How to Identify Exhaust Leak in DC2?

[RoryAlexander]

hey guys,

I think i might have an exhaust leak or blockage, im planning on changing the whole system very soon so its not really a problem, but i just wanted to make sure it is an exhaust leak/blockage before i go spending money incase it is something more serious.

Symptoms:

- Rushing air sound when accelerating.
- When lifting off (not driving hard) hear a rushing air sound aswell.
- Exhaust is very loud for a stock system, rumbles at lower rpm's.
- Strong smell of burnt fuel after driving (Thinking the leak may be before the Cat because of this smell? opinions?)
- Feels like I have less power, but it might be psychological.

So do i have an Exhaust leak or something more serious?

Thanks guys. (i searched OH, but came up with either nothing or a million pages)

UPDATE

alright guys, my car has definitely lost power.

Going up a pretty steep hill i used to be able to sit in 5th at 80 and still have enough power to accelerate a little up the hill.

Now at WOT i find im slowly losing speed going up it. (Previous up hill acceleration was probably 3/4 open)

Is this normal for a really bad exhaust leak? to lose heaps of low end torque?

And does this suggest the leak is right off the block basically?

[Zilli]

hmmmm the air rushing sound can be a busted cat convertor...

But, the rumbling or usually, fart can sound you will hear is what is a giveaway... best way is to turn it on, let it run and try and visually or audibly inspect the exhaust right throughout the system... you should be able to pin point it... if you want a quick fix some muffler bog should help you

[beeza]

When you use Suburu upper engine cleaner,the white smoke will come out/leave from any holes in the system and then can easily be identified!

A nice little trick I learnt :)

[Zilli]

clever!!! lol

[beeza]

HAHA,yeah! That's how I accidently found an exhaust leak and therefore this trick HAHA!

:)

[RoryAlexander]

Alright guys, my car has definitely lost power.

Going up a pretty steep hill i used to be able to sit in 5th at 80 and still have enough power to accelerate a little up the hill.

Now at WOT i find im slowly losing speed going up it. (Previous up hill acceleration was probably 3/4 open)

Is this normal for a really bad exhaust leak? to lose heaps of low end torque?

And does this suggest the leak is right off the block basically?

[RoryAlexander]

Getting Slightly worried.

[lithium]

try this:

1) put the back of the car up on ramps and chock the front wheels
2) switch the engine on
3) put on a set of gloves (exhaust gas and exhaust piping gets HOT)
4) crawl under the rear of the car and follow the exhaust piping back from the tip. look for air coming out of the piping - especially check around the flanges, the mufflers. move your glove along the exhaust piping (try not to touch it) and feel for air movement. if the leak is making your car significantly louder and making it loose performance - it should be large enough to be obvious

it does sound like a leak. the only way to know for sure is to look for it :wave:

[RoryAlexander]

So in everyones opinion, because of the symptoms such as lots of torque loss, burnt fuel smell, loss of power etc.

Where would you suggest the leak would most likely be? for some reason i am imagining that the leak must be either in the headers 4-2 join, or straight off the block. Most definitely before the cat because of the smell.

am i Right or nowhere near? any input appreciated thanks guys. (I have a set of headers on the way as we speak so hoping this is the case, wishful thinking maybe?)

[phaz]

my integra has a hole in the exhaust as well, and i've felt slight power loss. Just listen to hear a "fluttering" noise hear n there, just turn it on n give it a little hit, u can usually tell between a hole and an after market exhaust.

[WATAJK]

you'd be able to smell it a mile away as you'd be able to smell all the fumes which are generally blocked out when it reachers your rear end muffler..

[lithium]

So in everyones opinion, because of the symptoms such as lots of torque loss, burnt fuel smell, loss of power etc.

Where would you suggest the leak would most likely be? for some reason i am imagining that the leak must be either in the headers 4-2 join, or straight off the block. Most definitely before the cat because of the smell.

am i Right or nowhere near? any input appreciated thanks guys. (I have a set of headers on the way as we speak so hoping this is the case, wishful thinking maybe?)

you are possibly right. only one way to find out for sure - pop the bonnet, turn the car on and look at the headers and see if you can find a leak. if you are losing power it should be large enough to be quite obvious.

[RoryAlexander]

I have the protector thing bolted over the top, but it did sound a little whistley.

When it had been heated up etc i wound it out to 8,200 rpm and once it settled down i turned the car off and it just made this huge "psshhhhhhhhhhhh" noise that just got weaker and weaker until it faded away.

Normal?

[beeza]

try this:

1) put the back of the car up on ramps and chock the front wheels
2) switch the engine on
3) put on a set of gloves (exhaust gas and exhaust piping gets HOT)
4) crawl under the rear of the car and follow the exhaust piping back from the tip. look for air coming out of the piping - especially check around the flanges, the mufflers. move your glove along the exhaust piping (try not to touch it) and feel for air movement. if the leak is making your car significantly louder and making it loose performance - it should be large enough to be obvious

it does sound like a leak. the only way to know for sure is to look for it :wave:

It's so obvious!!

It's sooo weird that we miss the obvious sometimes aye LOL