Down pipe, clamp to tranny or no?

88 XJ, 4.0 aw4.

K my downpipe has rusted out, it was clamped to the tranny right where it joins up with the engine block. I was wondering if this was a common thing? I grabbed another down pipe off my parts jeep (had a brand new exhaust front to back put on before I bought it ) and it wasn't clamped to the tranny.

So are they usually clamped to it or not? I'm thinking that when its clamped on like that its going to crack there cause with the engine moving around with the torque its always going to be trying to twist right there.


Oh yeah while we are talking exhaust where do the manifolds usually crack and why? Is there a replacment one that fixes it and how?

It doesn't clamp to the tranny, it clamps to the bell housing. Yes, it was designed that way, and my friend the retired Jeep service manager told me that it's when that clamp is missing that the exhaust manifolds crack.

Sorry yeah I guess thats what it bolts too. I always consider them one unit but I guess in this case it could get confusing.

Yeah thats what I was thinking, that if it wasn't clamped like that then the manifold would flex until it cracked. But do they just crack like mine did just behind the clamp or was it just cause it rusted out from age and mud and salt getting trapped around the clamp area?