How to fix this leak?

[shiro1745]

I need your help guys, please advice!

I got my exhaust leaking at almost all connections, I've had the car up on a lift for several hours two days in a row and couldn't get them to seal properly.

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/A58D7624-6B85-45FB-885A-0514D88E9BE4-1517-000001D351AD49CA_zpseb274fe1.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/A58D7624-6B85-45FB-885A-0514D88E9BE4-1517-000001D351AD49CA_zpseb274fe1.jpg.html)

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/C77A3818-D67A-47B4-B1DA-E21FB509510D-1517-000001D35A66395D_zpse4cca33e.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/C77A3818-D67A-47B4-B1DA-E21FB509510D-1517-000001D35A66395D_zpse4cca33e.jpg.html)



I tried moving the clamps around, retorqued them, I even tried new clamps from autozone just like this and didn't help.


http://contentinfo.autozone.com/znetcs/product-info/en/US/pil/PMD-609/image/3/


It's so bad I cannot drive the car with windows down anymore or blowing air from outside, even when I open the sunroof fumes get into the cabin, I'm guessing through the floor.

I nee to fix this ASAP, I'm intoxicating myself every time I drive the car, so if you guys have any suggestions how to get those connections to seal good please advice.

I must say a few months ago I removed my exhaust for the same reason and used some high temperature silicone as sealant when I put it back, that helped a bit but didn't fix the issue completely. So I'm thinking after I moved the pipes around the silicone is now not letting them seal, I'll remove the whole exhaust on Monday or Tuesday when my neighbor has his lift available for me. I will clean all the connections again and try to refit the whole thing hoping to get it right this time, but I'm listening to any suggestions, tricks or improvisations you can share. These are the clamps I just got from NAPA today, hopefully they do a better job.

http://s7d9.scene7.com//is/image/GenuinePartsCompany/221375?$application$

At this point I would love not to weld or used the hard glue they have for exhaust wholes, I still need to adjust my exhaust later.

Thanks in advance,
Chip

[AudiTFSI3o3]

i'm in the same boat as you. since my exhaust was purchased from OBX, they came with the shitty clamps that were worthless. my buddy upgraded me to these sleeve clamps and they work like a charm (i believe 2.5" diameter x 4 inch length). my only leak right now is from the down pipe to the mid pipe. been thinking about upgrading to a longer sleeve


pic for reference
http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/172182_x600.jpg

[ericpaulyoung]

That small of a leak don't matter unless you smell it while driving.

But to answer the question. Weld it.


Epy

[ericpaulyoung]

Great pics by the way.

EPY

[vce1232000]

By looking at the 1st pix. The clamp that is slid back on the pipe is shot. Use the slide clamps that is pix ^^^... They will seal better then that domestic crap. After you clamp up. Its normal to get some leak until moisture and rust gets into the little spaces to completely seal itself. drive for a couple days and its will be fine

[ericpaulyoung]

Weld it.

EPY

[shiro1745]

i'm in the same boat as you. since my exhaust was purchased from OBX, they came with the shitty clamps that were worthless. my buddy upgraded me to these sleeve clamps and they work like a charm (i believe 2.5" diameter x 4 inch length). my only leak right now is from the down pipe to the mid pipe. been thinking about upgrading to a longer sleeve


pic for reference
http://c1552172.r72.cf0.rackcdn.com/172182_x600.jpg

If the ones I got are not going to do the job(they look similar, maybe not so strong), I'll definitely try these clamps, they sell these at napa but they didn't have any in stock where I live.


That small of a leak don't matter unless you smell it while driving.

But to answer the question. Weld it.


Epy

It looks like a small leak in te picture but in reality it's a lot and it's not only one clamp, it's 3 that are leaking I only have a picture for that one.


By looking at the 1st pix. The clamp that is slid back on the pipe is shot. Use the slide clamps that is pix ^^^... They will seal better then that domestic crap. After you clamp up. Its normal to get some leak until moisture and rust gets into the little spaces to completely seal itself. drive for a couple days and its will be fine

I'll be happy if I get them to leak just a little bit, I know after driving a while they seal themselves but this case is horrible believe me. As soon as I roll the windows down I start caughing, it's that bad.


Weld it.

EPY

I wonder why nobody suggested to weld it LOL

Serious now, I need to do something with my test pipe, maybe heat it up and bend it a bit, it's not a perfect fit, rattling sometimes, not sure if it's because of the turbo flange or the pipe itself... So I don't want to do any welding before I get that sorted.

[vwnobby]

I replaced 2 cheap clamps that came with my Eurosport slip connector with this one.
These are also the ones that came with my Magnaflow system. Pretty beefy and seem to do the job.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004G8ZYXA/ref=wms_ohs_product?ie=UTF8&psc=1


http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HsNe7imdL._SX385_.jpg

[mec]

Go to ar design on 8th and Decatur.

Buy a set of vband flanges, have them cut the piping and weld in a vband flange kit

[shiro1745]

Go to ar design on 8th and Decatur.

Buy a set of vband flanges, have them cut the piping and weld in a vband flange kit

I thought about that but I've read that if the job is not done properly tha flanges can warp from heat, they say it's much safes to get regular two or three wholes flanges. This is on my list if I cannot get any of the clamps suggested here to work.

Whats the best place to install the clamps? For example the one above linked to amazon, would you install that all the way to the end of the pipe or right on top of where the cuts into te pipe begin?

[mec]

I thought about that but I've read that if the job is not done properly tha flanges can warp from heat, they say it's much safes to get regular two or three wholes flanges. This is on my list if I cannot get any of the clamps suggested here to work.

Whats the best place to install the clamps? For example the one above linked to amazon, would you install that all the way to the end of the pipe or right on top of where the cuts into te pipe begin?

Wait what?

You can get a set of flanges and the clamp for $50 from ar design. They might weld it in for another $50.

[vwnobby]

Whats the best place to install the clamps? For example the one above linked to amazon, would you install that all the way to the end of the pipe or right on top of where the cuts into te pipe begin?

I can't remember exactly how I positioned mine, but I want to say that I had them closer to where the cuts begin, inf not right over them. Make sure the pipe is seated as far in as it will go too.

[shiro1745]

Wait what?

You can get a set of flanges and the clamp for $50 from ar design. They might weld it in for another $50.

Oh, and .. ar design, 8th and decature? You lost me there...

[mec]

Oh, and .. ar design, 8th and decature? You lost me there...

Holy shit lol. I thought you were 3zero3tfsi who is a local guy. I'm not sure why I confused you. Ar design is just a good tig welding shop, they are local so probably not much use to you.

[CorneliusRox]

That clamp you just got will work fine. Go ahead and put silicone on it when you do it, but I think the best solution with still being able to take it apart, would be to weld a vband on there. Best of both worlds.

[shiro1745]

Holy shit lol. I thought you were 3zero3tfsi who is a local guy. I'm not sure why I confused you. Ar design is just a good tig welding shop, they are local so probably not much use to you.

Haha, yep no good. The problem is I can hardly find a good MIG welding place around where I live, not to talk about TIG, I'm at the end of the world here, not many places to choose from. If you look in my build thread I posted a picture with my test pipe. The guy got me probably the ugliest weld in the world.


That clamp you just got will work fine. Go ahead and put silicone on it when you do it, but I think the best solution with still being able to take it apart, would be to weld a vband on there. Best of both worlds.

I'd like to get vbands welded on there, not going to happen unless I find a good TIG welder, hell if I find any TIG welder down here.

[shiro1745]

Big f***ing waste of time today, I spent all day taking the exhaust apart, cleaned all the connections really good, even heated the downpipe and bent it a bit to get it in line with the rest better. The result? smoke everywhere. It leaked really bad with the new wide clamps I got, it leaked again with the other clamps I got before from autozone, I put them on again.
Such a big fail. I see some welding going on the next couple weeks. I will probably weld the first two connections together, the one between downpipe and center straight pipe, and the one further back between the straight pipe to the resonator. I'm guessing those are the two places from where the smoke makes it into the cabin.


http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/54EC04FD-AAF7-4F1D-9ABF-3161D2F0F344-1367-0000018F71D2922B_zps708150bf.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/54EC04FD-AAF7-4F1D-9ABF-3161D2F0F344-1367-0000018F71D2922B_zps708150bf.jpg.html)
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/B7558DA4-15D9-46EF-B23C-F6089BCEC39F-1367-0000018F6A0AAB21_zps05e8e1f9.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/B7558DA4-15D9-46EF-B23C-F6089BCEC39F-1367-0000018F6A0AAB21_zps05e8e1f9.jpg.html)
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/E5C85575-F54B-4403-B0DB-BCF19BF18225-1367-0000018F60FF741E_zpsee3726ca.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/E5C85575-F54B-4403-B0DB-BCF19BF18225-1367-0000018F60FF741E_zpsee3726ca.jpg.html)
http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/76BA6547-8FFE-49F6-A84A-31459867C3A6-1367-0000018F52DDF9F1_zps57561595.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/76BA6547-8FFE-49F6-A84A-31459867C3A6-1367-0000018F52DDF9F1_zps57561595.jpg.html)

[aluthman]

Try hitting the clamp nuts with an impact to tighten it [>_<]

[shiro1745]

Try hitting the clamp nuts with an impact to tighten it [>_<]

LOL I see what you're doing...

Not only I did it with my cordless but I did it with my neighbor air snap-on

[aluthman]

Is that the stock exhaust?

[Flexcj5]

Not only I did it with my cordless but I did it with my neighbor air snap-on

I read that as strap on. Lol.

Weld it. Weld v-bands to it. Get a nice new stainless exhaust and stop worrying about piecing it together.

[aluthman]

Get a nice new stainless exhaust and stop worrying about piecing it together.

This is what I was going to suggest.

[shiro1745]

hell no, this car is not getting a new exhaust.

This is milltek exhaust which was added a dump to by the previous owner, that's the Y you see in one of the pictures. I never had problems with it until last year, but now this is already too bad.

I will just weld the pieces together, not V-bands no flanges, nothing. Simple as that.

[shiro1745]

the exhaust itself has no bad rust or anything, no wholes, after all it is a SS exhaust, I just cannot make the connections seal. It's been probably messed with it too much at this point and the ends got bent by over torquing them and moving them around.

[Flexcj5]

I may be wrong but nothing about that exhaust looks stainless. I thought it was stock from the pics. That cutout needs a new cap for sure.

[wildcat333]

I need your help guys, please advice!


*advise [:D]

[shiro1745]

I may be wrong but nothing about that exhaust looks stainless. I thought it was stock from the pics. That cutout needs a new cap for sure.

There was a piece cut from the exhaust where the guy welded the cut-out Y piece, that I think is not stainless, the cap definitely not.

[shiro1745]

*advise [:D]

I know [:D] if you look at many of my posts are full of spelling mistakes, cause I post a lot and most of it is from my phone and have the auto spell activated.
Sometimes I post a lot of nonsense cause I have english and romanian languages active and mixed them without realizing.

I wish they made the mobile interface a bit more easy to use, when I need to correct something on there it's hell. Many times I just leave it, fuck it. I've heard on the internet that it's not a big deal to spell wrong on the internet [:D]

[wildcat333]

I know [:D] if you look at many of my posts are full of spelling mistakes, cause I post a lot and most of it is from my phone and have the auto spell activated.
Sometimes I post a lot of nonsense cause I have english and romanian languages active and mixed them without realizing.

I wish they made the mobile interface a bit more easy to use, when I need to correct something on there it's hell. Many times I just leave it, fuck it. I've heard on the internet that it's not a big deal to spell wrong on the internet [:D]

haha no worries, just messin with ya [az]

[sharpie]

http://s7d9.scene7.com//is/image/GenuinePartsCompany/221375?$application$


This clamp was shit for me. The bolt and nuts barely lasted and ended up rusting in less than one year. I'd advise against, but I see you've already slapped it on.

[shiro1745]

This clamp was shit for me. The bolt and nuts barely lasted and ended up rusting in less than one year. I'd advise against, but I see you've already slapped it on.

I put two on and removed them right away, now I have like this

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/54EC04FD-AAF7-4F1D-9ABF-3161D2F0F344-1367-0000018F71D2922B_zps708150bf.jpg

[sharpie]

I put two on and removed them right away, now I have like this

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/54EC04FD-AAF7-4F1D-9ABF-3161D2F0F344-1367-0000018F71D2922B_zps708150bf.jpg

I got what auditfsi linked from ecstuning but instead got it from the stealership.

you'll have to consider your pipe OD and make sure it fits since it's aftermarket.

or if you're daring you can probably design something similar, the collar-sleeve was like two thick sheets of stainless steel to create the sleeve and then two collars to go over all of that.

[shiro1745]

No more headaches, I've decided. The first two connections are getting welded together. I don't have the time and energy to mess with this exhaust any longer. It will be ugly but easy and permanent fix.

[your daddy]

exhaust paste.

[shiro1745]

Update:
weird thing, I've been driving the car since and apparently the connections sealed really good, I don't feel any fumes coming into the cabin anymore. I'll probably drive it for couple more weeks to give it a bit more time and smoke it again to see the result.

[shiro1745]

I also replaced the very rusted block plate with a new one, the old one was leaking too.

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-01151136_zps0bf84c53.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-01151136_zps0bf84c53.jpg.html)

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09130749_zps45934c31.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09130749_zps45934c31.jpg.html)

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09125121_zps75054568.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09125121_zps75054568.jpg.html)

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09125209_zpsb9ef5450.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09125209_zpsb9ef5450.jpg.html)

http://i955.photobucket.com/albums/ae31/ciprianpatulea/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09130517_zps5384c792.jpg (http://s955.photobucket.com/user/ciprianpatulea/media/Audi%20A4%20B7/Exhaust/2013-10-09130517_zps5384c792.jpg.html)