Can an issue with the exhaust manifold cause starter issues...

[Amha Shiferaw]

I have an '03 with ~250K, yesterday i dropped it off due to what at the time was classified as a an exhaust manifold leak, mind you the truck had just come back from service in any event it was running very rough at low rpm and idle with the dashboard trio all light up...We have been having some real rough weather and they didn't get a chance to look at it yesterday...I got a call today and now they can't start it. The battery is fine but it now seems to be a starter issue could hot gases from the leaky manifold have caused that issue and if yes are there other areas I need to check or is this unrelated and coincidence? As an fyi I had the catalytic converter failure which was replace first by an after market part but the error message persisted and was than replaced by an OEM part...

 

[Ohthetrees]

I don’t think the manifold leak could have hurt your starter.

 

[Skidoo]

What kind of service was just done on it? Don't see any way an exhaust issue would hurt your starter.

 

[Amha Shiferaw]

just regular service lube oil filter

 

[flintknapper]

I'd want to go see for myself that it wouldn't start and that the battery is fully charged.

The exhaust leak should have nothing to do with the starter. The starter is mounted in the 'Vee' of the engine (under the intake manifold) at the center and rear of the engine.

You might inquire if they are getting any 'sound' at all when they try to crank it?

Who has it...and are they reputable?

 

[Amha Shiferaw]

So just to close the loop I picked up the truck today and was I in for a surprise...Apparently the issue was a loose spark plug wire which was causing the sound and misfiring. This apparently also caused the ignition coil to go bad which had to be replaced ...and while I did not have to replace the exhaust manifold I did still have a bill for close to $1000 for this episode...what was the most strangest thing is that the truck was just in for service...in the over 10yrs I have owned this vehicle the do not ever remember an instance where the spark plug wire just gets loose causing this much havoc...wow

 

[2001LC]

Spark plug doesn't have a wire exactly. It has a coil on it, coil has wire attached which is clip in. Unless clip broken or wire housing not seated, it can't come off. Coil hold down bolt, if missing, than coil can come off plug.

Spark plugs do become loose with use/miles IMHO, in which hot escaping gases sound like exhaust leak and can damage coil.

$1K for one new coil and one new spark plug is unheard of. If they changed all 8 with OEM maybe!

Was this a corner shop or Dealer ripping you a new one.

 

[Julian Stead]

Was the spark plug OEM or Fabergé

 

[Amha Shiferaw]

So both point well taken but you be the judge as background I purchased mine in '04, it is was an '03 with only 32K on the odometer. Since then I have racked up ~250K never had any issues till last year with emissions, catalytic converter, lights coming on...that said they were able to solve that issue but you be the judge of this most recent episode...
Parts - Denso Starter - $195; plug coil /thread repair kit $34; Ignition Coil $106; Denso Iridium plug $12...Total parts $346 Replace Starter $450 and Repair Damaged threads and coil and install new plug $120...total Labor $570...$934.

It sounded reasonable to me...

 

[2001LC]

So both point well taken but you be the judge as background I purchased mine in '04, it is was an '03 with only 32K on the odometer. Since then I have racked up ~250K never had any issues till last year with emissions, catalytic converter, lights coming on...that said they were able to solve that issue but you be the judge of this most recent episode...
Parts - Denso Starter - $195; plug coil /thread repair kit $34; Ignition Coil $106; Denso Iridium plug $12...Total parts $346 Replace Starter $450 and Repair Damaged threads and coil and install new plug $120...total Labor $570...$934.

It sounded reasonable to me...

Some very reasonable for all that, cheap it fact!

Damaged threads?