Well I just put the shop vac to the tailpipe, I have leaks at the manifold both top sides at least, muffler both sides, AND both ends where I put the new catalytic on. Was I supposed to use a sealant/silicone with the catalytic gaskets?? My hanger is gone and I used Home Depot bolts on that.

Also a heat shield bolt snapped on me, is that a good indicator I am going to have major problems with manifold bolts? 1994 22re truck

 

Hey sounds like my old truck! Lol. I dont know if its just this engine but my 22re had a billion exhaust leaks. I ended up getting a header and that leaked too until i bought an oem manifold gasket and rtv siliconed the heck out of it. Taht worked and it went quiet as a mouse. Make sure you have good hangers and good gaskets. I think the reason why my old maniold leaked so much is because i was missing the mount that holds the downpipe to the bellhousing? Make sire you have that.

 

Hey, oddly enough, it wasn't raining here for a bit, so I smeared some exhaust putty around the muffler, hung a strap behind the cat where the remainders of the old hanger are, and tightened up those bolts and some of the nuts on the manifold. Just read something on here about a bolt that works itself loose there I think. I had a bottom right manifold nut halfway off behind that egr piping I think it is, another starting to back out, and a few others I could cinch down a big more snug. I don't have a lot of faith in the muffler putty, flour and water might do well there. But, we'll see what I get next drive.

I also just started reading about the header swap. Are they a lot louder? Exact same gasket(s?) though?

If RTV improves gasket seals, why do we even bother with gaskets, I'm wondering. I look at the Permatex rack and my head starts to spin with color codes, though.

 

PS I have that bellhousing mount and it's tight, but crawling under to get at a downpipe nut i found a different bolt just beneath that mount backing halfway out!!

 

Permatex #2 for exhaust gaskets!!