Alright...I know this is a topic that is beat to death...cracked V8 manifolds

Hey gang,

I have a 2008 Sport V8 and can't stand the exhaust leak. So much so that I've been seriously considering selling my 2008 and just buying a 2014-2017 Trail Premium....but I love this V8 and I can make this truck really nice for $3-5k instead of signing on the line that is dotted for $30k+

I know this one has been beat to death, and it seems like everyone recommends the Doug Thorley manifolds to replace the stock ones. Here's the rub, I only have a leak on one side, so paying a shop to do both sides could cost a small fortune...or the same amount as one side at the dealership.

My biggest question is this...can I do it myself? I'm relatively handy and can usually find my way around just about anything, but this particular job scares me. What if I snap off a stud? What if I can't get the Thorley's to fit? What if, what if, what if??

Has anyone done this in their garage? Is it worth renting an engine hoist and figuring out how to yank the engine to just do both sides? Has anyone done it that way???

Too many questions, I apologize. Just looking for some advice or even a "dude, you're crazy to try it on your own", which is what the mechanics I speak to say...some won't even take the job.

Thanks in advance!

 

Fortunately my V8 doesn't have the leak (yet) but my dad's does so I looked into this a bit recently. My decision was if it came down to it I was going to have a shop do it because doing it myself in the driveway looks like a huge PITA that I just don't want to deal with. You can do it without removing the engine but it's a long tough job and since my 4Runner is my daily I'd be down my primary transportation until I got it done. I also live in a place that does emissions testing so I'd have to get cats welded onto the headers anyway which I definitely don't want to attempt myself.

 

Thanks!

 

I have also just recently gotten the dreaded exhaust leak and have been trying to figure out the best course of action to take, luckily I don't have to deal with emissions though..

 

Resurrecting an old thread here but just in case someone else comes along...

Don't bother with a new OEM manifold cause they're what's cracked in the first place. In the end, Doug Thorley headers are best hands down, despite the price (if you don't have to worry about emissions get long tube, if you do get short tube and then Magnaflow universal fit cats if you cant reuse your old), Doug Thorley or URD y-pipe, then your choice of cat-back: Magnaflow, Flowmaster, URD, TRD, BAM, Borla, and others, to your liking. I posted elsewhere too but if you do wind up changing your cats at all from stock - either deleting or getting high-flow - you have to do something to your downstream O2 sensors or your CEL will come on; DO NOT touch your upstream sensors. Sometimes a simple spacer or two will fix it, otherwise (what I had to do) is get essentially a 'mini-cat'. This little thing will trick the ECU into thinking the airflow is what is supposed to be coming out of the cat instead of what we want for more power/sound; here's the one I bought exactly: https://www.ebay.com/itm/90-Oxygen-...tor-Mini-Cat-Catalytic-Converter/313200386411

 

go with DT headers, if your gonna have everything taken apart, replace it with the headers.

could it be done yourelf? depends how many times you wanna curse and bust your knuckles. i had it done at a $hop i usually go to, the nicest old mechanic there said that he has never cursed so many times at a customers truck in his life as when he did my headers. food for thought. according to him there were multiple broken studs removing the manifolds, and having to fit the headers in between the frame rails was a PITA accourding to him.

i was going to attempt it myself originally, but my schedule with work just would not allow it to happen. but after hearing his ordeal, im glad that i didnt take it on.

 

I'm going to resurrect this from the dead and ask for advice from you wonderful people!

2003 4runner ltd v8 - I was pretty set on changing my exhaust manifold to Doug Thorley exhaust, but i'm having difficulties finding them up north (canada). I've seen them in the states, but duties and such is a nightmare.

Question is ... for any Canadians in here, direction to a retailer for said manifold?

If not, would anyone recommend something equivalent? Looking at Magnaflow, but not sure about them.

Peter

 

Have you checked with Burtman Industries or URD to see if they can help source the headers and then get them through to Canada? Give either a call they're pretty helpful for this stuff

 

looking at URD right now. just need to figure out if the shipping charge also includes duty (hopefully it does)

Thanks Incrediboy!