Help with exhaust manifold. It was a gasket. Picture inside.

[DCC]

Hi there,

the other day, when I started my '88 golf GTD (JR engine), I noticed some incredibly loud valve noise and lots of black smoke coming from the back of the engine.

At first, I thought of something crankshaft related, but as I test drove it, I realized it had something to do with the exhaust manifold, the turbo blows only at +4k full throttle, but the car can be used with no problems (only a lot of noise).

Yesterday, I checked it up, and found that one of the cilinders had no metal joint (the other 3 had), I tightened the bolts, but I want to remove the exhaust manifold and the turbo.

There is no much place to work there, so, how can I do it? Which is the right order to take it all out?

I thought first of taking the intake manifold, remove the turbo's oil lines, downpipe, and then take the exhaust manifold. Am I right by doing so?

I will do it next saturday, will buy some new joints, and work on it. I have a few exhaust manifolds an turbos eventually.

[burn_your_money]

I think you have to take the turbo off and then the exhaust manifold. You may be able to do it all as one unit though

[DCC]

I think you have to take the turbo off and then the exhaust manifold. You may be able to do it all as one unit though

Well, that was my idea, the problem is that I can't reach all the bolts of the exhaust manifold, so I guess that first I have to unbolt the intake manifold and then the turbo, but I'm not sure about how to do it. I don't want to remove the engine from the engine bay, so..

[burn_your_money]

You can't take the intake off without taking the turbo off

[Baselyne]

you do not need to take the engine out, Just take off the turbo...then the mani's

if you cant reach something, then you cant reach it i suppose
there are two bolts at the top of the exhaust mani that I couldnt reach
so turbo off
I broke a stud while trying to get the turbo off the mani

Be careful not to round them out as there rusty forsure

[DCC]

there are two bolts at the top of the exhaust mani that I couldnt reach
so turbo off

That was my problem yesterday, I tried to tighten all bolts, but I couldn't reach one of the bolts at the top, anyway, I saw later there was a missing joint in the manifold.

I broke a stud while trying to get the turbo off the mani

Be careful not to round them out as there rusty forsure

Yes, I broke two studs trying to get the downpipe off, I'll be careful, for sure.

[DCC]

Ok. It's all fixed now.

I spent lots of hours fixing the problem. The turbo was a real pain to unbolt, as the bolts were a bit rusty and sticky. WD40 was quite useful.

I took out the turbo (looks in quite good condition) and then the exhaust manifold. To my surprise, it had no holes. Then I took a look at the exhaust joints, and discovered the reason for all the noise and smoke: there was a blown joint (literally), and another one was on the way to Valhalla (cylinders #2 and #4).

I replaced them, and also replaced some exhaust nuts and the turbo bolts, then put it all together and finished everything at 1:00 am. The car works incredibly well now. I had some serious turbo lag due to pressure loss in the exhaust manifold, now it works as it should (it can reach 100 mph on the odometer easily). Almost no lag or smoke.

So, a happy ending!

(Btw, how do I take the soot off my nails?)  :lol:

[Baselyne]

by a blown joint, what do you mean? the gasket?

[jtanguay]

(Btw, how do I take the soot off my nails?)  :lol:

just wait a few weeks for new ones  :wink:

yea i think he's talking about the 4 separate gaskets.

[DCC]

by a blown joint, what do you mean? the gasket?

Yup. The 4 separate gaskets, as said by jtanguay. Have to take a picture, though.

The car feels completely different now, had a great time today driving around.  

[burn_your_money]

Probably had a lot better turbo response eh?

[DCC]

This is it.

Now everything is just perfect: starts better, works better, goes faster and doesn't sound like a sewing machine.  :lol:

I had great fun today:


 :wink:

[blkboostedtruck]

DROOL look at that hairpin curve!
Duane

[smutts]

She looks just like mine!
Congratulations on a wretched job. I used up a years worth of swear words on that job.

[Baselyne]

Hahahha Man my nabours f'in hate my language when im dealing with this kinda work.....bang there goes another rusty turbo stud!  oppps there goes another 13mm wrench on onto the street infront of the garage at the end of the drive way over two cars and past 3 more sets of houses and.....and ....and nothin but net!

Killer hairpin, Id be rollin my rabbit right about where yous is parked trying to better my time...hah