correction: the BD $379 price does not include the cat...my error.

On Jul 28, 2008, at 11:39 AM, Michael Diehr wrote:

> Thanks for all the help -- after doing the RTV sandwich trick, it was
> better but I can still hear and feel leaking, and I think it's in more
> than one location.   Looking more closely reveals that pretty much all
> the exhaust gaskets everywhere are not much more than rust held
> together by bolt pressure.
>
> I notice that bus depot has a $379 special for a complete stock
> exhaust system.   I'm very temped to order that and stop messing
> around with patches & fixes.
>
> Any thoughts on the quality of the BD system?  Is the cat in that OK
> (I remember a prior thread where folks said that most aftermarket cats
> are not high quality).
>
> If I just take it to my mechanic and say "fix it" any idea what the
> retail cost of a new exhaust system would be?
>
>
>
>> 85 vanagon with exhaust leak at the junction between the two header
>> pipes and the collector pipe (part #G on this picture:  http://www.bus-boys.com/vanwasser83-91.html
>> )    I removed the parts, sanded off the remains of the gaskets,
>> installed new gaskets, bolted it back together and... it leaks just
>> as
>> bad as before.   Took it apart again --   The collector pipe (G)
>> seems
>> ok, but the ends of the header pipes are pretty rusted, and I can see
>> how it may be difficult for the gasket to seal.   Tried some high-
>> temperature metal gunk to fill in the gaps, then reassembled but
>> didn't really seem to help :(.  FYI, I put the metal side of the
>> gasket towards the collector as that seemed the most logical and
>> seemed to match the prior parts, though Bentley was not clear on that
>> topic.
>>
>> I'm tempted to take it to my local mechanic, hat in hand, and say
>> "make it work!" but I haven't entirely lost faith yet.   Is the
>> solution new header pipes?  A MIG welder? :)