I still cant figure out if I have an exhaust leak or not. When I fire the car up in the morning the exhaust sounds a bit tingy. When the exhaust was first put on the mechanic put his hands around the header to DP connection and DP to catback connection. He said he felt no puffs of air, he then took out his lighter and moved it all around the connections saying if there was a leak the flame would go out or something along those lines. The flame never went out. I pop the hood to listen to the back of the motor for a leak at the head but I cant hear anything by my injectors which tick and sound like an exhaust leak . The mechanic that checked for leaks said that all the noise was comming from the flex pipe. Now the tingyness is not really that loud, I am just trying to figure out if it is normal. Also, it does tone down quite a bit when the car has been driven for a bit.

Does anyone have any easy ways to find out if there is a leak somewhere in the exhaust? I have done everything I know how to do up untill this point.

 

Take a rag soaked in water start the car and put the rag over the tail pipe and have someone go find where the exhaust is leaking from. This is the simplest way there is.

 

stick ur head under the car and have someone lightly tap the gas..or get a spray bottle with soap water in it and spray it everywhere and look for air bubbles

 

take a rag and stick it in the tailpipe. if it comes shooting out, that's a good sign. if it doesn't shoot out, you have a bad leak. if it does shoot out, you still can have a leak, but it's probably not that bad. you can always start the car, hold a rag in the tailpipe and either you or a friend feel around the connections. header/dp get hot as ***** in just a few seconds, so you want to be quick about it.

sounds ghetto, but it will work.

woops, jack bet me to it!

 

Just run open head....not header, yes head....that way, you don't have to worry about exhaust leaks LOL (you might have to worry about the head warping though.....)

 

Thanks for the suggestions guys. I am going to try a few of them right now and if im not too tired when I get out of work tonight I will give the others a shot. Thanks!

 

let me know what you come up with. i'm dealing with the same thing, mine's really bad though. I had a feeling my exhaust came undone from the downpipe.

either that, or i spit out my cat.

 

I am pretty sure I solved the problem. I went out and put a towl in the exhaust tip and when I started it, it came flying out WOO HOO. I then jacked the car up and slid under it, I tried to tighten the Header to DP bolts and DP to catback bolts. I only got one bolt to turn and it was like 1/4 of a turn if that. All the other ones are good. I fired the car up and felt around the flanges again and it all felt fine. I couldnt get to the header bolts in time because it got way hot fast. DUH! lol

THEN!!!!!!! I lowered the car back down and clicked the heat on, it started to make the tingy noise for 10 seconds or so then it goes away. This would solve why I usually only hear it in the morning right when I start the car. I usually get in start the car and turn the heat on to the 1 or 2 setting right away and it makes the noise then I go inside while it warms up so I never really heard it go away after the 10 seconds or so because I was always inside by the time it went away. I sat there and turned the heat on then off then on then off 5 or 6 times. Each time it went on it made the tingy noise for a few seconds, each time I turned the heat off the noise went away. I guess I didnt have a leak, what would turning the heat or air on have to do with the exhaust making noise? Maybe a bit of vibrantion from the fans or whatever kicking on?