Truck Maintenance

[QuarterMillionMan]

Huge crack in the exhaust manifold. Paid Pepboys $450 for installation which I supplied the new exhaust manifold ($300) from Parts Geek along with gaskets and bolts which was worth it. 2 years ago both the Dodge dealership ($5000) and Pepboys ($4000) diagnosed the problem as a faulty catalytic converter. At that time I bought an after market catalytic converter for $1000 along with $250 installation. Both the Dodge dealership and Pepboys 2 years ago had missed diagnosed the problem. It was only until the 2nd time my engine light threw the code PO420 where I got another $1000 after market and paid a muffler guy $350 to install it last week he correctly diagnosed the problem as a leaking exhaust manifold. I have the old exhaust manifold and clearly can see a crack in it which was the cause and not the catalytic converter. It took 3 professional repair shops to finally diagnose the problem correctly.

[QuarterMillionMan]

[QuarterMillionMan]

Noticed the mounting flange is 2 pieces when it should be 1 piece which caused the crack in between pipe 2 and pipe 3., wow.

[QuarterMillionMan]

I stand corrected a new one has that same break in the center.

https://www.quirkparts.com/oem-parts/mopar-exhaust-manifold-4693321ad?origin=pla&msclkid=cc0c06d9b4c3173b451061c4d306b140&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Shopping%20%7C%20Max%20%7C%20Mopar&utm_term=4577747948244742&utm_content=Ad%20group%20%231

[ua_guy]

Glad it's fixed, at least... Diagnosis isn't always straightforward, and nobody likes paying $100-$150+/hr for someone to track down the problem. They want an immediate solution, an obvious answer. Diagnosis via the parts-cannon can be expensive, i.e. replace stuff until you find the defective part..

My Jeep, which is under warranty, is going to the shop this week. Electrical issue. If I could diagnose this one myself, I would... I hate taking vehicles to the dealer. It's such a time sink.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Hindsight is 20/20 but as I think back both the Dodge dealership and Pepboys should have started with the cheapest repair which would have been replacing the exhaust manifold vs the catalytic converter. I would have been okay paying $350 for labor and $300 for a new manifold rather than $4000 Pepboys or $5000 Dodge dealership for a catalytic converter which was still good. Imagine if I paid the $4000 or $5000 the first time and the problem reoccurred then paying another $4000 or $5000 a second time and problem would still have been the cheaper fix the exhaust manifold. I would have been livid.

[QuarterMillionMan]

One last food for thought on a PO420 diagnostic code which indicates a faulty catalytic converter. Whoever wrote this diagnosis should have generalized the diagnosis to a faulty exhaust system rather than saying a faulty catalytic converter which sort of put blinders on the mechanics eyes only focusing on the catalytic converter. By generalizing the diagnosis to the entire exhaust system rather than just the catalytic converter it would require the mechanics to put on their thinking caps to pinpoint the problem rather than being lazy and just saying the catalytic converter is faulty. Okay I am done ranting.

[myrdale]

Noticed the mounting flange is 2 pieces when it should be 1 piece which caused the crack in between pipe 2 and pipe 3., wow.

That is similar to the issue I had with the Frontier. The exhaust manifold had cracked. Unfortunately I chose to replace it along with other repairs, just before the transmission started giving me issues and I finally traded for the Tacoma.

I am still suspicious if issues with the catalytic converter could have put some back pressure on the exhaust manifold or not. I will never know.

[QuarterMillionMan]

If only you had put out this issue of your's 2 years ago. I would have changed both the catalytic converter and the exhaust manifold at the same time 2 years ago and be done with it.

[QuarterMillionMan]

Engine light came on for my brand new 2024 Chevy Trailblazer which I bought in November 2024. Too dark at almost midnight in Los Angeles to diagnose it so tomorrow I find out. I hope it's just a cheap sensor and not a $5000 catalytic convertor with my last 2018 Dodge. I cannot seem to escape the dreaded engine light.

[Like2Plan]

Maybe the gas cap is not on tightly enough?

[QuarterMillionMan]

I wish it was as easy as a loose gas cap. OBD-II says "no codes." But when I try to erase the code, no can do. Schedule an appointment for Tuesday at Pepboys.

[QuarterMillionMan]

As soon as I drove the engine light disappeared.

[bjl584]

Did some truck maintenance yesterday.

Fresh set of tires and a new lower tie rod on the front passenger side.

My truck is 9 years old with 146K on it.

[QuarterMillionMan]

A new problem arose today, "Service Theft Deterrent System." Happened when I finished grocery shopping and ready to return home. After about 30 minutes car started and warning disappeared. Looks like this new 2024 car might be a finicky car.