# Exhaust leak?



## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

One thing done, another thing pops up. 95 Villager, 144K. Just did the tie rod and strut. Had a sudden overheating problem. Temp gauge elevated, but didn’t go past H. I checked it out, and the heater hose I had repaired with a splice a year or so ago looked wet. I bought a new hose, and put it in this weekend. Actually was easier than I thought it would be. Hose came off the firewall with no difficulty and off the back of the engine easily as well. New hose went on; I tightened everything up, added coolant and started it up. Almost immediately billowing smoke from behind the engine. LOTS of it.

I shut the van off checked the hoses and they were fine; maybe a drop or two of wet coolant from when I changed the hose, but no leak. I re-located the clamps a bit, tightened them all up, and started the van again. Billowing smoke, almost immediately. When I revved the engine the smoke billowed a huge cloud. Sure the neighbors loved it. The temp gauge was normal.

I got out of the van, with it still idling and sat down off to the side to observe. Smoke billowing up from behind the engine, smoke curling up from under the car. Grayish white smoke. Ah ha!

No exhaust was coming from the tailpipe. Maybe a whiff, but that’s it. Man! A massive exhaust leak? Now that’s a new one. Maybe I accidently disconnected the EGR tube coming out of the back manifold, but from the looks of things I have a bad manifold gasket.

Anybody have a similar experience or any ideas on trouble shooting this. This Villager is keeping me busy. My wife just shakes her head and goes back in the house, but my five-year old son loves to help daddy fix the car.


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## SeniorSitizen (Sep 10, 2012)

Every exhaust leak I ever encountered was noisy. 

Antifreeze on a hot exhaust manifold smells different than oil on a hot manifold. 

A blown head gasket during a overheating situation isn't unheard of.


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Fairview said:


> Every exhaust leak I ever encountered was noisy.
> 
> Antifreeze on a hot exhaust manifold smells different than oil on a hot manifold.
> 
> A blown head gasket during a overheating situation isn't unheard of.


^^I was thinking head gasket or warped head.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I certainly understand the possibility of it being a blown head gasket. That occurred to me right away. What is curious about this is how large the volume of the exhaust leak is. When revving the engine it is literally billowing like a cloud. No exhaust (virtually none) was exiting the tailpipe. I have some limited experience with a blown head gasket on a friend’s car, and it was nothing as dramatic as this. His car was running rough, cloudy oil, etc. Seepage and rusty deposits around the head gasket. This is like, well, the exhaust system is disconnected from the van.

Van runs fine, idles normally, temp gauge at normal (at least now). I agree that every time I have ever experienced an exhaust leak you could clearly hear it. The exhaust might be a little throaty, but nothing unusual.

Since this is sort of an extra car now, not in day to day service, I will experiment with it. If it’s a goner, I will use it for test purposes. Take the plenum and intake manifold off to look around down there. Maybe even pull a head! If it’s going to the junk yard anyway, why not? You can get some invaluable experience on an old junker. Replace the timing belt, just to see if I can, that sort of thing. Do the work parked on the street in front of the house. It’s the Kentucky way!

When I’m done, pay $50 to haul it to pull apart and clear a $150 on it. It’ll be fun! (My wife, again, shaking her head… My son will love it though.)


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## 47_47 (Sep 11, 2007)

Bigplanz said:


> I got out of the van, with it still idling and sat down off to the side to observe. Smoke billowing up from behind the engine, smoke curling up from under the car. Grayish white smoke. Ah ha!


Sorry, I misread. The smoke is from just behind the engine? Allow to cool and hose it off well. Don't overdo the water on wires or electrical components. You may have coolant trapped (between cat heat shield and cat) and its just burning/steaming off. Does the steam have a sweet odor?


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

No, not sweet. No puddles on the ground. Lots of dingy gray smoke like exhaust gas. When i blew a heater hose last year, snow white and van overheated fast.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Did you bleed the system?


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

There is a flex pipe on the exhaust right at the back of the engine area. They are prone to breaking. Wrapped in a wire mesh too. Could be soaked with coolant.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Smoke pours out as soon as you start it? Got a video?


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## ukrkoz (Dec 31, 2010)

Coolant leak ONTO exhaust pipe? Doesn't take much of engine work to get pipe VERY hot, you know.
As of cracked exhaust manifold. I haven't mentioned one I had on my Tuarus. Had cracks so wide you could almost stick a finger in. 
Dude, why don't you just rid of that thing? Someone put jinx on it. Want to experiment, get old Civic, experiment all you want to.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

ukrkoz said:


> Coolant leak ONTO exhaust pipe? Doesn't take much of engine work to get pipe VERY hot, you know.
> As of cracked exhaust manifold. I haven't mentioned one I had on my Tuarus. Had cracks so wide you could almost stick a finger in.
> Dude, why don't you just rid of that thing? Someone put jinx on it. Want to experiment, get old Civic, experiment all you want to.


Could be a coolant leak, but he still has no exhaust coming out of the tailpipe. 

Another vote for an old Civic. I had an '86 and an '87. Swapped motor from an '87 Integra into the '87 Civic. It was a lot of fun.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

r0ckstarr said:


> Smoke pours out as soon as you start it? Got a video?


Great idea! Q: how do i post video. My access to the site is through an android LG phone. Can't upload pix from it.


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## Druidia (Oct 9, 2011)

Bigplanz said:


> Great idea! Q: how do i post video. My access to the site is through an android LG phone. Can't upload pix from it.


You can use a third party site - e.g., google drive. Upload your video there then post the video link here.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Get the youtube app. Make video, upload, and share the link. Either this or the method above would work.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Finally got a video uploaded.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=5JKUlsQXPWM&feature=em-upload_owner


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## 123pugsy (Oct 6, 2012)

Looks like steam. Does it feel "wet" on the hand?


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

+1

Any updates on this? My interest is piqued.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I got the van up on ramps, crawled under it while it was idling and aside from the exxon valdez oil leak from the rear valve cover the exhaust system seemed ok. When i turned off the engine off i could hear coolant sizzling on the exhaust manifold. That why i didn't have puddling. It was dripping on a hot manifold.

I will order a mtyvac coolant system tester from amazon so i can find the leak with engine cold.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

How are the heater core connections that go into the firewall? 

While you're in there, you should rotate the engine 45 degrees and convert it to RWD, so it's easier to work on. :yes: :whistling2:


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I figure it must be heater hose related, but all the connections seem tight. I put a brand new upper hose on but maybe its the lower one. Maye a hole somewhere. I can't see anything and i don't want to feel arond there with engine hot. Coolant tester should reveal the leak pretty quickly since its obviously pretty large.

Might use as an excuse to buy an $80 inspection camera from barbor frieght.


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## 95PGTTech (Jun 24, 2014)

Advance Auto Parts/Autozone rent the cooling system pressure tester you need for free and usually have it in stock. At $149 or so for a quality one, I usually suggest this is a rented tool. Pressurize the system to the psi rated on the cap, then find the leak.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Since this is only $45 and has excellent reviews I'm going to add it to my auto repair equipment.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B003V...200_QL40&qid=1407170665&sr=8-1#ref=mp_s_a_1_1


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

I think I may have figured out what is leaking. Apparently, there are a number of small 5/16 inch and one 5/8 inch coolant lines that connect to the IAC valve and the throttle body. They aid in heating these components to improve emissions (IAC valve) or prevent icing (throttle body). I found a diagram of the hose routing in the shop manual. They come off the main (metal) heater line before it transitions to a rubber heater hose.

All of them are on the rear of the upper intake manifold or under the throttle body so they may be difficult to get to. Not to mention they are all held on with tiny little spring clamps that I can feel but not actually see. As the leak begins when the van starts, I assume one of these line connections is leaking. I may buy some spring clamp locking pliers to help me get them off. Maybe this one, if it fits small clamps.

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/ac...mp-pliers/_/N-26on?itemIdentifier=607069_0_0_

I will check it out later this week and post a video if I find the culprit.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Update: I found my leak. Last Friday I bought a radiator pressure tester from Harbor Freight ($72 with 20% off coupon). This is a pretty sturdy kit. All the adapters are heavy plastic and the ‘push down and turn’ adapters are metal inside the plastic cap. The pump is metal and the adapters and pump have quick connect fittings. Everything comes in a sturdy plastic case with sliding plastic latches that look like they will hold up well. My adapter required quite a bit of effort to get on the radiator, but it did fit and it was air tight.

I filled up the radiator, put on the adapter and with less than four pumps I heard the leak. It was a 3/8 inch hose next to the IAC valve assembly and I could feel the pinhole leak spewing from the middle of the hose.

This leak, however, is on a hose that is inaccessible. I can put my hand on it, but I can’t get a tool on the spring clamps. I might have to end up taking the IAC valve off to get to the clamps, but even then I don’t know if I will have access. I would, as you can imagine, prefer to not have to remove the upper intake manifold to replace a four inch long, 40 cent hose. I am considering buying a pair of flexible hose clamp pliers ($35) that are supposed to allow access to inaccessible spring clamps. Does anyone have experience with these? Do they work? Anybody have any advice on getting these blankity blank little clamps off when you can’t get to them? Thanks.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

Welcome to automotive engineering in the 21 century. 

Make it expensive.


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

Those pliers do work in some places. But sometimes you have no choice but take a lot apart. I've billed out many $1000 repairs with a couple dollars in parts.


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## r0ckstarr (Jan 8, 2013)

Any chance you could loosen a motor mount (or 2) and use a jack to tilt the motor forward for more room?


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

cjm94 said:


> Those pliers do work in some places. But sometimes you have no choice but take a lot apart. I've billed out many $1000 repairs with a couple dollars in parts.


I figure pulling the upper intake manifold alone is $300 in labor. I'll diy it first. I gave $1800 for it. It's my learning platform now.


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## cjm94 (Sep 25, 2011)

The manifolds aren't to bad to do. If you remove the wiper cowling first there is a ton of room. And that comes off pretty easy.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

cjm94 said:


> The manifolds aren't to bad to do. If you remove the wiper cowling first there is a ton of room. And that comes off pretty easy.


Is the manifold on the student at two-piece or one-piece design? I'm guessing 2.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

The upper intake manifold on this van is usually called the plenum. Under it is the fuel rail and the "real" intake manifold.


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## Windows on Wash (Aug 30, 2011)

We call them upper and lowers in the tuning crowd...at least back in the day we did.


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## Bigplanz (Apr 10, 2009)

Update: i couldn't replace the hose. No access. Shop said you have to remove the upper intake manifold to get to it. I got a small hose pinch off clamp, got it around the hose and tightened. Leak gone.


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