Exhaust flange help

[busdriver]

I took my 87 GL10 into the muffler shop yesterday because she is getting loud. The muffler guy says "theres your problem one of the bolts fell out of the exhaust manifold". No problem because I found that bolt laying in my skidplate, well...the bolt hole is stripped out. Then I look closer and see four bolt holes, but only two are being used, so now I'm thinking what dumb a$$ did this manuever.

 

The muffler guy tells me that all the old soobs are like this and when you strip out one set of bolt holes, then you pivot the flange and use the other holes. What the hell is this! That's got to be the dumbest thing I've heard.

 

So does anyone make four hole flanges or do I have to find someone to make a pair for me? My car sounds like it's going to explode.

[Syonyk]

*blinks*

 

I've always seen 4 bolts/studs being used to hold my exhaust onto the engine.

 

If it's stripped, you could just helicoil it.

 

-=Russ=-

[busdriver]

It makes sense to me to use all 4 bolts, and I cant imagine soob engineers thinking this is right and good. Anyone know where I could find some four bolt flanges?

*blinks*

 

I've always seen 4 bolts/studs being used to hold my exhaust onto the engine.

 

If it's stripped, you could just helicoil it.

 

-=Russ=-

[idosubaru]

yours only has two? if it worked with 2 before, it might work with 2 again? i have used one or two less per-side on my XT6 manifolds before with no leakage problems (they have dual ports on each side).

 

anyhow, helicoil and use what you got if it worked before. unless you find an easy source for a manifold...but they you'll need another doughnet gasket at the rear flange too.

 

i think XSNRG (whatever his name is) is selling some y-pipes for EA82's on the for sale forum, go check that out for a replacement (and ask for a 4 hole flange!)

[busdriver]

Well I think I made it obvious that the two bolts don't work for an extended duration of time since mine is not working. The one bolt is completely stripped and the other one is on it's way out. Thanks for the lead on the four bolt flanges.

 

If I can find the flanges I'll helicoil it so all four bolts are utilized. I can't see people autocrossing and rallying thru the woods expecting their exhaust systems to stay on.

[TomRhere]

EA-81 & EA-82 engines only have 2 bolts/studs to hold the Y-pipe the the engine, thus only 2 hole in the flanges. The EA-81 engine uses all 4 holes in the head though, 2 short bolts hold the adapter for the pipe to the ASV/emissions stuff, other 2 studs hold the Y-pipe on and pass thru the adapter.

You could have the garage cut the flanges off your Y-pipe and re-weld them to use the other holes. Or you could Heli-coil them. Or do like I do, a 7/16"-14 thread tap will go right into the stripped hole. Lots of nice coarse threads in that soft aluminum now. I use a starter tap, followed by a bottoming tap, just to get a couple more turns of thread.

 

 

My .02.........

[4WDFrenzy]

Sounds like the exhaust guy has been inhaling the fumes when he welds or sniffing too much exhaust or something. I have never heard such nonsense. I say re-thread the holes and put new bolts in with a little bit of thread locker on them, and call it a day.

[ShawnW]

The proper fix is to timesert the holes, reinstall factory studs and OEM gaskets. Some fixes are effective but remember that somebody else might have to work on the engine someday. Tapping it up to the next size is effective but the factory size works very well and tapping it out and not inserting it is only a temp fix usually.

There are 4 holes because:

 

Its a casting made for multiple engine types.

 

Turbo uses the opposite holes as non, and Air Suction valve model cars use the additional holes for the plates to bolt onto. EA81 and EA82 carb'd engines from 81-86 or so utilize all 4 holes. Factory Y-pipes dont have the flip flanges but thats an excellent fix if you have that option go for it...just install the exhaust studs and nuts into those holes.

[WoodsWagon]

Nice to see this post on the night I break my exhaust stud and removed the threads from the other.

2 bolts is plenty to hold the Y pipe on per side. The gasket is set up for a 2 bolt layout as well. I would flip the flanges, but some punk welded the flanges to the pipe at about 1/3 of the circumference, and did a ************y job of it too.

I'm going to cut the y pipe, turn each end 90 degrees, and weld it back together. Not having to bother with tapping and helicoiling the origional bolt holes is nice.

 

As a side note, the EA82's under no load with no y pipe sound cool. put a load on it though, run for cover!

[busdriver]

Nice to see this post on the night I break my exhaust stud and removed the threads from the other.

2 bolts is plenty to hold the Y pipe on per side. The gasket is set up for a 2 bolt layout as well. I would flip the flanges, but some punk welded the flanges to the pipe at about 1/3 of the circumference, and did a ************y job of it too.

I'm going to cut the y pipe, turn each end 90 degrees, and weld it back together. Not having to bother with tapping and helicoiling the origional bolt holes is nice.

 

As a side note, the EA82's under no load with no y pipe sound cool. put a load on it though, run for cover!

Yeah for sure. People really are lookin at me.

[busdriver]

I agree and that somebody will probably be me!

The proper fix is to timesert the holes, reinstall factory studs and OEM gaskets. Some fixes are effective but remember that somebody else might have to work on the engine someday. Tapping it up to the next size is effective but the factory size works very well and tapping it out and not inserting it is only a temp fix usually.

There are 4 holes because:

 

Its a casting made for multiple engine types.

 

Turbo uses the opposite holes as non, and Air Suction valve model cars use the additional holes for the plates to bolt onto. EA81 and EA82 carb'd engines from 81-86 or so utilize all 4 holes. Factory Y-pipes dont have the flip flanges but thats an excellent fix if you have that option go for it...just install the exhaust studs and nuts into those holes.