There may be trouble ahead!!

[brettster]

Is there any simple fix or is it gonna cost me an arm and a leg. I got home from work friday and noticed an exhaust smell in the cockpit of my 's'. It sounded like it was blowing and also started running lumpy, i presume it is loss of compression, (hope). Had a butchers at it today and noticed a hole about 2inch long upwards, and about 5mm wide where the three manifold downpipes meet. Im thinking i might be able to get it welded, or could i do a temporary wrapping job on it to get me by until MOT. Or is it a case that i have to get a new manifold Which i know wont be cheap. Please help. I really want to get it sorted as soon as...
Thanks for any input.
Brett

[brettster]

Thanks very much, its given me a bit of hope, i thought it was going to cost fortunes. The place that needs welding is easily accessable so no problem there, and that putty might do in the meantime, thanks glen and rob, always helpful on here. While i was fiddling about earlier i burnt my hand on the exhaust and as i jumped back i scrapped it on the lower pulley and have a gash on my hand as well now. ha ha.
ONWARDS AND UPWARDS
Cheers.
Brett

[brettster]

Really goog idea mike. will give that a go.

[brettster]

Got the front downpipe mig welded by my friend that has a garage, and now i have found that a couple of gaskets are blowing either side of the engine and it is running like a pig....
Can't believe it all happened at once, next job is to loosen the manifolds and put putty on both sides of existing gaskets and re-tighten.
With a bit of luck it should sort the running problem out as i think it is due to compression loss.
Fingers crossed.