A ticking on cold start that fades as the engine warms is a cracked exhaust manifold or broken manifold bolt. A sudden loud exhaust is usually a rusted flex pipe or flange. Fumes inside the cabin are dangerous. We find the leak with a smoke test, and repair manifolds, gaskets, flex pipes, and clamps in your driveway.
Signs you need exhaust leak & manifold repair
- Ticking that goes away when the engine warms
- Loud exhaust that got loud suddenly
- Exhaust smell in the cabin
- Check engine light for O2 sensor or lean codes
- Rattling from under the car
What we do on site
- Smoke-test the exhaust to locate the leak
- Replace the manifold gasket or extract broken manifold bolts
- Replace flex pipes, gaskets, hangers, and clamps
- Verify with a second smoke test
Doing this in a driveway
We do bolt-on and clamp-on exhaust repairs mobile. We don't weld custom exhaust in the driveway, and catalytic converter replacement is quoted case by case.
Parts we use
Manifold gasket, manifold bolts, flex pipe, flange gaskets, clamps, hangers.
Pricing: Gaskets and clamps are inexpensive; manifold replacement is moderate. Every job is quoted in writing before we start, and there's no upsell — how our pricing works.
FAQ
Exhaust Leak & Manifold Repair: common questions
Why does my truck tick on cold start?
Broken exhaust manifold bolts are epidemic on Chevy, GMC, Ford, and Ram trucks. The manifold warps, the bolts snap, and the gasket leaks until the metal expands. We extract the bolts and reseal it.