Magnaflow X-pipe gasket & Check Engine Light?

[SONICMAN]

I just had a shop install my Magnaflow X-pipe w/ CATS. I now have a service engine soon light on. We did not see any gasket on the passenger side inlet of the factory pipe. We didn't use one there when we installed the new X-pipe. Will I have a leak without the gasket that I read is supposed to be there. Would this leak cause the service engine light to come on? Is there indeed supposed to be a gasket there?

Thanks for any help,
Brian

 

[Honest Mike]

Stupid question, but worth a shot. Are you sure you plugged in all the o2 sensors and plugged them in good and tight and to the proper places? May sound stupid to say, but start with the simplest things first. The check engine light came on as soon as you started the car up after doing the install, or did it take a while after some driving?? Mike

 

[cobrablue]

yes there is a gasket there. there is a grrove in the exhaust manifold flange that it fits into. when i did mine it didnt fall out so yours is probably still there. you would hear it if it werent. your light is probably from your o2 sensors. some people have this problem after they install an x pipe. i didnt. make sure all your o2 sensors are clipped together properly. also remember the 2 rear ones are side specific. just some ideas hope it helps. good luck;-)

 

[SONICMAN]

O2 sensors plugged up!

The check engine light came on after about 5 miles. I plugged all the sensors back up and in the right place. We pulled out one at a time to make sure we put them in the correct places. I can see the machined groove in the factory pipe, but no gasket that I can see. That is why I am so confused is because we plugged everything back up right and the check engine light came on. I sounds like there maybe a slight leak at the collector at the inlet of the x-pipe. I don't know if this would cause the check engine light to come on. If not, I am lost as to what would cause it. I am going to bed now. I appreciate any help that anyone can give. I will check this thread tomorrow morning to read any more suggestions. Thanks for your replys so far.

Thanks
Brian

 

[RKANYZ]

It is possible for a really bad leak to cause a check engine light. If you have a leak you may be able to feel it. just stick your hand up there (without burning yourself) and see if you can "feel" the leak. Or you can power brake it. I don't know how loud your exhaust is over stock but if you have a leak you might be able to hear it too. Another possibility is that your cats may not be working yet. Best thing to do is take it to the dealer and see what codes you get.

 

[SB 03]

If you had an exhaust leak, you would be able to hear it

 

[Honest Mike]

Its possible if the exhaust leak is BEFORE the cats, it can set off the check engine light, but if the exhaust leak is AFTER the cats i doubt it could. Just trying to help with all possibilites. Like mentioned above, if you had an exhaust leak, you would hear it, it would sound loud and crappy, depending of course on how bad the leak is and where it is. Mike

 

[cobrablue]

if you can see the groove in the flange clearly then your gasket fell out and went undetected. you need to check that first hand. put your hand up in there and if you can put your finger in the groove the gasket is history. you need to get another and then reset your computer. id try that next since all your plugs are correct. good luck

 

[SONICMAN]

Checked the inlet to the X-pipe.

I checked the inlet to the X-pipe while the car was running. I felt a good sized leak on the driver side and a small leak on the passenger side. Would this leak cause the check engine light to come on? If so, hpw would the computer know that the leak was present? The passenger side O2 sensor was not 100% tightened the full way, not enough to cause a leak but wasn't tight. I checked all the plugs and they were tight and plugged in correctly.

What is the best way to seal up the driver side spherical ball connection? Do you need to install a sealer of some sort to seal it completely?

I will try to get it fixed in the morning at the exhaust shop that installed it.

Thanks
Brian

 

[cobrablue]

the ball and socket should be aligned automatically. you need to make sure the x pipe was installed at the right angle and also that the bolts are tight. it can give you a check engine light though. make sure that all these items are correct and then reset your computer.

 

[SONICMAN]

Originally posted by cobrablue
the ball and socket should be aligned automatically. you need to make sure the x pipe was installed at the right angle and also that the bolts are tight. it can give you a check engine light though. make sure that all these items are correct and then reset your computer.

When we installed it, everything lined up perfectly, pretty much. Nothing is in a bind from front to back. We had a little trouble getting the movable flange to go over the stud on the driver side, but once we got the flange on the studs it went on fine. He tightened it down with the impact gun and extension on both sides. It should have sealed up fine but for some reason it didn't. You are sure that such a leak before the O2 sensors would cause a check engine light?

Brian

 

[cobrablue]

if the leak is before the 02 sensors it can cause a problem. if the leak is severe enough the leak will give the o2 sensors a false reading. it would have to be pretty severe though. are you getting any popping on deceleration? usually an exhaust leak will cause a popping on decel. if yours is leaking that badly you should be getting that too. whoever installed it did they handle the sensors carefully because manhandling them can damage them very easily. i know its frustrating, just keep checling im sure youll get it. :beer:

 

[COBRA90GT]

Originally posted by SONICMAN
...You are sure that such a leak before the O2 sensors would cause a check engine light?

Brian

YES! Leaks are bad, mmmkay!

As taken from www.ponyexpressperformance.com

"...There are 100's of variables that could trigger your "check engine" or "service engine soon" light when running an offroad H or X pipe, or gutted stock cats. Let's break down some of the possible installation errors that will cause the MIL Eliminators not to properly keep your "check engine" or "SES" light off after the MIL Eliminators are installed.

Damaged Rear O2 sensor - MIL Eliminators need a healthy O2 sensor signal to work properly.
Incorrect Wiring in of the MIL Eliminator(s).
Rear O2 sensor(s) not properly torqued to spec. in exhaust pipe.
Rear O2 sensor connector not properly plugged in to wiring harness.
Exhaust Leak at the front flange between exhaust manifold or header and offroad pipe.
Front O2 sensor(s) damaged during swap from stock catted exhaust pipe to offroad pipe.
Front O2 sensor(s) not properly torqued to spec. in exhaust pipe.
Front O2 sensor connector not properly plugged into wiring harness.
Was the battery unhooked to reset the PCM (Powertrain Control Module or Computer) before the installation began?
As the installer can see, we have to narrow down the above variables and pinpoint the specific issue before a judgement can be made on whether or not the MIL Eliminators are truly faulty and need to be warrantied. This is precisely why we ask each customer with issues to scan or have scanned the trouble codes before we can make an educated decision on whether or not to warranty the product. 99.99 percent of MIL Eliminator install concerns are due to other variables besides the MIL Eliminators themselves, so pull the codes and write down the actual code numbers before emailing or contacting us for assistance or warranty.
..."

 

[cobrablue]

hey brian, that was supposed to be checking but i clipped the wrong key. hey you said he put them on with an impact gun. that maybe too much force. sometimes when you put too much force the flange on the x pipe will actually bend and cause the socket to be tight on 2 sides and loose on the other 2. just someting else to look at

 

[SONICMAN]

Follow Up!

I went to the muffler shop this morning. We examined the car on the lift with it running. The guy used a leak detecting stethoscope. He could here the leak on the drivers side collector where it bolts to the exhaust manifold. That is where I felt it leaking yesterday in my driveway with the car on ramps. He used a 1/2" regular length ratchet with extension and tightened the bolts up. It didn't take much effort to turn them. He had the impact gun on the lowest setting when he tightened them up Saturday. An impact gun on the lowest setting with an extension did not get them overly tight. Once he tightened them up by hand he checked around the connection with the stethoscope and said that the leak was gone. I was under the car with him and saw everything done. He said the passenger side wasnt leaking. We didn't see a gasket on the floor from saturday and there is none on the factory pipe in my garage. I hope that gasket stuck to the collector even though we didn't see one when we installed the pipe.

He checked the diagnostic code on the computer and the code was "O2 sensor code -TOO RICH BANK #1" Which side is bank #1? I hope it was the driver side where we found the leak. He reset the code and I have driven about 3 or 4 miles and the CE light hasn't come on yet. I don't here that funny puttering sound that I heard Saturday when the boost came on. The car however did stall 2 times while coming to a light in that 2 or 4 miles that I drove. I did not unhook the battery when we first put the X-pipe on, Saturday. Should I do that now?

Also, the car was poppin during deceleration. It has been doing alot of popping during deceleration since I installed the densecharger last Thursday. I did unhook the battery when I installed the Densecharger last Thursday.

Brian

 

[COBRA90GT]

Re: Follow Up!

Originally posted by SONICMAN
....The car however did stall 2 times while coming to a light in that 2 or 4 miles that I drove. I did not unhook the battery when we first put the X-pipe on, Saturday. Should I do that now?....

Yes, you should have reset the battery after you swapped to the X pipe.... (even if you put hte Densecharger on just two days prior to that).

 

[SONICMAN]

Re: Re: Follow Up!

Originally posted by COBRA90GT
Yes, you should have reset the battery after you swapped to the X pipe.... (even if you put hte Densecharger on just two days prior to that).

Thank you for the information. I will do that this evening.

Since the bolts were tightened up and the leak corrected, the check engine light hasn't come on again but the car stalls. I have driven the car about 6 or 7 miles since it was fixed and the DTC reset.

Brian

 

[cobragb]

Bank1 is passenger, Bank2 is driver

 

[SONICMAN]

Passenger side wasn't leaking.

Thanks Cobragb!

The leak we found was on the drivers side. We didn't find a leak on the passenger side. The code said "Bank 1 TOO RICH". That code shouldn't have been caused by the leak on the drivers side then. I wonder if that happened because I didn't unhook the battery after the X-pipe installation? If the short term fuel trim changed to fast and it thought there was a problem. Now that we fixed the leak on the driver side and reset the DTC, the light hasn't come back on yet, although I haven't driven it but about 6 or 7 miles.

Brian

 

[cobragb]

Re: Passenger side wasn't leaking.

Originally posted by SONICMAN
Thanks Cobragb!

I wonder if that happened because I didn't unhook the battery after the X-pipe installation? If the short term fuel trim changed to fast and it thought there was a problem.
Brian

Very possible. After changing dozens of X & H pipes, I have learned two important things.

1 - always disconnect the battery during installation.

2 - Put the O2 sensors back in the exact same locations.

If I get a light after that, it's 99% a leak or bad cat.