Brain Drain: November 2024

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Finally Got the Jeep Fixed.

Last year when I got the Jeep inspected, it passed and needed nothing. About a week later I was at Walmart and when I came out and started up the Jeep, it first sounded like a "tick" as if a lifter was sticking. As I drove off, I noticed it wasn't a tick, but an exhaust leak right where the exhaust pipe connects to the exhaust manifold.

Well, I wasn't about to be laying on the ground and trying to fix it, had enough of that in my younger days. I did crawl under the Jeep and had a look, and the bolts were really rusted, and the exhaust pipe was actually hanging down from the manifold only being held up by those two, really rusted and thin bolts.

Turns out I ended up driving it like that for almost a year in Feb. The reason I head off so long was because I knew it was going to be expensive. I could have taken it to where I get it inspected, which is a small garage, and I didn't know how good of a job they would or could do. So, I ended up taking it to the dealership garage where I know they had all the tools they would need, and it would be done right.

They do make a "C" type clamp to clamp the two together (shown below), but you still need to cut off the bottom part of the bolts. The clamps then opens up and you put it around the manifold opposites the old bolts, slide the flange up to it from the exhaust pipe then tighten it up, job done. There is a video off it on YouTube somewhere showing it being done.

Ok, this would work fine probably, but I wanted it done the correct way. Old bolts drilled out and new ones but in. So, they called me the next day and said it was done, but the other side was pretty bad also although it wasn't leaking yet and did they want me to fix it. I told them go ahead; I don't feel like taking it back to have it done again.

About an hour and a half to two hours they called back and said it was done. Bill came to $398.00! Actually, that wasn't too far off from what I was figuring to fix just the one side. I figured about $200.00 for the one side, and that was the price for both sides.

I think labor was like $30.00 an hour and the bolts ain't cheap either. At Advance Auto they cost like $15.00 a piece! That's $60.00 right there. I have seen them cheaper though.

Anyways... the Jeep's exhaust is fixed, and it sounds much, much better!