Just a reminder to check your manifold bolts. I was under the hood the other day and the top rear one was very loose. I started out with all the retention straps on the bolts, but am now down to one strap. The engine does sound smoother now that all the bolts are tight.<br><br>Mike

 

I don't have my service manual right in front of me, but I believe the specified torque on those bolts is 32ft lbs.

 

With the weather changing around us, this is a good thread to dredge up.

Mike

 

I tighten my back bottom one up, and it comes loose again. In a couple of days of driving.

 

I don't know if this is applicable.......but my last dodge (97') was a gasser and I had several exhaust manifold bolt issues. One day I noticed that one was loose on the passenger side manifold. I tightened it (without torque wrench) and forgot about it. A few weeks later I checked it and it was o.k. but I noticed that on another area on the manifold, a nut was completely missing because the stud had broken off in the head. This was at about 30k miles. Dodge was very cooperative and replaced the entire head instead of getting the ez-out. A year or so later, another stud snapped off, this time outside the head but beneath the surface of the manifold. Warranty was expired so I lived with it.....no leaks. My theory is that the stud and nut were dissimilar metals and expanded/contracted differently....hence came loose. Why the studs broke is beyond me (cheeeep maybe?) Anyway, my wife's Dakota had similar problems. Is the CTD exhaust manif. similar? This is my first diesel and at 20K, I have not hardly looked under the hood.

Thanks,
Tom

 

32 ft-lbs it is !

There is a TSB out on exhaust manifold bolts.
http://dodgeram.info/tsb/2001/09-002-01.htm

 

My manifold is cracked pretty bad in two places. You can actually feel pressure blowing out from the cracks Anybody installed an aftermarket exhaust manifold (such as the ATS 3 piece) yet? BTW JB Weld dont work on exhaust manifolds.......... jk :P LOL

Aaron

 

I have the ATS and it is a good piece. I feel that it was worth the money. It is pricey though. I cleaned out the rough places between the machined surfaces and the casting. I also brought it out to the gasket line but this is probably not necessary.