Nosepicker

So, I'm about to checkout an exhaust manifold off an '98 LX. He wants $50 and it sounds like an awesome deal but just need opinions:

Do you think it's rusted too much?

What should I look for other than cracks?

Should I sand/grind off the rust where the section meets the engine to be on the safe side?

Exhaust manifold may not be cracked but how or what do I check for the others?

The owners says he got into an accident and the car has not been fixed & is taking up space so he's parting out vehicle.

What do you think?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

its a gamble. if these cars have problems with the manifold cracking, then theres a good chance of it being cracked or will crack in the future.

VTEC-4.0

Like Gearbox said,it's pretty risky.And since this guy's 98 Civic LX has been in an accident,I recommend not buying it.The rust isn't so bad,but it isn't that great either.$50 may seem like a steal now,but you might end up spending more to replace it in the future.

Nosepicker

Dammit!!!

You guys are right. I just don't want to fork out $300-400 for one. A 12 yr old car and they still charge that much for new parts. Amazing!

That's like a 32" flat screen TV.

Shiet!

VTEC-4.0

Yeah.That's how people make money.They make you pay a lot for parts on an old car.This is supposed to tempt people to buy a new car instead of spending so much money on the old car.

Nosepicker

Alright, I just texted the guy and told him no go.

richs1000

why do these things crack all the time?

Nosepicker

Cast iron is not the most stable material under extreme heat, I'm guessing.

VTEC-4.0

The most common case of the cracking is the excessive heat they are subjected to.The metal the exhaust manifold is made of expands and contracts when it gets too hot and causes cracking.

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

have you been to a welding shop? sometimes they can fix the crack...

Nosepicker

No, but after researching threads and what others had to say it wasn't advisable.

The crack is 4 inches long, if not more.

But here's the odd thing: No CEL. I can smell the fumes if my nose is directly above the exhaust manifold even with the heat shield over it.

BTW, is there a dealership P/N for these?

I found these but are they the right ones?

Front:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

Rear:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eB...=STRK:MEWAX:IT

MelJ

Is this in the ballpark of what you're looking for?
http://www.thehondapartsstore.com/he...All&vinsrch=no
Part numbers are 8 and 9 on the list.

Nosepicker

Thx Mel but I ordered the exhaust manifold off egay and it was almost half the cost of an OEM C.A.R.B. exhaust manifold.

Buying parts for Cali models suck.

MelJ

. Yeah man. Some of that OEM stuff is ridiculously overpriced.