Hey folks,

I replaced the exhaust manifold on my 940 Turbo three years ago with a genuine Volvo part.

Over the past couple of weeks, I started hearing that all-too-familiar engine sound: tic, tic, tic.

I thought, “How is that even possible? The manifold and gaskets (Elring) were brand new!”

Well, today when I had the car at the mechanic’s to check the prop shaft, and he goes, “Man, you’ve got a nice crack in the manifold.”

Check out the photo I took, zoom-in under the nut and enjoy:

https://postimg.cc/dLKwpqGQ

There’s no sign of discoloration or overheating on the manifold, so clearly, it’s just another case of poor-quality Volvo spare parts.

Volvo offers a 1-year warranty, and the dealer in Germany tacks on an extra year—but obviously, that doesn’t help much with a part that failed after 3 years.

The dealer is sending the photo to Volvo to see if they can offer some kind of compensation.

When I bought it, the part cost $450. Now? It’s more than $900 for the same junk.

At this point, I’m seriously considering switching to a stainless steel manifold. It seems like a safer bet, though I do have concerns about thermal expansion and long-term effects.

Anyone here have experience with stainless steel manifolds and how they hold up over time?

Welding the existing manifold is not an option, it will not last and I do not want to go back there in a few years.

As always, thank you for helping me out with another unexpected one.

Alex