Mk1 focus exhaust blowing out at the front

[pablo]

Hey all my bro just bought a mk1 1.6 petrol focus and its got a little blowout up around the front somewhere. Ive had a tentative look under and was assuming it was the flexi joint but cant see any evidence of blowing (normally see some soot or something right?) I also popped the heatshield off to look for signs but was all clean inside.

Question is whats the most common failure point here? To my ear it sounds like the manifold -> head gasket area but sounds play tricks on you in an engine bay.

Any experience with these? Cheers.

 

[collyirwin11]

It is likely it is the manifold, my mate had the same issue on his mk1 a few years back. It was the seam weld where the pipes come together, probably underneath. His was handy fixed from memory.

 

[Blackie]

Yea I’d a similar issue on my old 1.6, the manifold itself was rotten and had various pin holes as well as leaking at the flexi joint. They’re not expensive and fairly handy to replace to be honest.

 

[pablo]

cool, Ill pull it off and take a look, if its blowing Im guessing I can find someone with a welder to plug it up a bit? Its only a runabout so wouldnt need to be pretty

 

[Steve]

Could it just be the manifold gasket itself? Handy fix if it was.

 

[pablo]

Has to come off anyway so will get a gander at it

 

[collyirwin11]

cool, Ill pull it off and take a look, if its blowing Im guessing I can find someone with a welder to plug it up a bit? Its only a runabout so wouldnt need to be pretty

I have vague recollection that my brother welded it for him and it was handy enough to get at and do.

 

[pablo]

Think we have found the culprit

 

[Blackie]

Yea that would do it! Lol

 

[pablo]

Im sure this is made of recycled tinfoil but will do the job for a while at least. For £35 inc post its worth a punt

EEC Front Exhaust Connecting Pipe + Gasket Set FR7505 - 5 YEAR WARRANTY | eBay

 

[Nicky]

To be fair, I’d probably just replace the flexi if it was mine. They’re available on eBay for humble money too. I’ve bought a few for various motors and I’m yet to have an issue with them.

 

[collyirwin11]

Im sure this is made of recycled tinfoil but will do the job for a while at least. For £35 inc post its worth a punt

EEC Front Exhaust Connecting Pipe + Gasket Set FR7505 - 5 YEAR WARRANTY | eBay

For that kind of money it is definitely worth a punt. My mates went at that section where the pipes branch together so probably doing some preventative work by sticking that on.

 

[pablo]

To be fair, I’d probably just replace the flexi if it was mine. They’re available on eBay for humble money too. I’ve bought a few for various motors and I’m yet to have an issue with them.

repair piece is £30 on its own and this is a straight swap vs cutting the old one and having an extra join etc. Hopefully the flanges are flat lol.

 

[Nicky]

repair piece is £30 on its own and this is a straight swap vs cutting the old one and having an extra join etc. Hopefully the flanges are flat lol.

Have a big tube of exhaust paste to hand during assembly, just to be sure... lol

 

[Blackie]

Im sure this is made of recycled tinfoil but will do the job for a while at least. For £35 inc post its worth a punt

EEC Front Exhaust Connecting Pipe + Gasket Set FR7505 - 5 YEAR WARRANTY | eBay

I told you they weren’t expensive lol. That’s exactly why I replaced the one in my wife’s focus rather than stick a repair section into, the cost of the repair section and paying someone to weld it in for me was more expensive than the full manifold! Plus it’s not a hard job to do as I said before.

 

[pablo]

when I pulled the old one out I had to grind off the bottom bolts where it meets the centre section. not a lot of fun

I reckon 20 mins would swap it now

 

[G N K]

Too much effort, I'd it just bunged that into Dees and had them sort it.

 

[Blackie]

when I pulled the old one out I had to grind off the bottom bolts where it meets the centre section. not a lot of fun

I reckon 20 mins would swap it now

I think I had to do the same now you mention it.

 

[pablo]

Too much effort, I'd it just bunged that into Dees and had them sort it.

Not a chance

 

[Gavlar]

Too much effort, I'd it just bunged that into Dees and had them sort it.

X2

Had to do this the other week with the wife's car, 15/20mins

 

[G N K]

X2

Had to do this the other week with the wife's car, 15/20mins

You move back home? Why'd I think you were in England.

 

[Gavlar]

You move back home? Why'd I think you were in England.

Haven't been to England at all! Lol

 

[zafturbo]

Not a chance

Is Dee,s not a good place for exhaust repair .? I need my 205 exhaust fiXed for mot shortly .

 

[-Pete-]

If you're stuck and can get the part to me, I'm in bangor. Depending what it is.