Fixing the Infamous 5.7 Hemi Exhaust Manifold Broken Bolt Tick on my 2017 Ram 1500

[@unixdoes]

one of the best videos i've seen from a man who doesn't know what he's doing!

[@Scavenger1320]

I feel by throwing that out there up front I beat the trolls to it and they just turn away lol. Thanks for the comment and watching!

[@Frank_Schmidt43]

“I have no idea what I’m doing”. Finally a video I can relate to

[@Scavenger1320]

Seems when I say that up front I get fewer troll comments about how I should stick to an office chair lol. But also I’m not trying to pretend I’m a professional. Thanks for watching!

[@michaeldelorenzo1573]

I’m 100% with you @SteakandEggs43! Lol I’ve done a lot of different repairs to my truck but this is one I wasn’t sure I could handle. This video was as good as it gets. Thanks for sharing @Scavenger1320 ! Well done. Maybe I’ll take a shot at it now.

[@greyridge8279]

😂 best comment bud. I just did both Manifolds on mine and wow there was a few curse words I didn’t know existed just ask my gf 😅 but honestly not a bad job just took me a few hrs longer than someone with more knowledge lol

[@nexxusty]

Not knowing how do something, yet still trying is a great attitude to have. Appreciate the video bro.

[@Scavenger1320]

Best way to learn! Thanks for watching!

[@nexxusty]

@@Scavenger1320 Couldn't agree more brother!

[@svang1991]

damn this is one of the scariest videos on dyi auto repair. Like a worst nightmare. You had a lot of resilience...an indomitable spirit.

[@charlestaylor4048]

This cost me over $1,400 to repair at my local CDJR dealer, really wish I would have watched this video prior to getting the service done. Thank you for sharing!

[@Scavenger1320]

I was wondering what some of the dealers were charging for this repair. Thanks for letting me know and for watching!

[@ronthemogul]

@@Scavenger1320I got quoted 3k almost at a stealer ship

[@Scavenger1320]

@@ronthemogul wow, that's ridiculous!

[@justinlaw2670]

Never take your vehicle to dealerships. They will rip you off big time!

[@johnnyjoseph6936]

Same here they quoted me $1,800

[@gadawgs8101]

bro the whole time u had those vise grips on that bolt i was praying for u

[@Scavenger1320]

Apparently I wasn’t praying enough when I had the vice grips on the bolt 😆

[@russmiller7687]

First, to get the manifold free without bending the bolt, shove the exhaust rearward to get the manifold out of the pipe flare. Get somebody to pull rearward from the tailpipe if you have to. Second, you had it made BUT, whenever you're dealing with exhaust, as soon as it starts to get tight, spray it with lube and run it IN as far as it freely turns. This works lube into the hole threads. Then back it out again... it will come further without getting tight. If it gets tight again, hose it and repeat, it would've come out. Third, buy a right angle drill. The rule of do it yourself is, if it costs less than a professional, it doesn't matter AND you'll have that tool next time it becomes handy. If you're lucky, you'll have a killer set of tools by the time you're too old to use them. Forth, always start with the smallest extractor. The hole will get bigger, but never smaller. And, in the space, a small Crescent makes the best tap handle for an extractor. Just advice from a guy who's turned wrenches professionally for 40 years, and longer as an amateur.

[@Scavenger1320]

Great tips! Thanks for those and for watching!

[@davidanderson3999]

You just needed to drill deeper in broken bolt, another easy way is to weld a nut on broken bolt turn right out, you will learn more as you keep going,I have been turning wrenches for 55 years so have done hundreds of broken bolts/ studs good luck keep working on stuff and build your skill set

[@Cheerum]

This is the way.

[@EATSLEEPFARM]

When taking a seized bolt out its best to work it back and forth instead of just going in reverse. Once it gets tight go back tight then back out again. Also spray it with some penetrating oil and tighten it back down to let that oil get in there

[@issaquahpiper]

What a great video. I love your "just dive in approach" that alot of us I think can really relate to. Was literally biting my nails at the 18 min mark with the bent bolt. Felt like I was watching a good football game... i.e. whose going to win, you or the bolt. Thanks for posting.

[@Scavenger1320]

The bolt definiltely took the lead for a while but I chipped away at it and came out on top in the end lol. Thanks for watching and the comment, I appreciate it!

[@coryabeel7160]

Great Video. You seem like the type of person that would be fun to work on cars with. I love your "figure it out with what you have" attitude.

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks! Just figuring it out is basically how I've learned everything I know about cars lol. Plus I figure if the United States government trusted me to fix multi-million dollar aircraft, not to mention the pilots who flew them, then I can handle working on a vehicle where messing up just means the truck doesn't start lol.

[@mudnurface16]

fantastic job. I haven't worked on the hemi engines hardly at all, and have the same issue. Thanks for posting the video. Now it's my turn to tackle the job except my issue is on the driver side.

[@Scavenger1320]

Good luck! I know the driver side is a bit trickier because of the steering column being in the way. Thanks for watching!

[@ozzstars_cars]

When extracting a bolt, heat can be your best friend. Bust out the fire wrench (torch) and your favorite lube. The heat expands the aluminum and the bolt will back out no problem 99% of the time. Nice job with the video! -Glen

[@Scavenger1320]

Definitely got some good tips here for the next time, although I'm hoping I don't have to deal with a next time lol.

[@xmradio11]

My 09 Ram came with a lifetime drivetrain warranty. My manifold bolts were replaced under warranty years ago. Now I have the same issue. No exhaust leak yet but have a broken rear bolt that is hanging on the heat shield. I saw it while doing an oil change. I went to the dealership to have it fixed and was told that since I didn't come in for regular free inspections, my warranty is no longer in effect. I do not remember ever hearing that these inspections were necessary. Now it's a do it myself job.

[@Scavenger1320]

That sucks. That's another reason I stay away from warranties, there's always stipulations and catches that they leave out. You almost need a lawyer to go through the fine print. Good luck with the fix

[@lurkdaddy5054]

Thanks for the intel dude! I have the same noise on my 2019 ram 1500 and its been bugging me. Reading stuff like hemi tick was normal and then I finally found a video where i hear the same dang noise, no hemi tick sounds like this lol. I appreciate you uploading this.

[@Scavenger1320]

Glad I could help and thanks for watching!

[@moeman6533]

I just did this job this last weekend. Freaking nightmare!! Both back bolts on back two cylinders were broken. Custom shorty header install. 😊

[@Scavenger1320]

At least you shouldn't ever have this problem anymore with the shorties! Plus I'm sure there's at least a little bit of a performance boost.

[@moeman6533]

@@Scavenger1320 seems like a little more pep. Still have a leak. I think at the collector. 🤗

[@silenceondort1314]

Removing manifold bolts best method. You unscrew a few threads at a time rescrew in, add lubricant, PB de -rust spray. Unscrew a little further rescrew, ans so on. Patience guys!

[@keithfousek870]

I liked the video. Even old hands, have a rough time with the extractor sets. Many are Chinese junk. Overall well done, I like the way you explained as you went and fast forwarded through boring parts.

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks for the feedback, I appreciate it! And yeah, I'm not a fan of chinese made tools either, I've snapped or shattered more than a few in my time.

[@benkenny3220]

Love it. I might buy a 5.7 Ram 1500 this year. This problem and lifter tick scare me. This is something I could probably do.

[@Scavenger1320]

This exhaust tick is more annoying than anything, it doesn’t really hurt anything like the lifter tick. This truck is still going strong for me though. 2017 with over 135K miles on it now with a lot of hard use, towing and idling. I’ve been getting an oil analysis done with each oil change too and the engine wear has been exactly where it should be and is looking great.

[@EricSalosny]

Buy a toyota instead Ram Jeep

[@AlMai222]

buy BD Diesel manifolds. Proven to be the best option for the hemi tick, specifically designed to be better than the OE by 10 folds absolutely amazing and good price

[@Scavenger1320]

@@AlMai222 someone else commented about those too. Didn’t hear about them when I did this job but looked into them after that comment and definitely looks like what Ram should have done to begin with. If I still have this truck when it happens again I’ll definitely get those.

[@lurkdaddy5054]

@@Scavenger1320what type of place does oil analysis?

[@katw1084]

Amazing video! I'm hoping this is the issue for me as well (instead of the other type of ticks). Explained and showed everything clearly. I feel confident that I'll be able to do this on my own instead of taking it to a shop!

[@Scavenger1320]

Biggest tell-tale sign is if the tick gets quieter or goes away after it’s warmed up. The really bad kind of tick will pretty much sound the same all the time. Good luck with it and thanks for watching, and let me know how it goes.

[@katw1084]

Tick has been constant, which I know isn't a good sign. But with any luck (like you had) after taking off the wheel and liner I should be able to see if a leak is the issue. Will keep you posted in the coming days!

[@juanzaragoza9176]

@@katw1084wassup buddy how did it go having this problem on my 13 ram

[@katw1084]

Finally got it done. Was a bit of a pain with seized bolts but got them after lots of pb blaster. After reassembly I still had the ticking and check engine light came back on. Sad day 😢 but at least I did change the bad manifold! 😂

[@waynecastleman1363]

Those bolts must be soft to break so frequently. Good job Bro 👍

[@njkay0033]

No idea what I'm doing tip. If you ever are backing a bolt out and you feel resistance. Lube it up some more and turn the bolt back in. Then let it sit and start the extraction again. Rinse and repeat as much as needed. ( I did stay at a Holiday Inn Express last night)

[@Scavenger1320]

I did NOT stay at a Holiday Inn Express the night before as it was evidenced lol. Thanks for the tip, definitely makes sense and there's been a couple other comments saying the same thing so it's slowly getting ingrained into my head for the next time, although hopefully there won't be a next time. Thanks for watching too!

[@njkay0033]

@@Scavenger1320 I failed to mention that it was a very good video that helped me understand what I need to do on my 2019 RAM!

[@dimensionexo.]

Nice vid - One question won't the new manifold warp as well *

[@Scavenger1320]

Probably, lol. That's a good reason to get the surface on the old one machined flat, since it's already obviously gone through all of the heat cycling. In my case, i figured the new manifolds are cheap enough and I didn't want to deal with the hassle of finding a machine shop. Plus the first one lasted 100K miles before it snapped the bolt so I figure if this one lasts about the same then I probably won't even have this truck by then. Thanks for watching!

[@dimensionexo.]

@@Scavenger1320 - Kool - Thanks for the reply *

[@dominicb6464]

Great job Chris, I chuckled when you mentioned your Dads tools from Chrysler. My Dad was an electrician and retired from Trenton Engine in the 90's

[@Scavenger1320]

Nice, my dad was a Pipefitter at the Warren stamping plant from the 70s until he retired in 95. The toolbox you see in the vid is custom made and from what I was told used steel from the plant to make, and it is HEAVY lol. One day I'll get to sorting through all the tools in it. There's some antique looking wrenches in there.

[@dominicb6464]

We'll have to meet up at Milan sometime in the future!!😀

[@Scavenger1320]

@@dominicb6464 for sure, it'll just have to wait until next year. I was trying to make it up there again for MSHS/Woodward, but with other races I have planned, and hopefully the 392 direct connection kits coming out soon (rumor has it they'll be announced/released sometime around roadkill nights), I couldn't make a Detroit trip happen.

[@dominicb6464]

We'll definitely keep it in mind for next year!

[@Eric-FPV]

i believe you helped solve the issue of what the sound is that my new ( used ) truck was making. i thought it could be engine but it sounds like a card in a bicycle rim . new to trucks and 5.7 hemi and this made me feel like it was a good purchase and can fix it soon.

[@Scavenger1320]

Yeah, if the tick quiets down as the engine warms up that's the tell-tale sign. I think I freaked out a bit when it first started until I found other videos that showed the same thing. But I was also a thousand miles away from home towing my RV when it started too so that wasn't fun lol. Thanks for watching!

[@Basslightning666]

Great workshop Chris! Can't wait until you get back out to the dragstrip!

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks! Can't wait until I get back out too, but looks like that's going to be Holley MoParty in September. I still have a few things to do on my car to get ready though so there'll be some more Challenger vids coming in the meantime.

[@Basslightning666]

@@Scavenger1320 Excellent 👍

[@gilbertespinoza1340]

Very helpful you made it look easy, gave me confidence to do it myself. Thank you.

[@Scavenger1320]

Glad I could help. Good luck with the repair and thanks for watching!

[@bayareawhfinc.9826]

nice work and great video! i was ASE certified earlier in life and just did this on my 2013 hemi. Chose to machine flat the oem manifold, local shop did it for $125 here in Bay Area. Hopefully the theory that metal gone thru many heat cycles is less likely to warp again! i'll see.

[@Scavenger1320]

I would agree with that theory and thanks for sharing your cost to do that. Had a few people here comment about it being cheaper to take to a machine shop to do that but I honestly didn't know what something like that would cost and no one ever mentioned a cost in their comment before. Not a whole lot cheaper than what you can get a new manifold for but the theory of using the original already heat-cycled manifold makes sense. Thanks for watching!

[@carld8897]

Good job, considering that you were winging it. And you showed people one method how to do that job on a low budget, and with limited experience, Except for the new exhaust manifolds. I would have got the old ones resurfaced at a machine shop. They tend to warp from all the heat cycles. When it comes time to deal with broken exhaust manifold bolts on my Ram, I'm going to buy an exhaust manifold bolt jig. The one made by Snapklik, which is mentioned in the video is $124.98 USD. And I'll use black oxide drill bits, because they are made to drill into harder steel, such as the manifold bolts.

[@jimfee2753]

Lyle makes one for 108 bucks, FYI

[@lylereinier4989]

The best way to fix this problem is a set of good Headers, ARP Bolts and also some high quality gaskets. Installed Headers 4 years ago on my 2014 Ram 1500 HEMI and no more problems. Plus it sounds better. Forget using the stock manifolds and hardware because it’ll just happen again. I know, because that’s what happened after the first set of factory manifolds were replaced under warranty at the Dealership. Next leaking manifolds were on me and I installed shortly Headers and ARP hardware, DONE.

[@Scavenger1320]

That's definitely an option.

[@richleskovec4075]

What headers did you put on? I need to do this and I agree, why put on the same thing, it will happen again.

[@pauledwards1157]

I’m doing the BD Diesel manifolds right now for a replacement instead.

[@TonywithaT]

When dealing with a broken bolt like this. Take a 90 die grinder and some 60 grit. Sand it flat. Then use a center punch on it to get a center punch on the bolt. Then use like 1/16 drill bit or smaller and start drilling through it. Then open it to the size you need with the reverse drill bit. Then use the extractor bit with the drill. It needs some power behind it to dig in and bite. Then if you need to. Use a crescent wrench or T handle to back the bolt out. If you have a welder. Put a washer over the bolt. Weld the washer to the bolt. Then weld a nut to the washer. Wrench.

[@rickyhaycraft2513]

CCringe on the wire wheel. Brass not so much but wire on aluminum.....bad mojo, but, hey its not a head so it'll be just fine. Nothing like buying everything ya THINK ya might need only to have to dig through the toolbox to find a make it happen tool. Love it.

[@darrenmcgruther6851]

Thank you for the video, I am going to tackle mine now because of this. I know I have two sheared bolts though

[@Scavenger1320]

Good luck with it and hope the bolts come out easier for you. Thanks for watching!

[@whingzeugnarra1478]

Thanks to this video, i guess im gonna do mine too… got a tick after 16hours drive from Vancouver to Riverbank.

[@Scavenger1320]

Good luck with the repair and thanks for watching

[@TheXOoftheRO]

Best move is to get a setnof 6.1/6.2/6.4 Exhaust manifolds. They are actually better than headers because of heat soak and weight.

[@Scavenger1320]

If I planned on keeping this truck for a long time I definitely would have went with some headers. Probably would have given me an excuse to get a set of headers for my Challenger and use the stock 6.4 manifolds, if they'd fit, not sure if there's any clearance issues with the challenger manifolds on a ram

[@tru3sk1ll]

You can just machine them level, once they warp they aren't going to re-warp, $30 for each side, piece of cake

[@LeeLong121]

I think the reason that bolt breaks is because the heat from all 4 cylinders meets in that spot. I am thinking about getting an aftermarket header pipe that goes from 4 to 2 and then into one pipe.

[@Scavenger1320]

Yeah, that's pretty much the accepted causing issue. That's one reason some people say to just put a set of shorty headers on. There's also another company that a couple people commented about here that makes a similar oem style manifold but they've redesigned the bolt holes and fasteners in a way that it's still a direct replacement but is supposed to keep this issue from happening again. BD Diesel is who makes that manifold kit.

[@patriotveteranauto]

Great job my friend.. very well handled.

[@Scavenger1320]

I appreciate that and thanks for watching!

[@pauledwards1157]

You guys without the air suspension have it much easier.

[@Scavenger1320]

@@pauledwards1157 I’ve heard that, can’t imagine what that would be like trying to work with

[@MrBen1980]

man when that broken bolt extraction finally grabbed I was cheering on the inside and suddenly hear this hallelujah and thought: wow that hallelujah in my head sounds super real 😂😂

[@Scavenger1320]

Haha, yeah, that hallelujah happened in my head real-time and I knew I had to get a sound clip to add to the vid at that spot.

[@Cloudledger]

Awesome! 2016 Dodge Van. Same exact sound.

[@Scavenger1320]

Hope this helped then. Thanks for watching and good luck with fixing it!

[@rrkunath]

When you're taking out a bolt like that, you need to continue to spray it with penetrating oil and work the bolt back and forth.

[@burntkorn]

Great video! My truck is a 2012 RAM 1500 with 134,000 just getting prepared in case mine break.

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks! It's a good thing to know about before it happens, then at least you won't freak out when it does, thinking it might be the bad lifter tick lol. At least that's what happened with me, but I was also in the middle of a road trip towing an RV a thousand miles away from home when it happened.

[@Wootangtw]

Oh yeah… I’ve gotta 2017 Ram… the manifold bolts broke about 2 years ago on the passenger side and now they are broken again on the passenger side… I probably need to replace the manifold… my guess it’s warped… thanks for the video buddy…

[@Scavenger1320]

That’s why I decided to just buy a new manifold at the same time, so hopefully it’ll go another 100k miles before it shears another bolt. Thanks for watching

[@MrBen1980]

thank you for the video. (probs super ignorant question but) Apart from the noise itself, is it an actual problem to have basically emissions leaking before they hit the cat?

[@Scavenger1320]

I guess from an environmental aspect it's letting more toxic unfiltered exhaust out into the air, but I doubt it's very much at all, and in a lot of cases, not even for very long since the metals expand as the engine warms up and that'll tighten the gap so not as much exhaust escapes, which is why the tick normally goes away as that happens. As for the emissions system, with all the sensors and possible codes, if it caused any problems it would definitely pop a code, but so far I haven't seen this issue cause the check engine light to come on for anyone. And by the way, definitely not an ignorant question.

[@MrBen1980]

@@Scavenger1320​​⁠that makes sense yeah, thank you!

[@floridapatriotsfan9242]

Great video, I am thinking about going with shorty headers since they are around the same price as one single side stock manifold. Also I would have been lathering the new bolts up with anti-seize to make sure they are easier coming out the next time. Just in case! Mine has been leaking for 6 years now and I am still putting this job off!

[@Scavenger1320]

If I didn't want to keep this truck 100% stock and plan on trading it in soon, I'd have just done a shorty header swap at the same time too. Thanks for watching!

[@TJTodd604]

Great vid! Very detailed. Will be my second time doing mine in 50,000kms. You had the easy side :) Driver is a pain, that is the one leaking for me again now

[@Scavenger1320]

Thats what I hear about the drivers side. If I had to tackle this on the harder side I'd probably just swap both sides with a set of shorty headers to never have this issue again.

[@TJTodd604]

@@Scavenger1320 I have a new set of BD Diesel upgraded manifold KIT to be installed today! 75k mile warranty. Uses spacers on the bolts, thicker , different casting, machined flat surfaces. Shorties suck

[@Scavenger1320]

​@@TJTodd604 Haven't heard of those before but just checked them out. Price isn't too far off from oem either. I like how they list the install time as exactly 2 Hours and 18 minutes lol. Great option though if you want to basically keep a stock setup. I've put shorties on my older Rams and liked them, plus I had them dyno'd to show the increased performance. Of course that was on the older 318/360 and not a Hemi. I'm just not a fan of this 'log' style manifold.

[@straightopoint]

Perseverance wins everytime. Either fix it or burn it.

[@rsra048]

I just passed 50,000 miles and Im going to have to do this. Right side

[@Scavenger1320]

Sucks it happened so early. Good luck with it!

[@jerbstv4623]

Thanks man . Im going to tackle mine tomorrow.

[@Scavenger1320]

@@jerbstv4623 Good luck!

[@robertzawadzki736]

Good job man! Very helpful video, thx 👍

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks for watching!

[@terrysmith7076]

You did a great job, brother. I'm thinking about buying a Dodge. It seems like the Hemi has its issue, but that's the one I want. ☮️

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks! This issue aside, it's been a great truck that's put in its work and it's up to almost 144K miles on it. And as common as this broken exhaust manifold bolt is in these, I've seen the LS engines in GMs have the same problem too, just not as often. Thanks for watching!

[@artbrookey3468]

The manifold flange is cast iron, and EXTREMELY thick where it bolts on, to an aluminum head no less, and everyone knows how cast iron [especially very thick] and aluminum heat and cool differently. Might have been a good idea to replace both sides with a good set of headers, eliminating any future problems

[@Scavenger1320]

Yeah, but that would have been more work too and everyone I've talked to has said the drivers side is a much bigger PITA. Now if doing one side somehow made doing the other side at the same time easier then sure, but it doesn't, so might as well put off all that extra work. Plus I don't expect to have my truck for that much longer so wanted to just keep it stock. Had this been a truck that was maybe newer, or one that I planned on keeping for a long time, then in that case I probably would have gotten a set of headers to throw on.

[@AlexeiMartinez-j4m]

Thanks for that video , very helpful I had exactly the same problem with my 2015 ram and took care of it

[@Scavenger1320]

Glad I could help! thanks for watching!

[@jdholeman1446]

It's crazy that Dodge hasn't corrected this issue or allowed consumers to get this fixed as a recall. Either drive a truck with a horrible ticking noise or buy over $2K for the dealership to repair it. Not to mention, most aftermarket warranties will not cover the repairs.

[@Scavenger1320]

Probably one of those things that by the time these trucks started seeing this problem more often, Ram figured it wasn't worth the cost to develop a fix for something that wasn't a safety issue or cause of other failures, especially since it seems to mostly happen well after the factory warranty would have expired.

[@gray_wolverine63]

Great job, buddy. I feel the best thing to do is replace the bolts at 50.000 miles with new ones. It will save a lot of aggravation and money in the long run. What do you guys think.

[@sawbladedaddy]

Thank you for this camera angle

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks for watching!

[@waynecastleman1363]

Dealership prices are ridiculous and remember the company they work for put cheap bolts to begin with and they copy the same original bolts so find a upgrade replacement and a mechanic at a good price that can do it right.

[@pascalg07]

I love your video !! Its detailed, and really benefited from it for visualization purposes, which helped enormously !! I ended up turning my steering wheel left to right, giving me more space to work Thank you so much for sharing ! 💯

[@Scavenger1320]

I didn't even think about turning my wheel! Great tip! And thanks for watching and the comment. I try to be as detailed as I can and show as much as I can even though I know it can make some of my videos drag on a bit. I've gone to youtube a bunch myself and find too many how-to videos that skip over parts that I needed to see. Also I usually screw something up for lack of knowing any better so I figure why not let other people see it so that they don't make the same mistakes lol.

[@lucky18]

Great video. Your brake rotors are on the opposite side btw. It’s commonly installed this way but most people don’t know that it’s wrong. Look it up.

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks for watching but according to Powerstop, which is where these brakes came from, they're on correctly. They were labeled for their specific sides which I followed when I installed them and I just verified the directions are correct per Powerstop on their own site.

[@BeardDaddy_]

I have the same problem with my 2017 Ram 1500. I didn't even have the dealership quote it out for me. After they said it was $800 to change spark plug I didntneven want to hesr what they would charge for real work like this.

[@Scavenger1320]

haha, yeah, I feel the same about the dealership and didn't even get a quote either knowing it would be some astronomical price. Plus it's always a hassle even just calling and getting info when you know the problem and they just want to get you in the door and waste half your day so that they can try and upsell you on anything they can.

[@kvlt22]

Nice job man! How dangerous do you think the leak is? I’ve ignored the noise for a while and am just now figuring out what the issue is. I’m worried about how long I’ve been driving with exhaust potentially entering the cab.

[@Scavenger1320]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I doubt much, if any, exhaust is making its way into the cab. It won't cause any mechanical issues either. I drove with the broken exhaust bolt for about a year I think and never had any problems. I've probably sat still with it idling for long periods a few times too and never noticed any exhaust in the cab.

[@kvlt22]

Thanks brother

[@Scavenger1320]

@@sheepdog3828 Breathing in exhaust is definitely a big deal, and although it can lead to a quiet death, there are still symptoms, and at no point have I ever experienced any before. But also, if there was a true risk of that from the exhaust manifold bolt being broken, then this entire issue would then become an actual safety issue, and that would mean the manufacturer couldn't keep ignoring it and would have to address it.

[@kvlt22]

Oh trust me I am very aware… but I don’t have the time or money to fix this issue immediately, and I am pretty pissed that it will probably happen again anyway. I’ve been using a mobile CO detector the last few weeks to be safe and so far there has been no CO entering the cabin under a variety of circumstances. Since 90% of rams on the road have had/have this issue for decades and we don’t see Ram drivers dropping like flies, I’m going to assume it’s not immediately dangerous. Still, I agree it shouldn’t be taken lightly, and this is something Ram NEEDS TO FIX

[@PaulReedy]

One thing I heard is once one breaks, more follow. I had. Broken on the passenger side, one flush with the head 🧐, but I also had one broken flush on the driver side 🤬 replacing them with some shorty headers while it’s all apart. I don’t know why anyone would spend money on oem manifolds when for a little more you can gain some power.

[@mikeadair2363]

Makes me Want to do mine But drilling the bolt out makes me Leary Great video We shall see

[@Scavenger1320]

Yeah, that was the same thing holding me back too, and part of the reason why it took me so long after the tick started to finally go ahead and fix it. In the end I just told myself that if I was trusted enough to fix and maintain multi-million dollar military aircraft in the Air Force, then working on a 20 thousand dollar truck shouldn't be a big deal. Thanks for watching and good luck if you decide to tackle the job yourself.

[@Jeremy-dy5zv]

Ive definitely been there. You think you got it then you start getting cocky and start rushing and forcing it then all of a sudden shazam BOOM your garage Burns down. Those were the good old days

[@JohnHenderson-ix5oi]

What torque spec did you torque the bolts to? Your torque wrench only goes up to 200 in pounds

[@mikemayfield487]

Well done Bud!!

[@MrDurandal25]

Issue with bolt extraction from manifolds specifically....is what you ran into with bending and metal stress. These bolts get a ton of heat stress and expansion. The studs on the heat shield bolts break because they are of a poor design. Replacements have the same flaw. They tend to fracture at the taper, which is probably the best place...this avoiding the drill and tap.....but when the head snaps do not use vise grips to twist. Get a few nuts on the stub and pull it out like a stud. If the stub is too short.....you may need to wig-weld a net to it and then back it out. protecting the block is they key. Mopar really shit the bed when it came to these bolts.

[@jordanwalter4381]

If those bolts are proud your best bet is often to notch them and stick an impact screw driver in them

[@VictormanuelRodriguez-c8p]

Thanks for your video, I wished you fixed mine, good 👍 work man 34:30

[@Scavenger1320]

thanks for watching

[@ozzyvanhalenrox]

Man this whole video is stressing me out just knowing I have at least 3 broken bolts to replace on mine 😐

[@Scavenger1320]

One was definitely stressful enough, can’t imagine if I had to drill out multiple. Good luck with it!

[@SpinnedOut]

It’s not as bad as you think brethren. Just go for it. Put some tunes on and start working. Take your time and you’ll get it done. I had to replace both manifolds over the weekend unfortunately. 5 broken bolts-shits annoying but definitely doable

[@ezhasper7069]

Great video,,,,I have a Ram ,,,,,looking forward to do this if it ever happens,,,,mine only at 60k. Awesome work light.

[@Scavenger1320]

Hopefully you don't have to deal with it, but it's not really that bad if you do and at least you're more prepared now. Thanks for watching!

[@Over_Taxed_USA]

Awesome job! Thanks for the tutorial

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks for watching!

[@Mike-vt6is]

Forgot how painful it is to not have a power ratchet. Crazy.

[@Scavenger1320]

I definitely need to invest in one soon.

[@65GasBoy]

No offense intended, but when that bent bolt started turning hard, I would have stopped, sprayed it down, and tightened it, and loosened it, effectively working it back and forth. Rather than forcing it out, until it broke. I think that would have saved you a lot of aggravation and time.

[@Scavenger1320]

No offense taken, like I said in the vid, I had no idea what I was doing lol, I just dive in and get it done. Plus putting up these vids is a good way to get tips, and you just gave me one for the next time. Although hopefully there isn’t a next time with this scenario.

[@jackripper6033]

I just got a 2017 ram 5.7 and the manifold was ticking at the dealer. He wrote it up that they’d fix it. Well the garage just replaced the gasket the first time. 2 weeks later it’s doing the same thing. I got it done again last yesterday but the garage said 3 bolt holes were stripped so he had to tap in new ones. Turn my truck on today and the manifold is clicking already. This is a nightmare.

[@Scavenger1320]

Wow, that sucks to hear and sounds like there might be some history there, maybe someone tried to fix it before and screwed it up? If that's a ram dealer they should definitely be experienced with it. If not, might need to find a different shop.

[@iwantit915]

Well done I'm having same issues right now my jeep been in the shop for 4 days smh 🤦

[@Scavenger1320]

Wow, 4 days?? Guessing the shop must be backlogged with work or ran into a worse issue. Hopefully it's not the latter and you get your jeep back soon

[@valerijschamber6633]

The question is,does it make sense or will it improve the life time if you use stainless steel bolts instead of the original bolts?

[@Scavenger1320]

Maybe, I didn't put much thought into that. I did just get a recent comment from someone who said after they used oem bolts it just snapped again, so the 2nd time they did this repair they used aftermarket bolts and they've outlasted the oem bolts by far.

[@larryrucker]

Getting too old for this stuff. My 2020 Ram Hemi only has 38K miles and I am worried as to when to expect this problem. I have heard from some that I need to change the bolts before they break, so at what mileage/age does it need to be done to be safe? I have done almost all my own maintenance since I was really young, but being 74 years old now I don't bend as well as when younger. Looking to take care of it before it breaks.

[@Scavenger1320]

Tough to say a mileage. Mine didn’t happen until I hit a 100K, but I think there’s other factors too. For over a year prior my truck did a lot of towing, and that meant a lot more time cruising at higher rpm’s under load where I’m sure the manifold was seeing intense heat. I know people that don’t tow still have it happen, but I’d bet mine would have gone longer if I never bought my RV. Just changing the bolts won’t always prevent it either since it’s a case of the manifolds warping. Some people just swap to shorty headers and never have to worry about it. BD Diesel also makes a slightly redesigned manifold that is almost identical to oem except it moves the heatshield bolts and is meant to prevent this issue too. Honestly if it were me, unless I was going to headers, I wouldn’t go through the trouble or worry. While it’s common it’s not guaranteed that it’ll happen.

[@Cartec09]

Change around 50k

[@kingdanny622]

I have a 2014 dodge ram 2500 5.7 that might have this issue. It only ticks on cold start and lasts for less than 30s or a minute. Did your tick kept ticking after the cold start or stopped? I really hope its not the lifters/Cam. The engine runs good nice and quiet when driving after its warm.

[@Scavenger1320]

What you say your truck is doing perfectly describes a broken exhaust manifold bolt. Mine also quieted down pretty quick as the truck warmed up, which is the metals expanding and kind of closing up the gap between the head and exhaust manifold that’s created by the bolt being broken. The lifter/cam tick wouldn’t quiet down like that, it would stay more constant.

[@MC-px9eq]

Just found this vid, and it's the exact noise and issue I am having. Thanks to the vid, I have no doubt I'll be able to save money taking care of it myself instead of dropping it of at the dealership. 1 question though, my noise goes away once warmed up, that a good sign........

[@Scavenger1320]

Definitely a good sign and is exactly what mine was doing. As the metals heat up they expand and seal off the exhaust leak. The bad tick is the one that doesn’t go away.

[@MC-px9eq]

So the only issue I can state after watching this video, and completing the work on my own truck. 1. RAMs with airbag suspensions......way less room to work with! Darn thing takes up most of the space you need to get the 4 middle bolts. 2. I'm not 100% sure about the torque wrench, so I gave it an ugga dugga until I can get with someone that knows how to use one in a few days. 216 in lbs (or 18 ft lbs) I didn't want to run the risk of damaging an aluminum block and costing me an extreme amount of money. 3. Broken bolts that are on the bottom, not so easy to drill and tap. If possible, weld a few beads on there and add a nut. Way simpler that way, THANK GOD for neighbors with welders! Otherwise, as I said before, great video!!!!!@@Scavenger1320

[@Scavenger1320]

@@MC-px9eq Thanks for the update and extra info. I didn't even think about Rams with airbag suspensions. I would have loved to do the welding trick, but I don't have a welder, or would even know how to use one if I did lol. Maybe one day I'll have enough time to learn at least some basic welding. I actually do have a neighbor with a welder too, but I'm not that good at asking people for help, something I need to work on lol.

[@NickVarney-q2h]

Any issues with the “hemi tick” getting worse and becoming a misfire from the notorious lifter and cam issue?

[@Scavenger1320]

Only tick on my truck has been this exhaust manifold bolt and the normal ticking these Hemis have. I haven’t had any issues at all with the lifters. I’ve been sending out oil samples for analysis with my last few oil changes and the results have been coming back showing a perfectly normal engine with no signs of lifter/cam issues at all, and my truck is now at 137K miles

[@TouchofDepth]

thanks so much for sharing, the star bit is a good idea

[@Scavenger1320]

Since this vid I found out they actually make a different kind of extraction set that basically is just star bits, except they're made to be stronger to handle this exact purpose better. Thanks for watching!

[@Youranium22]

Will be ordering parts and attempting this 😁

[@Scavenger1320]

Good luck! Hope this vid helps

[@artillerybuff2000]

Nice job Chris!

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks!

[@FractalPixel]

I have this issue now, after your vid… i think I can do it. We’ll see how it goes!

[@Scavenger1320]

Good luck with it!

[@harrypersaud9422]

Great video and job sir

[@Scavenger1320]

Thank you!

[@JSu2.]

Is this a thing where the dealer will tell you every single time, you need a complete valve lifter and cam operation, despite all indications it is a leaking exhaust manifold?

[@Scavenger1320]

Hopefully it's not a thing. If it is I'd definitely stay away from that dealer. All these ticks are common enough that any service tech that isn't a complete rookie should be able to easily tell the difference between the normal hemi tick, the exhaust manifold tick, and the lifter tick. The telltale sign with this exhaust manifold tick too is that it'll normally quiet down as the engine warms up so it's an easy one to differentiate. Even I figured it out and this was my first time ever hearing this type of tick lol.

[@shawngiersz2214]

i am currently having the same problem (im like 80%sure) but on the driver side. How bad is it to drive my truck in that condition? I cant see it being too bad since its just the exhaust but, i could very well be wrong

[@Scavenger1320]

It's really more just annoying than anything else. With mine I think I drove it about a year with the exhaust tick before I did the repair in this vid, and as you can see in this vid, there was just a little bit of exhaust deposits or soot or whatever you call it around the back area where the bolt broke but it wasn't anything that could cause any further damage. I think there may be a comment or two in here from people that said they've been driving around with it for 5 years.

[@shawngiersz2214]

@Scavenger1320 awesome, Thank you! I just crawled under my driver side and confirmed the missing bolt plus some soot deposits. This vid was a big help, thanks again bro

[@billplaisance6387]

Nice video man. Well done. After seeing this, I wouldn’t mind trying to swap my shitty OE manifolds out for some good headers but I also have lifetime warranty on my truck so I’m not sure if doing that would jeopardize my warranty so I guess if I fall victim to this, I’ll just pay my dealer a hundred dollar bill to do it for me.

[@Scavenger1320]

Going to headers is a great option, but they normally are a warranty voider so I'd definitely make sure about that, especially if you have a lifetime warranty. Thanks for watching!

[@Spartansrule118]

How did you get a lifetime warranty?

[@billplaisance6387]

@@Scavenger1320 yeah I dunno, I called the service writer at my dealer today and asked them about that and even after reminding him of the Magnussen Moss Act, he pretty much said that it wasn’t advisable because I guess due to the contract I signed but I told him it could be battled in a court room if I was to pursue it if I did it.

[@billplaisance6387]

@@Spartansrule118 I got one while they were still offering them. I bought my truck brand new Christmas of ‘17 and I think it was like 2019 when they stopped offering the lifetime.

[@Spartansrule118]

@@billplaisance6387 oh good for you. Wishing you all the best

[@Schlocks]

When you back out any bolt & have a bind in the threads you ALWAYS GO FORWARD it broke cause you kept trying to unscrew it i would have stopped sprayed some oil even torch-warmed up the head a little and tried rocking it back & forth. I'm saying this because I did both sides on my ram1500 hemi. 2-3 bolts broken on both sides but none got snapped inside the head.

[@Scavenger1320]

Like I said early on in the vid, "I have no idea what I'm doing" lol. I definitely won't forget this tip in the future though, I've gotten several comments now about that same thing.

[@patrickkernaghan7346]

Good job!! Thanks for the video

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks for watching!

[@bp3957]

Where did you find the sequence to tighten the manifold bolts?

[@Scavenger1320]

I didn't. Only thing I could find was the torque specs. For stuff like this I've always started in the center and worked my way out, which also seems to be the common consensus for exhaust manifolds in general.

[@jameshamann7525]

Hi Chris, I watched your excellent video. Congrats on a job well done. However, I'm not clear exactly what caused the broken bolt in the first place. Thank you. Jim from Durand.

[@Scavenger1320]

It's because the exhaust manifold, being this horrible log shape, eventually starts to warp from the excessive heat, which starts pulling on the bolt until it snaps. It's almost always one of the rear bolts because that part of the manifold is getting hit with exhaust gases from all 4 cylinders so that's the section that gets the hottest and starts warping.

[@jameshamann7525]

Oh. Thank you. I think our 392 engines have headers so hopefully won't happen to them. Hopefully you can make Detroit in 2024. Looking forward to your next video.

[@Scavenger1320]

@jameshamann7525 definitely not an issue on 392s, and really only an issue on the Rams. From what I've seen the 5.7 in Challengers/Chargers have a different and better exhaust manifold design.

[@Highspedlowdrag]

Just install a set of JBA shortie headers. Done!!

[@Scavenger1320]

That's one option for sure.

[@burntkorn]

If it’s gonna break it always happens when you’re away from home!

[@henrybojorquez1990]

Great job I’ll give it a go

[@Scavenger1320]

Thanks for watching and good luck!

[@ICT_Anton]

I think thats just the Dodge Ram tick... My 4.7 ram has the same tick. Getting ready to replace the exhaust manifold gaskets. Im dreading having bolts break off

[@seriouzfilmz9397]

I hear tapping on acceleration and after it changes gear it goes away until it low in gears and go up. Noise not present revving in neutral idk what could.

[@Scavenger1320]

That might be something that needs to be checked out, especially if the noise, when it does happen, is consistent even after the engine is warmed up. Exhaust manifold tick will usually go away or at least get quieter as the engine warms up, plus the frequency of the tick would just be based on engine rpms and the gear it's in shouldn't affect it at all. Sounds more like something in the transmission or somewhere in the driveline.

[@food-uc4sm]

Good job brother.

[@Scavenger1320]

Thank you!

[@RichieD088]

Hi Chris , I had watched you vid ; You got it done ! lol👍 . I would have never ordered the stock Mopar manifolds you used ; there are much better Iron manifolds on the market for substitution , you will be experiencing the same issues at some time again .. One tip when and if you need to drill out a manifold bolt again , don't use Titanium Nitrite coated drill bits , use Black Oxide drill bits that are used for a harder metal and will drill much easier .. And use a "very slight" amount of Hi Temp Anti Seize on those manifold bolts when installing them , to prevent galling .... ✌

[@Scavenger1320]

As long as these same manifolds last 100K like the originals I’m ok with that since I probably won’t have this Ram anymore by then lol. Thanks for the tips too, I’ve been taking note of them in case I have to do something like this again. Better drill bits were definitely needed

[@RichieD088]

@@Scavenger1320 Hi Chris , 100k .. 👏 .. nice 👍 , lol , hope they go the distance 👍 Guess what I’m doing tomorrow .., 2017 .. can ya believe it , lol, it should all go well , low mileage , clean .. ✌️

[@Scavenger1320]

@@RichieD088 good luck with it! Hope it goes smoother for you than it did me

[@davidcardenas6444]

Does this work for a 2018 ram 2500 6.4? Like is it the same process

[@Scavenger1320]

I'm not familiar with the truck 6.4s and not sure what their manifolds look like, but a broken bolt is a broken bolt, and regardless of the type of manifold, the process should definitely still be the same.

[@davidcardenas6444]

@@Scavenger1320 good point. I just meant it as is the manifold as easy to get to as the 5.7. Nevertheless appreciate the video