Ive posted before about an exhaust leak, I thought it was from my header but it I believe its coming from the flange where the header meats the mid-pipe. Ive used the search and Im almost positive that i have some sort of leak, but i want to make sure. When its idling it sound like flapping, the way the only way i can describe it; is it sounds as if i took my hand and covered my tailpipe with my hand and there is exhaust going through my fingers. The only weird think it under WOT it kinda makes a dull tapping sort of noise its not really metallic though. I know its not ticking b/c i retarded the timing and it still does it. Has anyone else had this problem and whats the cheapest way to fix it. Id like to do it myself, but there is hardly any room and i was wondering if i should just take it to a shop? and if anyone knows how expensive it would. I just want to do this on the cheap b/c im in college and money is just getting tighter.

 

I think the driver's side doesn't have a gasket connecting the manifold to the midpipe but the passenger side does. Someone on here a couple days ago said they got the gasket for like 10 dollars at the ford dealership.

 

yea ive found a gasket but they all say that they are for the passenger side, but i didnt know if i could use it on the drivers side and if it would be hard to do myself?

 

Have you tried to get under there and just tighten the bolts? Or look to see if one of them has broken off or something?

 

There's no gasket on the driver's side, just need to tighten the bolts.It's a pain but you have to get it from under the car with a bunch of extensions.

 

Yeah there's not gasket on the driver's side I think. It's just that ball/socket type of connection. I would just tighten the bolts on that side if that's where the leak is coming from.

 

It's not as hard to tighten the driver's side as it looks. Just get a 12" extension, I think the nut will either be a deep well 14, 15, or sometimes 9/16's socket, or if need be you can use a wrench although not recommended. Sometimes you'll need a wrench on the top of the bolt. Jack it up, throw a jack stand under there, should only take 5 minutes worse case senerio. I just had the same thing happen to me and come to find out a nut fell off the bolt for the flange way totally. So I just replace the bolts. Took longer to jack it up honestly.

 

Yea im gona get under there sometime this week the bolts are so rusted though, im thinking about just getting new ones while im doing it. I also want to put some sort of sealant on the joint but i need something that isn't silicone, Ive heard of some people useing JBweld, but i didnt know if that would hold up to the heat of if it would smell bad like silicone would.

 

Don't put anything like JBweld on there. One thing I thought about doing but didn't try yet was just putting some locktite on the bolts, but I'm expiermenting with grade 8 lock washers right now. So far(a week) still holding strong. The header pipe is beveled and the x pipe is flared, no need for anything else but tight bolts. You may regret putting anything that bonds on there later. But it's up to you it's just my opinion.