Exhaust Leak-Muffler

[Birdman_2000]

I can be added to this list as well. They wanted $350+ to fix it. No thanks. Gonna have to pay them for looking at it. Which I will complain about. I assumed it was the exhaust manifolds again. Anyone swapped to a cat-back system when this happened? Figure if I am going to climb under there and fix it might as well do both.

 

[Jeffjad]

Another on bites the dust. I'm going to go the weld route so I don't have to deal with this again.

 

[Jeffjad]

Got it fixed, $75 total. I can't believe how loud my truck was with that leak. So much better now.

How has this been working out for you so far? I'm thinking of going this route.

 

[6of36]

How has this been working out for you so far? I'm thinking of going this route.

As someone who used to manage a muffler shop, unless the flanges are bad, don't cut them off. The problem is dissimilar metals. Even stainless steel rusts, when in contact with normal steel. It was years ago, so we wouldn't have had the proper bolts back then, but they may now. To remove the bolts, the flange must be heated cherry red with a torch, and then backed out. Even a broken off bolt can be blown out with a torch, by someone experienced, we had to do it all the time on Chevy exhaust manifolds. Even if they don't have the proper bolt, if it was me, I would just go the largest bolt that would fit through the hole, or drill it slightly bigger. The pipes muffler shops use are standard steel, and the repair will rust in less than half the time of the factory pipes.

 

[Jeffjad]

As someone who used to manage a muffler shop, unless the flanges are bad, don't cut them off. The problem is dissimilar metals. Even stainless steel rusts, when in contact with normal steel. It was years ago, so we wouldn't have had the proper bolts back then, but they may now. To remove the bolts, the flange must be heated cherry red with a torch, and then backed out. Even a broken off bolt can be blown out with a torch, by someone experienced, we had to do it all the time on Chevy exhaust manifolds. Even if they don't have the proper bolt, if it was me, I would just go the largest bolt that would fit through the hole, or drill it slightly bigger. The pipes muffler shops use are standard steel, and the repair will rust in less than half the time of the factory pipes.

Good to know! Thanks! I would attempt myself but I usually break more stuff in the process lol

 

[gwatt86]

How has this been working out for you so far? I'm thinking of going this route.

Perfect. No issues. Its been over a year now.

 

[kapinallinen2]

I have a cracked manifold but no broken flange bolts as of yet.
If it ever happens, I will drill out the bolt and preserve the flange.
A welded on mild steel piece of pipe will rust out in few years.

 

[Jeffjad]

After going back and forth in my head I ended up having a local muffler shop drill out the Broken flange bolts and replace with new bolts and nuts. Sounds like new again.

 

[20nightEdition]

Thanks for all the info here. I think I am having the same problem , will put eyes on it tomorrow. I assumed I was having the manifold issue.


UpdateView attachment 155380
Broken bolt, can move the gasket around by hand.

 

[theblet]

cut off the big ol factory muffler and put a flow fx. I love mine

 

[Andrewdcollings]

Well, went to install a Borla and both bolts were so rusted through they snapped and the gasket was almost rusted through.

Ordered a new gasket, put some new stainless steel bolts in and sprayed with rustoleum when I was done.

Mine is a 2021 model year. Definitely worth poking under your truck and checking…

 

[20nightEdition]

Thanks for all the info here. I think I am having the same problem , will put eyes on it tomorrow. I assumed I was having the manifold issue.


UpdateView attachment 155380
Broken bolt, can move the gasket around by hand.

Update, was able to get it fixed. For anyone wondering m10x1.5 x40mm was plenty long enough. I used stainless with lock washers and the recommended graphite lube. It was pretty surprising how bad the truck was running compared to after the repair. I replaced my gasket as well. I originally had 50mm stainless bolts w nylock nuts but the threads got damaged when I tried to get them in and the nylock would not budge. Thanks for the help and information.

 

[johnehr]

Just went through this on my ‘21 at 50k miles, the bolts both sheared in the area of the gasket, leaving their threaded portion in the rearward flange. I found that there was enough threaded bolt sticking out of the back of the flange to thread on an M10 x 1.5 sacrificial nut, weld it onto the old bolt, and then use the nut to wrench that stub out of the flange. I did spray it well with PB Blaster the day beforehand, which may or may not have helped get it out.

 

[ws6guy]

Add me to the list. Truck is 2.5 years old with 34k miles. I'll probably take it to the dealer and let them screw around and get the bolts out since it's under warranty. Once I get it back I might go ahead and replace the factory bolts with SS.

 

[Ram4u]

Count me in on this problem aswell. 2019 with 37K, noticed on cold starts abnormally loud ticking and noticed exhaust condensation coming from under the bed. Look underneath and found the bottom bolt broke. Going to remove and and replace both bolts. Think I'm going to drill it out and put bolts/nuts through the flange rather than keep the flange threaded. This way if they rust out again I won't have to deal with getting them out of the threads.

Exactly. Thats what i just did with grade 8 bolts, washer, locking washer, nut and new exhaust gasket.

 

[BlkLimited22s]

Exactly. Thats what i just did with grade 8 bolts, washer, locking washer, nut and new exhaust gasket

This is the way. Had it fixed once at 2 years by dealer and broke again earlier this year. Was a ***** to drill out the broken end but replaced with quality hardware and don’t have to worry about it again.

 

[theblet]

This is the way. Had it fixed once at 2 years by dealer and broke again earlier this year. Was a ***** to drill out the broken end but replaced with quality hardware and don’t have to worry about it again.

 

[Stinger19]

Just replaced my bolts and gasket yesterday. I used grade 8 bolts with a new Mopar gasket. As expected, one of the bolts snapped immediately when trying to back it out, but the other came out no problem. My buddy heated up the flange and used vice grips to get the broken bolt out. If you do it this way, you might have to twist the bolt back and forth to loosen up the rusted threads, but eventually it comes out. A little PB Blaster also helped.

 

[EJ84]

I believe I’m starting to have the same problem, was parked at a set of lights and heard a pop. Truck is slightly louder when cold but not to bad. Not sure if it’s a bolt or manifold cracked
I will look later.
Any thoughts on if I can drive it a fairly long distance. I have a 500 mile round trip to do

 

[mikeru82]

Other than a noisier trip for you you're not go gonna do any damage to the truck by driving it like that.