Ok IDK but having an exhaust smell at WOT in the car. I finally had some time yesterday to starting looking. Took the heat shield off the mani and saw this. Didn't feel any air coming from there but ... Let me know if you can see in the pics. the left side is clean the right side is dirty ..

 

bump

 

looks fine...usually if u have an exhaust leak from the manifold-to-head area, there will be black crap all up the head, onto the valve cover and even on the underside of ur hood. If you wanna know for sure, wait til the car completely cools down (like ur first start-up of the day), spray a small amt of soapy water in that area between the mani and head, and start up. If u see bubbles continuously forming and popping over and over, there's a leak. chances are that ur ok tho. my head above the manifold has a whole lot more black crap than u and i know for sure I don't have a leak. Hope this helps

 

Hey thanks. I will give it a shot. At WOT I get an exhaust smell inside the car. Just trying to figure out where its coming from..

 

how modded is ur car? I have that smell too but I have an o2 dump so its expected. Exhaust leaks between the downpipe and o2 housing are pretty common with our cars...depending on what manufacturer ur using. Is ur exhaust stock...o2 housing, dp, testpipe? I'm used to my car stinking like exhaust fumes so it's hard to tell if u actuallly have a problem here. A stock exhaust, or even aftermarket catted exhaust shouldn't give a strong exhaust odor. Might wanna get underneath and check ur exhaust piping from that angle...the soapy water technique will work for the whole exhaust, but once it gets too hot it doesnt work too well lol

 

I have a works DP, Works HFC, and Works cat back. So full Works system. I changed the gaskets about 2 years ago when my DP was out of the car and had a 02 bung welded in. My Mani is stock so have not touched that. Same with Turbo..

 

did u use a gasket between the dp and o2 housing? a new one or re-used the original? I ask because some downpipes use a gasket between it and the o2 and others (like buschur's) are gasket-less between the dp and o2. The re-using or failure to use that donut gasket can cause exhaust leaks. That joint between the o2 and dp is sort of a problem area. When i took of my buschur dp and o2, there was black exhaust crap all over the flanges for both...and it was most certainly put together tightly. Anyway, give the whole exhaust a good inspection. Small leaks are going to happen, but anything that produces a noticable amount of black residue should be addressed. Good luck man

 

Thanks yogsaahoth... I used all new gaskets.. I will get back under there and take another look. It did look pretty clean. When I replaced the trans I did all new gaskets for the exhaust including the donut one. Even have an extra just in case..

 

I have used sea foam in the past to find exhaust leaks. I spray some into a vacuum line on the Intake Manifold. Sea Foam burns REALLY white. You will see white smoke coming out of your muffler and anywhere else where you have an exhaust leak.

Search for "sea foam" on here and you will see what it is used for.

 

Thanks for the tip...