How to prevent exhaust leak - new cats

[RussAdams]

I ended up cutting off the exhaust pipe from the exhaust manifolds and bought a new one. The new one does not stick out like the old one did.

Any suggestions on what I should do to prevent an exhaust leak at that nice flat mating surfacing surface between the new exhaust and the cat back exhaust?

New

Old

Side by side

This is what it has to mate up with:

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Cut your own exhaust gasket. I do that lots. There are gaskets specifically meant for exhaust same size as sheet of paper.

 

[Shran]

I believe this is the gasket you need:

More Information for WALKER 31609

Walker Exhaust Flange Gasket 31609

Shop for Walker Exhaust Flange Gasket 31609 with confidence at AutoZone.com. Parts are just part of what we do. Get yours online today and pick up in store.

www.autozone.com

 

[sgtsandman]

The studs will locate the flange. As long as you have a good gasket, it shouldn't leak. Just do your best to center everything up before you fully tighten down the nuts since the holes in the flange tend to be bigger than the studs.

 

[RussAdams]

I believe this is the gasket you need:

More Information for WALKER 31609

Walker Exhaust Flange Gasket 31609

Shop for Walker Exhaust Flange Gasket 31609 with confidence at AutoZone.com. Parts are just part of what we do. Get yours online today and pick up in store.

www.autozone.com

Amazon had one with overnight delivery.

Thanks again Shran!

Walker Exhaust 31609 Exhaust Pipe Flange Gasket

Amazon.com

 

[RussAdams]

The studs will locate the flange. As long as you have a good gasket, it shouldn't leak. Just do your best to center everything up before you fully tighten down the nuts since the holes in the flange tend to be bigger than the studs.

Great hint, thanks!

 

[RussAdams]

Cut your own exhaust gasket. I do that lots.

I'lltry the Walker this time. Thanks for giving another approach!

 

[RussAdams]

The new front exhaust & cat's were a no-go. Didn't even come close to bolting up. Front connectors to exhaust manifolds were tilted too far back, would not match up. The rear connector was at a different angle than the rear exhaust. If connected the rear exhaust would have been at an angle. The driver's side pipe interfered with the front drive shaft. Would have had to make multiple cuts and bend it around the driveshaft. What a POS!!!

Waiting for a DAVICO 19241 exhaust from RockAuto. Three times more expensive. Claims to be a direct bolt up replacement. Fingers crossed!

 

[bobbywalter]

damn. so is the unit you have actually what it is supposed to be.?.? i hate buying shit online.

 

[bobbywalter]

i ask because yours looks like its for a 3.0 truck....and the old one looks like a 4.0 truck but the 4.0 dont really have the cats on the y .

 

[RussAdams]

damn. so is the unit you have actually what it is supposed to be.?.? i hate buying shit online.

i ask because yours looks like its for a 3.0 truck....and the old one looks like a 4.0 truck but the 4.0 dont really have the cats on the y .

The old one was off my '99 4.0l OHV. No idea if it was a replacement. Probably was. The engine had a rebuilder's tag on the block. And the heads were 3rd party.

RockAuto lists this exhaust for both the 3.0 and 4.0.

https://www.rockauto.com/en/moreinfo.php?pk=4962171&cc=1354799&pt=5808&jsn=9

The cheap eBay one from Canada LOOKED like it would fit. Only found out it would not when I tried to put it in.

 

[bobbywalter]

ahhhh. there is one with a slip fit in the crossover i put on an explorer that was pretty slick...i looked for it but did not see the particular unit i was dealing with to get you a part number.... not sure where he got it but it was from online somewhere.

i have been nursing the one on my 4.0.... i had two spares at one point but they wandered off to others apparently

 

[RussAdams]

ahhhh. there is one with a slip fit in the crossover i put on an explorer that was pretty slick...
[/QUOTE

That would be sweet!

i had two spares at one point but they wandered off"

I hate it when that happens!

 

[RussAdams]

Finally gave up and took the Ranger to a muffler shop: Meineke.

They also could NOT fit the RockAuto cats directly on. I left the truck overnight for an "estimate". When I called the next morning they had already cut the exhaust before I could stop them. Dirty dogs. I ended up paying almost a $1,000 bucks for them to install the Davico's from RockAuto.

They quoted 5 hours for $950 something. Plus parts. They ended up keeping the truck over the weekend and said they put 19 hours in cutting and re-welding the cats to make them fit.

In my opinion the Davico 19241 is NOT suitable for a 1999 4x4 4.0l Ranger.

This is your warning to stay away!

Here were the problems I experienced:

1. The angle of the front flanges were incorrect. They were pointed in the wrong direction to align with the exhaust manifolds on both sides.
2. There was not enough clearance on the driver's side for the front driveshaft to pass the exhaust pipe.
3. The rear flange was angled such that the rear cat and muffler would have had to be at an angle instead of flat to the bottom of the truck bed.

If Meineke had not already cut the dang thing I would have returned it and tried another brand. I thought maybe I was doing something wrong when I attempted to mount the cats. That's why I took it to the "experts".

Live and learn. I'll never return to that Meineke.

But sad story has a bright ending: the cats are in and the truck is back on the road.

 

[RussAdams]

Here is a before photo of the Davico 19241 that I received and had to be cut and rewelded to fit: