I'd been hearing more and more of my beastly 2.9 as of late, and finally resolved to replace the gaskets on both ends of the exhaust manifold. Well my 169,000 mile truck had other plans.
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There's a crack that goes all the way around the manifold between #2 and #3 runner, and a crack that splits off to run along the #3 runner. I considered welding it, but it's really only hanging together by 1/4" on the bottom. There's chunks of metal missing! My oxygen sensor was probably just a random number generator because of this. I looked in a salvage yard, and found a couple of 2.8's, which I'm not sure would fit, and were cracked anyway, and a 2.9, which was cracked, and a 3.5, which was pristine because of course it was.
I work in the metal fabrication business, and know some very talented welders, who told me what I had already kinda figured. It could be welded, but it may or may not last very long.
So I had to make a decision. Do I spend the $500+ (!!) on a stock cast manifold, and hope it's not cracked again? (It looks like a common problem) Or... do I order something shiny from Pacesetter for about half as much?
The new header will be here Wednesday, if Amazon prime holds up their end. I don't need the truck until Thursday, hopefully, I can get everything back together Wednesday. If I can't, it's not the end of the world, I'll ride the motorcycle.
Has anyone else put a header on their 2.9? Did it make a difference? Will I be under the hood tightening exhaust bolts once a week? While I have it apart, should I change the bolts out for studs?
There's a crack that goes all the way around the manifold between #2 and #3 runner, and a crack that splits off to run along the #3 runner. I considered welding it, but it's really only hanging together by 1/4" on the bottom. There's chunks of metal missing! My oxygen sensor was probably just a random number generator because of this. I looked in a salvage yard, and found a couple of 2.8's, which I'm not sure would fit, and were cracked anyway, and a 2.9, which was cracked, and a 3.5, which was pristine because of course it was.
I work in the metal fabrication business, and know some very talented welders, who told me what I had already kinda figured. It could be welded, but it may or may not last very long.
So I had to make a decision. Do I spend the $500+ (!!) on a stock cast manifold, and hope it's not cracked again? (It looks like a common problem) Or... do I order something shiny from Pacesetter for about half as much?
The new header will be here Wednesday, if Amazon prime holds up their end. I don't need the truck until Thursday, hopefully, I can get everything back together Wednesday. If I can't, it's not the end of the world, I'll ride the motorcycle.
Has anyone else put a header on their 2.9? Did it make a difference? Will I be under the hood tightening exhaust bolts once a week? While I have it apart, should I change the bolts out for studs?
