Hi, I'm new here, and didn't see this problem anywhere else, so forgive me if this has already been addressed. I have a 2002 Dakota Quad Cab (4.7L V8), and when I start it up, there is a ticking noise. A dealer said that it is NOT knocking, it is caused by some broken bolts in the exhaust manifold. (I think this is what they said.) Usually, after a few minutes, i guess as metal heats up, the ticking goes away and it runs just fine. The dealer also said that there is no problem caused, just the annoyance. However, they want something around $500 to fix it because of labor...? Is there any way for me to replace these bolts? I assume it is rather difficult, is $500 high for this job? [I'm not sure if it is getting worse or not, but just today, 7 mile drive to and from town it ticked all the way both times, but after letting it park for a few hours in town, when i started it up there was no ticking at all.]

Thanks

 

500$ is ridicules and i would never pay it. Dealerships aka Stealerships always overcharge for everything.

More then likely the bolt was sheered off by the heat shield rattleing or just fell out from being loose. If it has been sheerded off into the head then yes its going to be a pain to fix, but if it just fell out then no its not.

If its stuck in the head you will have to take the exhuast manifold off and try to get the bolt out of the head without stripping the head or damaging it, they make a kit that you can drill a hole into the bolt and twist it out from the inside of the bolt but that only if there is nothing to grab on to from the outside of the head.

if the bolt is just missing then just replace it and be done with it, your are suppose to retighten your header bolts every 6 months, due to the constant heat changes it causes the bolts to back out and become loose..

 

Ok, well it turns out my manifold may be cracked, i havent looked at it very well yet tho. my check engine light came on, probably because there is fresh air getting into the exhaust... ugh. are there any how-tos on replacing the manifold and or bolts?

thanks

 

actually good point. You have a 4.7 they are known to have bad exhaust manifold and crack. I say just look for a new one from a junk yard, or craigslist.

should be easy to take off and install, at the collector at the end of the exhaust manifold, take out 3 bolts from the y pipe, then take out all the bolts from the head to the header, and pull it to the top out of the engine bay, you might have to move some wires and crap to get it out.

then install the used one thats not cracked, and also get a new set of header gaskets.

if i where you, i would just try to get a set of used exhaust manifolds off someone that replaced them with headers and get them blasted and ceramic coated, one it will look better, and 2 it will make them stronger, and 3 better performance and lower engine bay temps.

 

Ok, so i looked at it today and I am pretty sure it is the gasket. This is good, but there is still the issue of rust... I live way up north and have a lot of surface rust on a lot of stuff. I am not sure that I will be able to remove the bolts easily or at all. hmm. Is there anything that (probably not though...) can be applied to loosen rust to that extent? Is there any type of temporary filler that can be applied in the opening?

Any other cheap, possibly short-term solutions would be awesome....

Thanks

 

honestly i would cruise around the profiles here on DF and see who has headers on their 4.7 then PM them to see if they still have the stock manifolds. or.... just get some headers!

P.S. thats how i found my modified keggar, there was a thread on another forum about "new M1 intake!" and i saw he hadn't updated his sig about his modified kegger so i just PM'd him. got that sh*t cheap.

 

wd40

PB Blaster

Brake Cleaner

there is alot of stuff that can clean up rust, or do like i said, get them blasted and ceramic coated.... thats your best bet.