My "new to me" Vert *Pics o' plenty*

[My5ABaby]

Originally Posted by RotaryResurrection

If you have a stock exhaust (I dont remember) then ALL of the flanges warp over time and do not seal even if you use new gaskets. You can try to repair it with a LOT of filing or grinding, or you could get some new, thicker flanges and have them welded on. And if you have stock cats (even gutted) then they leak as well...if you pry off the heat shielding, the case cracks at all 4 corners and to seal it you have to weld a small bead to seal the cracks.

This is why most people just take the whole front section out and have a solid pipe welded from the manifold back to the Y, to prevent the possibility of leaks. Even if you didnt think you had leaks before, you'll be surprised how much quieter your car can be once the small collective leaks are sealed.

I have a straight pipe from the manifold to the y pipe. Maybe there's a leak where the downpipe connects to the straight pipe.