# SOS EMERGENCY: 2004 Cherokee Burning Unidentified Substance **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [August 27, 2013, 2:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093 "2013-08-27T02:58:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/41 "2017-01-06T16:21:11Z")
Are you telling me your mechanic tried to “fix” a rusted out cast iron exhaust manifold? Seems the correct thing would be to replace it Or are you telling me the cylinder head itself was severely corroded, where the exhaust manifold bolts up? ---
**Author:** ![sautscheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@sautscheck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sautscheck)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 4:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/42 "2017-01-06T16:59:27Z")
The manifold was replaced. The problem was engine exhaust port having rusted so that the gasket couldn’t be sealed. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 8:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/43 "2017-01-06T20:21:34Z")
So in other words, the cylinder head itself was badly eroded/corroded, to such an extent that it wouldn’t even seal correctly with a new exhaust manifold . . . ? Cast iron cylinder head, or aluminum? ---
**Author:** ![sgtrock21](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/sgtrock21/32/246_2.png) [@sgtrock21](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sgtrock21)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 8:28pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/44 "2017-01-06T20:28:35Z")
We have a winner! ---
**Author:** ![sautscheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@sautscheck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sautscheck)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 8:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/45 "2017-01-06T20:51:47Z")
iron. aluminum doesn’t rust. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/46 "2017-01-06T21:05:39Z")
Not really unrepairable, the cylinder head can be replaced or resurfaced, perhaps the repair cost was too high. ![](https://global.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/original/2X/a/a2787a5f745a125568ce79f06b23648e9db499c4.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:25pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/47 "2017-01-06T21:25:34Z")
Aluminum doesn’t rust . . . but it does CORRODE I’m sure we’ve all seen aluminum components that were too corroded/eroded to reuse ---
**Author:** ![sautscheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@sautscheck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sautscheck)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 9:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/48 "2017-01-06T21:48:53Z")
the service at the dealership was execrable, so I’ve sworn off Chrysler altogether. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2017, 10:16pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/49 "2017-01-06T22:16:51Z")
I’m sure that after four years the Op’s problem has been solved… Oamadrigal, it’s better to start a new thread if you have a problem. Answers, recommendations, and solutions to someone else’s problem of four years ago could easily lead you and us astray. That can be counterproductive. In addition, when two different questioners use the same thread, the answers can get all mixed up. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 1:23am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/50 "2017-01-07T01:23:36Z")
Do you experts agree w/OP that problematic matings between exhaust manifold and cyclinder head is more common on Chrysler products than others? The reason I ask, I’ve never heard that complaint here before. From what I can tell from the comments here, the exhaust manifold/cylinder head interface is a not an infrequent cause of problems in many engines. Makes sense since the exhaust manifold gets so hot. If this was a systematic problem you’d think it would be painfully obvious on Chrysler products in hot climates. ---
**Author:** ![sautscheck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecd19e/32.png) [@sautscheck](https://community.cartalk.com/u/sautscheck)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2017, 1:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/51 "2017-01-07T13:05:23Z")
hot climate countries buy Toyota 4runners. ---
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [January 8, 2017, 1:33am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/52 "2017-01-08T01:33:03Z")
> [@sautscheck](#): > > hot climate countries buy Toyota 4runners. While most are 6 cylinder equipped the optional 4.7L in the 4Runner and in the GX470 are often found to have leaking exhaust manifolds. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2017, 2:03pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093/53 "2017-01-09T14:03:54Z")
> [@the\_same\_mountainbik](#): > > I’m sure that after four years the Op’s problem has been solved… Note that you replied to a post I made four years ago. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/sos-emergency-2004-cherokee-burning-unidentified-substance/81093.md?page=2)