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Subject:Re: leaking exhaust manifold
From:Stuart MacMillan
Date:Tue, 15 Feb 2000 13:59:13 -0800

Are you kidding?  These things leak more often than the heads do!  They
can leak at the joint where the crossover pipes connect to the single
pipe, but they do crack more often than Marion Barry.

If the leak is in the joint try new bolts and tighten them. If that
doesn't do it put in one or two new gaskets.  Use a big file to flatten
the faces first.

Cracks can usually be welded up pretty easily, but sometimes need to be
removed to get at the crack.  They usually crack near the heads, but
mine have cracks now in a too many places to count.  You can get
anywhere from 5000 to 25,000 miles on a weld before it cracks again.
After 200,000 miles and many welds I finally bought new pipes from a
list vendor, the only place to get them for a good price.

You really can't complain about these pipes, they get hot enough even on
short trips to burn the water out and never seem to rust.  They do get
brittle over time, but the 200,000 miles I got on my original pipes is a
record for me with any car!

Joe Lucca wrote:
>
> has anyone any experience on this topic?
>
> joe
> 1986 vanagon

--
Stuart MacMillan
Manager, Case Program
800-909-8244 ext. 8208

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