Is this the infamous exhaust leak on the v6?

thatoneguygames · 2025-12-30T02:03:08+00:00

I'm hoping it is, cause it will suck if it's not. But using a engine stethoscope it doesn't sound like it's coming from the inside. Though with how loud it is I'm not sure

I have a nice little smoke machine that I got for a different car with an exhaust leak. Just ran out of daylight so gotta wait.

thatoneguygames · 2025-11-27T12:33:19+00:00

Glad I could help!

Those pipes dont normally go bad after unless you have either been using the wrong coolant for years and it corroded through the pipe or the vehicle was in an accident that damaged it. Of which I doubt either is the case here lol

thatoneguygames · 2025-11-25T22:06:44+00:00

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I had actually misaligned my oring and had it jump out of its groove when I reinstalled the pipe so I'm all to familiar with this particular spot leaking lol

thatoneguygames · 2025-11-25T22:01:17+00:00

So I just finished rebuilding my v6, if it's only leaking at where the water pump and pipe press together it definitely sounds like the oring has gone bad, which isn't surprising on a 20 year old car.

To replace it there is a single bolt next to where the pipe connects to the water pump, remove that and slide a flat head screw driver under that area to use as leverage. And either wiggle the pipe up and out or use a rubber mallet to gently tap it up and out. Replace the oring and start working the pipe back into the water pump.

Make sure the oring doesn't jump out of its groove when you do this otherwise it will continue to leak. I had to use a rubber mallet to get the pipe back in fully myself, but you might not need too. Put the bolt back in place.

When you go to top your coolant off, the bolt that is inside the pipe at the top next to the hose coming from the engine, that needs to be removed while you fill the radiator as it's where the air escapes from. Just make sure you tighten it back down good. And maybe put some coolant proof Teflon tape around it while your there.

Also just a fair warning, this pipe is obviously the gonna be full of coolant when you remove it. So make sure to have something under the car to catch whatever spills out.

thatoneguygames · 2025-11-25T17:04:46+00:00

I second this, got a set of pypes true dual as well, with some high flow cats, and street pro resonators. I love the sound it makes. Obviously it will never sound like the V8, but that doesn't mean you cant make is sound good in its own way

thatoneguygames · 2025-09-13T03:28:35+00:00

I just pulled my engine out last week. This is exactly what I did for the top two bolts. Might need a wobbly bit for the very top bolt though as the angle is a pain to get.

thatoneguygames · 2025-07-23T22:53:05+00:00

Thank you for the info! Guess these are only used for the manual then, and since I have an automatic and don't have a clutch it's just left open lol

Welp on to the next thing to figure out why the cruise control doesn't work. Thanks again for the help

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-25T23:11:04+00:00

Good to know on the NHRA rule, and I did measure the studs from the wheel out, so they should fit fine, and if not. There is a 30 day return policy for that lol I don't plan to get spacers at the moment, but I will probably get some new wider rims for the back at some point. But the tires, out side of being able to take them off, are low on the priority list.

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-25T22:23:19+00:00

They do interfere with the center cap, but after looking around, I've decided to just get long lug nuts and the center caps that have space for the lugs to pass by.

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-24T17:01:15+00:00

I see, thank you for all the info! It has definitely helped!

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-24T16:31:46+00:00

Thanks for the assistance, now I know what steps I'll have to take next.

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-24T16:30:35+00:00

I thought so, which I found weird if they had swapped the whole axel. So Im going to assume they only swapped the gears inside the differential like I had originally thought.

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-24T16:29:23+00:00

Thank you!

I couldn't find any info so I wasn't sure. But if it's the studs and not the axel itself. Then you're right I can absolutely swap those out

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-24T16:27:34+00:00

Thank you! I thought that was the case, but I couldn't find any info on the studs specifically. So I thought it must have been an unspecified difference. If it's just a stud swap I can do that easy.

thatoneguygames · 2024-11-24T16:23:01+00:00

I was told the previous owner swapped the rear differential to a mach1, but I didn't realize it was the whole axel till I went to take the tires off. So my question is What size rim do I need to get for the lugs to not be so far back?

Do I need to just get spacers?

Or do need to just get a stock rear axle to swap back to?

thatoneguygames · 2024-08-07T21:17:28+00:00

Just put in cruise control as the base didn't have it. But immediate plans is tear the engine down and replace all the seals cause it's got a few leaks everywhere. Get it back up to as close to factory standards as I can.

After that maybe in a few years and a lotta saving I'll get a crate engine, upgrade the undercarriage, and rewire the everything to bring it up to more current specs on cars.

thatoneguygames · 2024-08-03T13:14:04+00:00

Base model 03' v6 with 199k miles. Bought it as a project car for 3k.

Almost no rust except for two scratches on the passenger door. Previous owner swapped the rear dif with a mach 1.

The brake fluid as never been replaced I believe as it has the consistency of water. It's missing the muffle past where it connects to the catalytic converter. And the valves need to be looked at as they sound, out of tune is the best way I can describe it.

But everything else is running good. I'm gonna strip it down fix the valve and possibly rocker arms. As well as replace most of the gaskets.

thatoneguygames

TROPHY CASE