Exhaust Manifold Leak

The potential for damage depends on where the leak is located. If the leak
is at the junction of the manifold to the head, then the leak should be
fixed promptly. Exhaust leaks at the manifold gasket have the potential to
damage the flange sealing surface on the aluminum cylinder head. I
witnessed this on a car owned by someone I know. He drove around with a
very distinct sounding exhaust leak for several months. By the time he got
around to replacing the manifold gasket the head had already been damaged
and a new gasket made no improvement. If, however, the leak is from the
exhaust manifold itself, then driving around with it for a little while
might not be too offensive. It would be best to closely evaluate where
exactly the leak is coming from and proceed appropriately.

Eric

 

My favorite way of finding an exhaust leak is with a shop vac. Put the hose
on the outlet side, run the vac a minute to get any extra grit out of it,
and duct tape the hose to the exhaust pipe. It lets you work on a cool
engine and produces an amazingly strong jet from even a small leak. You can
easily feel it with your fingers.

Don't forget to remove the lash-up before driving! 8^P

Mike

 

Less than that, http://www.hondaautomotiveparts.com shows that the dealer
list is around $12.50 US. Of course, the gasket for Canadian Hondas might
be different.

Eric

 

Hi Group: Hope someone here can help me with this question.

I've got a minor leak in my exhaust manifold of my 2000 civic. I'm wondering
whether I'm doing my motor any harm by not having it repaired right away. It
doesn't seem to be affecting performance in any way, but I've been told by a
mechanic that it's there and I think I can hear it.

I'm also curious about the cost of repairing it. I'm in the Toronto area of
Canada.

tia

Peter H

 

It should be a cheap fix if it's just the exhaust manifold gasket.

Exhaust manifold gaskets run around $20Cdn ish for a Cdn Tire brand. I
would assume the dealer be around $25+. Which Civic do you have DX, Si,
SiR?

Chris

 

The only difference would be in price.

 

The leak may be from a crack in the exhaust manifold. This generation
of civic has a chronic problem of having the cast iron manifold crack
right in the middle in between the 4 cylinder exhaust pipes. When you
turn on the heat in the car you will likely experience exhaust fumes
being vented into the car if this is the case.

If you take off the manifold heat shield you will likely be able to see
if you have a hairline crack.

Although the problem is relatively small, the repair costs are normally
around $1500 CAD. This includes a new exhaust manifold (around $900), 2
oxygen sensors a few gaskets and labour.

If you're lucky and can find a shop that has precision welding
equipment, and is willing to seal the crack, then you're looking at
approx $350-$500 for repairs. Just be careful not to damage the
existing O2 sensors because they are probably seized.