exhaust leaks?

[winkle]

Do you guys have any tricks on locating exhaust leaks? I have a bad leak on my 2f and i thought it was my header gasket so I replaced the gasket but it still has the leak. there is a area on the header where i can see someone has welded so my suspicion is that it is behind there. Is there any way to quit the leak for the weekend so I can go play while I wait for the new header?

 

[vtcruiser60]

Exhaust leaks will usually be at areas where metal mates. You will want to examine collector areas, flanges, etc. Look for white residue or blow by. Also have you tried a piece of hose held up to your ear? you can walk the hose around the engine waiting for pronounced changes in hissing gas sounds. I know it sounds silly, but it works well.

Last, and I hate to say this...but if your header manifold is warped you could still be leaking from the head area. If you won't want to have the header flange planed, sometimes folks use two intake/manifold gaskets to make up small differences in warpage. Also, are you sure you tightened everything down? Exhaust/intake manifold bolts must be retightened after reinstallation...I think at 250 miles, and again at 500 miles.

 

[NocalFJ60]

A can of seafoam and follow the directions will show you an exhaust leak. Just pull a intake vacuum line off and let it drink a little.

 

[winkle]

I just put the new gasket on and when I pulled the old one I couldnt see any tell tale signs that it was leaking either. The fact that the header has some booger welds on it makes me think it is probably the header tube having a hole in it. I will pick up some sea foam today. Thanks

 

[vtcruiser60]

Seafoam is cheap....as are new headers. Give some thought to the extra cost of new gaskets and time...might be prudent just to pick up a new set.

 

[Pete]

I just put the new gasket on and when I pulled the old one I couldnt see any tell tale signs that it was leaking either. The fact that the header has some booger welds on it makes me think it is probably the header tube having a hole in it. I will pick up some sea foam today. Thanks

I don't know about sea foam but I do know that hose-as-stethoscope works and is probably cheaper too. Use a piece of heater hose about 2 feet long which shouldn't cost you more than a couple of bucks if you don't have any old scraps laying around and have to buy some. One end to your ear, the other used to probe around any joints or other suspicious areas in the exhaust system, engine running of course. Be careful not to burn yourself or get caught in the fan. You'll know it when you find the leak!

 

[NocalFJ60]

I have not used seafoam to find an exhaust leak but it should work. Just don't do it in the garage cause it makes a lot of smoke out the tailpipe. Pull it out in the driveway at least.

 

[winkle]

I tried the old heater hose trick and found out that the headers are warped. I doubled up on the gaskets and used the orange high temp RTV so hopefully that will hold until i can get a new header.