Cracked Engine Exhaust Manifold

[bluebottle]

Hi,

Ive got a Navara DX 2009 2.5. About two months ago, I thought the gasket was stuffed at the Engine Exhaust Manifold so I removed the heat shield and discovered the manifold was cracked across the middle with two cylinders either side. A friend welded it while it was still in place across the top, but the crack is probably better described as broken in half and the underside was never welded. I intended the weld to be a stop gap while I came up with the money for a replacement manifold. The weld didn't last long at all but Ive had to continue driving to work etc. Tonight on my way home from work, with the money to repair it less than a week away, the engine started to splutter or loss power for fraction of a second. The splutter became more frequent towards the end of the trip. Is this related to the broken manifold? If so, am I or have I caused further, serious damage? or will this spluttering issue disappear once the manifold and gasket have been replaced? Would it be wise to drive it to work in the morning (100km round trip)?

Thanks

Jay

 

[glennm]

I wouldn't be driving any further than needed until i knew what was going on. Easy for me to say as i would have alternative transport but just my thought.

 

[user 10312]

I to would avoid driving it.

Welding a cast manifold is not really a proposition.

 

[Old.Tony]

Cast iron is not the easiest thing to weld and I wouldn't be welding it while it was attached to an alloy head anyway. Way, way too easy to create problems.

What might have happened is there's enough of a gap now that is causing issues with exhaust escaping and not spinning the turbine up enough. There is a chance that the escaping hot gas has done some damage to rubber hoses nearby - you'd need to have a look.

I would refrain from driving it as much as possible. You may not crack the head, but if the crack in the manifold widens too much, the super-hot exhaust gas is not going to do anything in the engine bay any favours.