Exhaust repair advice

[rwh963]

hey,

i have a leaky flange joint (see left joint in pic). the hardware has rotted and the flanges are in difficult shape. the pipes have separated a little, causing rattling and leaking. i took it to a local exhaust repair shop. they recommended cutting the pipes back and welding in a piece of aluminized steel pipe. said it should last several years.

i have used flange repair kits before, but the pipe shapes there are not consistent diameters, so might be hard to do a good job with those. i don't like cutting out flanges and welding a straight pipe, but might be the best option. can i get some opinions on this?

thx.

 

[rwh963]

second pic:

 

[Syr4RinNC]

So to me this comes down what your time and effort are worth.

The exhaust is just pipes directing airflow, so however you can get that to happen without rattling (and losing back pressure) good deal.

If youve got a few hours to fight with it, it might be worth the cost savings and more true to design flange repair.

If not, Id just go ahead and get it welded and not worry about it

 

[rumfoord]

I've been slowly replacing chunks of my exhaust with welded portions, really didn't see an other cost effective alternative to replacing the whole thing. Welding has been working well for me so far.

 

[rwh963]

shop estimated $100 to weld a replacement pipe on (two ends). is the original stainless, and will the "aluminized" steel weld well to it? my limited experience to this type of steel is that it rots quickly, though that has been with cat back pipes. maybe being forward and having super hot exhaust passing through with keep it dry on the inside.

 

[MikeinNH67]

I welded on new flanges I bought off E-bay, just a standard flange for similar sized pipe I could fit into the old pipe where it's flat. Maybe have them weld it then cut in the middle to add something like this?

Amazon.com: EVIL ENERGY 2.5 Inch 2 1/2 Butt Joint Exhaust Band Clamp Sleeve Stainless Steel 2pcs : Automotive

 

[UrbanRunner651]

If you like your truck, spend the money and have it done right with a full replacement. Obviously salt/rust is a factor for you. At the very least tell the shop you want a 300 series stainless used..

 

[Drcoffee]

If its that rusty, dont throw good money at it, just replace it. Source a good used oem part and swap it out.

 

[rwh963]

If its that rusty, dont throw good money at it, just replace it. Source a good used oem part and swap it out.

the pipes are actually in good condition; unfortunately, the flanges are a typical weak point on exhaust systems. i am replacing the cat-back, which has been replaced once before (walker?). i sourced a new take off cat-back system off a 5th gen which is a direct fit (V6), so have that lined up.

i'm told that because the pipe replacement location, there is little inside moisture, so the steel will be longer lasting than something towards the rear.

 

[rwh963]

Finally got around to installing the OE 5th gen exhaust system. Happily, it is a direct fit. For those with rusting 4th gen rear pipes, we can now find 5th gen new take offs cheap and use them. Rear pipe lacks the resonator, but that’s the only difference.

 

[rwh963]

so, a kind of follow-up question. the exhaust shop recommended cutting and welding a new steel pipe section. however, the only leak here is the joint itself due to the hardware/flange ears rotting. so, why can't the flanges be cleaned up and then weld the flanges together? i like the idea of one weld rather than two, and the flange metal is thicker than the pipe. thoughts?

 

[riceandpho]

im guessing if its one piece welded, its going to need to be cut and extended after the next job. might want to be able to repair and add on aftermarket y-pipes instead of hacking up the stock pipes again.

 

[rwh963]

i'm actually wondering if the flanges can be cleaned up enough to weld them together, rather than cutting the pipes.

 

[rwh963]

called a second shop. they also suggested welding a replacement piece in. they had a stainless option w/ a 5 yr warranty for $120 ($20 more than the other shop with steel). gonna end this issue, esp. with state instruction due this month.

 

[rwh963]

finished! got the flange pipes cut and had stainless pipe welded in. too about 20 minutes. $125. 5 year warranty. was told it should last indefinitely. finally whisper quiet, can't hear me coming down the road!

 

[rdruss]

finished! got the flange pipes cut and had stainless pipe welded in. too about 20 minutes. $125. 5 year warranty. was told it should last indefinitely. finally whisper quiet, can't hear me coming down the road!

Picture please!

 

[rwh963]

Here is a pic of the weld, and a pic of the muffler pipe I installed. Not seen is the rear pipe also installed new(both 5th gen).

 

[rwh963]

Weld pic (keep getting upload errors, why?)

 

[rwh963]

weld pic, again:

 

[4r-4ever]

i replaced my rear muffler and pipes with an aftermarket since it's cheaper. now i have a little bit of drone but not bothering me at all. also, i did cut that part having the exhaust leak that you had welded and installed a pipe reducer and a clamp that looks like this. make sure you have the right diameter reducer and clamps. Vaico - 893253139B - Dual Clamp Exhaust Sleeve - Priced Each

worked fine so far.

Here is a pic of the weld, and a pic of the muffler pipe I installed. Not seen is the rear pipe also installed new(both 5th gen).