Nasty exhaust leak on cylinder number 4

[86scotty]

I tried the search and surprisingly couldn't find an answer to this one. I'm sorting an 86 Westfalia (2.1) I recently bought and found a pretty bad exhaust leak on number 4, pictured below. Rear left cylinder for those unaware. It's leaking on the top side and I has just gotten much more noticeable. This van sat for a long time before I took ownership a couple weeks ago and I just got it to a drivable state. Anyway, I can see the that the gasket has partially desintigrated looking down from the top where it is leaking. It looks ok from the bottom in this pic but it isn't.

My question, if I can loosen some bolts (they don't look too bad), is it possible to get enough room there to push out the old gasket and slide in a new one without dropping the whole exhaust?

TIA
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86 Vanagon Westfalia 87k
1998 Ford E350 4x4 camper build
Vans flip flops

[Zeitgeist 13]

I'm not sure if this is your problem, but when I pulled my WBX for a TDI swap, I found that there were cracks in the exhaust near the head on both #1 and #3 ports. They were clean breaks that might've been there for a while. I sold that engine, but ran a weld bead over the cracks prior to selling. I suspect this might be a common occurrence with these engines now that the original exhaust bits are over thirty years old now.
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Casey--

'89 Bluestar ALH w/12mm Waldo pump, PP764 and GT2052
'01 Weekender --> full camper
y u rune klassik?

[Terry Kay]

Heat the nuts using a torch, loosen the flange, insert new gasket, tighten back up the flange.

Done.

You'll be trurly amazed at how easy the nuts back off.
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T.K.

[86scotty]

Thanks guys. Gasket on order and I'll check the welds closely, but I can definitely see that the gasket is bad so I'm hoping that's it.
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86 Vanagon Westfalia 87k
1998 Ford E350 4x4 camper build
Vans flip flops

[bluebus86]

recommend new bolts, with ample antisieze on them, but yes you should be able to slip a gasket in as you propose. and yes per other post, cracks can occur in the pipes, happened to mine.


good luck
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Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022

[Wildthings]

The metal of the elbow is probably paper thin, this will cause the elbow to crank and/or get holes in it. You can weld it up by making dozens of little tacks on it with a wire feed and then once you get enough metal laid down go back and run some beads over it. Ugly as sin but it will work for a long time.

If the mating surface of the flange is bad you can add weld metal to the face and then grind it flat.

Buying a new pipe is the solution if you don't have the equipment and skills to do the welding.

[djkeev]

The hardware holding the exhaust on to the head is aged, stuck and brittle.
Be very very VERY CAREFUL removing them for the odds of them breaking are quite high and the difficulty in removing the broken bits from the head mounted on the engine is also very high.

Dave
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Stop Dead Photo Links how to post photos

Ghia
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=392473

Vanagon
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=6315537#6315537

Beetle
https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=482968&highlight=74+super+vert

[campism]

I just discovered a leaking gasket on my #3 cylinder and tried the fix in this thread.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=672515

While that guy used the clamp on his pipe and not on the joint between the pipe flange and head, I figured I have nothing to lose with state inspection coming up. If it fails, that probably means a new exhaust system rather than just a repair, and I'd rather pospone that joy for as long as I can. I test-fitted the clamp and that reduced the exhaust leak sound, but I took it further and used some Permatex Copper RTV Silicone, as recommended in the other thread, that I worked into the joint before applying the clamp for its final installation. I seems to work, has silenced the leak for now, and I do not risk breaking off studs or bolts removing the system just to replace a gasket. That fun will have to wait. If you have not already attempted unbolting yours, this might be worth a try. Good luck!
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'87 Westy in Wolfram Grey Metallic

[Terry Kay]

And how far have you driven with the miracle silicone "fix" ?
A block or two?

There is nothing holding it in place.
It'll blow outa there pretty quick.
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T.K.

[Wildthings]

[86scotty]

[atomatom]

fixing those pipes is a game of frustration that makes buying new headers a relief.

i patched them like you are doing for a few months. one broke clean off on the way home one day. when you think about the fact that there can be flames, or certainly gases as hot as fire, shooting into your engine bay, with your rubber fuel lines, brittle plastic wires, etc, you should seriously reconsider patching headers. yes you patched the hole, but what about the other paper thing parts of the metal?

bus depot had the best price when i finally did mine. i think it was about $100 each, and i did them both. the muffler and rest of the pipes got some R&R, but those

the muffler, sure. slap another bean tin on there every month. not as much of a safety issue.
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84 Vanagon Westy, 1.9L, California raised but defected to Canada.