Exhaust leak

**Brad'sBB** · 03-18-2019, 04:27 PM

Well the 04 has developed an exhaust leak. From looking and listening, it appears to be either at the down tube connection where it bolts onto the turbo, or possibly a hole in the tube. My questions are:
How hard is it to remove from the turbo? What is the best approach angle top or bottom? Is the gasket the 3 bolt/stud one? And lastly is this a fairly common issue or did it happen because of milage and rough roads?

Did a bit of a search and didn't find much on the removal. Any tips or information would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks Brad

**AKAMick** · 03-18-2019, 04:42 PM

My 04 lost one the nuts off the exhaust clamp that attached it to the turbo housing, did not have a leak just noticed it doing a inspection while changing the oil, bolt was still there but the clamp was loose, was able to fit a new nut and tighten the thing back up from underneath after finishing the oil change, maybe?

**vtl** · 03-18-2019, 09:14 PM

I can bet this is exhaust manifold gaskets leaking. Just did 2 engines, they all had the same loose nuts near 1st and 5th cylinder plus cracks in gasket of 4th cylinder. You can actually see where the exhaust gases escaped through the chunked gasket.

I would say, this is a very involved job, since you have to drain cylinder block, remove angle gear, unbolt downpipe, remove turbo and finally manifold. 3 bolts of turbo to downpipe will be frozen, you have to shear or grind off the bolts and prey they don't break in the turbo. Not sure about 04, you may have studs and nuts. 05 has bolts.

A hole in the flex section or even destroyed weld seam are not unlikely, however count on loose manifold studs and broken 4th cylinder gasket.

**juanpen** · 03-19-2019, 04:56 AM

Same happened to me, with 250k km, it is convenient to review the bolts tightening (I did not), manifold looses, gasket burns and the manifold bend at the ends (cylinder 1&5). Then it has to be skimmed, and it´s stainless steel, not everyone can do it. Bolts, studs and nuts of manifold/turbo/downpipe went out amazingly well (tons of penetrant oil spray from days before) ,worst was to take out the bevel gear...

I noticed it because of the increase in engine noise.

A large part of the exhaust manifolds seen in the scrapyards have signs of gasket failures in cylinder 5 or 1.

**vtl** · 03-19-2019, 05:36 AM

I don't think the manifold warps, at least not that bad. It's rather threads in aluminium cylinder block that deforms outwards, since the manifold has only one stud/nut at the both ends, so it gets all the tension. Same thing happens to gaskets in a B5244S (natural aspiration) engine, which has much more rigid exhaust manifold.

**juanpen** · 03-19-2019, 05:56 AM

Yes, I would never have imagined, but mine had to be rectified, at the end of cylinder 5, three years ago, then I realized it was stainless steel.

**Brad'sBB** · 03-19-2019, 06:33 PM

Wife took the car the other day to the muffler shop. Guy there, figured 2 hours of labor to fix. This was after having it up on the lift. That seems to be less work then what would be required if the manifold was leaking. Hope he was correct in his assessment. Is the clamp at the turbo housing buried beneath the foil insulation? I didn't see it the other day. I will look again tomorrow. Weather is better, so hopefully will be able to spend more time under the car. Pressure washed the underside today, should be easier to see.
May have to talk to the guy at the shop and see if he can show me where it's leaking and what was involved to repair. Living off grid with no garage, makes it difficult to work on some issues.
Thanks all
Brad

**Brad'sBB** · 03-19-2019, 06:38 PM

Wife took the car the other day to the muffler shop. Guy there, figured 2 hours of labor to fix. This was after having it up on the lift. That seems to be less work then what would be required if the manifold was leaking. Hope he was correct in his assessment. Is the clamp at the turbo housing buried beneath the foil insulation? I didn't see it the other day. I will look again tomorrow. Weather is better, so hopefully will be able to spend more time under the car. Pressure washed the underside today, should be easier to see.
May have to talk to the guy at the shop and see if he can show me where it's leaking and what was involved to repair. Living off grid with no garage, makes it difficult to work on some issues.
Thanks all
Brad