jimrx7

Hi all,

I really need some help here figuring outan issue with my exhaust. I will be replacing the exhaust gasket that goes between the main catalytic converter and the Y-pipes of he mufflers. This gasket keeps failing on me about every 5 months. This will be the 5th time that I replace this part. Can anyone give me some advice as to how I can fix this problem. The main suspect for this constant failure is the exhaust hanger that also goes between the gasket and the cat and Y-pipes. Should i remove this hanger completely?, take it off and have it resting underneath the cat?, do I need 2 gaskets to kind of sandwich the hanger in between the gaskets..... I really don't know what to do and any help at all will be greatly appreciated. I will be doing this task in about a week so a quick response will be great. If you live in the Dallas area or Plano, Mckinney, Garland, Wiley, Allen, Richardson you can give me a call on my work number if you would prefer talking to me about a solution instead of posting something here "214-681-7973". this will be the only free time I have to fix this for about the next 4 months, so I need some help quick before that day arrives.

RotaryRocket88

iTrader: (7)

Your exhaust hanger on the y-pipe should not be bolted up against the gasket. It's supposed to go on the outside of the flange.

jimrx7

hey man i am going to have to appologize if i am not quite visualizing what you are telling me. But the hanger is just a flat piece of metal that goes bolted up between the flanges of the pipes, at either ends it has the hooks for the rubber bushings(if that is what they are called). if at all possible i am going to need pics or a really good description. Again I am sorry if I don't get it.

jimrx7

here is a link from the mazdatrix website. if it might help.


http://www.mazdatrix.com/e86-92.htm


part number 16420

HAILERS

Get a straight edge. Lay it across each of the flanges that mate together. You will find one of the two is warped. It ain't a gonna seal worth a darn when one or both flanges are warped.

Is the catalytic converter a Mazda one or one of the aftermarket ones. I'm guessing it's aftermarket and the way it's manufactured means if you really crank down on the attach bolt, the aftermarket flange will be bent/warped resulting in a gasket that can't fill the gap b/t the other flange and converter flange.

EDIT HERE: What happens is the EARS get bent if you keep cranking down on the bolts/nuts. That is how the warpage happens.

Let me guess. This aftermarket flange can be twirled around the pipe. The only thing that keeps it from falling off is that the pipe end has a flare on it. So. You see. The flared end mates against the gasket. You offer up the aftermarket flange to mate with the stock y-pipe. Take a look. If you over tighten that after market flange ,(ears)it will warp and leave you with a ............leak.

There's a fix for this. You remove the aftermarket converter. You grind the flared end off the converter. You then weld the aftermarket flange to the converter pipes end. NOW when you offer up the converters aft flange to the y-pipe, there is no gap. So now you can tighten up the connection b/t the converter to y-pipe and no warpage will happen and there will be no leakage.

RotaryRocket88

iTrader: (7)

I have the same catback on my car, and the hanger does NOT go in between the y-pipe and the catalytic converter flanges. It goes on the outside like this:

[cat flange] [gasket] [ypipe flange] [hanger] [nuts]

If you bolt the hanger between the flanges, you will warp them when they are tightened down or just leave little compression on the gasket itself. The gasket will compress more than the metal on the hanger.

Morondongon

I had a similar problem once, what kind of exhaust are you running? if it is not the correct lengh you will have a gap and you going to replacing gaskets forever. I replaced the whole exhaust for a racing beat and that solved the problem. May be what you need is the racing beat presilencer or a catalyc which will fit snugly and not leave a small gap. If you tighten it with dual gaskets they will yield with the heat and fall off like it is happening to you. Try that and lets see what happens...

Morondongon

I should have read your post before posting mine...

jimrx7

ok fist off, I have the A’PEXi Dual N1 Racing Exhaust. Racing Beat Street Header. Bönez Main Cat Race Pipe. that link that i provided in the previous post was just so i can give the members a visual of the bracket that is sitting between the flange of my cat and the flange of the y-pipe. now i want to let you all know that there is a possibility that it installed incorrectly the last 3 times. Wednesday is the only day i can take off work to get underneath my car and work on it so i will print out all the help i can get here on this posting to help me resolve my problem. so until wednesday i will keep returning to this post everyday. once again thank you all for taking the time to help me...

Dudemaaanownsanrx7

iTrader: (23)

maybe get a better gasket material? that can be compressed a little more. I've seen some special gaskets that are supposed to fill a warp up to 1/16th inch. I think napa and others have gasket materials you can cut out yourself as well.. dont know the temp rating of them.

Also i don;t fully understand the explanation but i dont think the hanger should be pinched in where the gasket is.

HAILERS

Well, if the flanges on the converter are welded on, then I'd still take a straight edge and see if the area b/t the ears is warped significantly.

If they are acceptable, then I'd let the y-pipe and mufflers hang only on the doughnuts at the mufflers. Support the y with a jack/whatever.

Then loose assymble the other flanges involved. I mean the flanges at the front of the converter and any pipe located after the exhaust manifold. Your wanting to *float* the assy in or put another way , it's not rock solid without any give if you loosen the other flanges.

Then assy the y-pipe to the rear of the converter first, since that seems to be your main weak point/problem. Then tighten the other flanges you loosened, and finally reinstall the other rubber supports that hold the y-pipe/mufflers in place.

You initially loosen eveything up so you can get a good alignment b/t the rear of the converter to the y-pipe flange. Something like that.

jimrx7

so Hailer's you don't think that I will need to install 2 gaskets?. I will lossen all the flanges after the header just like you said. I might just replace those gaskets also while I am down there. And also you don't recomend removing the bracket all together right?.

HAILERS

If the two mating flanges are flat and not warped, I'd say no you don't. Like I say, put a straight edge across each flange from ear to ear and see if the warpage is there or not. It's a judgemental thing as to if you'll need the two gaskets if one of the flanges is warped.

The bracket. The one welded on the front of the y'pipe? I've two cars that haven't seen that bracket in years. I'm not saying that is the right way to do things, it's just how things are and I've no problems without it.

Kinda late reply. Better late than never.

I'm GUESSING the Bonz has flanges that are welded on the pipe and not floaters like I mentioned in a post above.

Jpg of some junk parts. Top is the y-pipe and just below it the bracket that has been *removed* at sometime in the past. Next is a converter with the flange welded on by me. It came like the bottom converter which you can see has a flange that floats on the pipe. I have already cut the flare off the end of that pipe, so I can't show you the flare on the pipe. I just cut the flare off then weld the flange on the very end of the pipe as shown on the middle converter. Gotta make sure the bolt holes will align before welding.

Just junk parts. Not gonna remove the real deal off the car for a picture.

HAILERS

Bigger view

jimrx7

hey hailers thanks for the pics tha i was unable to provide for everyone to help out. I will definately follow your advice and make sute that it is installed correctly this time.