mhuppertz

My wifes 2002 4.7 started developing an exhaust leak tick on the drivers side a few months ago, but it would go away when the engine heated up. Figured out that it had popped the head off on one of the bolts. Then Friday it got a lot worse. Figured it has popped another. Yesterday I pulled the manifold and it had broken two. I bought all new bolts and gasket, cleaned the manifold with a wire brush on the drill, gently cleaned the head surface, coated the exhaust manifold bols with anti-seize and the gasket with the appropriate tack, put it all back together and warmed it up, let it cool and rechecked the tightness.
It was a pain, but I bought points with my wife!
Anyone else had manifold bolts pop off like that?

Haulin_in_Dixie

The broken manifold and loosening bolts is a normal problem. Change the oil and check the bolts. Regular maintenance....

mhuppertz

Not possible. You have to remove heat sheilds to get to the bolts to check them, it would be a 3 hour job to check the bolts.

12valve@heart

My sister-in-law used to have a older (early/mid-'90s) Geo Prism that had constant exhaust manifold problems. It actually broke the manifold itself in half. My brother found out that it was a common problem on that model and put at least 2 new manifolds on that car in the years that they had it. Be glad it was just the bolts.

Spooler

Yeap, I have done so many exhaust studs on the Nissan VG30 motor it is not funny. We also would have to send the manifold out to be machined straight or put on new ones if under warranty. It was a pain in the butt sometimes if i had to drill the whole stud out and helicoil. Not a job I enjoyed that is for sure but I always got them.

Haulin_in_Dixie

Thought we were talking about a Cummins, I don't know a thing about a Jeep.