just curious what the effects of an exhaust leak (small leak....not really loud) would be, at the manifold? Would it cause loss of power? What about mild engine vibration when revving??

I seem to get noticeable engine vibes when revving over 3000...purfectly smooth below 3G's though. Just wondering if that could contribute?

 

One noticeable effect may be a seriously fowl smell inside the passanger compartment

As far as vibration over 3k RPMs.. sounds like a balancer? An exhaust leak doesnt seem to be a likley cause of that.

 

yeah, i hear ya about the smell...... pee-u

now are you referring to a whole new balancer or just that little sleeve that it sits on??

 

Im talking about the whole crank balancer, but I dont want to stick my foot in my mouth because i've never experienced first hand what a worn balancer will do.

I just dont think an exhaust leak is your problem. I had exhaust leaks abound on my old 82' S-10, with a carb'd 2.8. The most noticeable side effect was a dramatic loss of power, poor mileage, a REEK like no other, and terrible throttle response.