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Decided to try out a new technique today to track down exhaust leaks. I used a shop vac to blow air into the exhaust by sticking the hose in one pipe and plugging the rest. It actually works great and help me find that I have a pretty bad leak on both sides of where my x-pipe connects to the output side pipe from my cats. The band clamps seem to be decent ones and I pretty much have the bolts torqued as much as you can but I'm still leaking. Any thoughts on what to try... new clamps? Copper gasket? Thanks
I may be experiencing a leak at the same point and want to try your method. What do you mean by “plug the rest?” And did you just feel around for air blowing out of joint or connection?
I may be experiencing a leak at the same point and want to try your method. What do you mean by “plug the rest?” And did you just feel around for air blowing out of joint or connection?
It works great! I just took microfiber towels and stuffed them up in the other pipes to block the air. You will also want to stuff rags around the shop vac tube so air wont escape there. I did not expect a leak there, I was thinking it was leaking at the header collector. I felt air blowing with my hand when around that spot.. but also take a bottle of soapy water and spray anywhere you think it might be leaking and it will bubble if it is, it will be very obvious there is a leak. I checked all connection points including the header flanges.
Not a method I would use... I might be paranoid (OK, I am), but unless the vacuum is brand new, and even if it is... you're blowing poorly filtered air into not only the cats, but potentially into the combustion chamber.
Never mind overheating the vacuum.
Not a method I would use... I might be paranoid (OK, I am), but unless the vacuum is brand new, and even if it is... you're blowing poorly filtered air into not only the cats, but potentially into the combustion chamber.
Never mind overheating the vacuum.
I can understand that, I am paranoid also. I was on the fence about trying it but I made sure the vaccum was clean. If anything at all was blown into the cats or combustion chamber it couldn't have been much.
07-22-2018, 03:28 PM
Suggestions how to fix this exhaust leak
