click click click - exhaust leak?

[jode]

Well, the wag has developed a tapping clicking sorta sound from the area around the PS pump...It gets louder when there is a load on the engine and corresponds to engine speed (so it is not drivetrain related). It started ever so softly one day and within a few days, it is as loud or louder than my exhaust. It is really starting to bug, but my real question is, if it is an exhaust leak, am I causing further damage by driving it?

I don't want to burn any holes in my head or anything. What do y'all think...is it an exhaust leak or some sort of valvetrain noise? I tried holding a tube up to the ears and the valve cover with inconclusive results...it sounded exactly the same with or without the tube...but I can't seem to tell exactly where the noise is coming from. Any thoughts?

[PlasticBoob]

I'd say try the hose again. Sounds exactly like my dad's '89 YJ (258), he has been driving it like this for a few months, and hasn't had any serious problems. You might have to have the exhaust manifold shaved a bit.

[ August 13, 2003, 10:44 PM: Message edited by: plasticboob ]

[Joe Guilbeau]

Crawl up underneath the beast.

Undo the bolts at the Y-Pipe and get them loose.

Now loosen the bolts on the exhaust headers, and if you really want to make it nicer and easier to get the job done right the first time, go and buy some Stainless Steel Allen Head bolts to replace the grundgy current bolts.

Now, torque them to specs using the right sequence, do both sides, now re-attach the rest of the exhaust system and go about your business.

In a few days, re-torque and you should be set.

Antisieze is a real good idea.

[RLSCH]

had the same tapping noise on my 79 360. i thought it was a valve tap. it kept getting louder. i finally figured that the exhaust manifold bolts where loose. i had to replace the gaskets because they where burned up pretty good. sounds alot better now.

[jode]

Sounds like the consensus is exhaust leak...

So, supposing it is an exhaust leak, is there a head-exhaust manifold gasket? Or should I (as Joe advised) simply retorque it all down?

Also, anyone have an idea of what size those stainless allen head bolts oughta be?

And what are the chances that one (or more) of those stupid bolts will break off on me and require some sort of MAJOR surgery to extract? :rolleyes:

[RLSCH]

there is a gasket between the exhaust manifold and head. mine leaked about a year ans the gasket was burned up. you can try and tighten the bolts and see if the leak goes away. none of my bolts broke, but the motor was rebuilt only 4 years ago. good luck

[Wagoneer622]

Jode, do you have pollution equipment. If you do, check out those stupid air injection tubes. Mine rotted out and did the same exact thing you describe. Seeing my rig the pollution equipment was already pulled out and they just plugged the valves I chopped the tubed off and stuck screws in the hole. No more exhaust leak.

[jode]

Joe, you win!
Unfortunately, unbolting, rebolting and going did not work...It helped, but the leak persisted. I ended up installing new gaskets on the driver side and now the click click click is replaced by a purrrrrrrr/roarrrrrrr :D

Thanks a billion! Now I just gotta figure out what to do with the new gaskets that came in the kit for the passenger side :( I suppose I could always install them, but that could lead to some sort of crazy incident in which I end up exacerbating some other problem and spending hunerds of $$ to fix it :rolleyes:

Anybody wanna buy a passenger side exhaust manifold gasket for $4.00 ;)