i have an exhaust leak, dunno where its coming from, obviously take off heat shield to inspect the ex mani

but for under the car, i dont wanna have my car running on jack stands, it shakes too much and im afraid its gonna fall.

any good ways to tell where it would be without jacking the car up?

i would probably have to have the thing running to tell

 

Have someone hold a rag over the exhaust tip while you listen the the under-carriage. Do this as soon as you start up, or the one holding the rag won't be holding it for long

 

Indeed; a take-off on the old "Potato in the exhaust pipe" trick. Batter still, use a Potato!
Let it idle while your Potato wielding assistant works the tailpipe (I've really got to rephrase that) . This gives you the change to inspect the Exhaust, listening for a telltale Hissing noise.

P

 

What do you do for the guys that's exhaust tips are too big for the patato to fit in tightly.

 

watermelons or canteloupes work as well

 

lol watermelons and cantelopes, I was thinking grapefruits.

 

i'm bit lost

how does this work, you plug teh exhaust and then start the car? and listen for the leak?

 

Yes, indeed.
Use caution if you opt for watermelon; go seedless. If you suffer a melon failure, you don't want shrapnel.....

P

 

okay, but when you plug the exhaust and goto start it, wont the potatoe go flying with all the pressure?

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by devilpuppy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">okay, but when you plug the exhaust and goto start it, wont the potatoe go flying with all the pressure?</TD></TR></TABLE>Yeah, so don't stand back there.

Seriously, someone has to hold it. I prefer a big wadded-up rag, since it kinda muffles the sound coming from back there.

What you're doing is producing a lot of back-pressure, so the leak will get loud enough for you to find where it is.

 

Or on a cold morning when the engine is cold and you've parked it outside, look for little puffs of white smoke when you first startup the car.

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by devilpuppy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">okay, but when you plug the exhaust and goto start it, wont the potatoe go flying with all the pressure?</TD></TR></TABLE>

Guess you didn't catch that episode of Myth Busters

 

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by devilpuppy &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">okay, but when you plug the exhaust and go to start it, wont the potatoe go flying with all the pressure?</TD></TR></TABLE>

You've got nothing to fear of flying potato's. (they're only good for about 20 feet)
As a matter of little known facts, are you aware of where McDonald's got the idea for their "homefrys" Breakfast potatoes? Yup - You guessed it. Some wise guy with a spud in the drive thru !

P