quick exhaust question

[welske]

Hey all - seem to have an exhaust leak on the factory five (naked) steel side pipe on the driver side. It's right up where the four tubes merge into one on the bottom.

Not too long story: I had some bad lifters, took apart the engine and fixed them, put things back together and the hole in the side pipe makes a pretty rattly sound, which for me after rebuilding the top end of my engine, is very unnerving. I don't want to live with it.

I was planning to take the pipes to get them ceramic coated this winter (want to spend my first summer with a finally complete car). Besides taking my medicin and getting the pipe to a metal shop, anyone have an idea on what I can do short term so I can drive this pooch?

[Dave M]

If you can see where the leak is the best fix would be to pop it off and get it welded. Any quick short term fix/patch would probably make a permanent fix more difficult and costly later on.

[Railroad]

Some muffler shops have pretty sharp guys, knowing how to fix leaks.

[Avalanche325]

For welding, I would go to a place that does things like custom turbo setups. I have seen some horrifying muffler shop welding.

[welske]

thanks gents - I'll take my medicine then and get it welded.

Dumb story, but I'll put it here incase someone else is dumb too.

In a effort to fix the rattling exhaust lead I had already taken the pipe off already because I found the fit between the j-pipe and the side pipe was not very tightly coupled no matter how tight I tried to get it. When I took it apart I could see exactly where the exhaust was blowing past the gasket, so I figured I had the culprit. I followed a little little advice from the forum(s) and bought some grade 8 bolts and brass nuts, and even put a thin layer of copper RTV in with the gasket was able to fix that leak. But the rattle remained - so I figured maybe the aforementioned hole in the side pipe was making that crazy rattle.

Then I happened to cold start the car, get out and listen (again) for the leak as the sound would get worse as the engine heated up. I just happened to be looking right at the exhaust O2 sensor bolt / plug when the noise started coinciding with the plug rotating the tiniest amount on it's own... loose. After looking for an exhaust leak for about two weeks, I can not believe it never occurred to me to tighten that plug down.

Of course - after tightening, the rattle went away things seems ship shape.

[StangRacer]

Glad you found it... simple fixes are the best!!!

Rattles drive me crazy!!!