Hey all, haven't posted in awhile. My car hasn't been running since last Saturday. Here is the symptoms. The car will start, but runs very rough, loud exhaust leak can heard and felt. White smoke also comes from the leak. The car will run for a few minutes then the RPMs quickly drop and the car dies. Then the car will start and die quickly. After letting the car sit for awhile and it will start with the rough idle. The check engine light is also. Me and my friend both believe the exhaust leak is causing this problem? Would a really bad exhaust leak make the car die like this? I am taking the car to the shop tomorrow, how much would it generally cost to fix a leak like this? THe leak is unforunately on the passenger side which is harder to get to.

 

Head Gasket sounds shot!

 

Well its at the shop right now. Just waiting on the call from them. This is sort of like waiting for the doctor to call to tell you what illness it is.

 

Man when ever I had an exhaust leak I always had to pay to remove a broken stud! $400.00 a whack! I had tons of leaks and dumped a fortune into the repairs! Thats why we started doing it ourselves! Passenger side leak could be from the EGR, if it is bad the car could run that poorly....I finally removed mine when we could not get the leak to stay plugged or the EGR to ever work right!...got headers that deleted it!

Yes a severe exhaust leak could have damaged something else!

Very important! Get HEADER gaskets to replace the exhaust manifold gasket (only thing that had any lasting power on mine to keep the leaks at bay!)...do not let them put a common manifold gasket back on. They blow out much quicker then the header gaskets! I think Mr. Gasket makes them! Yes they exist I ahve bought a bunch. Mostly from a local performance store! Header gasket is Blue & not grey metallic. Does not come in a box either! Cones on a carborad backing with a plastic celifane like seal! And if they only replace one side get the other gasket from them... They always charge you for the gasket set, yet never give you the mate they don't use.

 

Well here is an update. This morning it was a completely clogged catalyic converter and a bad MAP sensor. Got those fixed for $426. Shop called back said the heat from clogged cat caused the EGR and various vaccuum lines to melt. Got those replace. Total now $968 including the engine tests. When I started the car as I was leaving the shop, car strarted roughly and check engine light came on. Return in store and brought out the manager. He said maybe the plugs were fouled out. I drove it home with the car dieing on me twice. It was missing real bad as well. The shop is definitely getting an earful tomorrow.