Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Cracked Manifold & My Stealer (HELP!)

[PZech]

My 99 exhaust manifold has started to crack between 3 & 4 as so many others have done. I went to the dealer today and he states that my pyro tap (nowhere near the crack) and my muffler bypass constitute a modification to the exhaust system and hence no warranty.

Help me here guys... is he right?

If not, how do I go about forcing him to repair it?



Or should I just install the ?ATS manifold and let it go?

 

[NVR FNSH]

Call the DC customer service number. If the crack isn't originating from the pyro the dealer is full of crap. Make yourself a nuisance and it should get handled.



Brian

 

[Motorhead]

Tell the jack a$$ to show you in writing that your EGR tap is a warranty buster. Look up the Magnuson Act on the search.

This "Rule Of The Day" stuff really gets to me.

I just put on a 4" turbo back exaust today and I am wondering if they are going to question that.



I also feel even though heat and cooling play a part in the manafolds cracking that DC should have put a flex joint on the down pipe from the turbo. It would seem to me that the flexing of the frame and the leverage put on the down pipe could also contribute to the manafold failure.



At UPS some years ago we had some 300ci Ford powered trucks that were built on an Econoline 1 ton chassis. These things when used for country deliveries(rough roads,lots of frame flexing), they would crack a manafold sometimes in a month! They tried everything until they put a flex in the header pipe and guess what... they stopped breaking manafolds

 

[PZech]

Thanks for your comments guys. I contacted John Holmes today at Carson City Dodge to get the straight scoop. John reports that according to DC (and if you read the really small print), the warranty only covers internal and lubricated parts. My dealer was right but for the wrong reason. Now, had I purchased the EXTENDED warranty... that's a different story. Thanks for the straight scoop John!



Bottom line, I just ordered a ATS unit from Mr. Bob's Distributing 877-543-7563 (make sure you mention TDR for a great discount). He is also now a POR Coatings dealer and I was able to purchase some paint for my new manifold. :

 

[EMDDIESEL]

Dude, you know your in touble when the DC service guys name is JOHN HOLMES!!!!!!!:--)

You are going to be VERY sore when you pick your truck up.

 

[PZech]

OUCH! Should I feel violated?

 

[Motorhead]

PZech, do you have over 100,000 miles on the engine? If not, I believe that you are covered by the emmissions warranty. The exaust manafold is part of the emmission/fuel system. Ck in to it.

Chris

 

[Cowboy Medic]

My truck is a 99 and I just had my manifold replaced under warranty a few weeks ago by Dodge Town of Rapid City. I walked in and just asked if they had a manifold in stock and they said yes. three hours later I drove out without a penny from my pocket. If you look in your warranty book, the 100,000 mile warranty on the motor wil specifically state that the manifold is covered. I know I looked and made sure. Unfortunately I am convinced mine will crack again sometime in the future at which point a three piecec will be going in. Good luck in getting it straightened out, but it should be covered.

 

[RPetersen]

Now I'm getting worried. I installed an after market air freshner... there goes my warranty.

Rodg

 

[jboehm]

So far, so good, after 98. 5 new, and less than 40k miles, but. . Yup. . I'm wondering to! Only had it to the dealer for 2 warranty recalls, and another replacement for the serpenine belt while I was on vaca. .



Just wondering if you're now going to have to use the "correct" nuts and bolts!!!!!



Truck is now out of the original 3 year/36K warranty, but I gotta lot of miles to go, and the engine isn't hardly broken in yet. . Hate like hell to mess with it (almost<G><G>)

 

[B.G. Smith]

Manifold

PZech, The manifold is covered by the engine 100,000 mile warranty, don't let them smoke you. I just had mine replaced and I have 82,000 miles, no cost to me. I have pyrometer also but is after turbo. If the crack is not originating from the tapped hole then you should not have to pay. Go top another dealer. I have never been back to the dealer where I bought my truck, 450 miles away but I have been to three different dealers here, most of them suffer from ignorance but the one in Kirbyville does lots of CTD repairs. Don't give in. bg

 

[DCMille290]

When my manifold cracked the stealer charged me and told me that even though the engine had 65,000 the manifold was not covered.

After paying the $700 + invoice I drove for another day and could not stop feeling I was burned.

A call to DC and giving out my serial number I was told positively that the manifold was covered as my SN had a G in the eighth position. Gee the shop should have known that, ya think?

Anyway, a quick call to the dealer and a conversation with the owner demanding they get stripped of 2 of their 5 stars, I said I would be waiting at the front door the next day for a refund check mailed out overnnight.

The check did arrive and it was good.



David "DC" Miller

Marbleman

 

[Motorhead]

David, The very next guy that comes in to that dealer with a cracked manafold I bet will walk out of there with a $700. 00 bill also. They bet that not everyone will contest or have the knowledge that it is covered under the engine warranty.

 

[Pit Bull]

I wonder why we call them STEALERS???

 

[Shovelhead]

TDR dues... ..... The best $35 you'll ever spend.



Of course for every $1. 00 you save, you'll spend $5. 00 on go-fast goodies. :-laf

 

[jboehm]

Been a new member for about a month... should have joined a few years ago!!!!! Got my money's worth, and then some!!!!!!!!!!. Spent some too, parts, etc. afterwards. . <G>

 

[Motorhead]

Shovelhead... ... Isn't that the TRUTH!

 

[Justice Dunn]

Exhaust Manifold Blues

Hey - ya'll. I just got signed on to TDR today... the day after I spend $890 to have a AAA auto shop install a new exhaust manifold. The truck has 60,000 miles on it with a pyro installed after the turbo.



The discussion below leads me to believe that a cash can be made that the replacement manifold should be covered under the emissions warranty? Does anybody have any feeling that I may be able to get reimbursed by Dodge?

 

[Sregorb]

Justice,

Looks like it's already been done for some, although it was worked on by the dealership. Follow the same path that David "DC" Miller took and see if your dealership will owe up. If not, press the issue with corporate and see if you can at least get 'warrantee value' reimbursement. (you probably won't get the whole cost reimbursed because the work wasn't done by a dealership). G'Luck with that uphill battle...





Brian

 

[Steve St.Laurent]

It's worth a shot Justin. I'd think that you'll be more likely to get a check for the total in the mail if you took it to a dealer first (if they denied it), if not then you should at least be able to get a check for the "shop rate" to replace the manifold plus the dealer parts cost. I had a cracked hitch that I had replaced a week before a recall on the factory hitch on my truck arrived in the mail. I called them and told them what happened, they told me to send a copy of the invoice and they'd send a check - which they did. The cost of the hitch I had put on was more than the stock hitch but because of the recall they covered the whole thing.