Headers will solve the broken exhaust manifold bolt problem permanently. Seems like a good plan/investment to me.

 

I'm looking at a set of hedman 1 - 1/2" shorty headers "stock collector" for $370. I'd like longtubes but for the sake of convenience of just bolting them in and since I'm not tuning it I'll just stick with shorties. Does 1 - 1/2 " sound like enough? Or should I go up to 1 - 5/8" or 1 - 3/4"?

 

1.5 is likely fine on a stock engine, driven mostly on the street. Be sure and use the dead-soft copper, or aluminum gaskets. They seal up rather well, and stay sealed.

 

I'd check that your manifolds are actually the problem before going the header route. Doubtful that they are much of an upgrade for a daily. Might end up being a downgrade if they fit like poorly, cause you to change the exhaust to fit, and if they aren't wrapped or ceramic - likely spew more heat into the engine compartment. If you do go that route, there are also some header bolts with a specialized and proprietary head/washer setups that lock and prevent them from backing out.

 

I'll be sure to get the manifold checked out. The 1.5" headers I'm looking at are uncoated and I found a set of ceramic coated 1.75" BBK's for a only a little bit more. Worst case I'll grab some heat wrap for them, if I end up getting them that is.

 

Heat wrap just traps moisture against the tubes, so they rust out faster.

 

Good to know! I'll just make sure they're coated really well then. I'll be getting it all checked out tomorrow to see if it's what I need. Thanks guys

 

Well the exhaust shop is too busy to help me out until Monday, so I decided to take a moment and look over the manifolds with a flashlight, and am I crazy or does this look like it's separating from the mating surface of the cylinder head?

Middle of the driver side exhaust manifold, hard to get an angle but I can see pretty far into it.

Middle of the passenger side exhaust manifold, doesn't look as significant as driver side.

They look pretty flush on the ends.

 

Got any feeler gauges? If you do, see if you can stick a skinny one in there.

I agree though, that doesn't really look quite right. But, if it were leaking, you would see burn marks on the gasket there.... I would think.....

 

I thought so too, my last leak had carbon marks... I apparently lost my feeler gauge so I tried using a piece of paper and I could get it a little bit of the way in but it would stop, so I'm not really sure what's going on there. Maybe I can blow air into the exhaust with an air compressor and see if I can get air blowing out of it, but the muffler has so many holes in it I feel it'd all just leak out there . I'll probably just wait until Monday when the local exhaust guy can help.