1995 Camaro Z28 Convertible Exhaust Leak
12-02-2013, 01:05 PM
#1
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1995 Camaro Z28 Convertible Exhaust Leak
Hello Everyone. I have a 1995 Camaro Z28 Convertible that I got last week. I already put new battery, tires and transmission mount on it, but it still runs a little clunky. I brought it to my mechanic and he diagnosed an exhaust leak. I believe the leak is on the driver side. Anyway, he said it would be about $1000+ and at least 4 days which I really don't have the money or time for. What I'm asking of you guys is for some guidelines to do this myself. Tutorials, tips, suggestions on what parts to buy, anything you can contribute to help me fix this thing myself is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.
12-02-2013, 01:47 PM
#2
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Re: 1995 Camaro Z28 Convertible Exhaust Leak
Assuming you have the stock exhaust, and your car is not specifically equipped with the CA emissions dual cat exhaust used on 1995 A4 trans cars sold in California, your exhaust system consists of two cast iron exhaust manifolds, one bolted to the side of each head on the engine's "V", a "Y" pipe that merges the output of the two manifolds into a single pipe, a single catalytic converter, a single intermediate pipe to the rear of the car and over the axle, a crossflow muffler with a single inlet on the passenger side, and an outlet/exhaust pipe on each side.
Where the leak is located will determine if the leak will affect the way the engine runs. Basically, it would only affect the engine if the leak is located BEFORE the O2 sensor. That would limit the location of the drivers side exhaust leak to the gasket that is sandwiched between the drivers side head and the drivers side exhaust manifold ($15-35 for a set of two, depending on quality), or a crack in the manifold. This limits where a leak would affect the engine operation, because the O2 sensor on that side is screwed into the outlet of the manifold.
Any leaks beyond this point would smell bad and make noise, but would not cause the engine to run poorly.
You can probably find a stock replacement manifold for free if yours is cracked, or very cheap, since many people have replaced them with exhaust headers.
To replace the manifold,you would first unbolt the Y-pipe - you may have to loosen both sides, and unbolt the hanger for the cat so the Y-pipe will drop. Ususally, the studs in the manifold that the Y-pipe bolts to will snap off, but since you are removing the manifold you can replace the studs, at least on the driver's side. Lots of high quality rust penetrant (nopt WD40), 24-hours in advance, is recommended. Then you unbolt the exhaust manifold from the head. Here's where it gets messy because there are 6 bolts and they can break off, leaving you with the problem of extracting the old bolt from the head, almost impossible with the head on the engine.
In any case, it it works, use a set of quality bolts, a bit of anti-sieze and reinstall the manifold and new gasket, then connect the Y-pipe to the manifold. Long time since I saw my stock exhaust, but I think the drivers side Y-pipe to manifold connection is a ball flange, with no gasket.
At this point, you will have saved yourself about $950.... at least if you don't snap a manifold bolt off in the head.
Where the leak is located will determine if the leak will affect the way the engine runs. Basically, it would only affect the engine if the leak is located BEFORE the O2 sensor. That would limit the location of the drivers side exhaust leak to the gasket that is sandwiched between the drivers side head and the drivers side exhaust manifold ($15-35 for a set of two, depending on quality), or a crack in the manifold. This limits where a leak would affect the engine operation, because the O2 sensor on that side is screwed into the outlet of the manifold.
Any leaks beyond this point would smell bad and make noise, but would not cause the engine to run poorly.
You can probably find a stock replacement manifold for free if yours is cracked, or very cheap, since many people have replaced them with exhaust headers.
To replace the manifold,you would first unbolt the Y-pipe - you may have to loosen both sides, and unbolt the hanger for the cat so the Y-pipe will drop. Ususally, the studs in the manifold that the Y-pipe bolts to will snap off, but since you are removing the manifold you can replace the studs, at least on the driver's side. Lots of high quality rust penetrant (nopt WD40), 24-hours in advance, is recommended. Then you unbolt the exhaust manifold from the head. Here's where it gets messy because there are 6 bolts and they can break off, leaving you with the problem of extracting the old bolt from the head, almost impossible with the head on the engine.
In any case, it it works, use a set of quality bolts, a bit of anti-sieze and reinstall the manifold and new gasket, then connect the Y-pipe to the manifold. Long time since I saw my stock exhaust, but I think the drivers side Y-pipe to manifold connection is a ball flange, with no gasket.
At this point, you will have saved yourself about $950.... at least if you don't snap a manifold bolt off in the head.
Last edited by Injuneer; 12-02-2013 at 01:51 PM.
12-02-2013, 03:02 PM
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 6
Re: 1995 Camaro Z28 Convertible Exhaust Leak
Assuming you have the stock exhaust, and your car is not specifically equipped with the CA emissions dual cat exhaust used on 1995 A4 trans cars sold in California, your exhaust system consists of two cast iron exhaust manifolds, one bolted to the side of each head on the engine's "V", a "Y" pipe that merges the output of the two manifolds into a single pipe, a single catalytic converter, a single intermediate pipe to the rear of the car and over the axle, a crossflow muffler with a single inlet on the passenger side, and an outlet/exhaust pipe on each side.
Where the leak is located will determine if the leak will affect the way the engine runs. Basically, it would only affect the engine if the leak is located BEFORE the O2 sensor. That would limit the location of the drivers side exhaust leak to the gasket that is sandwiched between the drivers side head and the drivers side exhaust manifold ($15-35 for a set of two, depending on quality), or a crack in the manifold. This limits where a leak would affect the engine operation, because the O2 sensor on that side is screwed into the outlet of the manifold.
Any leaks beyond this point would smell bad and make noise, but would not cause the engine to run poorly.
You can probably find a stock replacement manifold for free if yours is cracked, or very cheap, since many people have replaced them with exhaust headers.
To replace the manifold,you would first unbolt the Y-pipe - you may have to loosen both sides, and unbolt the hanger for the cat so the Y-pipe will drop. Ususally, the studs in the manifold that the Y-pipe bolts to will snap off, but since you are removing the manifold you can replace the studs, at least on the driver's side. Lots of high quality rust penetrant (nopt WD40), 24-hours in advance, is recommended. Then you unbolt the exhaust manifold from the head. Here's where it gets messy because there are 6 bolts and they can break off, leaving you with the problem of extracting the old bolt from the head, almost impossible with the head on the engine.
In any case, it it works, use a set of quality bolts, a bit of anti-sieze and reinstall the manifold and new gasket, then connect the Y-pipe to the manifold. Long time since I saw my stock exhaust, but I think the drivers side Y-pipe to manifold connection is a ball flange, with no gasket.
At this point, you will have saved yourself about $950.... at least if you don't snap a manifold bolt off in the head.
Where the leak is located will determine if the leak will affect the way the engine runs. Basically, it would only affect the engine if the leak is located BEFORE the O2 sensor. That would limit the location of the drivers side exhaust leak to the gasket that is sandwiched between the drivers side head and the drivers side exhaust manifold ($15-35 for a set of two, depending on quality), or a crack in the manifold. This limits where a leak would affect the engine operation, because the O2 sensor on that side is screwed into the outlet of the manifold.
Any leaks beyond this point would smell bad and make noise, but would not cause the engine to run poorly.
You can probably find a stock replacement manifold for free if yours is cracked, or very cheap, since many people have replaced them with exhaust headers.
To replace the manifold,you would first unbolt the Y-pipe - you may have to loosen both sides, and unbolt the hanger for the cat so the Y-pipe will drop. Ususally, the studs in the manifold that the Y-pipe bolts to will snap off, but since you are removing the manifold you can replace the studs, at least on the driver's side. Lots of high quality rust penetrant (nopt WD40), 24-hours in advance, is recommended. Then you unbolt the exhaust manifold from the head. Here's where it gets messy because there are 6 bolts and they can break off, leaving you with the problem of extracting the old bolt from the head, almost impossible with the head on the engine.
In any case, it it works, use a set of quality bolts, a bit of anti-sieze and reinstall the manifold and new gasket, then connect the Y-pipe to the manifold. Long time since I saw my stock exhaust, but I think the drivers side Y-pipe to manifold connection is a ball flange, with no gasket.
At this point, you will have saved yourself about $950.... at least if you don't snap a manifold bolt off in the head.
12-02-2013, 03:16 PM
#4
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Join Date: Nov 1998
Location: Hell was full so they sent me to NJ
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Re: 1995 Camaro Z28 Convertible Exhaust Leak
You wouldn't pull the engine. You would pull the drivers side head. If you have a friend with some of the more basic knowledge, he could problably help you do the head R&R.
You also don't need to pull the engine for the Optispark distributor, water pump or clutch.
And, it depends where the bolts broke. If there is still a stub of the original bolt protruding beyond the face of the head, it may be possible to remove it without pulling the head. The ones that are hard to remove are the ones that are broken flush with, or even part way inside the hole in the head.
You also don't need to pull the engine for the Optispark distributor, water pump or clutch.
And, it depends where the bolts broke. If there is still a stub of the original bolt protruding beyond the face of the head, it may be possible to remove it without pulling the head. The ones that are hard to remove are the ones that are broken flush with, or even part way inside the hole in the head.
12-02-2013, 04:12 PM
#5
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Posts: 6
Re: 1995 Camaro Z28 Convertible Exhaust Leak
Thanks I really appreciate it and I'm going to look into removing the head myself. Do you have any step by step instructions on the web ?
Last edited by b_payne20; 12-02-2013 at 04:21 PM.
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