Tips for finding an exhaust leak

Huck · 08-07-2012, 09:52 AM

Ok guys I need your help on this one. I'm wondering if you guys have any cool tips or tricks to finding an exhaust leak. I recently installed my FI headers, and there's a loud hiss sound coming from somewhere near the passenger side O2 sensors. I can't pinpoint the location exactly. So far I've tried using a stethoscope and a smoker machine. The smoker uses baby oil to produce a vapor which it then pumps through the muffler into the exhaust system while you block everything else off. We pumped at about 7lbs pressure and found a few tiny leaks, but the sound is still there. I have checked every bolt and everything seems to be tight. I'm gonna try putting some sea foam in the intake manifold and see if I can find something that way. Do you guys have any other suggestions? This sound is driving me nuts, so I really appreciate any help you can give.

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Romulus1 · 08-07-2012, 10:07 AM

Rubber gloves and seal your hands around the area that you suspect is leaking???

SS_Firehawk · 08-07-2012, 10:19 AM

Here is a quick vid I made on a how to create a stethascope. I know you said you tried it, but maybe it might help.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G507...s&feature=plcp

You can here a mouse fart with this thing.

Huck · 08-07-2012, 11:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Romulus1

Rubber gloves and seal your hands around the area that you suspect is leaking???

That might work normally, but if I could feel it with my hands then I'm sure the smoke we used would have seeped out without a problem.

Thanks for the vid, I'll check it out

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Huck · 08-07-2012, 11:48 AM

Is that a copper tube or rod?

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cheshirecat · 08-07-2012, 02:57 PM

Are you talking about the hiss on deceleration?

Huck · 08-07-2012, 03:00 PM

There is that, but it also makes the same noise on acceleration, and the harder I accelerate, the louder it gets.

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SS_Firehawk · 08-07-2012, 07:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Huck

Is that a copper tube or rod?

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copper tube from home depot

rhd · 08-07-2012, 07:48 PM

FWIW - I used a 3 foot piece of garden hose to find where an idler bearing whine was coming from on the wife's Buick a while back. Read about it on some auto repair thread, was hesitant at first but sure as sh*t, it really worked well.

Hold one end next to your ear and put the other end at your suspect locations, if they are the same sound those are probably not leaking, the leaker will be pretty obvious I bet with the hose.

Good Luck - Let us know how it goes.

Z-Girl 12 · 08-07-2012, 08:08 PM

Awwwww Huck!!!! I hope you get it fixed.

Huck · 08-07-2012, 11:51 PM

Haha thanks Zgirl, me too! I'm taking it to my buddy's shop tomorrow to put it on the lift and try the sea foam. Thanks fire hawk and rhd for the info. I'll try that out if this sea foam doesn't work

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cheshirecat · 08-08-2012, 02:36 PM

let us know how it turns out

Huck · 08-08-2012, 02:59 PM

Will do!

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Read T · 08-08-2012, 08:57 PM

To find an exhaust leak you could just run seafoam through one of your vaccum lines (brake booster line). Any leaks will spit out white smoke. Do this on my other cars to clean out vaccum lines. Your exhaust will be thick and white for a few minutes.

Read T · 08-08-2012, 09:00 PM

As far as making a stethescope, I just use a piece of plastic hose to tune the carbs on my 1960 morgan. hold one end to ear and the other to carbs - you can hear them hissing pretty well that way. The owners manual for it actually says to do that.

08-07-2012, 09:52 AM	#1 (permalink)
Huck A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cocoa, Florida Age: 42 Posts: 5,075 Drives: Pantydropper machine Rep Power: 33	Tips for finding an exhaust leak Ok guys I need your help on this one. I'm wondering if you guys have any cool tips or tricks to finding an exhaust leak. I recently installed my FI headers, and there's a loud hiss sound coming from somewhere near the passenger side O2 sensors. I can't pinpoint the location exactly. So far I've tried using a stethoscope and a smoker machine. The smoker uses baby oil to produce a vapor which it then pumps through the muffler into the exhaust system while you block everything else off. We pumped at about 7lbs pressure and found a few tiny leaks, but the sound is still there. I have checked every bolt and everything seems to be tight. I'm gonna try putting some sea foam in the intake manifold and see if I can find something that way. Do you guys have any other suggestions? This sound is driving me nuts, so I really appreciate any help you can give. Sent from my iPizzle using magic and new-fangled science stuff __________________ VLEDS \| Evo-R \| Moddiction \| CF Hood Struts \| F.I. CF CBE & LTH \| Stillen CAI \| NST Pulleys \| UpRev \| Z1 \| M7 \| Status \| Forgestar \| PSS \| Whiteline \| SPL \| SPC \| Kenwood \| Zenclosure \| Kicker \| Alpine Type R

08-07-2012, 10:07 AM	#2 (permalink)
Romulus1 Track Member Join Date: May 2011 Location: Long Island, NY Posts: 691 Drives: '11 370Z Sport 6MT Rep Power: 15	Rubber gloves and seal your hands around the area that you suspect is leaking??? __________________ 11 SR 370Z Sport 6MT - Sold 03 Escalade AWD - Sold 13 Silverado LTZ Z71 Crew Cab

08-07-2012, 10:19 AM	#3 (permalink)
SS_Firehawk Premium Member Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Tampa Posts: 4,142 Drives: 13' Magma Red Nismo Rep Power: 7335	Here is a quick vid I made on a how to create a stethascope. I know you said you tried it, but maybe it might help. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G507...s&feature=plcp You can here a mouse fart with this thing. AlexRaymond19 likes this. __________________ Old Car:GTM TSC'd 550whp / 410lbft tq @ 11.88PSI New Car: Under Construction

08-07-2012, 11:48 AM	#5 (permalink)
Huck A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cocoa, Florida Age: 42 Posts: 5,075 Drives: Pantydropper machine Rep Power: 33	Is that a copper tube or rod? Sent from my iPizzle using magic and new-fangled science stuff __________________ VLEDS \| Evo-R \| Moddiction \| CF Hood Struts \| F.I. CF CBE & LTH \| Stillen CAI \| NST Pulleys \| UpRev \| Z1 \| M7 \| Status \| Forgestar \| PSS \| Whiteline \| SPL \| SPC \| Kenwood \| Zenclosure \| Kicker \| Alpine Type R

08-07-2012, 03:00 PM	#7 (permalink)
Huck A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cocoa, Florida Age: 42 Posts: 5,075 Drives: Pantydropper machine Rep Power: 33	There is that, but it also makes the same noise on acceleration, and the harder I accelerate, the louder it gets. Sent from my iPizzle using magic and new-fangled science stuff __________________ VLEDS \| Evo-R \| Moddiction \| CF Hood Struts \| F.I. CF CBE & LTH \| Stillen CAI \| NST Pulleys \| UpRev \| Z1 \| M7 \| Status \| Forgestar \| PSS \| Whiteline \| SPL \| SPC \| Kenwood \| Zenclosure \| Kicker \| Alpine Type R

08-07-2012, 02:57 PM	#6 (permalink)
cheshirecat A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 1,428 Drives: N54 135i Rep Power: 292	Are you talking about the hiss on deceleration?

08-07-2012, 07:48 PM	#9 (permalink)
rhd Enthusiast Member Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: In the shop Posts: 281 Drives: Women Crazy Rep Power: 13	FWIW - I used a 3 foot piece of garden hose to find where an idler bearing whine was coming from on the wife's Buick a while back. Read about it on some auto repair thread, was hesitant at first but sure as sh*t, it really worked well. Hold one end next to your ear and put the other end at your suspect locations, if they are the same sound those are probably not leaking, the leaker will be pretty obvious I bet with the hose. Good Luck - Let us know how it goes.

08-07-2012, 08:08 PM	#10 (permalink)
Z-Girl 12 A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Florida Posts: 4,105 Drives: Spirited Rep Power: 11716	Awwwww Huck!!!! I hope you get it fixed. __________________ 2012 Z-SOLD 2014 Nismo #565 Fast Intentions CBE/HFC/Swift/SPC/RJM/H&R-15/20mm/Z1 CAI/Headers/Intake Manifold w/Uprev Tune 328.31whp/263.64tq

08-07-2012, 11:51 PM	#11 (permalink)
Huck A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cocoa, Florida Age: 42 Posts: 5,075 Drives: Pantydropper machine Rep Power: 33	Haha thanks Zgirl, me too! I'm taking it to my buddy's shop tomorrow to put it on the lift and try the sea foam. Thanks fire hawk and rhd for the info. I'll try that out if this sea foam doesn't work Sent from my iPizzle using magic and new-fangled science stuff __________________ VLEDS \| Evo-R \| Moddiction \| CF Hood Struts \| F.I. CF CBE & LTH \| Stillen CAI \| NST Pulleys \| UpRev \| Z1 \| M7 \| Status \| Forgestar \| PSS \| Whiteline \| SPL \| SPC \| Kenwood \| Zenclosure \| Kicker \| Alpine Type R

08-08-2012, 02:36 PM	#12 (permalink)
cheshirecat A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Florida Posts: 1,428 Drives: N54 135i Rep Power: 292	let us know how it turns out

08-08-2012, 02:59 PM	#13 (permalink)
Huck A True Z Fanatic Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Cocoa, Florida Age: 42 Posts: 5,075 Drives: Pantydropper machine Rep Power: 33	Will do! Sent from my iPizzle using magic and new-fangled science stuff __________________ VLEDS \| Evo-R \| Moddiction \| CF Hood Struts \| F.I. CF CBE & LTH \| Stillen CAI \| NST Pulleys \| UpRev \| Z1 \| M7 \| Status \| Forgestar \| PSS \| Whiteline \| SPL \| SPC \| Kenwood \| Zenclosure \| Kicker \| Alpine Type R

08-08-2012, 08:57 PM	#14 (permalink)
Read T A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,046 Drives: 11 Nissan 370z BC 6M Rep Power: 18	To find an exhaust leak you could just run seafoam through one of your vaccum lines (brake booster line). Any leaks will spit out white smoke. Do this on my other cars to clean out vaccum lines. Your exhaust will be thick and white for a few minutes. __________________ 2011 Nissan 370z Black Cherry Sport Pkg - Daily Driver, , 1960 Morgan +4 fun car, 1986 BMW 325ES, 1998 M3 and 1996 Spec Miata - Race Cars SUPPORT TEAM WINSOME RACING - WRL, CHUMP, LEMONS

08-08-2012, 09:00 PM	#15 (permalink)
Read T A True Z Fanatic Join Date: May 2012 Location: Raleigh, NC Posts: 1,046 Drives: 11 Nissan 370z BC 6M Rep Power: 18	As far as making a stethescope, I just use a piece of plastic hose to tune the carbs on my 1960 morgan. hold one end to ear and the other to carbs - you can hear them hissing pretty well that way. The owners manual for it actually says to do that. __________________ 2011 Nissan 370z Black Cherry Sport Pkg - Daily Driver, , 1960 Morgan +4 fun car, 1986 BMW 325ES, 1998 M3 and 1996 Spec Miata - Race Cars SUPPORT TEAM WINSOME RACING - WRL, CHUMP, LEMONS

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