02 exhaust help please :(

ninjapark

New Member
Apr 15, 2011
3
0
0
Hi i have an 02 3.8 mustang with what I believe to be an exhaust leak. it sounds very loud and has the exhaust smell under the hood. I had a code po455 and po457 i replaced the gas cap and cleared the codes but I'm wondering if possibly the po457 would be triggered by an exhaust leak? To me it sounds like its leaking out of the manifold on the passenger side. Is there a way I can pinpoint the leak to make sure before i replace the gasket? Thanks in advance.
 
  • Sponsors (?)


No .. neither of those codes have anything to do with exhaust leaks. The 0455 code is related to a large leak in the evaporative emissions system ( fuel vapor system etc) . And the P0457 is about the gas cap being loose or off. the exhaust wouldn't trigger any of this. Once you fix the gas cap problem, those 2 codes will go away, though they still may need to be cleared from the system.

And chances are your exhaust leak is a small hairline crack in the passenger side exhaust header/manifold pipe. The Exhaust gaskets RARELY start leaking, and I have already heard of a few dozen instances of other 99-04 3.8 Mustang owners having the same problem. Headers got a defect in them. But I dont think Ford ever recalled it. A good way to find an exhaust leak, take an old rag and get it soaking wet. Fold the rag a couple times.. start the engine and carefully ( while not burning yourself) take the rag and move it around to different spots on the header pipe. it the noise goes away when you touch a spot, you found the leak. .... that's just my little idea of finding a leak. Maybe there are better ways..