So out of nowhere, on a semi acceleration, all of the sudden the exhaust sprung a leak. I drove her home, jacked her up and looked for the leak but it seems to be buried in the turbo. Any ideas before I tear into her this afternoon...???

It's a S4 car w a S4 turbo. Thanks.

 

Could be anything from a crack in the manifold/turbine housing to a blown gasket at the engine, turbine inlet, or downpipe.

Only real way to tell is to take it apart and get a good look.

 

There's gaskets between manifold and keg, manifold and turbo, turbo and downpipe. Replace them all while you're in there.

 

I was hoping someone would say something more simple before tearing into her, like check for wastegate not being stuck open.

 

You just did lol

 

I'm not super familiar w the turbo and how it works 100% yet. It hasn't given me any problems to date.

 

Wastegate stuck open would not sound like a leak. You just wouldn't build boost. I'm betting it is the gasket between turbo and manifold. Is it loud? Pre turbo will be louder than post.

 

Looks like it might be time to get the old "listening tube" out (aka some rubber hose) and go over all the possible leak points while car is idling and listen out for the "helicopter".

 

you can stop the exhaust at the ends to exacerbate the problem/sound.

 

Thanks for the replies guys...! At least now I don't feel as if I'm going in wrenching blind. I'm thinking to order every gasket and just replace them all while I'm in there. Still haven't had the time yo tear into her.

 

That's the way to do it. Don't tweak your oil and coolant lines too much while removing. Not fun to bend back... may want to think about other upgrades or maintenance while youre in there. You'll have access to lim bolts while the turbo is out. Not sure if you've removed the turbo on these cars before but it's not terrible.

 

I'm no doctor, but in my medical opinion you should probably find the leak before buying all the gaskets and pulling the whole car apart.

 

I would hope someone would be able to tell it was leaking at least "around" the turbo. Fairly easy to tell that one. So what's the harm in him ordering and replacing all those gaskets?

 

Getting a section of heater hose, like suggested above, will be cheap insurance to at least pinpoint it. When you replace all of the gaskets, you also are probably going to run into broken/stuck bolts. You will need to replace the banjo washers on the coolant lines, or the coolant pipe washer at the intake. The drain gasket, etc. Just make sure you get more than "just the turbo" gaskets. You may need more.

 

So first step was getting off the Heat Shield. Every 10mm bolt on the underside was rusted to **** & snapped. Once that thing was off it was super easy to tell the gasket between where the turbo and the exhaust manifold meet was leaking big time. Gasket ordered.

 

Told you lol. Yeah those heat shields disintegrate

 

Only when hit repeatedly with the Klingon Rays...!

 

Dammmm Atkins is FASSSSST....!!! Gasket is here.

Kilington Rays...??? I'm thinking that's something Google won't know what it is either...???

 

It's a star trek reference lol klingon rays making the shield disintegrate

 

Never could sit still long enough to get into Star Trek. Heat shield is actually still in really good shape, it was the darn 10mm bolt threads. Should I bother trying to put something back....?

 

I never put mine back on lol

 

YOU TAKE THAT BACK!!! IT'S A FABULOUS SHOW THAT SPAWNED AN ENTIRE GENERATION OF MODERN SCI-FI SHOWS AND SHAPED THE WAY SCIENCE FICTION IS VIEWED AS A WHOLE!!!



Unless you have good drill bits and extractors, it's tough to get the seized bolts out. If you have time, get a torch and heat the broken bit and soak it with PB blaster or any other good rust penetrant. Start with a small 3/16' drill bit and drill all the way through the broken bolt. Spray lube through the hole and allow it to work into the threads from the rear. Work up to larger bits until you can get a 4-5mm extractor into the hole and back it out.

The thread pitch for new bolts is 6mx1.0

I personally would take the time to get the shields on if you can, but they are not absolutely critical. Many people simply dont have them because they rusted off or never put them back on.

 

Alright, I take it back. Maybe bc when it was regulary on TV I was a rambunctious kid. Maybe being older I could appreciate it more.😎


Ohhhhh and the heat shield, I'm kind of torn what to do. Spend time to put it back properly or forge foward and repair...???

 

My car didn't have heatshields on the exhaust and I never had a big issue. As long as the body shields are in place you should be fine.

 

Bodyshields...??