Exhaust Manifold Leak

[Talon4U2NV]

I recently got those afe headers. The only thing about those headers is on every cold start you will hear ticks, at first I though it was leaking but after many hrs of checking, smoke test, reinstalling, new gaskets etc It appears it is just how it sounds.

Did you bolt them on "raw" like their stock photo? When I get to the point of doing the headers, I will send them off to Swain Tech for the "white lightning" ceramic coating to keep heat down and prevent oxidation/etc.

 

[Jack.]

Did you bolt them on "raw" like their stock photo? When I get to the point of doing the headers, I will send them off to Swain Tech for the "white lightning" ceramic coating to keep heat down and prevent oxidation/etc.

mine got ceramic coated from a local shop that does those high heat resistant coating as well

 

[My1stHemi]

I also had mine ceramic coated(twice because of a fail on the first batch). The shop I had them done at said their flat black was the highest temp, but it still seems to be burning off the pipes but not the flanges.

I think these trucks must run really hot to meet emissions. When I removed the headers(twice now) I saw that the valves were clean and gray and not black.

My rig also ticks for the first 15 seconds but when she's warm it's quiet. I had a weld fail that AFE warrantied, but most of my leaks are actually at the collector. I found that making sure those flanges on the downpipe need to be torqued evenly and spaced evenly. I tried using the highest temp permatext header RTV sealant as well, but that stuff turned to dust.

Nothing like chasing exhaust leaks and torqueing on nuts that are hot as hades.

 

[Vulpes]

I also had mine ceramic coated(twice because of a fail on the first batch). The shop I had them done at said their flat black was the highest temp, but it still seems to be burning off the pipes but not the flanges.

I think these trucks must run really hot to meet emissions. When I removed the headers(twice now) I saw that the valves were clean and gray and not black.

My rig also ticks for the first 15 seconds but when she's warm it's quiet. I had a weld fail that AFE warrantied, but most of my leaks are actually at the collector. I found that making sure those flanges on the downpipe need to be torqued evenly and spaced evenly. I tried using the highest temp permatext header RTV sealant as well, but that stuff turned to dust.

Nothing like chasing exhaust leaks and torqueing on nuts that are hot as hades.

Well, Just so happens, I happen to have some unscientific heat measurements on some up to temperature JBA's (I know they're not AFE's). Hot enough to cook a chicken at the collector and hot enough for a pot roast on the tubes.

 

[Jack.]

I also had mine ceramic coated(twice because of a fail on the first batch). The shop I had them done at said their flat black was the highest temp, but it still seems to be burning off the pipes but not the flanges.

I think these trucks must run really hot to meet emissions. When I removed the headers(twice now) I saw that the valves were clean and gray and not black.

My rig also ticks for the first 15 seconds but when she's warm it's quiet. I had a weld fail that AFE warrantied, but most of my leaks are actually at the collector. I found that making sure those flanges on the downpipe need to be torqued evenly and spaced evenly. I tried using the highest temp permatext header RTV sealant as well, but that stuff turned to dust.

Nothing like chasing exhaust leaks and torqueing on nuts that are hot as hades.

mines also ticks for about 15-30sec depending on how much of a "Cold start" it is but yeah i dont think its an exhaust leak ill try to look at the flanges somtimes tmrw or so to double check

 

[Talon4U2NV]

...I will say they run warm. But the Swain Tech "white lightning" coating you will not be burning off; if it did you would have melted motor parts for sure. Stuff is amazing.

 

[4thRam]

I am out of warranty and need at least one manifold. Thinking of just biting the bullet and getting the headers (shorties) rather than doing the OEM manifolds now and then again sometime down the line. Have been reading a lot about this and still don't know the best route or product. Is it JBA or AFE? Seems like there are pros and cons to each. Is there something else that I may be missing?

 

[2019bighornram]

I have a 2019 Hemi right manifold cracked at 20,000 miles and the left cracked at 35,897 miles...thank God as my warranty was up in 103 miles. I too feel it should not have happened at such low mileage...let alone TWICE and BOTH sides. What makes me mad is there is no warranty on it now that its out of warranty, per the advisor.

The warranty for the exhaust manifolds fall under the powertrain warranty which is 5 years or 60k miles. The 36 k warranty is not for the exhaust manifold or bolts. Mine is a 2019 with 38k miles, its in the shop now getting the drivers manifold and bolts replaced under warranty.

 

[My1stHemi]

I am out of warranty and need at least one manifold. Thinking of just biting the bullet and getting the headers (shorties) rather than doing the OEM manifolds now and then again sometime down the line. Have been reading a lot about this and still don't know the best route or product. Is it JBA or AFE? Seems like there are pros and cons to each. Is there something else that I may be missing?

I have AFE and they are about the same as JBA. Advantage with JBA is that you can get factory ceramic coating if I remember correctly. AFE are raw stainless. Nothing wrong with that. A number of us get them ceramic coated after the fact.

 

[MikeyHo808]

2021 Bighorn with 18k miles, and my truck is headed to service tomorrow to address this issue. It started at Around 15k and progressively got worse. Luckily, a cancellation came in, and they pushed my appointment up a week. Hoping for the best, but not holding my breath that this will be done in a timely fashion.

 

[Cbty2050]

2021 Bighorn with 18k miles, and my truck is headed to service tomorrow to address this issue. It started at Around 15k and progressively got worse. Luckily, a cancellation came in, and they pushed my appointment up a week. Hoping for the best, but not holding my breath that this will be done in a timely fashion.

It's a 3 hour job at most. Did the LH side today in under an hour, RH side is easier to do

 

[MikeyHo808]

It's a 3 hour job at most. Did the LH side today in under an hour, RH side is easier to do

Am sure the job itself is not so bad…
I have been waiting on this appointment for weeks. My area used to have a couple of service centers. Now there is only one, and they are slammed. Next closest one is worse.
And they still have to “diagnose” the issue, order parts ( if needed), etc. God forbid a service dept. takes the owners word for it, even tho this issue is well documented.

 

[Cbty2050]

Am sure the job itself is not so bad…
I have been waiting on this appointment for weeks. My area used to have a couple of service centers. Now there is only one, and they are slammed. Next closest one is worse.
And they still have to “diagnose” the issue, order parts ( if needed), etc. God forbid a service dept. takes the owners word for it, even tho this issue is well documented.

You understand why the dealer can't just take a customers word for it right? Yes the noise has to be diagnosed/verified where it's coming from. God forbid you understand that.

If you were paying the parts and labor bill, you can say replace manifold. In this case, the manufacturer is paying.

 

[MikeyHo808]

You understand why the dealer can't just take a customers word for it right? Yes the noise has to be diagnosed/verified where it's coming from. God forbid you understand that.

If you were paying the parts and labor bill, you can say replace manifold. In this case, the manufacturer is paying.

Take it easy there. Like I struck a nerve or something. Was more venting about how long I have had to wait and how long I will eventually be without a truck. My dealer is backed up for weeks. Was already told they would have it for a few days at the least. Just getting it into the queue was hard enough. That's it, really.

Am fully aware my observations mean very little under warranty.
Let them diagnose it and fix it. Got it.

 

[Grape_Ape]

Take it easy there. Like I struck a nerve or something. Was more venting about how long I have had to wait and how long I will eventually be without a truck. My dealer is backed up for weeks. Was already told they would have it for a few days at the least. Just getting it into the queue was hard enough. That's it, really.

Am fully aware my observations mean very little under warranty.
Let them diagnose it and fix it. Got it.

I understand where you’re coming from. At least your dealer will give you a day to diagnose it. Mine just says leave it and we will get to it when we get to it. I also understand where you’re coming from in the very common issue dept. I totally understand their need to diagnose but come on. Let the truck sit for a couple of hours and bam, here’s your noise! Unfortunately, as frustrating as it is for us this is a symptom of the service industry as a whole compounded by the fact that CDJR dealers were already trash.

 

[Cbty2050]

Take it easy there. Like I struck a nerve or something. Was more venting about how long I have had to wait and how long I will eventually be without a truck. My dealer is backed up for weeks. Was already told they would have it for a few days at the least. Just getting it into the queue was hard enough. That's it, really.

Am fully aware my observations mean very little under warranty.
Let them diagnose it and fix it. Got it.

You would be surprised by how many people think they know what is wrong with their vehicles. It's like this in a lot of service departments, our local Benz dealer is scheduling for November. Local Toyota dealer is 4 weeks out. A bigger issue will be getting the parts needed to repair the manifold.

 

[Bt10]

Mikeyho is right. I asked for the oil change lane to confirm the leak in April, or at least get a tech to walk 30 feet over and confirm to get the parts ordered, and they adamantly refused, pushing my diagnosis appt out 6 weeks, and my repair appt out another 2 months. It will be fixed next week, hopefully. The other side is leaking now and it'll take another 3 months to get that fixed. Such a common issue, parts should be in stock at every dealer. This will be 4 appts for known exhaust leaks - now tell me why they are backed up?

 

[Cbty2050]

Wait until you find out all order for manifolds are pended to Oct 1st due to material shortage.

 

[Bt10]

Wait until you find out all order for manifolds are pended to Oct 1st due to material shortage.

AFE it is then!


Honestly, I'd probably ask the dealer to give me a very good price on labor in place of warranty free and get them to install AFEs. But I think standard practice is to let the truck sit on their lot until parts come in, or lemon law threats.

 

[MikeyHo808]

Dropped off truck this morning. Passenger side was pretty evident when I pulled in. Driver side more so at cold start. Service advisor could hear it…kinda wheezy, like truck is sick …
Won’t have any update until tomorrow, maybe. Service lot loaded with work in front of me, including 2 other 1500’s with same issue. Wonder how long they waited for their parts
On a good note…
Dealer no longer offers courtesy shuttles after Covid. But, they paid for a Lyft driver. Ride was like 10 minutes, as I live right up the hill, but that was cool. Free ride, and I knew the driver, too. Amazing!