how do I fix my exhaust

[yob_yeknom]

Had a little mishap wheeling and ended up screwing up my exhaust. Now it has a leak and sounds like a 4 banger. The sound got progressively worse on the long ride home, so I haven't been driving my Explorer and it's driving me nuts. I need to get it fixed!

Basically everything was bent and moved when the entire weight of the front end was put on the two cats. That ended up moving the pipe between the converter and the manifold on the passenger side. Now where the manifold and the pipe connect at the flange, there is a big leak.

I've tried (well, actually my dad did all the work, I can't use my right arm well right now) to get the pipe to go back to where it used to be. (you can see marks on the manifold side of the connection where it used to be 1/8" over) We loosened the nuts at the connection and tried to tighten the side that moved first to move it back, didn't work. We've loosened them and took a pry-bar and tried to pry it over to where it used to sit, didn't work.

Am I gonna have to drop the whole friggin front of the exhaust to fix it? (good old Ford welded both sides together so it all has to come out as one!!)

Any help is appreciated!

Yes, I've thought of duct tape. I'm afraid it will catch fire.

 

[DeagleDave]

tried welding?

 

[yob_yeknom]

I wouldn't want to weld the connection together, then I'd never be able to get it apart if I had to replace something down the road. Plus, I don't think you can weld the manifold, aren't they cast iron?

 

[yob_yeknom]

bump

Here's a picture for an idea. It's the connection that the red arrow points to. It connects to the manifold on the passenger side. If you pull back that flimsy stuff in the fender well, you can see it.

 

[Muskrat]

Time to locate a new maniflod, check scrapyards, plus, if the break is small, you may be able to have it brazed, but I'm not sure.

 

[yob_yeknom]

I cannot actually see a break or anything. I can just hear that it is coming from that connection and see black soot around one side of the connection.

Just to look at, it all seems fine.

Anybody know what the inside of that connection looks like and why it might leak? I hope it's not broken inside there.

 

[Alec]

you can always try a new gasket.

 

[410Fortune]

There is this stuff you can uses, exhaust putty, not the crappy cement colored stuff, this stuff is actually a clay epoxy, you blend the two clays together to start the chemical reaction, roll it into a snake, place it in there, and then tighten it all back up. Let it dry overnight before starting the truck.

Also red silicoln works well, bu you will end up replacing it oncea year or so....trust me.....

the epoxy stuff works great! mine has been in there for a few months and the leak has been "minimized" Jba headers use a ball and socket type connection, and it sucks!!! my pass side has always leaked.......

 

[yob_yeknom]

Originally posted by Alec
you can always try a new gasket.

I was unaware they used gaskets in those type of connections. I hope to find out that they do.

I've decided to make the best of this. I've been putting off fixing the irritating squealing noise in my tranny for quite some time now. If I've got to take almost the entire exhaust out to fix it anyways, why not just take the rest out and make it easy to get to the tranny? (I might have to anyways with the way everything is bent up now.)

Hopefully I won't find any bad news inside the connection after I take it loose.