Exhaust Leak troubleshooting

[Bruce]

Does anyone have a good trick for finding a small exhaust leak? With the hood up and the engine ideling blipping the throttle makes a popping sound somewhere under the intercooler or possibly behind the engine. I have covered the exhaust to see if I could see ehaust comming out at the turbo to DP joint but couln't see anything. (It did smell of ehaust under the hood) Need to find it soon so I have time to fix it before the reunion! Thanks- Bruce

[kiwi]

Bruce..

short piece of hose and your ear....like a stethoscope...

[svobrown]

Most of the time it is at the turbo and E6. Sometimes at the head.
Stick a potato in the exhaust and see where it puffs at. Not a big one just enough to cause back pressure.

[kiwi]

Could be..........

two potatoes.....

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Re: Could be..........

Originally posted by kiwi
two potatoes.....

Two potatoes is correct for a stock 86 back through a stock 84.

[svobrown]

Next thing would be get some paper kinda long and move it around the ehaust header and turbo. you may find it by the movement of the paper.
I bet it is at the head and E6.

two potatoes.....

As long as I get a steak with them its ok.

[DRAGPAK]

Use a smoke bomb to send smoke in the system it will show were the leak is REALLY we have a machine to do this at work

[Pat_in_L.A.]

Originally posted by DRAGPAK
we have a machine to do this at work

Tell a cigarette smoker to do CPR on it!

[NavySVO]

[i]As long as I get a steak with them its ok. [/B]

Throw the steak on the IC.....it'll be like a grill.
Seriously, you may need another person to help. Throw it up on jack stands also, so your helper (or you) can climb under the car to check for leaks.

[Bruce]

Thanks for the tips! It seems that it is the E6-Turbo gasket that is going. After much searching I see there is a split in opinion on whether to take the turbo off or the whole exhaust manifold. My experiance with turbo removal is it was a Pai- In- As... My only concern with the whole exhaust manifold is the chance of two potential leaks versus one. Any chance of doing it with out taking the turbo off the DP and just moving it far enough to get the gasket off and on? Also is the gasket one peice or two? The intercooler mount that is on the exhaust ( not in use anymore) can go I assume? Thanks Bruce

[NavySVO]

If you are talking about replacing the turbo-to-exhaust manifold, you need to remove the turbo from it. Felpro Gasket and other pics to follow.

[NavySVO]

and another

[NavySVO]

yet again

[SVOeric]

That gasket is pretty tough --
Make sure the nuts are tight -- they are famous for coming loose, especially if the correct nuts weren't used when it was re-assembled last time

[svono50]

I have done this both ways and would recommend removing the manfold/turbo as a set, rather than just the turbo. Getting the rear/bottom mounting nut can be done, but you better have thick skin and double joints Don't forget to disconnect the oil drain tube from the bottom of the turbo as one of the first steps (ask me how I know). Good luck.