Exhaust Manifold Repair
Also called exhaust manifold leak or ticking noise repair
The manifold is the cast section bolted directly to the engine that collects exhaust gas from each cylinder. It cracks with heat cycling, and its gasket blows or its studs snap, producing a metallic tick that is loudest on a cold start and fades as metal expands. Repair means removing it, replacing the gasket and any broken studs, and welding or replacing the manifold. It will not cure a tick caused by valve clearance or injectors.
Signs you need this
- Metallic ticking from the engine bay that is loudest on cold start
- Tick that quietens or disappears once the engine warms up
- Exhaust smell in the engine bay or through the vents
- Check engine light with fuel mixture or oxygen sensor codes
- Soot staining visible where the manifold meets the head
Not all of these have to be present, and one of them on its own can mean something else entirely. That is what the diagnosis is for.
What the job includes
- Confirming the tick is a manifold leak and not a valve or injector noise
- Removing heat shields and the manifold from the cylinder head
- Extracting broken or seized studs and cleaning the mating faces flat
- Welding a cracked manifold or fitting a replacement, with a new gasket
- Refitting heat shields and checking for leaks cold and hot
How we do it
Diagnose the tick
We listen cold, because a manifold leak is loudest before the metal expands and seals itself partially shut.
Strip and inspect
Heat shields and the manifold come off so the casting can be checked for cracks and the face for warping.
Repair or replace
A cracked manifold is welded and faced where that is sound, or replaced, and broken studs are drilled and renewed.
Refit and verify
A new gasket is fitted, bolts torqued in sequence, and the engine run from cold to confirm the tick has gone.
How we work
The same on every job, which is why we can write it down.
Diagnosis before quote
We find the fault first. A price given over the phone for a noise nobody has heard is a guess.
The price is agreed first
You approve the work and the cost before a spanner is picked up. Extra work means another call.
Parts you can check
We tell you whether a part is genuine, OEM, aftermarket or used, and what each one costs.
Old parts returned
Ask and we will hand back whatever we replaced. It is the simplest proof that the job was done.
Book exhaust manifold repair
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We call you
To confirm the car, the time and the location.
Tell us the car and the symptom
We will arrange a mechanic at your location, or a slot at the nearest workshop. No payment until the price is agreed.