[SupraLizard]

Hey guys i need an opinion if you have experience with exhaust systems please,

A buddy of mine has a 95 Acura Legend Coupe 6 speed, he recently changed the exhaust to a full straight thru... he is having a problem I hope you guys can help me figure out, the exhaust was custom built using SS upto the exhaust manifold, when first done, the shop used silicon gaskets which leaked and caused exhaust gases to come out thru the miniature space, and into the engine bay area from both manifolds (3 + 3), he went back to the shop and they apologized and installed metal gaskets. The problem was fixed for a few hours and somehow the thing loosened of something again and his exhaust is again leaking into the engine bay (much more noise and backfiring). So I am thinking it could be one of two things and i need your opionions becuase i am not sure, he cannot figure it out, and the shop is giving him a run around.....I think it can be either that the part of the exhaust that attaches to the manifold was not built right (it is a y-pipe), and perhaps there is too much stress on it exagerated by the heat/expansion. OR when they built the exhaust they DID NOT install a flex-pipe (I checked and they did NOT) and at the shop all seemed well but after 2-3 hours of driving with not flexpipe the movement of the exhaust stresses the junction between the manifolds and the custom y-pipe/downpipe and loosend the seal.

Thanks alot if you can advise me here, i need to help my brother out.

Bartel

 

[Craig King]

try doubling up exhaust gaskets to fill the space and keep it sealed. they will allow for a very small amount of flex too then

 

[SupraLizard]

Actually there is already 2 exhaust gaskets in place on both sides..... i am thinking it must be something to do with movement or heat that loosens things up, what do you think of my "flex pipe not there anymore in upgraded exhaust system, but was there on the factory exhaust system" theory

Bartel

 

[Craig King]

well, i suppose being that it's SS, it's not going to allow for any flex, so possibly the engine moving a slight bit could be causing the gaskets to fail. in that case i'd look into a flex pipe, i know theres one on my beater car, and even when i ripped an engine mount free and twisted the engine, the flex pipe still kept my exhaust from being ripped away too

i mean heat causes shit to shrink, so maybe bigger gaskets, like buy some over size ones, and trim the to fit the bolt holes, but the the extra bit to seal

 

[SupraLizard]

Thanks for all the help bro,


Well I know on the Supra, once you install a downpipe, there is not more flex pipe, that is because we have very solid engine mounts, and the exhaust is hung on rubber mounts.

Here is where is gets interesting, now that i think of it, i have never seen a honda/acura without a flexpipe, all the companies that make the headers incorporate a flex pipe. I do not know the details, but just today apparently he found out that one of his bolts on the exhaust manifold is cracked......Could it be that the new exhaust withOUT a flexpipe is the cause of all this stress and movement thus causeing the leaks and cracked manifold stud?

-Bartel

 

[JZ1]

The Supra is a longitudial mounted engine so the exhaust moves less in the mounts. A transverse engine (FWD) rocks excessively and is going to keep ruining gaskets and cracking manifolds until a flex pipe is installed. It is MANDATORY in a FWD!!

 

[SupraLizard]

JZ1,

Thanks for the advice bro, i will definately advise my buddy about how to handle this now

Bartel

 

[Craig King]

yeah, like he said