Exhaust manifold crossover gaskets prep questions

Struggling a little on the left side. I could try using the nuts to do the job, but I’m not sure if putting that much stress on them is wise. Suggestions?

 

Is this going back together as everything is apart?

Just a hint what your struggling with?

The nut stops before it touches the flange?

A washer or two Would be my Quick fix.

 

The flange is not sealed or compressed as it was. In fact, when I went to remove the nuts from this one I got a little nervous because I couldn’t see where the flange split. I thought it was frozen. It ended up coming apart easily. Now, when putting it back together, there’s a small gap. Like I stated, I could keep trying to close it by wrenching on the nuts. Just wondering if that’s smart.

 

oh, & I changed the title of the thread. Helpful to do so for many a reason.

 

You did clean the threads and the flanges as best you could?

Burnt on old gaskets dirt on the threads or nuts. Gaskets have not moved out of position ?

Many times using a thread chaser is needed to clean the studs New nuts would also have made sense.

You have been working slowly in a circle not getting anyone nut tighter then the rest that twisted the flange?

Then you do not have the experience yet to have developed that feel just before things are going to break.

Do all the nuts feel they take the same amount of torque to move?

 

I am pretty familiar by now with that, what I call, twisty feel, aka - somethin’ ain’t right.
& yes, working in a circle.
I think the most difficult part in gauging equal tightening is when the torquing is at all different angles & using various tools. There is a big dif in feel when wedging a ratchet between the firewall & the block whilst dealing with hoses & whatnot (Maybe 4 clicks at a time), as opposed to reaching in with a ratcheting wrench through the wheel well with plenty of room to maneuver. All’s I can do is my best. Often I try to size up how many threads are showing.
99.999999% sure that the gasket stayed in place. I had tightened everything just enough to hold the gaskets in place so when I reattached the isolators they wouldn’t slip off. & I did use a little sealant to hold them in place.

 

One of those things your fighting the weight of the exhaust system as you tighten the hardware.

I keep tension on the exhaust with a ratchet strap or tarp strap till the hardware is tight.

The simple things I do I no longer think about and forget .

 

I didn't have an issue with being able to close the flange back up. But a few things come to mind: Potentially not all of the old gasket came out, or the new gasket is not seated correctly. If you can rule that out, I'd just put a washer in there and call it day.

 

From what I read She has a gap all around with the nuts pulled tight against the flange.

 

I seem to have them ok looking-wise, however I just started it up & I’m hearing a hissing on the left side that I did not hear before. That was not the one that was leaking. Also, I forget to spray the one ahead of the cat with brake cleaner, so it started smoking like a sons a gun. Have to wait for it to cool down….

 

The left side is the side giving you issues in your picture above? Did you use washers?

Oh yeah- the PB blaster will all burn off on the first start after you soak the bolts- that was why I originally asked you if it was your daily driver. There's not much point in soaking them if you're going to start it up and drive it afterward.

 

Pic above is the right. That’s the one that was leaking to start with. Now I am hearing a hissing from the left.

No. I didn’t use washers. It wasn’t that I was dissin’ advice. I loosened the right side a little thinkin maybe I should have done the left first. Seemed to make a dif & tightened ok to the eye. Maybe it just wasn’t quite enough.

 

I’m going to let the oil burn off, let it cool down & then pinch off that air assist hose again. It’s actually getting difficult to tell which side the hissing is coming from. Might not happen til tomorrow. I’m getting frustrated & even though I sprayed it, that oil’s taking a while to burn off….

 

Clamped off the air assist & saw no smoke That's the good news. The other kind of news is that the idle is still up (maybe a pinch lower than it was. 1,000 down from 1,100) & there is definitely still a hissin'. Thing that gets me though, is that when clamp off that hose, my idle is good. Drives me nuts cuz I have no idea what that means....

 

A big thank you for all the help. The gaskets seem to be holding their own

 

So ends another chapter of Kristi`s rebuilding of the Tacoma!!

 

Want to add that my cel is off. I had P0505. Might help someone down the road....

 

Your sure it was PO505 IAC circuit idle incorrect ??

Caused by an exhaust leak?

Strange things do happen.

 

Yup. Irony is the way I figured it out is because I'm not fully educated yet on the inner workings. It was only due to my messing around with the IAC & connecting hoses that I discovered the leak. Kinda makes sense now. I clamped off the air assist hose that goes to the IAC on one end & y's out to the intake manifold on the other. One side of the y, I believe, has to do with the exhaust & the other with the fuel vapors. I musta caused a backup in the exhaust pathway.