Exhaust Troubles

"liquid_popcorn" (liquid-popcorn) 09/18/2013 at 10:48 • Filed to: parking lot mechanic, volvo

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Polestar C30 for your troubles.

So, I found out that to have a decent mechanic look over my 83 Volvo 240 (auto trans, 2.3L I4) is about $150. I would rather not spend that, so I've canceled the appointment and will figure shit out myself.

Right now, the main thing is to fix an exhaust leak somewhere. There's a fairly consistent smell of exhaust when driving the car, enough that the windows have to be down to avoid a headache.

I am thinking of just replacing the motor mounts and exhaust manifold gaskets for now, and checking the rest of the exhaust system to see what else is shot to hell.

Any advice on these cars? Any other parts I will probably need in order to fix the leak? It'd be nice for my wife not to be suffocating constantly.

Party-vi > liquid_popcorn 09/18/2013 at 10:52

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An exhaust leak at the head/manifold will sound different as opposed to somewhere else in the exhaust system. Firstly check your exhaust manifold bolts and make sure they haven't backed out and are torqued down. While checking those look for any missing bits of exhaust gasket.

I would also suggest crawling under the car (after it has cooled) and inspecting the exhaust with a light. I managed to find several big holes in my Cherokee exhaust after just crawling under and looking.

The Swedish Bandit > liquid_popcorn 09/18/2013 at 10:54

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Straight 3'' pipe, GO!

More Power!!and also some brakes. > The Swedish Bandit 09/18/2013 at 10:58

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This.

Brian Tschiegg > Party-vi 09/18/2013 at 10:58

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Top Tip I learned from Wheeler Dealers: Get some forceps or needle nose pliers and hold a piece of semi-balled up tissue paper. Run this around the places along the exhaust system you can't see and the connections and joints. If you see the paper fluttering that's where your problem is.

liquid_popcorn > Party-vi 09/18/2013 at 12:32

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Awesome, thanks for the tip! I don't really hear anything weird, but I'll be crawling around under the car tonight when my wife gets home, and I'll hopefully order parts tomorrow. I'm hoping it's just gaskets or the tailpipe...they're super cheap on IPDUSA, unlike the replacement header pipes.

liquid_popcorn > The Swedish Bandit 09/18/2013 at 12:33

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I might...after all, I don't have to do emissions anymore.

I've never done a straight pipe conversion; where do you buy parts and how hard is it to do?

The Swedish Bandit > liquid_popcorn 09/18/2013 at 12:47

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I have no idea where you can buy them in the US, but I assume that any larger universal parts store should have them.

As for the conversion itself, you're gonna have to fabricate your own mounting points under the body and also figure out a way of mounting the pipe to the exhaust manifold (which I think is like 1,5" stock(?)). You could probably get away with welding a cone type piece between the two. Or(!) if you want the ultimate B23 experience there is also header(s) you can buy for it, which should end in something closer to 3".

As you can see it ain't exactly rocket science but you're still gonna have to put a good deal of work into it.

Nibbles > liquid_popcorn 09/18/2013 at 13:06

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Manifolds (header pipes) rarely fail. They're made of thick enough cast to take a ton of abuse without cracks. If you don't hear anything noticeable coming from the engine bay, I doubt its the gaskets either.

The biggest leak-prone spots on any exhaust system are the joints/welds from manifold to downpipe, downpipe to cat, cat to intermediate pipe, intermediate to muffler and muffler to exit pipe. Barring issue from the joints/welds, the muffler itself could be porous. Generally, you won't find leaks along the pipes unless they've been hit/bent/damaged in a way that rust could attack.

Being that the smell comes into the car pretty heavily, I'd check the manifold-downpipe and downpipe-cat connections.

liquid_popcorn > Nibbles 09/18/2013 at 13:18

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Good to know. What's the best fix for a joint leak? I can't do any welding...

liquid_popcorn > The Swedish Bandit 09/18/2013 at 13:19

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Haha, okay. I may have to wait on that for a while then - there are quite a few other little things I need to replace before I start having fun. New headlights, for one. The output from the sealed beam units is pathetic.

The Swedish Bandit > liquid_popcorn 09/18/2013 at 13:25

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Get some "rally lights" then, makes a world of diffrence!

(my old 240)

Nibbles > liquid_popcorn 09/18/2013 at 13:30

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You can try exhaust putty and wrap to see if that (probably temporarily) resolves the problem. If the joints are welded, it would be best to find someone willing to put a fresh tack on there for cheap - craigslist is a good place to find mobile welders that can slop down a quick bead. If the system is bolted/clamped together, just get a new piece of pipe to replace the offender, unbolt, fit the new pipe and bolt back together (this is not that easy especially on a 30 year old car. It will probably take a hammer and two-three cans of PB Blaster to get it off. Or, it may just disintegrate in your hands. YMMV)

liquid_popcorn > Nibbles 09/18/2013 at 13:38

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Haha, awesome. Thanks for all the advice! I'll have a look at it tonight and see what I can find.

liquid_popcorn > The Swedish Bandit 09/18/2013 at 13:40

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Haha, awesome! I'm just replacing the four original units with Hella halogens for now, I think, but I may do fogs/rally lights later.

Nice car!