E9 exhaust manifold leak

[Outbehindthebarn]

So my truck is leaking pretty damn bad at the joint pictured below. Bad enough the battery box lid is black. I attempted to heat bolt to remove short section of pipe and couldn't get it to budge. I then turned to BMT archives and found that these manifold parts are scarce and decided I didn't want a catastrophe on my hands..... Is there a doughnut in there that needs replaced or what??????

[AZB755V8]

There are 2 spiral wound spring seals at at each joint they will be stuck and not move in the slot in the pipe section. They slip into the collar at each end. There is not a lot of tension on them and the collars do wear a grove in them from the seals. All three parts are going to be worn. I don't have a good fix other than having a machine shop turn up a new larger pipe section and slip it in each collar. If you can get the 2 manifold bolts loose the manifold collar pieces will spill around to get the pipe out as well. I just did this thing to mine. Manifold bolts are $22-25 each from Mack and the gasket is $14-15. The only place that would have manifold parts anymore is Dale Francis in Ohio. 440-254-4046. Super helpful Guy.

[BGarofalo]

Pretty much the norm on e9's. Mack does have availability on some of the parts old stock, but they are expensive. I made up a new cross over and flange on mine. Couldn't justify the hefty price of the Francis headers... Even though I really, really wanted to!

[Outbehindthebarn]

There are 2 spiral wound spring seals at at each joint they will be stuck and not move in the slot in the pipe section. They slip into the collar at each end. There is not a lot of tension on them and the collars do wear a grove in them from the seals. All three parts are going to be worn. I don't have a good fix other than having a machine shop turn up a new larger pipe section and slip it in each collar. If you can get the 2 manifold bolts loose the manifold collar pieces will spill around to get the pipe out as well. I just did this thing to mine. Manifold bolts are $22-25 each from Mack and the gasket is $14-15. The only place that would have manifold parts anymore is Dale Francis in Ohio. 440-254-4046. Super helpful Guy.

Is that what you did? Had a machine shop build new pipe?

[Outbehindthebarn]

Pretty much the norm on e9's. Mack does have availability on some of the parts old stock, but they are expensive. I made up a new cross over and flange on mine. Couldn't justify the hefty price of the Francis headers... Even though I really, really wanted to!

So you just fabbed up an entirely new cross-over? Did you retain the factory 90 degree elbows?

What are they getting for the headers?

[AZB755V8]

Mine was not as bad as yours. I loosened the springs up with PP Blaster wire brushed everything and used that runny exhaust sealer and it is holding.

I have a lathe and will turn up a new cross over piece the next time increasing the end diameters to close up the worn clearance on the collars and add the spring groves. 8620 steel and about two hours lathe work. I'm a retired Tool Maker and with a little more time than most.

I wasn't saying to get Headers but they are real nice. I think he would be the best bet for E9 parts, he had what I needed and fair on price, its just a phone call..

[genco]

Been to Dale's shop numerous times. You would not believe the parts he has there. I would give him a call, he fire ringed my heads and replaced factory head bolts with ARP head bolts, added a custom built turbo and tuned the truck. It's probably 900hp and eats anything on the road.

[Back In Black Pulling]

What are they getting for the headers?

$5000 ish

[AZB755V8]

Make only the 3 inch cross over pipe and no other parts with larger end diameters. The longer pipe to the drivers side was still good for me but both can be made out of a piece of thick wall tubbing/ pipe. I would make the pieces out of steel because cast iron gives me a real headache for a day from the dust but is easier to work with. The clearance between the mating parts is the problem and a tighter fit will stop the leak.

I was thinking, for a quick fix the rope graphite seal and sealer that is used in wood burning stove door seals may work. It comes in different sizes, take the pipe out and put a ring of the rope and sealer inside of each collar and reassemble, there is end clearance. The rope would fill that and tighten things up.

[MACKTRUCKS4]

I had Dale build my turbo and I also picked up the exhaust turbo mount,(which he rebuilds because they often crack and also ware out). He re-bushed all the parts I needed but some are still available from mack but salty.

[Mack Doctor Jr.]

For a quick fix I have used a sealer before. It's in the stove area at menards. It comes in a black tube like silicone and you have to spray water on your items you seal and is good for high temps.

[brutus998]

Been to Dale's shop numerous times. You would not believe the parts he has there. I would give him a call, he fire ringed my heads and replaced factory head bolts with ARP head bolts, added a custom built turbo and tuned the truck. It's probably 900hp and eats anything on the road.

You had your daily driver fire ringed? Wow! Was you blowing head gaskets a lot?

[Outbehindthebarn]

For a quick fix I have used a sealer before. It's in the stove area at menards. It comes in a black tube like silicone and you have to spray water on your items you seal and is good for high temps.

Has else anyone tried the high temp furnace rope and cement with success? I'm thinking it would still need a clamp of some form to hold rope + silicon in place.

I am concerned about tearing anything apart for fear of ruining something and/or creating a leak somewhere else. I spoke with Francis, and he said $1200 for complete exhaust parts.... but in the post right behind this one a guy said after he had his worked on it STILL leaked!

I tried a cement for exhaust leak repair already.. it blew out 5 miles down the road.

[Mack Doctor Jr.]

The furnace stuff works great. Used it on our pulling semi with a twin turbo set up. The red high temp silicone caught on fire so we used the furnace cement and it never leaked with 85 psi of boost.

[Mack Doctor Jr.]

When mine leak from me removing them that's what I'm gonna use.

[Outbehindthebarn]

Well, I decided to try VersaChem "Inferno Metal Repair" to patch the leak at the joint. May not make it out the driveway before blowing out. . .

[rsb502]

Sorry im late to the party here, been busy. I am working on an alternative to the Mack Cast exhaust, Francis headers E9n exhaust conundrum. Im getting all my stuff together to sit down at a spare E9 I have and mock up some tubular exhaust for the E9. Im going to make a set out of steel to try out then use heavy wall stainless for the rest. I probably wont have em done till spring but it was my winter project so thats the whole point,lol. I will try to keep BMT informed as I get them together and hope to have the design done and the first set testing on my RW this winter with more sets to roll out of the garage after I make sure they arent prone to cracking etc.

[Outbehindthebarn]

Well the VersaChem "Inferno Metal Repair" did work..... partly. Where I cleaned the gap well, and managed to force the epoxy deep into the crack it held. Where I kind of half-assed it (on the bottom and back side) it did crack and blow out.

So, undeterred, I decided to try Blue Magic

I had used something similar before on a turbo outlet joint with success, but discovered they had stopped making it in the USA. Manufacturer sent me to Blue Magic and it is the same stuff.

Did a much better job on metal prep and cleaning, and crammed the stuff deep into the crack all the way around. U]

I am very impressed with this stuff application-wise. It has fully cured and it looks like its going to work. Time will tell.

[gearhead204]

I used some stuff like that as well before called belzona used it to repair lower counter bores on an old 1693 cat in a 631b scraper that was over 15 years ago and it is still holding also repaired a electrolysis spot on a 3408 block that was leaking coolant onto the cam shaft as far as I know that d8l is still running as well.

[Outbehindthebarn]

Shit didn't hold.