Exhaust manifold driver side

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:14 am

After my rebuild was fine but after a few weeks developed a tick leak. I figured blew out the fel pro gasket so I ordered some copper ones mr gaskets. Leak still there. I took manifold off and sanded it down flat and re installed it and added the lock washers plus the original ones doubled up.. Leak still there. Might be coming from the flange. I tightened it down and helped quiet some but tick still there.

Auto parts old guy says if flange leaks then needs a replacement.

I don't want to go headers.

Is there a fix?

Would be better to use a used OEM manifold replacement? Or go new? I have one on my parts jeep but can't recall if it was quiet or not and not sure the success rate on that. And the gamble worth the time to remove it.

Dorman, Crown, or any others a better replacement?

shimniok · Post by **shimniok** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 9:28 am

Well... I am in the same boat. One tip I saw on here was to stick a rock in the tailpipe to restrict flow and then the location of the leak should be obvious. I did that and I was sure it was the y-pipe connection.

I am in the middle of replacing the manifold studs with the hopes of being able to tighten down the y-pipe enough to seal it up.

I had the leak with a brand new y-pipe and also the old that didn't leak before I took it off to do a new cat back.

I hope to finish this latest attempt by end of the week. Will post up how it went.

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FSJ Guy · Post by **FSJ Guy** » Tue Jul 04, 2017 8:59 pm

Remflex has gaskets that work, IMHO. Re-tighten maybe once and you're good to go. They are brittle if bent, but otherwise are super strong. It helps to have a helper install them because they can break easily if bent.

Michael, I still have that factory y pipe with O2 sensor if you need it.

candymancan · Post by **candymancan** » Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:05 am

Get a new manifold.. most likely yours is warped from time.. They arent that expensive. Youre also suppose to retighten a few times as gaskets crush

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Fri Jul 07, 2017 6:34 pm

So I got new new dorman manifold today but got to looking.

All seems good but they sent 2 manifold to head gaskets, and 2 flange nuts with washers, and a flange gasket.

Mine didn't have a flange gasket and washers for the flange nuts.

Do I install it all with all gaskets and washers anyways? How's it supposed to go?

REDONE · Post by **REDONE** » Fri Jul 07, 2017 6:45 pm

No, the manifold-to-head gaskets only come in pairs and they're super cheap so they just send you the 2pack.

You WILL need to grind the bottom of the center two inlet ports, they are cast wrong and will keep the flanges from sitting flat against the head until you grind them.

Also, you'll probably need longer bolts. Again, the casting is just different than original. The dorman manifolds on both sides of my engine did seal up just fine. Getting them too fit first took a little work.

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Fri Jul 07, 2017 7:06 pm

It's brand new and I have to grind down the center of the two inlet ports what?

They don't make it to fit? The instructions say to check your head for warpness but not the new manifold.

And you say my original bolts won't work either? I replaced the hollow ones when I broke my old ones but the other ones were in good shape. I got some nice looking lock washers with my mr gasket copper gasket kit. Would those washers Increse my length enough?

REDONE · Post by **REDONE** » Fri Jul 07, 2017 7:51 pm

Chinese manufacturing. You take what you can get.

candymancan · Post by **candymancan** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 3:00 am

Well that blows..

FSJ Guy · Post by **FSJ Guy** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:26 am

What do you want when the market demands the cheapest bid? LOL!!

Someone probably wanted to knock off early and figured, "Eh, that's close enough".

REDONE · Post by **REDONE** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:28 am

Even then, we're kind of a niche market, so I'm just glad they're available at all. On the plus side, the issue that causes the problem is that there's just a lot more material which can also be seen as a good thing. I'll get on my real computer in a minute and add a picture of the grinding solution.

REDONE · Post by **REDONE** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 9:53 am

Here you go. You can see in the pic where the head bolt under the center manifold ports kept leaving a divot when I'd try to install it until I ground away enough material. All the dorman/crown/ chinese exhaust manifolds see to have this same issue if you search on the internet.

You can also see that the bolt bosses are just thicker than the stock ones, somewhere between 1/4 and 7/16ths of an inch, which is what requires longer bolts.

candymancan · Post by **candymancan** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 1:34 pm

Oh thays not that bad.. Its s5ill better then a 30-40 year old warped manifold

shimniok · Post by **shimniok** » Sat Jul 08, 2017 3:56 pm

I did the manifold R&R with new gasket and new studs. Used the air impact to tighten the heck out of the y-pipe to manifold nuts. I *think* the only leak noise left might be from the passenger side now. Maybe I can tighten that away too.

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ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 7:04 am

REDONE wrote:No, the manifold-to-head gaskets only come in pairs and they're super cheap so they just send you the 2pack.

You WILL need to grind the bottom of the center two inlet ports, they are cast wrong and will keep the flanges from sitting flat against the head until you grind them.

Also, you'll probably need longer bolts. Again, the casting is just different than original. The dorman manifolds on both sides of my engine did seal up just fine. Getting them too fit first took a little work.

Dang it! Wish I had understand this correctly. I installed it before you sent the pic. Thought you meant to grind the bottom of the mating surface on the port where it seats to the head...

Very well then, round 2 it is....

How much to grind off? I don't have a grinder. Hope Dremel don't take all day.

babywag · Post by **babywag** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:31 am

REDONE wrote:No, the manifold-to-head gaskets only come in pairs and they're super cheap so they just send you the 2pack.

You WILL need to grind the bottom of the center two inlet ports, they are cast wrong and will keep the flanges from sitting flat against the head until you grind them.

Also, you'll probably need longer bolts. Again, the casting is just different than original. The dorman manifolds on both sides of my engine did seal up just fine. Getting them too fit first took a little work.

Are you sure the later model manifold needs grinding? Early manifold is different.

Shagwagon, you should be able to tell if it hits/rubs/etc. take a business card and check.
If can't get card in between then yeah take it back apart. If you can then it's fine.

ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:42 am

Well I'm getting it down to 15 minutes or so to uninstall my DS exhaust manifold

seems this leaks

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ShagWagon · Post by **ShagWagon** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 8:57 am

babywag wrote:
REDONE wrote:No, the manifold-to-head gaskets only come in pairs and they're super cheap so they just send you the 2pack.

You WILL need to grind the bottom of the center two inlet ports, they are cast wrong and will keep the flanges from sitting flat against the head until you grind them.

Also, you'll probably need longer bolts. Again, the casting is just different than original. The dorman manifolds on both sides of my engine did seal up just fine. Getting them too fit first took a little work.
Are you sure the later model manifold needs grinding? Early manifold is different.

Shagwagon, you should be able to tell if it hits/rubs/etc. take a business card and check.
If can't get card in between then yeah take it back apart. If you can then it's fine.

I already got it off already lol.

I'm going to take both manifolds down to auto parts so they can measure the difference and have them get me some longer bolts, and maybe some new washers for the coupler.

I feel leak at the coupler but can't quite tell if it's the flange or the manifold. Or both. I feel air leak between so hard to tell. And possibly the center.

I'll do the card trick next time it's on. Probably in a few hours.

tgreese · Post by **tgreese** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 10:00 am

I have used this product https://www.amazon.com/Permatex-80335-M ... ipe+sealer on muffler joints with good success (badly eroded VW downpipe to cat).

candymancan · Post by **candymancan** » Sun Jul 09, 2017 12:38 pm

My manif9ld habe leaks on em well one does on yop. And ive used that stuff he linked above and it stopped my leak.

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