How much does it cost to replace an exhaust manifold?
According to our research, the exhaust manifold replacement cost (UK) usually ranges between £150 and £850.
The average exhaust manifold replacement cost works out at approximately £420, including parts and labour.
What are the exhaust manifold replacement costs at dealerships compared to Fixter garages?
If you replace an exhaust manifold with Fixter, on average, we save our customers around 30% against dealership prices. Not only do you save money, but you also benefit from our superb collection and delivery service.
It’s the most convenient way to carry out car repairs, upgrades, services, and MOTs you’ll find. Who else collects your car and delivers it back to you when the work is complete?
What additional factors could affect your exhaust manifold replacement?
Your exhaust manifold is the first step in the exhaust system. It’s responsible for all the expelled gas from the engine’s cylinders, as well as burning off any unburned gases passing through the system. It expands and contracts under intense heat and pressure, so over time, it’s inevitable that it will weaken, producing cracks and leaks, allowing dangerous gases to escape.
As well as the part itself, you’ll need a couple of gaskets and some sealant. If you’ve developed issues with your exhaust manifold and those red-hot gases are escaping into the engine bay, they can cause further damage to any plastic or heat-sensitive parts under the bonnet. Any additional damage will, of course, bump up the price of your repairs.
What are the costs of exhaust manifold replacement parts?
Prices for replacement manifolds can start as low as £80 or £90 reaching £500 to £600 for typical family cars. However, if you drive a performance vehicle or sports car, well, you can be looking at upwards of £1,000.
What are the labour times and rates for exhaust manifold replacement?
Replacing your exhaust manifold should take between three and five hours when carried out by an experienced mechanic.
Exhaust manifold replacement costs vary across the country according to each garage and dealership. We examined our records to calculate the average hourly rate.
We found for garages within the London area, the average rate came out at £78 per hour. For the garages throughout the rest of the country, the price was a little lower, as you’d expect, at £72 per hour.
How long does an exhaust manifold last?
You should experience years of trouble-free performance from your exhaust manifold. However, because it operates under such extreme temperatures and pressures—continually expanding and contracting under operation—it’s inevitable that at some point, it will suffer a few cracks and holes where it erodes and decays.
As with every part of the exhaust system, it needs to be checked regularly for signs of corrosion and leakage. Your MOT should help with this, as the inspection will highlight any emissions and pressure issues in your exhaust system, often the first signs of trouble.
Can I carry out an exhaust manifold replacement myself?
Removing the exhaust manifold is a timely and tedious job. It involves the removal of many engine components just to access the part itself.
This is a job for a professional mechanic, so why not book in with Fixter? We’ve got mechanics in your area ready and waiting to help swap your leaking manifold and replace the gaskets, broken bolts and fixings for you, too.
What are the symptoms of a bad exhaust manifold?
- Check engine light illuminates on the dashboard
- Noisy and far louder engine sounds than normal
- Smoke coming from under the bonnet
- Burning smells from the engine bay
Can I drive with a broken exhaust manifold?
When your engine operates with the wrong fuel/air mix, each component along the chain could suffer. A struggling and straining engine is bad news for the overall health of your vehicle, so it needs attention just as soon as possible.
How does the exhaust manifold affect performance?
As with any part of a leaking exhaust system, your engine performance can reduce by as much as 40%. Without the correct backpressure provided by your exhaust, you’ll probably notice a drop in performance. However, the principal loss of power will be down to the oxygen sensor in your exhaust manifold.
This is the first oxygen sensor in your exhaust system, and it determines how much oxygen is delivered into the fuel/air mix of your fuel injectors. Unfortunately, the inaccurate readings leading to the wrong mix will affect your engine performance, all because of those gases escaping from your leaky manifold. So not only will you lose power and acceleration, but there will also be a knock-on effect on your fuel economy.
How serious is an exhaust manifold leak?
With the effect a broken exhaust manifold has on your engine performance, it’s a big no-no to driving. Another reason is that one of the gases released at this stage of the exhaust system is the poisonous gas carbon monoxide. This is a very dangerous and damaging gas to people, and if allowed to enter the vehicle cabin through the air vents, it can cause all kinds of health problems.
If you think your manifold has developed a leak, or if there are some unlikely sounds and smells causing concern under the bonnet, why not let one of our experts take a look and identify the problem for you? We’re always ready and waiting to help.
About Fixter
Fixter is revolutionising the car maintenance industry, one repair at a time. Fixter was founded to make car maintenance as easy as booking a taxi. Digital, transparent and stress-free, with world-class customer service. Since launching in Manchester in 2017, Fixter has expanded to more than 100 towns and cities across the UK and provided thousands of car owners with honest, convenient and affordable car repair services.