heartless Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 well, got the brakes on the 95 all up to par and working nicely, went to town on Monday and on the way home hit some pretty big puddles after a good downpour... and the exhaust blows out... crawled under the car a couple days later and found this... Flange let go due to rust... this is towards the back, just before it goes around the rear axle and the break is pretty ugly - rusty & ragged. also found cracks at the hanger just a little in front of that...note the moisture at both ends of the hanger mount... so... what kind of repairs would you all recommend - short of replacment of the section... flat broke, no job, need to keep this as cheap as possible, but last at least a few months - a year would be better, if possible. has anyone had any luck with the exhuast repair bandages/goop? (for the hanger area cracks) if so, which product(s)? for the flange break, thinking I will cut it off, carefully, and put in a section of replacement tubing with a couple of clamps...there is a bend about 2.5 inches further back from the flange, so cant take much off the rearward part... should cost less than $20 to do that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Cut the flange out and just clamp a short peice of pipe there. The hanger seems to be a common issue. A couple of clamps around the hanger will hold it in place. If you can, get some JB weld or muffler seal goop to put over the holes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 any particular brand you would suggest for the goop around the hanger cracks? it is leaking there some, but not too bad yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 Whatever they have that's cheap is what I buy. No point spending big bucks on a temporary fix. The tape stuff doesn't hold up for long, so avoid that. Does the car need this repaired to pass safety inspection? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 3, 2015 Author Share Posted July 3, 2015 ok, sounds good, Thanks. I have used some kind of exhaust paste stuff before to seal a new gasket on an imperfect flange before, worked pretty well... was the permatex stuff I think... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted July 3, 2015 Share Posted July 3, 2015 If you kow of a good "mom and pop" family owned muffler shop that does a "torch off", and "weld on" approach to pipe repair, then I would go that route. I say mom and pop shop, because the major chains like Midas and Car X will only want to repair by replacing the entire exhaust system from the cat converter on back, and charge you $400 to $500 bucks. My local mom and pop shop is Ralph's Muffler. Charge for a repair like that would be about $50, and would be done in about 15 minutes. Otherwise, if you don't have a torch, and try to cut the pipe off with a saw, it is going to be some work to get both pipes cut off. Let us know your solution. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 yeah, if I was working, I would go that route - but right now, just cant afford to. That, and our local, privately owned muffler shop seems to only work one day a week and it is 30 miles away.... Picked up a coupler piece & clamps for the flange area repair, and some permatex exhuast putty for the hanger area. will be attempting to tackle this one in the am... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 If you can't get the hanger sealed up. Cut that 8-10" section of pipe out and clamp a new peice in that spot. Knock the hanger off of there and clamp it around the new peice of pipe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 You may want to use a Dremel tool to cut the pipes off at each end. It may take a while, but since the pipe has some rust, it may cut through rather quickly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 If you can't get the hanger sealed up. Cut that 8-10" section of pipe out and clamp a new peice in that spot. Knock the hanger off of there and clamp it around the new peice of pipe. Yup, that is the plan - I did pick up a couple of extra clamps, just in case. You may want to use a Dremel tool to cut the pipes off at each end. It may take a while, but since the pipe has some rust, it may cut through rather quickly. we have several options available for cutting, just a matter of deciding which tool to use.... really hoping the worst of the rust is confined to the immediate flange area... Keep the fingers crossed.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bushwick Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 (edited) If you kow of a good "mom and pop" family owned muffler shop that does a "torch off", and "weld on" approach to pipe repair, then I would go that route. I say mom and pop shop, because the major chains like Midas and Car X will only want to repair by replacing the entire exhaust system from the cat converter on back, and charge you $400 to $500 bucks. My local mom and pop shop is Ralph's Muffler. Charge for a repair like that would be about $50, and would be done in about 15 minutes. Otherwise, if you don't have a torch, and try to cut the pipe off with a saw, it is going to be some work to get both pipes cut off. Let us know your solution. +2 This is the route I go for exhaust repairs, and as Rooster so eloquently mentioned, do NOT go to major chain muffler places. You want to go to the hole in the wall muffler shop run by one or 2 guys. You'll know it's the right place when you ask them if they can "cut the bad section out and just run a straight a section of pipe". My guys charge around $40 for something like that, and I think $35 just to weld a broken section up. I used to go to a local guy that supposedly had enough and closed shop. He was cheaper, never had parts on hand, but I could go to him with 2 mufflers and say "Will you weld these up" and he'd do it no questions asked. Go to a Midas or other chain shop with same 2 mufflers in hand, and they'll say stupid comments like "Um, those aren't factory mufflers, you can only put factory mufflers in there" or say you have a 2 1/8" exhaust and want to jump size to a 2.25 single in dual outs and you'll get "Um, that's the wrong muffler! You can't put that on there, it won't fit!" To which a retort would be "You can just slip fit it and heat the end up, then weld it". Which will get "Um, I don't know. Let me ask my boss". Boss comes over and states "That's the wrong muffler, it won't work. I think we can get the factory replacement muffler by this afternoon, but I need to call my warehouse and check that we have one in stock". I've run into this more times than I care to mention. I found my 1st "go-to" guy after spending an afternoon hopping around to different shops getting the same generic blanket statements about apparently not being able to add aftermarket mufflers to my then 96' Lincoln Mark VIII which had mufflers in roughly same position as the Legacy where it's outlet basically terminates the exhaust at the bumper. After that guy called it quits, I found another shop about 15 miles further away, but they "do it" w/o BS or griping. Going to them, I can say "I have a leak after the cat, seems the flange is rotted. Can you just add a straight section?" Guy will look at me, then say "pull it into the bay". I pull it in, they raise the car, 10 seconds later him or the other guy are already cutting the section off. 10 minutes after that car is being lowered and guy is like "it's done. Looking at $45. I seriously love those guys and it's WELL worth the drive as they don'y bitch and moan about doing it or try and force stupid expensive OEM, though I suspect they probably have an abducted girl chained to a basement support beam at their shared house. Just that kinda vibe Edited July 4, 2015 by Bushwick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AdventureSubaru Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 I once used a soup can and 4 hose clamps when this happened on my old toyota pickup. Held up just fine for 6 months as a minor leak (It really was pretty quiet) until I found a good midpipe from a yard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Bushwick - there is a shop (or used to be, not sure if they are still there anymore) similar to yours about an hour away from me - went there with my first Subaru, the 89 GL, that had a bad spot - 15 mins later the bad spot was gone & it had a nice patch welded in, cost me all of $40. the one closest to me now - seems they are only "open" on fridays, and you need an appointment to get your car in - too busy for a "just show up" kind of thing... Yeah, he does good work cheap, but I dont have time to wait for an appointment, never mind driving 30 miles with a blown exhaust - and small town cops between me and them... And being small town wisconsin - we dont have any of the "big chains" like midas or meineke - haha... it is mom & pop or nothing... we have the tools to do at least a halfway decent job ourselves - just a bit of a pain, crawling under it to do the job...doing exhaust work is not one of my favorite things...but seems it is a part of life when you drive a 20 yr old car... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
desertsubaru Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 We have a local shop that did from my rear cat back to the bumper with new muffler for $100 bucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 JB weld stuff for the rear hanger portion splice in a piece of pipe on the front most section. or just ignore it? you can probably just hang it and leave it for a few months/year if you're broke. you can buy sections of pipe/clamps adapters online for cheaper. or buy online through advance auto parts and use discount coupons to get minimum 20% off - usually 30% and sometimes 40% off. order online - choose pick up location at local store - and go pick it up for a significant savings. i imagine autozone and others do the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 and +1 the wrap stuff doesn't work, i'm surprised it still even sells but i guess in some limited applications it can help. bad rust just isn't one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 4, 2015 Share Posted July 4, 2015 if you can weld you might even be able to try and bridge all those holes via welding and weld the front two pipes together insitu. not ideal but cheap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share Posted July 5, 2015 I am not very good at welding, and the idea of welding close to the gas tank (that leaks, btw) is not my idea of a good thing... (these issues are at the rear of the car, just forward of rear axle - right under the fuel tank...) anyway... job is done (did i mention I hate doing exhaust work? LOL) cut the old flange bits off - ended up using the sawzall... quick and efficient. (no, they are not perfectly straight, square cuts, but, eh, whatever - they are clean cuts, with good pipe showing) used a 2" ID x 2" ID coupler, but that wasnt quite long enough to bridge the gap solidly, so dug around in our boxes of stuff and came up with a 2" ID, x 2" OD reducer to lengthen things a tad... and had picked up some permatex muffler and tailpipe putty - supposed to be good up to 2000* F... 2 pouches of the stuff in one package for just under $6 (only used 1 of them so far). and the repair... (note the splodge in the upper left? it burped out when the car was started per instructions (let car idle for 10 mins to speed drying), a quick swipe of a gloved finger stuffed it back in the gap, and it stayed put for the 10 mins the car idled... we shall see if it stays permanently) for the hanger cracks... fairly obvious after hitting things with a little emory cloth... and the putty applied... So, after idling for the prescribed 10 mins, the putty instructions advise avoiding driving the car for 24 hours if possible... no problem, it is a holiday weekend, and I have no pressing need to go anywhere... I will update after I do go somewhere and see if this stuff is gonna hold up. The hanger will more than likely be getting a more permanent fix later - as in cutting out that section, replacing with good pipe, removing the hanger from old pipe and clamping in place on the new..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 exhaust is annoying. i should have mentioned - cut as absolutely little pipe off as possible so it's not too long of a gap or the metal starts to bend, making fitment really tricky. done that multiple times...GAH. good job worknig around it. so if you were at my house 2 weeks ago - i was cutting out the rear quarter and welding in new metal due to rust. i opened the gas cap and cut through the metal there, just under the filler pipe and welded in the new metal there as well. that would have freaked you out? HA HA it freaked me out too actually. i had the cap on obviously and insulated it some with shirts, etc...still a little creepy and hope to never do that again with gas in the tank. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted July 5, 2015 Share Posted July 5, 2015 At least you weren't this guy... But don't worry, he chocked the wheel with a rock!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share Posted July 6, 2015 exhaust is annoying. i should have mentioned - cut as absolutely little pipe off as possible so it's not too long of a gap or the metal starts to bend, making fitment really tricky. done that multiple times...GAH. good job worknig around it. so if you were at my house 2 weeks ago - i was cutting out the rear quarter and welding in new metal due to rust. i opened the gas cap and cut through the metal there, just under the filler pipe and welded in the new metal there as well. that would have freaked you out? HA HA it freaked me out too actually. i had the cap on obviously and insulated it some with shirts, etc...still a little creepy and hope to never do that again with gas in the tank. Absolutely would have had me freaking out! LOL I know it can be done safely and all, but yeah, gas and "fire" - umm, not me! thanks! LOL and yeah, I have done enough exhaust work over the years that I know to cut off as little as possible, but still have good metal to clamp new pieces to - I should have gone to the larger town and picked up a 1 foot length of pipe, instead of the 6" coupler... but I didnt feel like driving the gas hog PU that far...went to the closer small town instead (15 miles vs 30 miles). Oh well... the gap was maybe 3.5-4" at the widest points, leaving only an inch or so on either end of the 6" piece for clamping onto - not enough for a good seal. the reducer gave me another 2" to work with to get good clamping and the putty filled any minor gaps - hoping the putty holds well - it has been sitting for about 36 hours now... and I doubt I will go anywhere today - we are expecting some severe thunderstorms to come thru later this morning... Think I will just stay indoors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sirtokesalot Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 my exhaust is all patched up the same flange broke on mine repaired the same way i had 2 holes form in the piping about 3 feet from each other there's sheet metal hose clamped over those the muffler broke off flush i bought an adapter that was tight fitting to the inside of the mufflers inlet hole hammered it in and clamped the muffler back on to the piping. in the front the resonator broke free i have some strategically placed hose clamps holding that together and its actually pretty quiet you wouldn't think it was broken and repaired in so many places from the way it sounds. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rooster2 Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 Nice work. would suggest you coat the repair pipes the best you can with that muffler putty. It has been my experience using the repair pipes, that they are made out of cheap metal that rusts easily, and go bad in about 2 years. Coating the pipes will add some rust proofing, and buy you some more time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
idosubaru Posted July 6, 2015 Share Posted July 6, 2015 +1 they do rust quick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
heartless Posted July 10, 2015 Author Share Posted July 10, 2015 Well, so far so good. Couple of days of running around after the repairs and it is actually quieter now than it was before. Weather has been pretty decent these last couple of days, tho... should be interesting to see if it continues to hold up in rainy weather - and of course how it does this winter... And, yeah, most aftermarket exhaust parts dont last nearly as long as the originals do, but I have found that the cherry bomb stuff does last at least a little bit longer than the cheap-cheap, no name stuff does I am calling it fixed, for now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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