Aftermarket exhaust manifolds

[Flybynight]

I have a cracked stock manifold and the annoying tick tick tick.... I noticed there are a slew of aftermarket companies selling them and not just the crazy expensive Toyota ones (that would likely crack again).

Does anyone have experience with any of these companies? I know the advantages of headers but would like to fix this as cheap as possible.

 

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I have a cracked stock manifold and the annoying tick tick tick.... I noticed there are a slew of aftermarket companies selling them and not just the crazy expensive Toyota ones (that would likely crack again).

Does anyone have experience with any of these companies? I know the advantages of headers but would like to fix this as cheap as possible.

I have been happy with my Pacesetter exhaust manifolds, but they don’t have many good reviews. I paid around $400 for both.

Doug Thorley headers get good reviews here.

 

[rdruss]

I have been happy with my Pacesetter exhaust manifolds, but they don’t have many good reviews. I paid around $400 for both.

Doug Thorley headers get good reviews here.

How long have you been running them? Was installation more straightforward than Doug's headers?

 

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How long have you been running them? Was installation more straightforward than Doug's headers?

I think it has already been three years.

I had a shop install them, so I can’t compare the two installations. However, the Pacesetters are direct fit OEM replacement exhaust manifolds, not headers, so I would imagine the installation is more straightforward.

 

[AuSeeker]

I have been happy with my Pacesetter exhaust manifolds, but they don’t have many good reviews. I paid around $400 for both.

Doug Thorley headers get good reviews here.

Where did you buy from, I'm finding the price just for one over $400, are your's stainless steel?

 

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Where did you buy from, I'm finding the price just for one over $400, are your's stainless steel?

Yes, they are stainless steel. Part #Â’s 750050 and 750051, and I bought them back in 2017. I thought I bought them on Amazon, but theyÂ’re not in my purchase history. I don't remember where I got them from, but it must have been from one of the big mail order parts places like rock auto, jegs or summit racing.

Even on Amazon, theyÂ’re over $300 each now. COVID must have driven the cost way up. At Summit Racing, theyÂ’re ~$450 each. If I remember correctly, mine were only $195 each, plus shipping and/or sales tax.

 

[UrbanRunner651]

JBA>DT>OEM>Any non OEM.. Buy once, cry once.
Don't take the cheap route on parts that actually matter.

 

[ads2539]

JBA>DT>OEM>Any non OEM.. Buy once, cry once.
Don't take the cheap route on parts that actually matter.

I agree that OEM is normally preferred over non-OEM, but I’ve read that the OEM replacement manifolds will crack just like the originals did. Apparently, Toyota didn’t fix the design problem.

Do the V6’s manifolds also crack, or is that just a V8 thing?

 

[ExpeditionBill]

If you have the V6. good luck. Mine cracked and well more like just rusted and fell apart.
I couldn't find any nice aftermarket ones and just got ones from Rock Auto.

I posted this on another thread a guy asked about replacing the cats

Yea my 03 4runner smelled like rotten egg/sulfur smell upon acceleration.

I heard a rattle in resonator and lil leak on a rusted flange. Heard some rattling in resonator if i tapped on it.

Replaced that with Magnaflow overland catback.


Turned out the pass header was cracked and leaking. They said the inside of the cat got clogged or broke apart (hence rattling and smell). Meineke wanted to charge me $3000 for manifold and y pipe (I think OEM as well).

all my bolts and flanges were so rusted. it was cheaper for me to just replace both headers, y-pipe at same time from on Rockauto and just threw in 4 new Denso O2 sensors from there as well.

This was like 2 weeks ago. I dont know if its an issue with the header but sounds like the metal expanding and contracting. Makes a ticking sound now on driver side header area when I drive and for a min after i shut the truck off. Hopefully this goes away. Driving me insane. I also took it back to them 3 times, it sounds like the exhaust leak before. I can hear a nice deep sound with new exhaust but also hear what I think is a leak at a flange or something they didn't tighten. If I drive pass cars or like a fence, I can hear that sounds like an exhaust leak. Need to test to see if there are any leaks or bring it somewhere else.

Also there are 4 cats. 2 built into manifold and 2 on y pipe.
The y pipe flanges were so bad, i just decided to replace it all to not run into issues later.

Here a run down on what I ordered and brought it to Meineke: (not the best or the worst parts from Rockauto - I usually get the favorite ones on the site)

2003 TOYOTA 4RUNNER 4.0L V6
AP / EASTERN 641349 (40599) Catalytic Converter $ 287.79
AP / EASTERN 641524 (40598) Catalytic Converter $ 299.79
AP / EASTERN 642191 Catalytic Converter $ 293.79
AP / EASTERN 642192 Catalytic Converter $ 323.99
DENSO 2344804 (234-4804) Oxygen (O2) Sensor $ 44.99
DENSO 2344805 (234-4805) Oxygen (O2) Sensor $ 45.79
DENSO 2349047 (234-9047) Oxygen (O2) Sensor $ 112.89 x 2 = $ 225.78
Shipping Ground $ 52.97
Tax $ 104.34
Order Total $ 1679.23

Install for above around $350 at Meineke


Magnaflow overland catback - $720 + sh/ tax (I believe you can get a stock rockauto one for around $150-180?)
$100 install

Total for everything ~$2500 (and it still doesnt sound right but the egg smell is gone)


Good luck with whatever you decide. I was almost tempted to sell it. Still might. Hit me up if you have any questions.

The replacements sound just as bad as the leak did. I just want to drive in peace with no noise.