Little angry with Ram at the moment

[TTED]

I've worked for Dodge dealerships for over 35 years. If you look at you exhaust manifold the entire weight of the exhaust is on the right hand side. This is why the rear bolts break on the manifolds after many miles of heating and cooling. If the job is done correctly you replace the right manifold and all the bolts!

[ArizonaGreg]

Just had this exact same problem with my 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi (46,000 miles). Was covered by an extended warranty. Dealer replaced the right-side exhaust manifold, gasket, and bolts.

[outposttoyhauler]

Originally Posted by TTED

I've worked for Dodge dealerships for over 35 years. If you look at you exhaust manifold the entire weight of the exhaust is on the right hand side. This is why the rear bolts break on the manifolds after many miles of heating and cooling. If the job is done correctly you replace the right manifold and all the bolts!

TTED, can you elaborate on the life of the new upgraded bolts, PN 6509544AA
Do these parts correct the issue?

[jaycalk]

Originally Posted by Jim34RL

My Dodge/Ram truck has 125K on the OD and is a 2008, 2500 Mega Cab. I have never failed any exhaust manifold bolts from the time I purchased the truck in Nov 2007. Nor have I read of any other Ram or Dodge trucks that have failed the exhaust manifold bolts for their Cummins engines.

So, it is not all Ram trucks as you have stated it might be only the 5.7L Hemi that is the problem and for that year only!

I like Rams. As stated there are problems with exhaust manifold bolts. The torque your engine puts out and the design on the 5.7 are the reasons. Don’t know if it is 100% necessary to replace as the tick can be lived with. If you want to keep you truck look up catch can which will take moisture out of your oil and will cost around 200 bucks installed. Cummins guys you are not exempt. The heads bolts can get brittle on the 6.7. The fact that we use our trucks for towing and puts them in a constant bind.

[007matman]

Originally Posted by Iwannacamp

I have no intention of arguing or disrespecting what your “mechanic” told you, but the only thing using anything other than cast aluminum or forged aluminum pistons are very low rpm engines...and you better have roller bearings on both ends.

I would imagine they have a moly type composition piston. I will look it up. They prolly replaced with the opposite.


Only quick answer was...

“Newer 4.0L use the coated skirt design. I really can’t see that the coating caused the issue...it has to be design or tolerances.”Attachment 205671

Attachment 205672

Appreciate the thoughtful response.

I think the theories on this engine are pretty inconclusive. I'm seeing reference to a change in metal composition (which may relate to the coating you reference above) as well as Chrysler moving the position of the rings up which caused more movement against the sides of the Piston wall under load. I did use the Jeep to haul out pop-up at the time. Both of these theories make sense to me.

All I know is the issues popped up after the '99 model year. They told me it was the older piston design that was used in the reman engine which I was happy with as my mother in law drove a '97 Jeep with the same engine and sold it at 310k (w/no issues).

I have almost 70k on the reman now and it's just about perfect. Runs great.

[EyeGuy]

Had to replace the same exhaust manifold bolts on a 2007 Chevy 1500 HD. Two bolt heads failed. What was proposed as a $400 repair turned out to be $1400 when the mechanic snapped the head off of one of the “good” remaining bolts that was stuck. He had to then pull the head and put in a helical. This problem seems industry wide.

[harleyfltri]

At $400.00 a pop, after pulling out all of the manifold bolts to extract one, they should have replaced them all, not just one. Not to mention it's a known issue means they either set you up or are totally incompetent.

[ronheater70]

Originally Posted by harleyfltri

At $400.00 a pop, after pulling out all of the manifold bolts to extract one, they should have replaced them all, not just one. Not to mention it's a known issue means they either set you up or are totally incompetent.

Its been my experience with Ram, that they are a little of both, but moreso incompetent than anything. Just never seen anything like it. They wanted to replace the clutches in the limited slip in my 2016 2500, to which I had to inform THEM, it had no clutches, it was an anti spin diff, not a limited slip.

[Rick the Rocket]

I'll admit I haven't read the entire thread, it's pretty long. But my 2 cents... after pulling up Tennessee hills my 1/2 ton truck's exhaust bolts were pretty hot, some say they are red. It's no wonder the heads pop off the factory bolts. Pull them out and replace them with a better grade if you start having this problem. My 2000 5.3 silverado had the same problem.

[Iwannacamp]

Originally Posted by 007matman

Appreciate the thoughtful response.

I think the theories on this engine are pretty inconclusive. I'm seeing reference to a change in metal composition (which may relate to the coating you reference above) as well as Chrysler moving the position of the rings up which caused more movement against the sides of the Piston wall under load. I did use the Jeep to haul out pop-up at the time. Both of these theories make sense to me.

All I know is the issues popped up after the '99 model year. They told me it was the older piston design that was used in the reman engine which I was happy with as my mother in law drove a '97 Jeep with the same engine and sold it at 310k (w/no issues).

I have almost 70k on the reman now and it's just about perfect. Runs great.

Thank you. I bet they/you are right about the ring lands.

Everyone knows the 5.9 Cummins is bulletproof right? Well maybe not quite. Very common for them to break a piston on the ring land area and lose compression. Most I have heard were 250k or more. Mine is at 197k and I ain’t gonna lie I am kinda sweating it. I do not drive hard or work it hard...if anything I lug, which is prolly worse on the skirts.

[duradiesel]

I think the manufacturers are making the manifolds lighter to reduce weight for fuel saving. I have been a mechanic for 40 years & have seen them all break bolts.

[damann]

We had the same problem 2 years ago at about 110,000 km. 2012 Ram 1500, 5 years and 2 months old. The truck was no longer under warranty, but we did find out that it’s very common on the 2012. Our local dealer fixed it at no charge. We did not buy the truck from them, but were impressed with their service. We have used them ever since for new brakes, and other minor repairs on the truck, and on our Charger. Try another dealership. Several years ago I had a head gasket failure on a Toyota 4Runner that was about 75,000 km past warranty. I had to go to 2 dealerships before I found one that would replace it for free. They covered it under a Service Bulletin.