2020 Defender Talk about the new 2020 Land Rover Defender
Sponsored by:
Sponsored by:

Broken exhaust manifold bolts. It WILL happen to you!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 16, 2025 | 07:00 PM
  #11  
GavinC's Avatar
TReK
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 3,623
From: Kirkland WA
Default

Originally Posted by Saltek Motorsports
It is 58.5mm long. Or about 2.3 inches.
Thanks. I'll measure when I get home. Is this the length including the head of the bolt with its 16 point star socket?
 
Reply
Old Dec 16, 2025 | 07:05 PM
  #12  
Saltek Motorsports's Avatar
Thread Starter
|
Three Wheeling
Joined: Sep 2022
Posts: 57
Likes: 105
Default

Originally Posted by GavinC
Thanks. I'll measure when I get home. Is this the length including the head of the bolt with its 16 point star socket?
no problem. And no, that's the measurement of the body+threads without the head.
 
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2025 | 01:23 AM
  #13  
GavinC's Avatar
TReK
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 3,623
From: Kirkland WA
Default

Originally Posted by Saltek Motorsports
no problem. And no, that's the measurement of the body+threads without the head.
About 1/2
About 1/2" snapped off
 
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2025 | 04:51 AM
  #14  
sarek's Avatar
Rock Crawling
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 465
Likes: 841
From: Richmond, VA
Default

Great info Sal. Curious why one couldn't just run a conventional manifold bolt instead of that over engineered one. I will take a look at mine on the p300, since it likely has the same type of bolts. Keep us posted if u come up with a kit. If i find something feasible, i will let u know first.
 
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2025 | 05:26 AM
  #15  
Mike_F's Avatar
Rock Crawling
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 257
Likes: 193
Default

Originally Posted by sarek
I will take a look at mine on the p300, since it likely has the same type of bolts.
Well, this is a sobering thread. Ralf, you get at a question I was wondering about. Sal’s comment was about P400s. Will this issue affect the P300s as well? Maybe we hear about it in P400s because they are more common. But as a P300 owner I’m hoping this doesn’t happen as often to this engine.
 
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2025 | 05:36 AM
  #16  
sarek's Avatar
Rock Crawling
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 465
Likes: 841
From: Richmond, VA
Default

Originally Posted by Mike_F
Well, this is a sobering thread. Ralf, you get at a question I was wondering about. Sal’s comment was about P400s. Will this issue affect the P300s as well? Maybe we hear about it in P400s because they are more common. But as a P300 owner I’m hoping this doesn’t happen as often to this engine.
Had 130K miles and a lot of vibration being applied to the vehicle, if it's a problem it should be evident on mine. When I get into work today, I will check the parts catalog to determine if they are the same part number bolts. If that's the case, setting up a preventative maintenance schedule to replace them before they break preferably with something more robust would be a good point of valor
 
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2025 | 06:01 AM
  #17  
TeddyG's Avatar
Rock Crawling
Joined: Jan 2023
Posts: 416
Likes: 140
From: North of Toronto
Default

Correct me but P300 manifold looks completely structurally different.
Less area, volume and less forces on bolts.
 
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2025 | 08:51 PM
  #18  
Mike_F's Avatar
Rock Crawling
Joined: Apr 2022
Posts: 257
Likes: 193
Default

Originally Posted by GavinC
About 1/2
About 1/2" snapped off
What are the chances you could just buy a replacement bolt that is the same diameter but shorter? Just leave the broken bit entombed in the engine, and use a new bolt to secure the manifold? There looks like enough threaded length remaining on the broken one to give you a secure connection with a new one of the same length as the remaining thread?
 
Reply
Old Dec 17, 2025 | 11:28 PM
  #19  
GavinC's Avatar
TReK
Joined: May 2021
Posts: 2,557
Likes: 3,623
From: Kirkland WA
Default

Originally Posted by Mike_F
What are the chances you could just buy a replacement bolt that is the same diameter but shorter? Just leave the broken bit entombed in the engine, and use a new bolt to secure the manifold? There looks like enough threaded length remaining on the broken one to give you a secure connection with a new one of the same length as the remaining thread?
My suspicion is that this is the one bolt I've found. It was a bizarre freak chance that allowed me to find it dangling from the under armor. Had I not seen it, and found it I'd be none the wiser. No noises that I can hear. There is 1/2 " remaining in the block so it would be a pointless endeavor IMO. The instructions for the disassembly alone reads like a tangental side quest in a Tolkien novel. Where can you even go to get this fixed. Dealership is obviously a non-starter. A local independent may be able to do it I suppose. Willing to do it without GTFO pricing is another ball of wax.

Perhaps it's just 1 bolt out of 13 that's failed. Some vehicles putter along just fine with broken manifold bolts. I think that when we look back in another 5 years, much like other LR models, this will be an infamous and common failure the brand will be known for. Failures like these, in engines so young, is, I suppose, synonymous with the brand.
 
Reply
Old Dec 18, 2025 | 01:47 AM
  #20  
sarek's Avatar
Rock Crawling
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 465
Likes: 841
From: Richmond, VA
Default

This looks to be a p400 I6 issue. The exhaust manifold is part of the cylinder head casting on the p300. The turbo bolts on to the cylinder head with a square 4 bolt pattern. No speciality bolts.


The I6 looks to have the exhaust manifold as part of the turbo and uses those fancy bolts to attach it to the head. Procedure includes chasing the threads with a tap and 5 stages of torque specs per bolt! We will definitely be inspecting the I6 engines that come in the shop for exhaust manifold bolts broken. Thx Sal for the info. Curious if any of the bolts that were not broken had any issues being removed conventionally?

 
Reply



All times are GMT -5. The time now is 11:19 AM.