So what could I have done to the truck because of a bad exhaust?

[Zack1978]

Hey everyone,
As noted below in another thread, I think the head gasket is bad on my 79 4x4 p/u. However a while ago, the exhaust broke at the muffler, so it is just the pipe off the manifold. I have not driven it that much with the broken exhaust but a decent amount. So could I have f'd something up in the head because of the broken exhaust? I never knew that a bad exhaust could hurt an engine. I hope in fact that it is just the head gasket. Any ideas?

Thank you,
Zack

 

[Zack1978]

Here is the link to the other thread:


https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=75249

Zack

 

[cabron]

I've heard it can burn valves, I've never seen it though

 

[KLF]

I've heard it can burn valves, I've never seen it though

Only if you ran the engine with no exhaust at all, as in not even the exhaust manifold.

 

[KliersLC]

Only if you ran the engine with no exhaust at all, as in not even the exhaust manifold.

Depends on your outside temps, with a short pipe in a cold environment, you can still burn valves.
Dan

 

[TheGr8Doughboy]

Depends on your outside temps, with a short pipe in a cold environment, you can still burn valves.
Dan

How cold? Below freezing? Well below freezing?

(whats a 60 series guy doing over here anyway....)

Thanks
Chris

 

[KliersLC]

How cold? Below freezing? Well below freezing?

(whats a 60 series guy doing over here anyway....)

Thanks
Chris

Dunno for sure, but the problem comes from cooling down too quickly from operating temp to cold. The quick temp change causes the metal to warp, lose its hardness, or something like that, resulting in a valve that won't seal. It seems that any outside temp will accelerate the process, but the colder it is, the faster the change occurs, It also depends on air flow. If it is windy out, the valves will cool down a lot faster than if you park it in a non heated garage.

That being said, if yer above freezing, you are probably fine for several months, maybe years, but if you are turning your warmed up truck OFF a lot when it is below freezing, you may want to put at least 5 feet of solid pipe off the manifold.
Just MHO
Good luck,
Dan

What IS a 60 guy doing here??????/