S3 diesel - problem where exhaust manifold meets downpipe?

Is it knackered because the studs are stripped/rusted away and you cant tighten things up properly? Thats what mine was like.

If so then you can replace the studs, or depending on the manifold design (mine is a 2.5D which might be different) just drill right through the manifold and use a nut and long bolt rather than a stud! (i chose this option)

Do this, and then replace the gasket and use a bit of exhaust sealant and it should be a goodun!.

My old exhaust fell off about a metre after the manifold (just under the bulkhead outrigger). I lost loads of power and it was very very noisy! - so with a bad leak right at the manifold you are likely loosing some power.

a few weeks ago (when I still had it) my exhaust spereated just after the first silencer box, about half way along it's length, I experienced free-er revving and a higher top-speed which was lost again when I fitted a new exhaust.

Regards. Mark.

I think it all depends where the leak/end of the exhaust is!

I started with a standard exhaust on my 2A (one backbox at the rear). It was a crappy design and would regularily break under the passenger seat. I could tell when it had gone as it would be slower. I kept putting flexy sections in which would last a month or 2 before snapping again.

Then i took off my backbox and put on an old cherry bomb (which was straight through with no filling!). That obviously gave it the right amount of flow as the landy had loads more go in the lower gears and pulled off well. Made no change once you were going or to top speed. It was damn noisy though (kinda in a good way though! :) ). I could still tell when the flexy section snapped.

I eventually got sick of it snapping and welded up a short exhaust pipe that ended in the cherry bomb that exited the landy just behind the passenger seat. This made it very very loud and throaty, but was obviously a bit too short as it felt like it had lost me a bit of the extra go (but it was still better than standard)

Eventually the front of the cherry bomb rotted away and it completeley broke, leaving me with a ~1m long exhaust that finished under the passenger floor. The moment it broke i could tell as the landy suddenly became very slow and sounded like a tractor!

I'm back on a standard exhaust now but of a better design that is routed differently and doesnt keep snapping!. I miss the improved pulling off speed of the cherry bomb but this is a bit quieter which is nice.

If it is the typical silly joint that I had on my SerIIIR6 then you are in for a hard time. It is just a bad design. One thing I would look for however, is that the exhaust is mounted to the gearbox . Ie the whole front part should move with the engine, allowing the jumping around to be handled from the rear hangers. If the gerabox mount is not present, guess where any movment every time you rev of pull away is going to occur?

Regards Stephen

Didn't realise there was supposed to be a mount to the gearbox, no wonder my exhaust keeps detaching itself at every opportunity... I'll look into it, thanks.

Yup - it doesn't even feel like there is a stud left in two of the three holes, d'oh

Hmm... the main problem seems to be getting at the thing; AIUI a new manifold with shiny fresh studs wouldn't cost that much. Never tried drilling through such chunky bits of metal before, doubt I've got a drill bit that would survive :)

It's only cast iron so it's pretty easy drilling. Do not use any lubricant - or if you feel you must just use a couple of drops of kerosene.