Well, I've got some shitty news :rolleyes:

My GF just drove down to PHX from Flagstaff to fly to sac. She said the exhaust is EXTREMELY loud, her only reference is that its like the "Z Cars at the track" meaning the 280Zs at the racetrack back in norcal (most are straight piped I6s)...

Well, she is in PHX now, and about to fly out. I am REALLY worried about her truck, and what it could do if the leak is that bad. There has been a leak from a broken bolt at the collector flange at the bottom, its been fine, makes a hair of noise, but never a big issue, I think its that that may have let go. We also just put a new head on it, so maybe its rattling lose at the header?

Should I go down to work on the Runner (in the airport parking lot :rolleyes: ) All I could do is tighten everything there.. If I don't, how likely is it that something could turn catastrophic on us? What all am I risking with practically open headers and/or loose at the head?

*insert long string of obscenities here*

Thanks
Dave

An exhaust leak is not that big of a deal; especially south of the header/manifold flange. I drove an hour on a open header before I got the pipe installed. I wouldn't sweat it until you get the truck back and can spend some time finding out what let loose.

An exhaust leak is not that big of a deal; especially south of the header/manifold flange. I drove an hour on a open header before I got the pipe installed. I wouldn't sweat it until you get the truck back and can spend some time finding out what let loose.

I should mention its a 2.5 hour drive :( from 0 feet to 7k feet. I guess I'm not terribly worried if its open behind the collector flange, but open at the head...

Open at the head is a different story. You could burn up a valve or something if it's not sealed right....
I replaced three stripped out studs and installed my header out in my townhouse assoc. parking lot. If doing a parking lot fix at a long distance I would take the following:
-New exhaust manif. gasket
-New collector gasket
-Tube of high temp RTV
-Thread locker
-Tools to unbolt and bolt the stock stuff back up
-Supplies to replace any studs if need be:
--Over sized replacement studs and bolts (search for the size; it's the common sae size that many have used including me - 3x on my '89 22RE head) I got mine at NAPA.
--Tap for above studs
--Tap driver
--Oil for cutting new threads
--Locking pliers
--Cloth or something to clean AL shavings out of the new stud holes (if req'd).

Dave, even if it is open at the head, and worse case scenario it has stripped flange bolts, just helicoil them and done. It is really pretty easy and not very time consuming. If I were you, before you make the trip out there, have her open the hood and get an idea of where the leak is coming from. She is a bright girl....she can figure that part out.

Dave, even if it is open at the head, and worse case scenario it has stripped flange bolts, just helicoil them and done. It is really pretty easy and not very time consuming. If I were you, before you make the trip out there, have her open the hood and get an idea of where the leak is coming from. She is a bright girl....she can figure that part out.

She is a very bright girl, if she had the tools she could probably do it herself. Man she turns me on :evil:

Anyway, she is in Sac now (or Vegas, waiting to go to sac) So she can't look at it :laughing:

Its a brand new head, so I'd be REALLY surprised if anything was stripped out. Although, you know aluminum! It just got a new head recently, so if I had to guess, they didn't recheck torque after warm, and its loosened up a bit at the head. I'll probably grab some collector flange gaskets, since that is where the existing leak was. The gasket from the manifold-head should be good, as its new minus 300 miles. I'm praying I can just go there and tighten stuff up. If I need more parts than what I can bring, I can stop at an auto parts store, since, its Phoenix. Now I just have to hope my 82 will make the drive, talk about insult to injury :laughing: And its too bad I lost my cell phone on memorial day!

Thanks guys, I'm going down this sunday to get er dun. (just for you KC :flipoff2: ) I'll post up with how it went. I'm on a bad luck streak, so its about time for some good luck. And thanks for the tips lowtorius!

Dave

I use a 2' piece of heater hose as a (stethescope) sort of. Hold one end to your ear and the other end searching around the flanges and stuff for leaks. One of my cheapest diagnostic tools!

I use a 2' piece of heater hose as a (stethescope) sort of. Hold one end to your ear and the other end searching around the flanges and stuff for leaks. One of my cheapest diagnostic tools!

Good call Smash! I'll give that a try.

I drove for three months with a cracked exhaust manifold... Seemed to have no problems after replacement...

Dave, you've got a pm.

I use a 2' piece of heater hose as a (stethescope) sort of. Hold one end to your ear and the other end searching around the flanges and stuff for leaks. One of my cheapest diagnostic tools!


If it sounds like a straight piped race car, I don't think a stethescope is going to be nescesary to detect the leak. ( but i also carry a mechanic's stethescope in my tool box, good tool for detecting vacuum leaks and such)

In addition to lowtorious's sugestions i would take some super penetrating oil.

I drove my CJ around with just headers for a month or two, and then hooked up flex pipe for about 8 months before i got real exhuast hooked up, drove fine popped sometimes if i would get in it and let off but never noticed any damage .

I doubt if it is the exhuast manifold because it sound's as though you have a large leak and a manifold leak is usually very small noticable more by performance than noise per say, well at least on my crappy loud cars. I would bet a hundred bucks its at the flange or right before the muffler.

Dave----When does she get back to PHX? My work sced is kinda screwy but if she wants to swing by my place at Ray/Arizona Ave then I will look at it. I may even be able to weld it up quickly if it's a crack.

Dave----When does she get back to PHX? My work sced is kinda screwy but if she wants to swing by my place at Ray/Arizona Ave then I will look at it. I may even be able to weld it up quickly if it's a crack.

Thanks for the offer! She is getting in tuesday, but I'm not sure what time. I'm supposed to be down in PHX Sunday anyhow, so I might just cut short what I'm doing to go fix her Runner.