Help needed with an exhaust question.

[Mike65]

I have a 2000 Ranger & today on the way home from work I noticed I have an exhaust leak when I got home I checked it & it is a gasket where the y-pipe meets the front of the cat conv that is leaking. It looks to me like the 3 bolts thread into the flange of the y-pipe but mine are so badly rusted I can not tell for sure. Can anyone help me out.

 

[J_C]

There's probably only 2 bolts and a gasket like the following between them:
http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/walker-exhaust-gasket-31311/5601037-P
I am not certain this is the right part # for your vehicle. It's listed for my '98 4L SOHC.

The bolts may not come off, try penetrating spray ahead of time and an impact wrench. I don't know if there's enough play to get them apart there and get a new gasket in or not (without disconnecting hangers or another exhaust joint, but probably), though sometimes it's not the gasket but rather the flanges broke off of the pipe(s). You'd have to figure that out, then if the pipe rusted through and broke, maybe a flange could be welded onto a new piece of pipe and a pipe expanded then slip fit over the other one, or it may be time to replace more while you're at it.

 

[Mike65]

Thanks JC, but it is the gasket at the front of the converter where it meets the y-pipe where it comes down from the exhaust manifolds. http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/...6-P?navigationPath=L1*14932|L2*14983|L3*15324

 

[Reverend Greg]

As I remember they are pressed in. And I think it is 2 in the y pipe,and one in the cat. To make it seal again you may have to air chisel them off and replace them with bolts. Unless you want to replace all of it,with new stuff. I just had some flange laser cut at my old job and replaced everything with universal parts from Summit. They have some warehouse near me so I drive down a few times a year and check what they have on the clearance shelf.
Greg

 

[Robman]

I usually just use torches if exhaust bolts and whatnot are rusted thoroughly.

 

[J_C]

As I remember they are pressed in. And I think it is 2 in the y pipe,and one in the cat.
Greg

Tightening the bolts won't press them in?

 

[Reverend Greg]

If they are too rusted to remove,how are you going to tighten them?
If they are rusted like that,you would have to cut the nuts off,run a die up on it,and replace them with new nuts and washers. That's what I tried,and I damaged the threads so bad that I had to remove the studs. That snow balled into the first exhaust system .
Greg

 

[J_C]

^ You can't just remove the studs and use new bolts and nuts?

 

[Reverend Greg]

That's what I did...though it snow balled a bit.
Twice.
Greg