We replaced the exhaust on our 1993 XJ today, from manifold to tailpipe. All went [surprisingly] well, and everything's together without any major problems. However, at each junction where we clamped, water is dripping while the engine runs. The water is normal: it's cold and humid, and we just started the car. But it means the pipes aren't completely sealed where we clamped them.

Is this okay? The exhaust is quiet, except for maybe some slight chuffing from the front pipe/cat junction, but I wasn't sure if it should be sealed, or just tight. If it needs to be sealed better, how should we go about that? Just keep cranking on the clamps until we can't crank no more?

 

a slight leak is fine. no matter what you pretty much will never get a 100% sealed exhaust unless its welded, gaseketed, or vband clamped. nothing much to worry about. but DONT clamp the pipe as hard as possible or else it will be a p.i.t.a to get the two pipes apart in the future if you indent them.

 

Take it to an exhaust shop and spend $10 to have them weld it up. Then take the clamps off and throw em away