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24V leaking exhaust manifold to downpipe

Posted: Wed Feb 13, 2019 11:45 pm
by Alan8086
Hoping for some advice regarding my now leaking downpipe union - that wonderful V6 roar has turned into a buzzy rasp! Smells bad inside the car too, so need to get this sorted.

I have a habit of making a big deal of small jobs in my head, and thereby not getting round to them...

I already had my GT on my ramps to see where the leak may be coming from. I am missing one of the 3 bolts that clamps the rear of the 2 downpipes to its manifold so i assume that is the culprit.

The garage that fit the new clutch last had the exhust off, I'd never go there again. They had some trouble getting those downpipe / manifold clamps back on. I was called up around 5.30 pm after they'd been at it all day. On arrival, the exhaust was hanging down (unsupported) with the guy moaning about some unspecified 'issue' getting a good tight fit with the bolts/screws. He tigtened them with an air driver and exhaust cement.

The bolts and nuts on both downpipes look new - so maybe his issue was resloved by fitting new bolts etc? However, the bolts look too short - as if there is only just enough bolt sticking out of the manifold union to get the thickness of the screw on - particularly so on the rear manifold. When replacing the manifold bolts, can you screw them in too far, so they appear on the topside - or are you screwing them into a dead end hole, so they only go in so far?

Are manifold screws/bolts a standard size/thread?

If anyone has any general advice regarding replacing/tightening/unscrewing these bolts etc - it would be appreciated.

From under the car, the rear downpipe/manifold union looks 'way up there' and also a tight fit around other 'stuff'

Oh - are these aluminium gaskets ok or are the fiber ones better?

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/NEW-GENUINE- ... 3327153870

I'm making mountains out of molehills here i know, If i take it to a garage, they will a) turn me away because they cant be bothered and go back to fixing taxis b) Not look after my car and take more money than its worth c) Point at the 14 other cars they have waiting and, again, turn me away.(that has already happened)

Any advice? :)

Re: 24V leaking exhaust manifold to downpipe

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:22 am
by jrh
IF you have an early '94 (ish) Probe with the precat manifolds then you/they have a problem.
Because the front exhaust section and manifold gaskets are not available (easily) anymore.

Re: 24V leaking exhaust manifold to downpipe

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:22 am
by cpt black
Let,s just hope it,s not a sheared bolt or threaded due to missing,suspect
he put the bolts back wrong,i personally use the ally fibre ones

Re: 24V leaking exhaust manifold to downpipe

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 1:51 pm
by Alan8086
jrh wrote:
Thu Feb 14, 2019 8:22 am
IF you have an early '94 (ish) Probe with the precat manifolds then you/they have a problem.
Because the front exhaust section and manifold gaskets are not available (easily) anymore.
Thanks for your reply - mine is an early '96 model

Re: 24V leaking exhaust manifold to downpipe

Posted: Thu Feb 14, 2019 1:53 pm
by Alan8086
cpt black wrote:
Thu Feb 14, 2019 9:22 am
Let,s just hope it,s not a sheared bolt or threaded due to missing,suspect
he put the bolts back wrong,i personally use the ally fibre ones
Ok - I'll go for the fibre ones.

Taking the rear manifold looks like an inlet manifold off job - or is it done from beneath the car? All very tight and hidden either way :(