New exhaust gasket and manifold, still have exhaust leak.

I recently had to replace the exhaust manifold in my truck because it was cracked and when installing the new exhaust manifold and gasket the tech told me that the head was warped (I'm assuming cylinder head) and he couldn't get the new manifold to fit properly, so I still have a leak. He said that the head would have to be removed and machined (which I'm afraid will be too costly), and that if I didn't do this the new manifold would eventually crack as well. Are there any other potential problems that could arise if I don't machine the warped head and just drive with an
Experienced mechanics share their insights in answering this question :
The trouble with small exhaust leaks is that they always turn into large exhaust leaks. The hot gas leaking past the gasket will eventually burn up the gasket making the leak worse. If not corrected, it will also burn the surface of the exhaust manifold. It rarely goes so far as to burn the cylinder head, but that can happen in extreme cases. To make matters even more complicated. having an exhaust leak also allows air to enter the exhaust stream and messes with the oxygen sensor reading. Mixture too lean trouble codes will follow as the system shifts rich to try to correct. So, if you want to keep this truck, you need to get this fixed. I’m not sure I buy the line about the head being warped enough to prevent the manifold from fitting, maybe you should get a second opinion on this. You can have this done by contacting Your Mechanic. They will send a technician to your home or office to check out your exhaust leak and let you know what can be done about it.

How to Identify and Fix Common car Problems ?

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Thermal stress. As part of the engine`s exhaust system, exhaust manifolds put up with a lot of heat, literally, every time you drive. Then they cool down considerably when the car isn`t running. All this expanding and contracting can wear down the metal over time, causing it to crack and leak.
Spray penetrating oil on the exhaust manifold bolts. Underneath, spray the bolts connecting the exhaust manifold collector to the exhaust pipe flange. Let all bolts soak for 10 minutes. Using a ratchet or a wrench, slowly apply pressure to the exhaust manifold bolts.
If the exhaust manifold gasket fails, the exhaust leak can result in engine performance issues such as a decrease in power, acceleration, and even fuel efficiency. The performance decrease may be minor at first, but will worsen over time if not addressed.
What does an exhaust manifold gasket do? As mentioned, the gasket connects the manifold to the cylinder head. In turn, this allows the manifold itself to collect the waste gases and redirect them to the exhaust pipe while simultaneously pulling in new air into the vacuum that`s created by the exiting gas.
Your valve cover gasket may be leaking for a variety of reasons. It could be shrunken, cracked or rotten, or your valve cover itself may be cracked or broken or one of the valve cover bolts may just be loose, allowing a little leak. Your car may have 1 or 2 valve covers depending on its configuration.
If you think you have an exhaust leak, it`s best to get it looked at and repaired as soon as possible. If left unresolved, it will dramatically hinder the overall performance of your car. Over time, it can also lead to major damage in the engine and other important automotive systems.
CRC MANISEAL EXHAUST CEMENT Seals off leaks that can come from the exhaust system at the manifold, the manifold flange and gasket, or ends of the muffler, that are drawn into the car by its motion.
Epoxy bonds and tapes can also be used to temporarily fix exhaust leaks. However, before applying them, clean and smooth the leaking surfaces. An aluminum patch will toughen the epoxy bonds. Once you are through, wrap the area with exhaust tape.
A Coolant leaking internally from the intake manifold gasket or cylinder head gasket can end up in one of two places: mixed with the engine oil or burned with the air-fuel mixture in the exhaust.
A hole in your exhaust can allow the exhaust fumes to seep into the interior of your vehicle. This can expose you to carbon monoxide. Carbon monoxide is a gas that can causes you to feel ill. Symptoms of exposure to carbon monoxide include: nausea, vomiting, cold, and flu-like symptoms.
Over time, your exhaust system may start to leak. The leak can happen in the muffler or the exhaust pipe among other places. You can also end up with a leaking exhaust manifold, which can overheat your engine.
An exhaust leak in the manifold can cause a ticking sound much like hearing a musician`s metronome, especially when the engine is cold. Broken exhaust manifold bolts allow a cold manifold to seep gases around it versus through the exhaust system, creating that ticking sound.
The exhaust and intake manifolds have no connection. Therefore, leaks in one do not affect the other.
Sealing Intake Manifold Gaskets. There are a couple of different sealers we like to use when doing this kind of work. To hold the intake gaskets in place on the head, we like Edelbrock`s Gasgacinch, which is a simple contact adhesive. For RTV, we like the Permatex Ultra Gray or Optimum Gray.
You shouldn`t need to use sealant on the gaskets. Most exhaust manifold gaskets either come with their own sealant (like Fel-Pro`s do with the silver looking stuff), or they are metal and don`t require it either.
Conductivity – Gaskets take a lot of heat, which is why copper is the perfect material. Copper is the standard by which all other conductors are measured; therefore a copper gasket provides superior thermal conductivity, acting to stabilise head and block temperatures.
If you discover your exhaust leak to be coming from the exhaust manifold or one of the joints in your exhaust system you may be able to seal the leak simply by changing the gasket.
Manifolds and/or exhaust pipes on some vehicles can reach 1200 degrees F. It is rare to find temperatures this high in normal operation. The hottest locations tend to be those for which there is some constriction or impingement of exhaust gas.
No, duct tape is not a safe option for repairing damaged exhaust mufflers or exhaust pipes. Duct tape is made out of cotton mesh, and is covered with a type of plastic called polyethelyne, with a rubber-based adhesive underneath. When it gets hot, duct tape melts and becomes flammable.
Common signs include the engine constantly overheating, coolant leaking, engine misfires, and a decrease in power, acceleration, and fuel economy.
Coolant Leak Below the Exhaust Manifold

You may notice radiator coolant (antifreeze) leaking under your car. Where the leak is coming from can tell you a lot. If it is coming from directly below the exhaust manifold, this is a clear indicator that the head gasket is failing and needs to be replaced.

Reduced Fuel Economy and Higher Emissions

If your car`s exhaust has a leak, this will have an impact on the pressure in the exhaust system, reducing fuel economy and leading to higher emissions.

An engine runs optimally when exhaust flow is uninterrupted. An exhaust leak causes a drop in back pressure, which can lead to a decrease in power and sluggish acceleration. A loss of power can be attributed to many potential issues.
In contrast, an exhaust manifold collects the exhaust gases from multiple cylinders into a smaller number of pipes – often down to one pipe. The primary function of the intake manifold is to evenly distribute the combustion mixture (or just air in a direct injection engine) to each intake port in the cylinder head(s).

Relevant Questions and Answers :

the most relevant questions and answers related to your specific issue

New exhaust gasket and manifold, still have exhaust leak.
ANSWER : The trouble with small exhaust leaks is that they always turn into large exhaust leaks. The hot gas leaking past the gasket will eventually burn up the gasket making the leak worse. If not corrected, it will also burn the surface of the exhaust manifold. It rarely goes so far as to burn the cylinder head, but that can happen in extreme cases. To make matters even more complicated. having an exhaust leak also allows air to enter the exhaust stream and messes with the oxygen sensor reading. Mixture too lean trouble codes will follow as the system shifts rich to try to correct. So, if you want to keep this truck, you need to get this fixed. I’m not sure I buy the line about the head being warped enough to prevent the manifold from fitting, maybe you should get a second opinion on this. You can have this done by contacting Your Mechanic. They will send a technician to your home or office to check out your exhaust leak and let you know what can be done about it.

Exhaust leak coming from the rear manifold exhaust gasket and I was wondering how do you replace the rear manifold exhaust? 2006 Chrysler Town & Country
ANSWER : Hello – most likely, this is an exhaust leak between the exhaust manifold, and the cross-over pipe. Removing the cross-over pipe will be the required process to replace the leaking gasket if this is the source. i recommend a engine noise inspection performed by a mobile, professional mechanic, such as one from YourMechanic, who will come to your location, confirm this diagnosis, and give you an accurate assessment of damage and cost estimate for repairs.

Exhaust manifold leak gaskets
ANSWER : The heat generated by this engine at the higher power levels required to haul these rigs around causes much more expansion and movement of the exhaust manifold relative to the block. The manifold expands, and either cracks, or warps, and leaks around the gasket. Having the manifold machined flat, and using a gasket sealer that "moves" with expansion and contraction is one solution. There are also multi-piece aftermarket exhaust manifold solutions that alleged are also a solid solution.

In the Dodge ram 1500 4.7 engine does coolant run through the intake manifold so if that gasket is leaking I could see loss in pow
ANSWER : Hi there. Coolant circulates throughout the engine, including the intake manifold on V-8 Dodge engines, so it is conceivable that a gasket leak might be present. However, in most cases, the gasket damage (specifically head gasket issues) are the end product of the overheating condition and not the cause. If your engine is still running hot, then it is more than likely that you have an obstruction of coolant somewhere in the system – ranging from an air bubble after completing the recent radiator replacement (which is quite common if you didn’t correctly bleed the system), a failure of the heater control valve or even debris clogged in the heater core. I would recommend two things for you at this point. First, purchase a service and repair manual for your 2005 Dodge Ram, so you can review the coolant system diagram and trace the source of your overheating problem. The manual will also provide you with detailed steps on correctly bleeding the coolant system, which might resolve this issue. Second, if you’d like to have a second set of eyes help diagnose your problem, you can set up an overheating inspection by clicking this link.

Is manifold gasket replacement a diehard requirement for manifold r&r?
ANSWER : The intake manifold gasket can be reused if it is not damaged in any way. The cost of the new gasket versus removing the intake again if it leaks is something to think about. Consider if it’s worth the risk to reuse it if you had to do the job twice. The manual for your Pontiac Grand Am says you can reuse it as long as it is not damaged, but I personally would not reuse it.

If you need some assistance with this, consider YourMechanic, as a certified technician can come help you with the repairs you’re making and service your intake manifold gasket as necessary. Good luck.

We have a new battery, new alternator, new coil pk, new master fuse and the car still won’t hold power.
ANSWER : Hi there. The only thing that I could think possible is causing your problem is that something may not have been correctly installed while your son was completing this maintenance. However, if your engine was difficult to start before this service, it’s possible there are different components that are damaged that simply didn’t resolve the issue. The only way of knowing what is going on with your Trailblazer would be to have one of our mobile mechanics in your area come to your location and complete a car is hard to start inspection.

Exhaust Manifold Hot/Exhaust Leak
ANSWER : Hello. To say that they catalytic converter is good or bad is impossible without having the car here. If the manifold is heating up, and the catalytic convert has failed, you will see bigger signs of failure in the near future. If you do not feel the need to replace the cat right now, and feel you can wait, then you should. A failed cat will result in bad gas mileage, misfires, and even audible clanking noises with certain failures. Have him replace the bad gasket, which can absolutely be the cause of the smell, and proceed from there. You do want to consider what caused the gasket to fail. Being 10 years old its not unheard of for a gasket to go bad, but if the manifold is truly heating up, it will expedite that process. But trust your gut, and if you honestly think the car is running fine, then hold off on replacing the catalytic converter. Get a second opinion on it was well.

My odyssey has 220k miles and needs all new motor mounts, has a power steering pump leak, valve cover gaskets leaking badly, power
ANSWER : Hi, I will be glad to help you with this. The services that you are writing in about are all offered by YourMechanic. You can obtain a written quote, and schedule the repairs to suit your needs, by simply visiting YourMechanic’s Services Page. Once on the Services page, please click on any service that you desire, then click on "Get a Quote" and enter your vehicle information (year, make, model). So, for example, if you desire motor mount replacement, you would first click on Motor Mount Replacement from YourMechanic’s Services Page. Then, once you land on the referred page for motor mounts, just click on "Get a quote". Follow the same procedure for each desired service that you select from YourMechanic’s Services Page. If you have further questions or concerns, do not hesitate to re-contact YourMechanic as we are always here to help you.