Exhausting workout...

[ZEUS]

Mine is going in next week for drivers side manifold gasket replacement, and repair whatever else is leaking. I love having an auto hobby shop on base, a full service mechanic shop and they will help if you need it for 40 bucks an hour...yippeeee!!!!!!!!

40 bucks an hour would make it worth it... to them! I thought my VX had the leak you are talking about and I saw that as a really daunting repair. Are you going to try it yourself or pay them to?

[Ascinder]

That's the exact same type of cracking I had going on on my passenger side downpipe where it met the flange. I wonder if this is going to start showing up more and more. Btw I feel your pain on those flange bolts and O2 sensors, I just took mine out again the other day.

[ZEUS]

That's the exact same type of cracking I had going on on my passenger side downpipe where it met the flange. I wonder if this is going to start showing up more and more. Btw I feel your pain on those flange bolts and O2 sensors, I just took mine out again the other day.

You know, I was wondering the same thing as I was laying under there. There is so much distance between the isolator at the muffler and the manifold flange. It seems to create a lot of wiggle room. I thought about installing another isolator just behind both caty's to alleviate some of that wiggle room. I opted to hope for the best instead!

[nfpgasmask]

So were the bolts just rusted on there?

Man, I've been doing so much real mechanicing lately my head is spinning! There is SO MUCH to learn and know and I am trying to keep it all straight in my head. The Trooper should be back on the road with a 3.4 by mid December!

Bart

[ZEUS]

So were the bolts just rusted on there?

Man, I've been doing so much real mechanicing lately my head is spinning! There is SO MUCH to learn and know and I am trying to keep it all straight in my head. The Trooper should be back on the road with a 3.4 by mid December!

Bart

Exhaust bolts are always rusted on there! The O2 sensors really scared me and there are specific removal tools for them but I didn't use anything fancy. The bolts holding the downpipe to the manifold also scared me and they should be chased to remove any burrs and prevent cross-threading during reinstallation which is a probability because the pipe is in the way and you need a long extension to get to them. But the bolts on the other flanges are a lost cause, just destroy them. Spraying PB Blaster did nothing to ease removal. I found it best to grind a notch along the nut on one side and THEN try to remove it from the bolt. A cut-off tool or Dremel would save time but not provide as good a workout!

[nfpgasmask]

Exhaust bolts are always rusted on there!

I must be lucky then with the Trooper. Everything came off with no issue. The upper tranny bolts were a straight up beotch to get at but nothing stripped or was rusted on too bad.

Bart

[ZEUS]

Really!? Every time I have messed with an exhaust, things barely came apart. So Bart, where can I find the assorted pics of this overhaul you have going on?

EDIT: Oh, I found it...

[Marlin]

40 bucks an hour would make it worth it... to them! I thought my VX had the leak you are talking about and I saw that as a really daunting repair. Are you going to try it yourself or pay them to?

My plan is to start on my own, I am worried about busting a stud in the manifold if it is indeed the manifold gasket. We will see.

[ZEUS]

My plan is to start on my own, I am worried about busting a stud in the manifold if it is indeed the manifold gasket. We will see.

Yeah, I feel ya. You may have the same type of leak Beau and I had tho - I hope so as I see it as the easier repair. Good luck!