next monday.

it cost me like $13 to ship it to them UPS and they sent it back with a bill for $80. I wouldn't call it real cheap but I didn't like the idea of having it welded with nickel rod cause its kind of a crap shoot that way. They dont weld it, they fuse it together with cast iron at like 1800*

As far as the bolt holes lining up, mine wasn't broke in half so I let him convince me that it would be fine. When I got it back it wouldn't bolt on at first so I ported the bolt holes a little and put it in the oven as high as it would go for about 30 minutes (500*) and it bolted right up. I used mechanics gloves AND some potholders to handle them. BTW the other side was the same way so it wasn't from the work, I guess they just shrink or were never made long enough or whatever.

I had also made some other tools to help the install but it probably wasn't completely neccessary as the oven did more than I thought it would, but it was still a help when you dont have a 2nd set of hands. I took 2 long bolts and cut the heads off and ground the end to a point. put one in each end hole of the head and as you slide the manifold on the taper spreads it apart. put the other bolts in and use some vise grips or something to grab the tapered bolt to unscrew it. voila. Just make sure the bolts are long enough that after the manifold is on it sticks out another 2" so you have something to grab onto to unscrew it.

Check out their work on the website, it looks good.