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Hi everyone,

Thanks to everyone for reminding me to look as carefully as possible for the cause of a leak. I thought I had a valve gasket leak in the rear of the engine where the two half moon things are. My theory, which I had too firmly grasped, was that there was oil dripping from the rear passenger side of the gasket on to either the egr or transmission dipstick pipe and then on to the donut connection to the rear manifold. Using talcum powder I was able to get to a position where I could see that right rear half moon (which really surprised me) and it was not leaking. The exhaust connection is leaking. Under certain circumstances this very small leak is getting sucked into the cabin making my otherwise excellent riding Merc unpleasant.

When I got down there to remove the dreaded exhaust bolts it finally dawned on me that I had replaced this very same donut gasket about two years ago. The bolts were no problem to get off. I recall getting this new donut in there a real struggle. I ended up removing the rear manifold to engine part to be able to get the donut in there. That was not alot of fun but it was done. I have removed the two bolts from the joint and from the bottom it looks normal. Nothing obviously off center. What I am wondering is if anyone else has had this problem on either one of those flange/donut joints to the manifold and if there is some trick that I am missing in getting this thing leak free. I have done the same kind of joint on 1963 Tbird and remember it being a struggle. The main thing I remember from that struggle was the importance of getting the donut in its seat correctly and then tightening down the bolts very evenly. I am also wondering if there is any kind of sealant that is tough enough to stand the high temperatures there that I could try using before I disassemble this whole deal again. I seem to remember from my last bout with it that there is no such goop.

Thanks very much,
Jim Lee
1995 E320 Wagon