Small SSI problem
 

So I installed my SSI's without much trouble. Had to dremel the oil line nut, but the rest went quite well.

I DO have a small problem now and I think it's an exhaust leak.

When I first started the engine I saw condensation dripping from between the left SSI HE and the muffler.

When I drive it, I can hear an exhaust leak on the left side. The car sound a bit like a beetle on steroids (ok, it IS a beetle on steriods, nevertheless it should sound like a porsche :D)

The 'leak' sound is most recognizable when I'm around 3500 rpm and pressing the throttle half to full. I can hear it the least when bearly using the throttle or/and at high RPM.

I used new gaskets and everything is bolted on properly.

The muffler is Bisschoff and has a Porsche part number on it.

Help would be appreciated! (Is it most probable that the leak between HE and muffler is the cause ?)

If you take the muffler off, and it indeed is leaking, you will be able to see where it's leaking on the copper gasket as it will show black residue where it’s forcing its way out. If you do not see this, then you have a leak at the manifold.

Did you use or plug the bung? (assuming it had one)

Or, it just might be something else. I had a similar experience in which a sound thought to be an exhaust leak was revealed to be broken chain ramp. Lucky I caught it before any damage occurred.

I do not think anything is broken since the car was doing fine before I installed the SSI's. It's still fine, just makes a 'wrong' noise ;)

Will there be residu even when it only has been installed since about 50 miles ?

It's a euro SC, so no bung here.

get a 3 foot length of small diameter hose. stick one end in your ear and probe around all the gaskets with the other.

That's a great tip!

I'll try that!

Did you go with thick or thin flance ssi ? If thin, you must order the pre75 manifold gaskets, went through the same thing. the thin copper ones wont seal very well. what engine ?

They are thin flange.

It was the middle left cilinder that wasn't tightened properly. After tightening all was well ;)

I did use the copper gaskets and they are holding up quite good.

Which ones are the pre '75 gaskets ?

Tim,

Good work on finding the leak and fixing it.
Where did you find the SSI's?
And what did you pay for them over here? (I'm close to Antwerp)
I'm rebuilding my 3.2 but will backdate the exhaust to SSI's.

mine held up for a while, then got worse as the miles piled on, maybe 1000. the pre 75 gasket is a thick gasket material, not thin copper.

Thanks ! ;)



Van Kessel in Deurne near Eindhoven (yes, they have a 'Deurne' too :D) sells them for about 950 euro's.

And yes, it's the real McCoy. :D

If you need help installing them, PM me SmileWavy