Have smelt diesel fumes coming into the cab of my Transporter for a while now.

Guessing the manifold is cracked or less likely the gasket.

Is there a quick fix that will last a year or so?

Don’t fancy forking out hundreds on the van given I’m going to get rid of it soon.

Mine was the gasket. Made a whistle/shriek sound too. I got it replaced, but it needed new manifold studs too, so incurred a bit more time. I can’t imagine how a quick/external fix will work given the pressures involved.

Get it welded? Although given the faff of removing it and refitting one from a scrapyard would be a better bet.

Have you found the crack? Asking because I wouldn’t have thought the exhaust gas would have enough vapor left to smell, it’s mostly soot if it’s not burnt.

Ah…. Mine whistles…. But I’m not sure if that is something to do with the windscreen wipers or mirrors and airflow.

Was the whistling sound like a child doing light, crappy attempt at whistling and could be heard even at motorway speeds?

Realistically, anything pre turbo is going to be under pressure and force out anything like paste etc.
I’m sure there will be people who have had success, but in my experience these are fringe cases I’m afraid 🙁

More like a screechy/shriek-y whistle. Only when accelerating, and more noticeable at low speeds. Not really motorway speeds. It’s like the sound of a blade of grass being blown through your thumbs… because it’s similar – the broken gasket is vibrating with the leaking exhaust gas.

2.5 5 cylinder?

Either have to change the gasket, head studs or replace or re-face the manifold.

Mine needed gaskets and refacing

Yup… 2,5l, 130bhp
How much did that set you back and how long has the fix lasted?

Mine came to £540. Parts were not too expensive but it incurred 7hrs of labour as the broken studs had to be drilled out. Faffy awkward job.

Well this has put off anyone on here that was thinking about buying it off you 🙂

Fyi the inlet manifold is more likely to whistle.

If the exhaust manifold is gone it’ll likely sound throaty /raspy

Was the whistling sound like a child doing light, crappy attempt at whistling

More like a screechy/shriek-y whistle.

it’ll likely sound throaty /raspy

Not sure if you guys need a mechanic or an exorcist

Hmmm… There is definitely a whistling sound.

@trail_rat
Yeah, I’m guessing not many off here are going to be interested. Besides, who wants a T5, anyway?

That’s my other van. 😉

If it is cracked/split on a straight length of pipe then a cut coke can wrapped around it and stuck in place with a load of silicone rtv/threebond (1104 I think is what I use on my motobike crankcases/barrels). Followed up with a couple of jubilee clips to keep the whole lot in place might see you through.

How much did that set you back and how long has the fix lasted?

Lots but also replaced the turbo at the same time.

The manifold I took to a local machine shop and the refaced it for £50 so that the mating surface looked good as new. New gaskets & manifold nuts from VW were something like £75. That was coming up to 3 years & 30k Miles ago i think. I did the work myself and got very lucky that none of the exhaust studs snapped in the head.

Mine is a BNZ engine code which is known for warping manifold, different codes have different type of manifold and some are known to crack instead.

Our symptoms were fumes in the cab and an oil leak from the back of the turbo where it mounts to the block.

Our symptoms were fumes in the cab and an oil leak from the back of the turbo where it mounts to the block.

Tick and tick. 😭

Will have a look tomorrow what engine I have.

Might have to find a new mechanic. I asked about the oil on top last month after a service and he said it was nothing to worry about…..!