Fixing exhaust leaks

morgan in ar · Jan 15, 2019

What a job! My farm truck has bad exhaust leaks. I need to replace the manifold gaskets, the manifold to pipe ring, and the gasket between the two catalytic converters. All the lower bolts rounded off, I had to unbolt the manifolds first and drop the pipes down to cut the studs. The studs on the catalytic converter flange were almost impossible to drive out after they broke off. I knew that I was putting this off for a reason.

morgan in ar · Jan 15, 2019

This picture is on the package for the catalytic converter gasket. Reckon what it means.

Hobo,NC · Jan 15, 2019

OEM gaskets are the only way to go unless you cherish doing it again... All OEM exhaust gaskets aftermarket will fail inside a year

...

gbs · Jan 15, 2019

that's a new one looks like, not do it yourself, hire a mechanic, between symbols and acronym's I stay puzzled.

johnofnewhaven · Jan 15, 2019

Well the little guy on the right has clothes on and the little guy on the left doesn't. So I would guess they are telling you not to fix it naked so you don't burn your unmentionables.

Bob · Jan 15, 2019

My old junk leaks, too.

I just let it leak.

This must be your main vehicle, or you must drive yours a LOT, to go through all that irritation!

NO reason to break the studs off at the cat flange, if you would have heated the nuts read hot and let them cool, and repeated a time or to they would have screwed off with no drama with a little lube.

The nuts on the manifold studs would have not been hard to deal with after a couple of heat treatments, either.

Gotta learn to work SMART, not blindly do everything the hard way.

Been there, done that, it SUCKS!

Jeff NWOH · Jan 15, 2019

If its a cast iron manifold on a cast iron head, I don't use manifold gaskets. If the head and manifold are flat, you shouldn't need them. I've had a few with a very small leak or two, but they eventually seal up. I think manifolds are less likely to warp without a compressable gasket in there. I changed a lot of gaskets in the past only to have them last a year or two, especially on trucks that get a workout.

Just my $.02 worth. And yes, exhaust work sucks.

scottwv · Jan 16, 2019

The studs on the converter flange are pressed in splined studs. You have to heat the flange with a torch around the stud and drive them out. Then just use regular bolts to reassemble.

Papaw8 · Jan 16, 2019

I agree with Jeff. If manifolds are flat no gaskets between manifold and head.worked in ford dealership in 70's and 80's. Many did not have gaskets there from factory.

morgan in ar · Jan 16, 2019

That's really funny!

Fixing exhaust leaks

morgan in ar

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morgan in ar

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Hobo,NC

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gbs

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Bob

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Jeff NWOH

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