schro Posted March 18, 2011 Share Posted March 18, 2011 1995 WD21, 238000Km I have to do something about my leaking exhaust manifold. My Pathy has been getting progressively louder, which leads me to conclude that the manifolds are badly warped and in need of replacement (ie: beyond machining flat). Additionally, new manifolds are going to run about $100 a side before shipping and gaskets (I expect about $280 to $300 all in, excluding studs) Please note: COST IS AN ISSUE, PLEASE DON'T RECOMMEND THE MOST EXPENSIVE OPTION. I've got a baby on the way. I've heard good things about the Thorleys, but I have not found any deals. I read a post on these forums about the OBX headers, they look great, and I'm able to get them for $225 (including shipping) but that would also involve about $350 (tax in) custom Y pipe fabrication. What about the Pacesetters? I have read an unfavourable comment or 2 about them, but what is the issue with them? The price looks good at about $235 + shipping. Any other recommendations? This truck is my daily driver, and my only off-road excursions are usually on logging and park access roads for back-country skiing, and camping. Nothing that has so far required any suspension mods (this would be less than 5% of my driving) I expect to get another 100,000Km out of this vehicle (after I do the clutch, water pump, oil seals and timing belt) My cat, muffler and tailpipe will still pass B.C. provincial emissions tests, so I want to wait to replace them. P.S. If you do exhaust work in the lower mainland area, I can work out a contra deal with you. I install Draft beer systems for a living... ...Need a kegerator? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 It sounds like your best option is to buy some used, good condition stock manifolds. Check around your area and post a thread in the parts wanted section. I have a set, but they are buried in my garage from moving last weekend and I'm in NorCal. B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kingman Posted March 24, 2011 Share Posted March 24, 2011 If cost is an issue for you at the moment, get a set of good used manifolds like B said. You will throw your money away buying OBX or Pacesetter headers. They are practically garbage, especially the OBX ones. The only headers out on the market worth a damn are Thorleys and Mr. 510's Experimental Engineering headers, which are better than the Thorleys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madhornet Posted March 25, 2011 Share Posted March 25, 2011 or have your old manifolds planed after u remove them probably be around $20- $40 each at a machine shop Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brextonbum Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 im in richmond just had mine planed at alecs automotive so far so good .unless they have already been planed should be ok .would have to be really bad to not be able to get em done. watch out for those studs PITA replaced all but 2 with allen bolts Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2milehi Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 1995 WD21, 238000Km...My Pathy has been getting progressively louder, which leads me to conclude that the manifolds are badly warped and in need of replacement... First before throwing $100s at this problem confirm that there is an issue with the manifolds. You more than likely have a broken stud. Remove the broken stud and install another stud and I am betting that you will be good to go. To be even more super-inexpensive, to go a junkyard and remove hardened steel exhaust studs from say a Mitsubishi. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schro Posted April 13, 2011 Author Share Posted April 13, 2011 (edited) First before throwing $100s at this problem confirm that there is an issue with the manifolds. You more than likely have a broken stud. Remove the broken stud and install another stud and I am betting that you will be good to go. To be even more super-inexpensive, to go a junkyard and remove hardened steel exhaust studs from say a Mitsubishi. 4 broken studs (extracted easily. threads were clean, so once I drilled them I was able to spin them out ) both manifold warped (1 - 2 mm gap between manifold and head with a LOT of carbon buildup) Quote for planing was Can$50 to Can$70 per side (+ 12% HST) depending on severity of warp. Y pipe flanges badly damaged at manifolds, need to replace rusty y-pipe. replacing with replaned stock parts... $140 for paned manifolds (approx, taxes in) $40 manifold to head gaskets $200 Y-pipe (or from a wreck?) $10 gaskets manifold to downpipe $390 for stock hardware? Maybe headers with Y pipe and gaskets would be a cost effective alternative! Or at least that's how I can sell my wife on headers plus another $50 all studs, nuts, washers, y-pipe to cat gasket etc. Edited April 13, 2011 by schro Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sewebster Posted April 13, 2011 Share Posted April 13, 2011 There are certainly ways to do it cheaper (rock auto, used parts, shopping around etc.) but $400 for a fairly major exhaust repair isn't really totally out to lunch (it does cost your time to shop around etc.). Of course, if you can get good headers for the same price, then that would certainly be worth considering! My manifolds are also somewhat warped (probably not as bad as yours from the sounds of it) but they seem to seal once all the bolts are torqued down (I upsized to 10x1.5). I also went around with a feeler gauge to find any gap sizes after tightening (no gasket) to make sure it was reasonable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehuntersam Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 I have some questions that I could could use some help with. Ever since I did the VG33 swap, I keep thinking to myself that the exhaust setup it a bit restrictive. Right now I have the stock headers on with the original cat. I have on a Flowmasters Muffler thats 2.25 all the way out to the tip. Didn't the VG33 engines have like a 2.5 inch exhaust all the way through? If so, should I just up grade the whole exhaust system to a 2.5 all the way through? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 You have th stock manifold, headers are designed differently as each port has it's own tube, not just dumping into a common chamber. I would recommend headers, a high flow cat and 2.25 or maybe 2.5" tubing on back. Tubing alone with stock manifolds won't make a large difference. When determining what size to run, remember, you only have a 3.3 liter V6 and larger is not always better. FYI 2.25" pipe has 67% more area than the stock 3.0 pipe, that's a huge difference... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehuntersam Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 You have th stock manifold, headers are designed differently as each port has it's own tube, not just dumping into a common chamber. I would recommend headers, a high flow cat and 2.25 or maybe 2.5" tubing on back. Tubing alone with stock manifolds won't make a large difference. When determining what size to run, remember, you only have a 3.3 liter V6 and larger is not always better. FYI 2.25" pipe has 67% more area than the stock 3.0 pipe, that's a huge difference... B Thanks B, I just want to make it run like its supposed to and not hold it back. Perhaps I'll stick with new headers, a high flow cat, and get it in 2.25 then.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted April 19, 2011 Share Posted April 19, 2011 Your welcome, and just my opinion. I have 2.25 on my VG30 necked down to 2.0 at the high flow cat and back open again (this was necessary for smog purposes) and it has very little restriction. Don't forget to upgrade the intake to match, what do you run right now?? How do you like the VG33 upgrade, make a lot of difference? B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tungsten Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 go with manifolds for now, it will be more wallet friendly headers are fun but you need to be prepared to hand it over because you will be re-doing your whole exhaust system Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schro Posted April 20, 2011 Author Share Posted April 20, 2011 go with manifolds for now, it will be more wallet friendly headers are fun but you need to be prepared to hand it over because you will be re-doing your whole exhaust system I have already ordered the headers. I have to re-fit my whole exhaust system anyways. I'll be salvaging the cat and replacing my muffler with a used one, but I have to make mods due to corrosion and damage, and will eventually replace all as needed (besides I already convinced the wife headers were necessary - but really they are ) I know pacesetters are not great (I've already recieved a set that I am returning, they are going to ship me replacements AFTER they inspect them to ensure that they are built within tolerances this time, and are going to ceramic coat them at reduced cost) I need to get a new flange welded onto the muffler that I got from the wrecker, and get a couple or few hangers. Honestly this looks like the most cost effective route. It is going to cost less than a full stock system, possibly the same $ if I get header wrap (which I will likely do anyways) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehuntersam Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Your welcome, and just my opinion. I have 2.25 on my VG30 necked down to 2.0 at the high flow cat and back open again (this was necessary for smog purposes) and it has very little restriction. Don't forget to upgrade the intake to match, what do you run right now?? How do you like the VG33 upgrade, make a lot of difference? B I have a K&N on it right now, but eventually that will be modded this summer to a type of cold air-ram air setup. Right now I just have the muffler and back done. Flowmasters 2.25 to the exhaust tip. I love the VG33 swap! Best thing I have ever done the the pathy. My old black had 232000 miles on it and it had no guts of whatsoever, the new engine only has 60000 miles on. When I first drove the pathy after the swap I wasn't used to all the power. I broke loose the new 33inch superswampers a few times by accident because I wasn't used to all the power. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Precise1 Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Cool, good to hear, that is one thing I would like to do myself but I'm not sure I could justify it when my current motor runs great with 106k on it. Just watch out for puddles with the CAI, a few people have hydrolocked to various degrees... B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehuntersam Posted April 20, 2011 Share Posted April 20, 2011 Cool, good to hear, that is one thing I would like to do myself but I'm not sure I could justify it when my current motor runs great with 106k on it. Just watch out for puddles with the CAI, a few people have hydrolocked to various degrees... B yeah I have heard of that happening.. I will design something that wont let water get around the air filter somehow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schro Posted May 1, 2011 Author Share Posted May 1, 2011 yeah I have heard of that happening.. I will design something that wont let water get around the air filter somehow. I'm looking forward to seeing what you do here. I was thinking of ram air as well. Build a custom airbox that seals against the closed hood, Maybe cut the scoop off the hood of a car in the wrecking yard and attach to PF hood over the new airbox. But I don't know how to deal with the water problem. The other thing i considered was putting a ram scoop on the fender... ...still thinkin and researching. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thehuntersam Posted May 2, 2011 Share Posted May 2, 2011 I'm looking forward to seeing what you do here. I was thinking of ram air as well. Build a custom airbox that seals against the closed hood, Maybe cut the scoop off the hood of a car in the wrecking yard and attach to PF hood over the new airbox. But I don't know how to deal with the water problem. The other thing i considered was putting a ram scoop on the fender... ...still thinkin and researching. Hey, how did you get into my head and start stealing my ideas?? Hahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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