Exhaust problems

[BLU CIVIC]

ok...if some of u havn't read my post in o/t..... i went over a dip that was next to a raised manhole and put a whole in my exhaust (or so i thought ) i put my car up on the jack stands and looked for a holw....but there wasn't a hole started the car up and had a friend under there and reved my engine.......*sigh* the exhaust leak was coming from my in between my flex pipe and down pipe.......i thought if i tightened the bolt with the springs it would fix it....unfortunatly it didn't .....now i need to know if i would need a new flex pipe or down pipe since it's coming from in between them and has marks on them from where i hit the manhole....i can't tell which is messed up.....i'm thinking the flex pipe....any suggestions

[BLU CIVIC]

NOBODY KNOWS??

[Civic Jim]

flex pipe?

[Jmunk]

Yeah mean where the exhaust system bolts to the end of the header (downpipe) ? You tightened up those springs ? If so and it still leaks than you need a new donut gasket for the downpipe.

[BLU CIVIC]

YEH I TIGHTENED UP THE SPRINGS WHAT'S A DONUT GASKET IS THAT THE RUBBER PART THAT'S INBETWEEN THE FLEX AND DOWN PIPE??

[4-Door Flunky]

Hey, Blue Civic!
The joint where the header (aka 'downpipe') meets the exhaust requires a gasket. Since it is exposed to some serious heat, it can't be made out of rubber or cardboard. I don't know what it's made out of, but I wouldn't want to eat one even if it is called a donut.
It's round, and shaped like a donut. At Autozone they call it an exhaust flange gasket...but they'll know what an exhaust donut is, too.
There are two kinds of donuts: the flat, and the rounded. You want the rounded. The part that goes against the pipe is flat. The part that mates up between the two is rounded, so it'll fit and even be able to flex a little bit without leaking.
If you have tightened up those two bolts (you know, with the springs on 'em) and you still have an exhaust leak, you need a new donut. They cost about $7.
When I put a header on my car, I brought that into the parts store and tried out donuts until I got one that fit perfectly. If your car has maintained the stock exhaust and the end of the header is the same size as stock, no problem. Otherwise, you might need to separate the two, pry the old gasket off (it'll probably come apart in pieces) and take it with you so you don't have to make three trips.
Also, when dealing with anything that isn't stock, I've discovered most of the guys at the parts house are ignorant idiots, unable to find anything not in the computer. I had to get the guy to bring me the whole box of donut gaskets and let me dig through it because he couldn't deal with anything that wasn't in the computer.
When civilization breaks down, he'll probably starve.
Flunky
PS-Can you tell I'm still pissed at that guy?

[BLU CIVIC]

Originally posted by 4-Door Flunky
PS-Can you tell I'm still pissed at that guy?

THANX.....AND YES....I SEE UR RANT ABOUT AUTOZONE :monkeypis

[FourthGenHatch]

I think that exhaust donut is made out of lead or something. I had one that came with my Cat, it was a nasty thing.

[kris]

Originally posted by FourthGenHatch
I think that exhaust donut is made out of lead or something. I had one that came with my Cat, it was a nasty thing.

Yep, a lead and wire mix. They run about $15 from the dealer.

[BLU CIVIC]

thanx to all 4 ur help....got my exhaust fixed yesterday.....was pretty easy and that ring cost like $7...so that wasn't too bad

[Civic Jim]

thats good, just gotta get the engine done now