Effects Of Cracked Exhaust Manifold
- Problems With Cracked Exhaust Manifold
- Cracked Exhaust Manifold Symptoms
- Signs Of Cracked Exhaust Manifold
An engine’s exhaust manifold (or manifolds) is an integral part of the exhaust system. The manifold is bolted to the engine’s head and is the first component that spent exhaust gasses are routed through on their way out of the exhaust system. Unfortunately, manifolds often develop stress cracks from the extreme heat that they are subjected to. As the porous metal that most manifolds are made of expands and contracts with temperature changes, cracks can occur. Below are the symptoms of a cracked exhaust manifold.
Visible Cracking
- Cracked exhaust manifold will either show a code for the cat (it's one piece design on these cars with the manifold) or primary o2 tkl wrote: Yes, you're right. My bad, it is a cracked exhaust manifold.
- Since the manifold is an important component of the engine’s exhaust system and helps ensure that the engine receives the proper amount of backpressure (the pressure developed by the exhaust system as gasses are evacuated), a cracked manifold can negatively impair engine performance.
- A cracked intake manifold on your vehicle is a serious problem that can lead to expensive repairs. If you suspect your vehicle has a cracked intake, you should stop driving it and have it towed to a repair shop as soon as possible to avoid doing further damage to your vehicle.
- Since the manifold is an important component of the engine’s exhaust system and helps ensure that the engine receives the proper amount of backpressure (the pressure developed by the exhaust system as gasses are evacuated), a cracked manifold can negatively impair engine performance.
One symptom of a cracked manifold will be a visible crack that you can see on the manifold's surface. To look for a crack, look closely at the manifold, particularly where it bolts up to the motor and where the most heat will be. A large crack will be relatively easy to spot, but a smaller, hair-line fracture might be more difficult to locate. You may need to remove the manifold from the engine bay to inspect the entire surface.
Excess Noise
A cracked manifold will usually make unusual noises of some kind as some of the exhaust gasses are being forced out of the crack instead of out the exhaust. This may be more pronounced when the engine is cold and first started and can be anything from a clicking noise to a more pronounced whistling or whooshing noise. With the vehicle running, open the engine cover and listen near the exhaust manifolds to see if there is any unusual noise.
Exhaust Odors
Manifold cracks can also cause excessive exhaust odors since a portion of the exhaust gasses are evacuating out of the crack instead of out the end of the tail pipe. The exhaust smell may or not be noticeable from the interior of the vehicle but will be more noticeable in the engine bay and the areas around the manifold. Exhaust leaks are potentially harmful to the health of the car’s occupants.
The exhaust manifold is usually a single pipe that delivers exhaust fumes from cylinders to the outside exhaust pipe. Exhaust fumes are dangerous because they carry the colorless, odorless poison called carbon monoxide, and a leaking exhaust manifold may allow carbon monoxide into the cabin of the vehicle when the vents are open.
Loss of Performance
Since the manifold is an important component of the engine’s exhaust system and helps ensure that the engine receives the proper amount of backpressure (the pressure developed by the exhaust system as gasses are evacuated), a cracked manifold can negatively impair engine performance. A crack is, in essence, a vacuum leak and may prevent all of the engine functions from operating correctly.
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Exhaust leaks on a vehicle cannot only be annoying but also dangerous; sometimes leaks can lead to the release of carbon monoxide that enters the passenger cabin. The exhaust systems starts at the exhaust manifold gasket and travels through the exhaust manifold, header pipe, catalytic converter, mufflers or resonators and out the exhaust pipe. Cracked exhaust manifolds are one of the more serious leaks since they receive the initial combustion gases from the cylinders. A competent DIY repair person can find an exhaust manifold crack by using a few simple techniques and tools.
Step 1
Place the vehicle in 'park' for an automatic and 'neutral' for a manual transmission. Firmly set the emergency brake. You can perform an exhaust manifold check while the vehicle sits in a garage, but leave the garage door open for optimum ventilation. Start the engine and raise the hood.
Step 2
Lean over the fender panel nearest to the exhaust manifold if you have a small 4- or 6-cylinder in-line model engine. For a V-6 or V-8, choose one side of the vehicle. Listen carefully for any noise that resembles a click, popping or plapping sound that comes with a regular firing cycle of the engine. A crack in one of the lead pipes attached to an exhaust port will make this sound with regularity -- every time that cylinder fires. A crack further down inside the manifold collecting chamber will have a more muffled exhaust leak noise. Check both sides in the case of a V-6 or V-8.
Step 3
Lean over different points of the exhaust manifold, from the front of the engine to the rear. Smell for any odor that resembles raw gas, or a sickly sweet odor, which is a sign of raw carbon emissions. A cracked exhaust manifold will emit a very strong smell of unburned gas, since it has not passed through the catalytic converter and muffler. Look for telltale signs of black smoke coming from the manifold -- evidence of rich, unburned fuel. Have an assistant rev the engine a few times and look for black or dark gray gaseous plumes.
Step 4
Don a stethoscope and place the probe over the valve covers of the engine. Listen intently for any mechanical clicking or clacking as you move the probe over the entire length of the valve cover. For V-6 and V-8 engines, check both valve covers. If you hear such a noise originating from a certain spot on the valve cover, you can safely rule out an exhaust leak. If you hear no such noises, run the probe over different parts of the exhaust manifold. A leak in the exhaust manifold will set up tiny vibrations, and you will detect it in the stethoscope.
Step 5
Use a floor jack to lift the vehicle high enough to place two jack stands under the rear frame and two jack stands under the front frame. Hook up a portable smoke machine to your exhaust pipe, according to the directions in the kit. Place the pipe cone adaptor over the exhaust outlet hole and turn the smoke machine on. Let it pressurize the entire exhaust system. For a dual exhaust system, use the kit adaptor to plug the other exhaust pipe. The engine should not be running for this test.
Look for the white smoke from the smoke machine, which will leak from any hole or crack in the exhaust system. Start at the tailpipe and work toward the front of the engine. You will discover an [exhaust manifold leak](https://itstillruns.com/exhaust-manifold-leak-5040401.html) immediately by the white color of smoke exiting the manifold crack. If the smoke machine kit comes with a halogen or UV light, use the light to better see the smoke emissions. Use an angled inspection mirror to look under the manifold for hidden leaks.
Problems With Cracked Exhaust Manifold
Items you will need
- Assistant
- Stethoscope
- Floor jack
- Jack stands
- Smoke machine
- Inspection mirror