Leak between manifold and wastegate
 

So the gasket between the manifold and wastegate fucking blew out and now I have a "pft pft pft" noise coming from under the hood whenever I hit the gas and its aggravating as can be. Not to mention the exhaust fumes that make their way into the car start to irritate my eyes and make me feel light headed after awhile of driving.

My question is this. As soon as the car cools down I plan on pulling the turbo/dp/wategate off, again, and I want to fix this once and only once. Do you suggest I use some high temp silicone (rated to 650deg) between the surfaces? And if so is a couple hours to cure enough? Or should I just do metal to metal like my turbo and dp meet the manifold?

Its a bitch and a half to pull the wastegate so I'd rather not have to do it again in a week from now if I can avoid it.

Wait.... do you mean the WG to the dump pipe? The one between manifold and the Tial is just the fire ring, no gasket.

Wastegate to dump pipe is fine. Its where the manifold meets the wastegate block (I'm not sure what its called) thats leaking. Its the first seal underneath the manifold if that makes more sense.

Get both surfaces machined and ditch the gasket.

I went outside and pulled the turbo only to find that the leak isn't coming from underneath at the wastegate joint.....but right on the turbo flange instead. There is another crack you can see through the inside of the manifold that's on the backside, but thats not where I thought I felt it coming from.

You son of a bitch! :vash:

So really I guess I need to replace this manifold eh? In the meantime should I slap some high temp silicone around the flange area, or should I just bolt it back up how it was? Guess I wont be fixing that exhaust leak today.....:facepalm:

Edit: I just did some reading on other threads that had cracked manifold issues and many of replies recommended to just have them welded. Seeing that we have a welder 2 shops over that would be easy and free. Wondering if that's my best option. Another question, where can I even get a replacement? I looked on Begi's and FM's sites and didnt see a match to mine.

http://c2.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...c464673a0d.jpg

http://c1.ac-images.myspacecdn.com/i...0babf2cd74.jpg

Silicone isn't going to do shit. Only options are to replace it or maybe you can get it fixed.
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The red high temp RTV works great as a gasket maker.

Before welding. Make sure to find the end of the crack... go a hair past it and drill a small hole to terminate the crack. Then clean/prep/weld the snot out of it.

The crack through the gasket surface is going to be a PIA though. No easy way to fix that.

I'd be thinking new manifold at this point personally. And I like to fix things.

Thanks splitime. I actually read one of your posts on another thread concerning cracked manifolds and jotted down that info. But now I hear what your saying about the gasket area crack, that might be a shitpiss to weld hunh.

So say I wanted to go the new manifold route, should I expect to be spending roughly $400-$500?

Aren't the BEGI manifolds cheaper?
Give Corky/Begi a call. They might be willing to cut you a deal as you already have their manifold.

I'm going to give Begi a call after I clean up. See what they want for a new one, preferably coated.

Well I guess the good thing about all this is that now I can pull the hotside parts in a matter of minutes. I know all the tools I need by heart, as well as all the little tricks to getting it back together quickly. Having pulled the turbo like 3 or 4 times in the past week has been a bitch, but at least it gets easier every time rather than harder. :bigtu:

Bummer, but id go with a new manifold and be done with it.

That's an FMIII. Short run oddball manifold with an external gate. Complete pain in the ass to deal with. You aren't going to find a replacement manifold, unless BEGI will make you one, FM has an old one or you get a used one. Unfortunately this means a new DP too.

Bit the bullet and get a new FM manifold and DP. If you are going to pull the whole thing out I'd replace it.

Jay

Time to go ABSURDflow. I bet Tim could put a TiAL WG flange on the bottom.
http://www.absurdflow.com/miata/begi...lowbegitop.JPG
Andrew and I are very happy and its probably safe to say that all his other customers are too. After what I've been through and seen from everyone else on this forum, cast iron is not as reliable as its made out to be.

btw, the manifold "cavern" you have is pretty lol.

Would a drilled manifold like swiss cheese be helpful to prevent long cracks?

:giggle:

you know... having the manifold as a spare would make it impossible to crack..You'd never crack the spare if you keep it as a spare.

Hustler, i never knew one could weld so many welds on top of other welds.

Well after much debate on this matter I think I might have to ask Tim what he would charge me for a mani/dp combo. I really don't have the cash for this, let alone a new manifold, but I might be able to make it work.

As long as it would work with my Enthuza test/pipe exhaust and the FM silicone IC pipes I would be all for going absurdflow. :)

My next question is this. My temp registration runs out the middle of next week and I still need to pass emissions. My dyno guy made me an emissions map, and I plan on swapping my cat in for the test, but what about the leak now? Do you think they will even notice, and if they do will they fail me for an exhaust leak? Is it worth pulling the manifold on Monday and having it welded for the time being? Even though its not a huge pain in the ass to pull all this shit off day after day.....it kinda is. :vash:

the place i always go to would probably not notice or care. the only thing he physically inspects is that there is a cat in place. my valvecover vents to a catch can with a breather filter... didnt say a word. hell, the guy didnt even acknowledge that my escort is turbocharged.
i also had a stock escort with a blown out manifold-to-flexpipe gasket... leaking like crazy (louder than the turbo escort) and he didnt say a word.

its cargill chevrolet in putnam CT if you want to make the drive... lol

Swap in the cat and go thru emissions. Your car is pre 95 right? If so they just use a mirror under the car to check you got a cat there then throw the sniffer up ur rear :giggle:....I had no problems, neither should you!

If you don't have the money, the crack wouldn't be impossible to seal. Drill the hole as Splittime suggested, weld up the side and mating surface, then get it milled flat. Looks like you could use it anyways. Those studs will probably be a bitch to get out though, take your time.