Exhaust help needed

[Warduke]

Hi guys, I have a bit of a problem. I noticed when I bought my car years ago (94 MTX) that there is no flex pipe and also there are no welds anywhere. Everything is held together by clamps. So I was driving and the exhaust got really loud and it turns out that where the down pipe with the flair on the beginning of it where the ****** clamps go that connect the flared end to the catylytic pipe rusted and is missing a chunk. Is there any way I can fix this without buying a whole down new pipe?

Also, if I buy the flex pipe, I guess I will have to take it to a shop and they will need to remove a section of the down pipe and reflare it so I can fit a flex pipe on it. But for now I need a temporary fix if possibe.

 

[rbruso]

Pictures would definitely help.

The MTX did not come with a flex pipe from the factory. The big two bolt ****** right after the Y merge has a tapered donut gasket in it which is designed to allow enough movement (with good motor mounts) to not stress the rest of the system too much.

You can swap in a flex joint (shosource has one here: http://shosource.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=265) but it's not necessary.

As for your hole, I really can't envision it based on your description. Is the hole between the exhaust manifold and the catalytic converter or between the cat and the Y?

 

[Warduke]

Ok Im talking about the flared end of the down pipe. The pipe that is connects to the cat Y pip with the exhaust ****** spring bolts. The half of the flare, the part that is tapered outward is rusted away. I got really frustrated today at the loud sound so I just bought a piece of 2 1/4" pipe and hammered it into the downpipe so only a 1/2 inch sticks out and pushed it into the cat y pipe part and secured it with a pipe clamp to the frame so it doest pop out. Ill take some pics when I go back outside.

 

[rbruso]

So, it sounds like it's your resonator pipe that's trashed. If that's the case you can either get a new resonator assembly (about $70 at rock auto) or you can get that flex pipe from shosource for about $40 (plus $5 for a flat gasket) and never deal with donuts again. It's designed to bolt right to your existing Y-pipe two bolt ******. You'll have to cut your existing pipe in front of the resonator and either clamp or weld the new flex pipe in.

 

[Warduke]

Thanks for the info!

 

[TimboSHO]

They also make a repair kit for the ****** that bolts to the cat. That ****** will rot out (which it sounds like yours has), and if it's not completely gone, there is a 'repair clamp' that is cheaper than getting a new piece of pipe or flex pipe. I can't tell you where to get it, just that I've had several SHO's with it already installed......