So I finally get my car to its first car show EVER. Had a great time. Car drove great with no issues until I pull back into my driveway. It starts puking coolant like crazy. So it was obviously overheating & the idiot light never informed the idiot. GREAT.

So today a week later I go to install a set of guages to prevent it from happening in the future and what do I see.

All the fresh paint on the passenger side of the head is BLACK. Hey wait it looks like a piece of the exhaust manifold gasket is missing..... yup it is...... oh thats nice the manifold is cracked.... WTF!!!!!

I am starting to get sick of this car.

Its one thing to have an old car and understand the issues that come up with that. I am a licensed mechanic and understand all the ups and downs but geeze can a guy catch a break to at least enjoy the car a little in between repairs.

So anyone got a manifold kickin around.

 

I think we have all been there. Just fix it a little at a time. It at least waited till you got home, that shows it's heart is in the right place. Sorry it messed up, I know that's frustrating. Good luck.

 

How successfully can cast iron exhaust manifolds be welded? I've heard mixed reviews with welding cast iron but never had it done myself.

 

What side do you need? Single or dual exhaust? The best welding for a manifold is called fusion welding where powdered iron is blown into the torch while welding. Few shops do this, it aint cheap but works great. I would only suggest this for a rare or obsolete manifold.

 

Its the passenger side manifold. The real **** of is I have a THorton replacement for the other side just not this one!!! lol

 

I dont have one but all full size Olds from 65 to 70 with a BB used that manifold as they mostly had single exhaust and used them as well for duals with the crossover outlet capped. i am sure if someone here dosent have one post an ad on ROP.

 

When I rebuilt my engine last summer, the driver side manifold was cracked at the bolt hole closest to the front of the engine.

I had taken it to a local body shop to have the manifolds sandblasted and the old fella there found the crack.

He welded it up for me and so far, so good.

 

Sorry to hear that 66, trust me I know what your talking about. I am still working on getting my Cutlass back to normal, after almost 40 years of abuse from it's PO's. But it seems like every 5 minutes something is breaking. But hey, that's why we get these things right? It's not to drive them or anything...

 

Well, you DO finally get a break. (other than the break in your cast iron.)

I have a 66 manifold. Letter R.
Make me an offer I can't refuse.

 

Thats exactly where mine broke just on the passenger side. Where are you located red? What body shop did you use?

 

Cast iron can be welded. Oldsguy and I had a number of BBO manifolds welded by a local shop in Kansas City. You just have to find someone who knows how to do it. Good luck with the repair. Keep us posted.

 

Most places said they can do it but it would likely cost more than a replacement part.

 

Bump.

 

I appreciate the offers and will get back to everyone here who has one as soon as I get a yay or nay from local suppliers.

 

That is interesting. When Oldsguy and I had those cast iron BBO manifolds welded it only cost $40 - $80. That was only a few years ago and we had quite a bit of welding done one one of the manifolds.

 

Typical old car issues. Its why people get rid of their tired daily drivers. They always need something. A common cause of radiator boilover is bad cap, dirty radiator or clogged radiator passages, malfunctioning T stat.

We all have issues with the old cars. For me it seems best to go thru all mechanicals and the problems seem to go away.

 

Found a replacement manifold 20 minutes away from my house. There is a guy in Binrook Ontario that goes by the name TheCutlassGuy. He hooked me up with a really nice manifold for a steal.

VERY nice guy to deal with. HUGE assortment of Oldsmobile parts.

 

AWSOME!