[tundraslug]

Hello friends, this is my first thread post for my first tundra (had various cars and trucks in the past).
This past summer I bought a 2007 5.7L Dbl Cab 4x4 SR5 off eBay. 165k miles, but seems to be very well maintained.
I really do love this truck.

I haven't had any issues and the truck has been running great, except the annoying exhaust manifold leak/diesel truck-sound. It is most prevalent when driving next to a wall or fence (on either side), but I can still hear it when I just drive around town with the radio off, especially when you give it a good amount of gas.
I inspected as much of the exhaust and exhaust manifold as I could but couldn't find any leak or carbon build up/deposit. There is no rust or indication of a bad gasket or cracked manifold. I've tried to do as much research as I could online and have found that there is typically a weak spot in the factory manifolds on the driver side where the weld for the air injection tube enters the exhaust manifold breaks or tube #3 leaks. Not sure if these are the same tubes/weak spots, but I think they're at the back of the engine and hard to be seem.

I would love any advice on how to proceed. I am not even sure if this is where the leak of my exhaust is, but it definitely sounds like a manifold leak (flapping/diesel sound), there is no leak or crack or rust to be seen and it seems that this is a common problem for our trucks. I would love to fix this soon and cheaply as possibly, so I can proceed ahead with other mods/maintenance with my truck. Not sure if this could be a DIY project, but I would be willing to take a stab at it if it is just bolts and tubs to replace. Anyways thanks everyone for their time and help

 

[tundraslug]

UPDATE:
Found the exact location of the exhaust leak.
I hooked up my (clean) shop vac to my exhaust with the air blowing into the tail pipe and felt around the area of where the #3 tube that recycles the exhaust fumes is connected to the back part of the manifold.

Turns out it is NOT the tube or gasket leaking. It is in fact a leaking where the mounting bracket (for tube #3 ) meets the exhaust manifold.
I took some pictures to give you guys a better idea.

You can see the tube in the third pic, the exhaust manifold and mounting bracket in 4th pic, end of tube in 1st pic and a close up of where the crack is in the 2nd pic.

I will be working on getting the manifold removed and welded in the crack this week or next.

 

[spider2k]

time for new headers! get rid of the ugly cast parts.

 

[ViktorG]

I would love any advice on how to proceed.

I have the same issue on one of my trucks.
I took a piece of all round steel strapping, put it over the studs that hold the air injection tube on and tightened it down with 2 nuts to press the pipe against the flange.
Fixed it completely for now and took less than 30 minutes.

https://www.homedepot.ca/en/home/p.all-round-strapping-steel-22ga-12-inch-x-25.1000115950.html

 

[tundraslug]

Wow thanks ViktorG, thats extremely helpful info and a way less cheaper option than removing the exhaust manifold.

So, just to reiterate, I use the All Round Strapping as a "tie-down" wrapped around the exhaust pipe and mounted onto the air injection tube bolts?
The leak is right in between the exhaust pipe and air injection tube flange/mount, so am I basically "sandwiching" those pieces together?

I made a little diagram to show you what I am imagining in my head.
Any other tips or info would be great. I will take a stab at this tomorrow.

 

[ViktorG]

Wow thanks ViktorG, thats extremely helpful info and a way less cheaper option than removing the exhaust manifold.

So, just to reiterate, I use the All Round Strapping as a "tie-down" wrapped around the exhaust pipe and mounted onto the air injection tube bolts?
The leak is right in between the exhaust pipe and air injection tube flange/mount, so am I basically "sandwiching" those pieces together?

I made a little diagram to show you what I am imagining in my head.
Any other tips or info would be great. I will take a stab at this tomorrow.

You got it man, love the diagram!
I did that fix a year ago and it is still holding.

Don't remove the nuts that are already there, just add 2 more m6x1.0 nuts on top of the strapping and crank them down until it stops leaking.

 

[tundraslug]

Roger that, thanks so much for your help.
Hopefully other owners will see this easy fix for a common problem.

I will report back on how it goes.

 

[utahcanuck]

I can confirm this worked for my 5.7L Tundra engine on the left driver's side exhaust manifold. I had to use a stronger metal a second time however. Initially, I tried using some old 28 gauge steel strapping I had in my tool box. It worked fine until the engine got hot the strap must have stretched or something and the annoying smell and exhaust ticking came back.

Second try I used a small 9 inch long 18 gauge steel strap from home depot ($.99) and cut into about a 4 inch long piece and then enlarged two of the holes for my mounting bolts and shaped it into a small U.

IT WORKED! So happy. I have my quiet truck back again. Except when I peel out a little. LOL

Thanks for the great and easy repair suggestion.

 

[tundraslug]

Awesome to hear others had success with this method of repair.
My strapping has held up thus far and the repair went somewhat smoothly.

I actually broke off part of the bolt that the strapping goes on, when I was tightening down the new nuts,
however, I just ended up removing the original nuts from the manifold and putting the strapping under there instead.

It is ashamed that there is clearly a design flaw in Toyota's exhaust manifold and still no recall.
I bet many people have ended up spending thousands on a new manifold or headers or other type of repair, just because of a tiny exhaust leak.

Hopefully more people (and Toyota) can see this....also hope my passenger side manifold doesn't start to leak either

 

[hfish]

Definitely works!!! Did the fix this weekend.

Huge thanks to Tundraslug and VictorG!!!

About a year having that annoying exhaust ticking noise. Started ever-so-slightly than eventually got louder. Been looking on the internet for a solution forever wondering if it was the driver side exhaust manifold.

Using their instructions and photos posted above, this fixed it. Like they said, "6mm nuts and piece of metal."
Took some trial and error getting the metal strap the right size and bend. (Holes lining up)
When doing this you might want to get an extra set of those tiny 6mm nuts, just in case one falls off into the dark somewhere along with the first metal strap piece that popped off. (That's just me though, ugh)

What a relief, this fix made my day.:thumbsup:

Thanks again.

- hfish

2008 SR5, Doublecab, 5.7L, 4 x 4

 

[72fordgts]

I have this same exhaust leak on my truck. How are you guys accessing the exhaust manifold studs? I took a quick look and there is hardly any room top or bottom. They sure show horn there engines in there.

 

[restosud]

I have this same exhaust leak on my truck. How are you guys accessing the exhaust manifold studs? I took a quick look and there is hardly any room top or bottom. They sure show horn there engines in there.

go through wheel well.remove the rear rubber splash shields.very easy access.

 

[72fordgts]

Thanks I will give this a try when I have a chance.

 

[tundraslug]

.....so just as utahcanuck mentioned, the old strapping seems to have stretched out a bit and no longer preventing the exhaust leak...

I was wondering, do you guys think if I wrapped a heavy duty hose clamp around the mounting bracket to "sandwich" it together, that would do the trick?
I feel like it will be more successful then the previous fix and can possible clamp down harder and last longer (probably a hell of a lot easier to install also)
.... or perhaps do a similar fix with tightening a wire or something like that?


Thanks

 

[ViktorG]

.....so just as utahcanuck mentioned, the old strapping seems to have stretched out a bit and no longer preventing the exhaust leak...

Tighten it down more?
Mine is holding for 2.5 years already with no issue.

 

[tundraslug]

I think it is the holes I made in the strapping that are stretching out, not the whole metal piece itself, so tightening it down more probably won't be the fix I need.

Going to attempt using some hose clamps I picked up.
I'll report back

 

[Big Shasta]

.....so just as utahcanuck mentioned, the old strapping seems to have stretched out a bit and no longer preventing the exhaust leak...

I was wondering, do you guys think if I wrapped a heavy duty hose clamp around the mounting bracket to "sandwich" it together, that would do the trick?
I feel like it will be more successful then the previous fix and can possible clamp down harder and last longer (probably a hell of a lot easier to install also)
.... or perhaps do a similar fix with tightening a wire or something like that?


Thanks

What about a bead of JB weld putty across the crack and then strapping to hold it tight. That would even build up the area a little more so your now stretched straps are tight again. Maybe use a little heavier material so the straps can't stretch again.

 

[tundraslug]

hello all, so I was able to get two hose clamps around the leaky bracket and tightening them down. Seems to be working great. I think I over-tightened one of the clamps, so a T-bar/T-Bolt hose clamp would have been better, BUT it is working and finally no longer hearing that terrible exhaust leak ticking.....however, I did kind of notice a similar sound on the passenger side, so I don't know if that side is now leaking a bit..

All in all, I am a happy camper and my gas milage seems to be improved as well.
Did a tire rotation while I was at it and sprayed down the all the brakes with brake cleaner, and checked my rear brakes (I've been hearing some squeaking, but pads looked good and the brake cleaner seemed to have helped with the squeaking).

 

[72fordgts]

hello all, so I was able to get two hose clamps around the leaky bracket and tightening them down. Seems to be working great. I think I over-tightened one of the clamps, so a T-bar/T-Bolt hose clamp would have been better, BUT it is working and finally no longer hearing that terrible exhaust leak ticking.....however, I did kind of notice a similar sound on the passenger side, so I don't know if that side is now leaking a bit..

All in all, I am a happy camper and my gas milage seems to be improved as well.
Did a tire rotation while I was at it and sprayed down the all the brakes with brake cleaner, and checked my rear brakes (I've been hearing some squeaking, but pads looked good and the brake cleaner seemed to have helped with the squeaking).

I don't suppose you can get some pics of this repair? Did you just use standard worm gear hose clamps? What size worked for you?

 

[tundraslug]

Didn't get any pics, but I basically just wrapped the two worm-gear hose clamps around the bracket (and over the original strapping metal piece)...so they sit next to each other and between the two bolts.
Hose size was max diameter of 2 1/4'' to minimum of 1 5/16''. I still had room on the gears of the hose clamp to make it tighter, but I didn't want to tightening it too much and break the tightening mechanism ....which I kind of did with the second clamp.

This is definitely and easier fix than dealing with the strapping and removing bolts, etc. Just get a heavy duty (t-bar/t-bolt) hose clamp and wrap that sucker around the leaky manifold bracket. Tightening it down as much as you can, and you're good to go.