Exhaust Manifold Replacement- new or used?

[Sylvanite]

I discovered today that my exhaust manifold needs to be replaced (#4 header is cracked, just like in the picture that's somewhere on this site). Are there any issues with pulling an OE one off a junk car and putting it on mine? I'd rather pay $25 for one from the junkyard than $200+ for a new one (this is almost as much as I paid for the car).

Or for that matter, could I get my friend to weld the crack to reseal it?

[gorkyb]

Hello Sylvanite, if you are lucky enough to find a junk yard manifold that fits your car and that is not cracked yet or about to crack go ahead. When I discovered my tube 4 crack I tried finding an used one but I had no luck, then I looked at Calmini and thorley replacements but they were $300 and I could not afford them. I had my friend weld mine a year or so ago, we got special small diameter cast iron electrodes and the repair lasted about 4 months, he had to heat up the manifold to be able to weld it since it's cast iron. After it started cracking again he rewelded it for me and it's lasted me 8 months so far and I don't see any signs of it cracking again yet. If I had the money I would just have gotten the Calmini and I would not have to worry about ever again, now I look for that crack to come back every weekend. Is yours 16 valve or 8?, I think there's aftermarket manifold or the 8 valve at fair prices, not like te 16v

[fixkick]

it is a pain
and DORMAN dont make the 16v manifold only . only 8v in cast iron for 50 to 100 bucks.
sad this is true.
if only a tad bit thicker it would never crack.
one guy here, (love these ideas) he found some fancy exh glue or putty, (epoxY) not sure, but it worked. cleaned first. (muffler patch?) sure getto. but.... who;s looking????
It can work, It will not last for ever.
but you can keep patching it every year.
if the car sets a LOVE BUG, then get the sst headers. I like the one with no EGR groove. the side EGR pipe. at rear.
course that depends if in California or not.

[Sylvanite]

Thanks for the replies gorkyb and fixkick. I should have mentioned I have a non-California 16 valve '93. Apparently this year has a rather unique manifold. It sounds like fixing the old one isn't the best long term solution. I hadn't thought of high temperature epoxy, if I can't find a new manifold by the emissions test, I can fill the crack with JB weld and probably pass (this isn't the evil California test). My local junkyards have a good supply of sidekicks and trackers, so I think I can find one eventually.

I'm going to take a look at the elbow pipe tomorrow and see if it's the original (recalled) one. If it is, I think I'll replace the manifold with the long one and a new (used) elbow pipe. If I did this, would I need a new cat, and would it make it less likely to pass emissions?

[fixkick]

there are 2 , 16v exhaust manifolds, in 93
the short and long, calif, and fed.
see them both here, and both have unique collectors.

here are the 4

http://www.fixkick.com/buy-parts.html#factory

[Vitalie]

If considering Calmini header. What year exactly fits without the need of welding. Do you need a different collector? For those with no welding rods at hand.

Thanks

[fixkick]

if car is stock, totally the correct header is OEM OE fit headers.
most forget to say, they dont fit stock cars.. its an issue. on all cars. really.
contact them and ask.

[Sylvanite]

I ended up finding an undamaged '94 (long) manifold, but the elbow pipe had been cut when the junkyard guys removed the cat. I believe they cut all the elbow pipes when removing the cats. So I'd like to use this manifold to replace my broken one, but I need an elbow pipe to complete the repair (The '93 and '94 pipes don't mix, right?). Could I weld the end of the '93 pipe onto the '94 (only a bit is missing)? Or would this just break?

[fixkick]

the short pipe that is fitted to the old short manifold, collapses inside, and was recalled, and not stocked by suzuki, (nice huh)
the long manifold has donut fitting and matching cat .
mixing these takes custom welding.

[dazedandconfused]

would one off a suzuki car fit? i just did the timing belt on my fathers suzuki esteem ,it had the same motor and it looks like the same manifold so would one off of a car fit?