H Steve Dolan writes:
>
>On Tue, 30 Apr 1996, bill (w.r.) crick wrote:
>> Also anyone know why the 'manifolds' cracked? The mechanic said that he had
>> never seen this before.
>
>Ideally, the heat exchangers are hung from the engine block by metal
>braces.  Over time these have a tendency to come loose or break off,
>after which the whole exhaust system is hanging from the manifold.  Then
>you back into a curb which flexes the exhaust system on the manifolds and
>breaks them in half at worst or at least sets you up for new manifold
>gaskets ('76-78).
>

Ahhhh... I wondered why my 78's heat exchangers seemed to be bolted
only to the exhaust pipes and nothing else!  I thought it a strange
engineering decision indeed.  What are my low-cost options (i.e. short
of replacing heat exchangers) to remedy this?  Is it good enough to
have a well-attached muffler bolted on the backside of the heat
exchangers?

-Rodney