98 Pacesetter Header Fun!!

[CartsXJ]

Ok everybody, I have a 98 pacesetter header, just the painted one. Anyways, I've been fighting the one rear compression fitting of the dual output header to the down tube. I've tried exhaust/muffler cement multiple of times and while it works for about two days, it gets blown out and starts to leak again, nothing major, but at WOT it leaks and the engine will throw a PO306 code. Anyways, has anybody welded the two together? Can you fish the combo down thru, between the engine and block with the two together?

I love the bang for the buck, much more low end and mid-range power, for the 2 bills I paid.

[j99xj]

Ok everybody, I have a 98 pacesetter header, just the painted one. Anyways, I've been fighting the one rear compression fitting of the dual output header to the down tube. I've tried exhaust/muffler cement multiple of times and while it works for about two days, it gets blown out and starts to leak again, nothing major, but at WOT it leaks and the engine will throw a PO306 code. Anyways, has anybody welded the two together? Can you fish the combo down thru, between the engine and block with the two together?

I love the bang for the buck, much more low end and mid-range power, for the 2 bills I paid.

I had the same problem with my ebay pacesetter, and I fixed it just last weekend. So your in luck!

Don't use the u bolts for the y pipe. There just isn't enough room up in there to get a wrench to properly tighten them, so they fall off.

I had a muffler shop TACK weld the two pipes to the header just to keep it from falling off. The tacks were only about an inch long, if that. I could have had them weld the entire pipe but I figured it would be a royal bitch to remove if I had to. So I stuck with just the tack welds.

Next I used some muffler patch on the remaining seams and its worked for me. The trick is to use a lot of muffler patch compound, and to not drive the Jeep until the next day when the stuff is dry. If your hands aren't full of muffler compound, your not using enough.

Another thing, its a good idea to wear safety glasses. Whenever I'm under my Jeep I get coated with dirt and dried mud from my many off roading adventures.

[tealcherokee]

i used the u bolts and it didnt leak, maybe you need to tighten more?

[CartsXJ]

OK, first, I learned along time ago to wear safety glasses when under my jeep, or anybodys jeep. Just way too much oil, gease, dirt, mud and a mixture of the two to fall when you are using a BFH trying to massage something in place.

Secondly, I just went out and tightened the u-bolts up and moved stuff around and the leak went away. I am really considering just taking the whole thing out and welding up the y-pipe and then moving the next compression fitting to right in front of the O2 sensor. I need to replace the T/C member exhaust mount anyways. That, I believe is the big source of my problem. It seems the u-bolts are vibing loose, so there might be some hope in my future.

[CartsXJ]

Well I finally broke down and redid the whole exhaust again and got it up nice and tight. Took the pacesetter down tube and cut in half along the 2 1/4" straight section. Welded up the two compression fittings where the downpipe meets the header, just a little tip for anybody else who is thinking of doing this, make you leave enough room for the down pipe to clear the bell housing, I tac it up and found that you can run into bellhousing/downpipe fittment issues. Right now I just have a 2 1/4" connector to bring the two sections together. I might just put a flex connector here later on becuase of engine movement. I also moved the O2 sensor out about 3" to move it away from the Tranny lines. I also remounted the entire system back, up and tight to the under carriage, don't worry, I left enough room for cooling. I like the way it sounds. I am starting to wonder if stepping up to Bomb-proof motor mounts would help lessen the engine movement? What I don't want it the engine movement causing the header to crack. Anyways, thanks for everybodys help, hopefully this is the last exhaust work for awhile for me, HA.

[Beej]

Well I finally broke down and redid the whole exhaust again and got it up nice and tight. Took the pacesetter down tube and cut in half along the 2 1/4" straight section. Welded up the two compression fittings where the downpipe meets the header, just a little tip for anybody else who is thinking of doing this, make you leave enough room for the down pipe to clear the bell housing, I tac it up and found that you can run into bellhousing/downpipe fittment issues. Right now I just have a 2 1/4" connector to bring the two sections together. I might just put a flex connector here later on becuase of engine movement. I also moved the O2 sensor out about 3" to move it away from the Tranny lines. I also remounted the entire system back, up and tight to the under carriage, don't worry, I left enough room for cooling. I like the way it sounds. I am starting to wonder if stepping up to Bomb-proof motor mounts would help lessen the engine movement? What I don't want it the engine movement causing the header to crack. Anyways, thanks for everybodys help, hopefully this is the last exhaust work for awhile for me, HA. The flex connection will make a bigger difference than the bombproof motor mounts. This will be the way I go when I redo my exhaust in Jan...

:thumbup:

[CartsXJ]

The flex connection will make a bigger difference than the bombproof motor mounts. This will be the way I go when I redo my exhaust in Jan...

:thumbup:

This is what I am thinking also, $25 bucks from Summit, compared to ~$125 for the mounts.