Exhaust Manifold

[sunoco69]

Ok so after about 6 weeks of owning a Noble the bloody exhaust manifold has cracked. I guess I am now offically in the club!

What is everyones thoughts/experience of welding them? This is getting done under warrenty so I aint paying the bill they have said they will weld it and I was wondering if this will just create a problem for later, when the warrenty has expired.

[Adrian W]

insist on a replacement

[funkybmx1]

+1. I demanded quite a bit threw sales of good act. They can't sell things broke. I would demand new

[GTO600]

+2 Agree insist on a new replacement

[snuffy]

That's what you pay a dealer premium for; tell them you want a new one.

Is it the dealer's own warranty or it is an insurance type one where you can take it anywhere ? What do you have in writing regarding the warranty ?

[andygtt]

A welded up manifold will re-crack... one of my manifiolds cracked and one didn't, the one that cracked was welded up and kept re-cracking.

They were later upgraded for better items less prone to cracking with a welded in plate... so unless they intend to upgrade the manifold by welding in the plate then dont accept a simple "weld up the crack" repair as it wont last IMO.

[R0162]

Don't just let them reweld them, the surrounding steel(heat affexcted zone) the grainstructure becomes weakened and the same will happen again.

After rewelding the crack, which needs to be ewave welded, get them to strengthen the seams with a reinforcement plate.

[Daddysumo]

Even with the plates mine still cracked.... Got 2 sets laying around that are cracked and/or recracked !!

[sunoco69]

Having spoken to them they are saying that they will send it to a specialist welder. They have done 10 before and never had one split again. I dont really have a choice but to trust them, however I have made my concerns clear and will keep a close eye on it.

[Lakelord]

sunoco69 said:

Having spoken to them they are saying that they will send it to a specialist welder. They have done 10 before and never had one split again. I dont really have a choice but to trust them, however I have made my concerns clear and will keep a close eye on it.

I guess by that comment, they'll honour a lifetime warranty on their repair then?

[sunoco69]

I'm hoping

[Adrian W]

You should be aware that if any debris comes/flakes off of the inside of the manifold, either existing or from the new weld, it will destroy your turbo. I think that you need to make them aware that if you suffer turbo failure in the near future, you will be holding them responsible.

The will have a consequential looses section in the warranty document, hopefully by telling them you override that, oh! Do it in writing.

[sunoco69]

Adrian I think that is a very good idea. I will put all of this in writing to them.

[snuffy]

How much is a new manifold then ? Surely by the time they have taken it off, sent it away, had it welded, then refitted it, it would cost almost as much as a new one ?

[hollowpockets]

I had both re-welded a while back, both cracked again, one of them had small fragments break off and ruin a turbo, now have the upgraded stainless steel manifolds and they have been faultless. Oh and a hefty bill to re-furb one and almost completely replace the other.

[wessexrfc]

From what I've seen the latest Noble offering is very good and I think James at SWLC have these in stock:

http://www.thelotuscentre.com/

Or Allunox for a bit more money,(one I went for) as they use a more heat resistant material:

http://www.alunox.co.uk/