manifold-to-downpipe leak

[Archangel]

On my 4x4 on the passenger side I got an exhaust leak between the manifold and the downpipe, I tried moving the pipe a bit but it would still not seal quite right. Any suggestions on sealing the damn thing without pulling the pipe and re-bending it? Like, will one of those paste-like exhaust repair kits and wraps help? I don't plan on disconnecting the pipe from the manifold any time soon, I got the exhaust routed like I wanted it to, so I can "cement" it with that kit and be done with it... So yeah, ideas?

[Lincolnmania]

is there heat riser in there? it may be leaking there if it has one....have seen em leak at the shaft.....remove the flap and press some bushings in the holes....or it could be that the flanges on the pipe are rusted and bent.....if that is the case, the flange bottoms out on the stud......cheap fix is to get a universal split flange..... it's several layers of metal with fingers that slip together manifold studs and pressure hold it together, they work rather well

[Archangel]

Nah Scott, it ain't any of that, new pipe and no flapper valve, tis just the pipe ain't meeting the manifold at the correct angle and somehow opens a tiny gap in the front. i do like your idea with the metal fingers though, I'm gonna make a tiny sheetmetal strip and slip it between the downpipe and the manifold and hopefully that will seal the gap well enough...

[Lincolnmania]

brute force mang.....if that dont work get the hotwrench out.......i've had that issue with new y pipes on trucks.....they just arent made right.......pry the pipe where you want the flange to sit and crank it down evenly.......sometimes you may have to heat the flange to get it to seat correctly

[Archangel]

Well I tried the metal strip trick, almost worked - fit okay, but when I started tightening the flange the damn thing fell down in the pipe - guess it wasn't as perfect as I though it was. Brote force can't work in that case, I tried it and all I ended up doing was move the engine a bit in the motor mounts (cause they're rubber and I was using a good 5ft prybar). I could get it to seal if I yank the muffler out, but then I can't put the muffler back on (tried the 5-footer there too). Looks like I'm just gonna cement it in place, and use the heat wrap BS on top of the cement, that should hold it pretty decent as when the cement thing dries it will wedge itself in the pipe... Will try it tonight,, hopefully it works, if it don't there's always the welder

[gadget73]

Could try removing the muffler, getting the downpipe where you need it, then jacking the pipe back into place so it will hook up to the muffler. apply heat at a suitable bend in the pipe and it should take care of the problem. Probably will need a fair amount of heat to do this, an oxy-aceteline rig for instance.

[Archangel]

No garage for that stuff Thain, an no easy access to an acetylene torch. When I was doing the Lincoln exhaust and the downpipe bends wouldn't quite line up with the manifolds I just shoved the downpipe's short end under the forklift and yanked on the other end with a cheater pipe till I got it where I wanted it, no can do no more tho. Besides I tightened the shit out of that muffler clamp, so I ain't sure if I can even pull the damn pipe outta it...

[Archangel]

Leaks sealed! They sell that paste at the parts store, tis sime polymer or whatever that's meant for sealing mufflers to pipes, it worked real well - no more leaks, at all, and it was less that $3 too! Pics to come some time soon.

[Archangel]

Pics, not pretty, but cheap and works well: