Remember "The Exhaust Leak that Wouldn't DIE!"? Well it's dead! And I'm happy to say I killed it myself.
Turns out it wasn't the gasket between the header and the engine block (which had already been replaced twice), it was the gasket between the header and the collector pipe. And it wasn't just a gasket leak, it was a 1/4-inch gap because the two nuts attaching the header to the collector pipe were gone.
I probably should have figured this out when the growing exhaust leak volume suddenly spiked to what almost sounded like open headers (because it effectively was). The upside is that replacing this gasket is easier than replacing the engine block gasket. The downside is, it's not much easier.
I had to crawl under the car, which first meant lifting the car. And even then the two nuts were difficult to access. At least I didn't have to remove the old ones! Getting the old gasket out and lining up the bolts for the new was about as much fun as you're imagining. Don't know why they both fell off, but I might need to put a call into that shop that did the gasket work before (about 500 miles ago...hmmmm...)
Cost of the new gasket was $7.16, while each nut was $1.23.
But cost of not hearing that exhaust leak anymore? Priceless.
By jdub53084
on September 1, 2010
12:51 PM
It always feels nice to have something fixed, even if your knuckles don't like you afterword...
By 7driver
on September 1, 2010
04:23 PM
jdub,
Human knuckles generally heal on their own; exhaust leaks generally don't.
By cruiserhead1
on September 2, 2010
07:39 AM
Karl,
I don't see lock washers or at least some threadlock in your parts photo.
Those bolts are likely to fall out again.
By jdub53084
on September 2, 2010
11:56 AM
7driver..
The little white scars on my hands say that your medical knowledge is vast and unquestionable!
In my mind, opening a box of band-aids is in some cases, easier than opening a checkbook.
Good posts, keep the projects comin'!
By 6pakdave
on September 20, 2010
10:14 PM
No more 'flat spot' off idle now eh? Nice!. I use a short length of garden hose to listen to exhaust leaks while the eng is running. Works a treat to pin-point an exhaust leak.[ better late than never advice I guess!? ]
cheers Dave
By hveshdon
on March 17, 2011
01:44 PM
My hands always seems to look like I was in a nasty brawl whenever I get working on my car. I guess I should start using lock washers, maybe I won't have to slide under the car as much. Anyway, thanks for the post, well done!