Exhaust repair ideas

[zippy753]

Hi everyone, I have a 1995 Acura Integra exhaust that I want to fix for a friend and as cheap as possible. It was was previously patched but that failed, see below picture. The problem I'm having is that the break is at the Cat and I don't have a lot on one end to work with. The triangle flange is completely rusted and not coming loose. The pipe at the break (inside the cat and inside the pipe) is 1.8" ID and 2.0 OD at the break. The two solutions I thought of so far include:

1) Get an adapter (1.75 OD) and put it into the cat with sealer, then use a pipe expander to get it tight inside. I don't see a way to clamp it down on the cat side. The other side can go over the pipe and get clamped down.

2) Get a straight piece of 1.75 OD pipe and shove it a good way into the cat and use some fiber weld wrap to make up any difference in diameter. The other side goes straight inside the other end and gets clamped down.

I don't have a welder. Does anyone have another idea?

Thanks in advance.

 

[skyactiv]

Do it right or don't do it.

 

[eljefino]

Get that triangle flange off. As a rust belt mechanic I can assure you it's not "completely rusted", you can still see where the fasteners are, LOL. You may need a $10 angle grinder from HF, but you can replace the bolts. Cut through the nut at the flange, you'll wreck the old flange a little but who cares? You'll have to drop the exhaust to get at the top bolt. A sawzall may work better than the grinder.

Get this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/181680441103 and a 2" clamp. See how there's a wider spot away from the patch? Measure its OD. You might need interemediate pieces of pipe to fill to whatever ID is a 2" OD. Find a parts store that lets you paw through the adapters-- something like an extension pipe for 1-7/8 OD with a slip fit will "grow" to 2" OD, and its inside might nicely fit that bulge.

 

[mk378]

The problem here is that when a pipe breaks like that, the rest of the pipe will also be about gone, if it doesn't have holes in it already. You can buy the whole center pipe (Honda calls it the "B" pipe) with both flanges for about $100. Then it's a bolt on.

Or pay someone to weld it. An exhaust specialist can fabricate whatever is needed. Just be sure to negotiate the price first.

 

[eljefino]

^ Yeah, buy once, cry once. You'll still save money by DIY. It's your friends money but your worksmanship, he'll be up in your hair if something else goes wrong a year from now.

That said judging by all the flange repair kits on ebay, this is the first spot to fail, so you'd have to really look at the rest of the pipe, particularly where it meets the muffler, to judge if you want to cobble it together. Corrosion loves welds because they undo what makes stainless steel stainless.

 

[mk378]

I think that the top of the picture is toward the front of the car here but yes the OP should clarify that. The converter is usually right behind the engine. Part of it is in the open space before the firewall.

 

[zippy753]

I think that the top of the picture is toward the front of the car here but yes the OP should clarify that. The converter is usually right behind the engine. Part of it is in the open space before the firewall.

Yes, the top of the picture is toward the front of the car.

 

[zippy753]

Get that triangle flange off. As a rust belt mechanic I can assure you it's not "completely rusted", you can still see where the fasteners are, LOL. You may need a $10 angle grinder from HF, but you can replace the bolts. Cut through the nut at the flange, you'll wreck the old flange a little but who cares? You'll have to drop the exhaust to get at the top bolt. A sawzall may work better than the grinder.

Ok, I haven't actually tried to remove the bolts on the flange but it looks like a PITA and maybe I was trying to convince myself that there's an easier way out.

Get this: https://www.ebay.com/itm/181680441103 and a 2" clamp. See how there's a wider spot away from the patch? Measure its OD. You might need interemediate pieces of pipe to fill to whatever ID is a 2" OD. Find a parts store that lets you paw through the adapters-- something like an extension pipe for 1-7/8 OD with a slip fit will "grow" to 2" OD, and its inside might nicely fit that bulge.

The wider spot spot away from the patch is 2 1/4" OD and then the tapered pipe behind it is 2" OD. If I can remove the bolts and get that part of the flange off, then maybe a universal split flange like this in the link will work behind the wide spot? I could maybe move the system up a bit and mash everything together with some long bolts.

It's for my stepson's girlfriend and she doesn't have a lot of money and will drive it regardless if it gets fixed. The car is on it's last legs but my biggest concern is carbon monoxide leaking into to the cabin.

 

[eljefino]

I don't see that nickson split clamp gripping a pipe well enough to work.

How are you getting under this car? Doing cat work on ramps is no fun at all.

Don't "stretch" the exhaust more than 1/4" with "long bolts", it will add stress that will break it again.

Your FLAPS will have exhaust "extenders" that are about a foot long with two inches of nominal-pipe-size ID and ten inches of same-size OD. Get one of those, cut as appropriate, and this adapter and, as long as the three bolt holes line up (or could be re-drilled), bob's your uncle.

You're really in a pickle without a welder. Have you pawed through the pdf of the walker exhaust catalog? Might be some ideas in there.

 

[zippy753]

I don't see that nickson split clamp gripping a pipe well enough to work.

How are you getting under this car? Doing cat work on ramps is no fun at all.

It's going on jack stands.

Don't "stretch" the exhaust more than 1/4" with "long bolts", it will add stress that will break it again.

That's a good point.

Your FLAPS will have exhaust "extenders" that are about a foot long with two inches of nominal-pipe-size ID and ten inches of same-size OD. Get one of those, cut as appropriate, and this adapter and, as long as the three bolt holes line up (or could be re-drilled), bob's your uncle.

What does "FLAPS" stand for?

You're really in a pickle without a welder. Have you pawed through the pdf of the walker exhaust catalog? Might be some ideas in there.

I do know how to weld but I really don't need a welder as it would be something extra cluttering my garage. A cheap one from Harbor Freight is about $100 but it's suitable for exhaust, so I could buy something like that and have it on hand for small projects or pay someone to do a better job. If I'm going to buy a welder I'd rather have a good one. That's the dilemma I want to avoid, I just want to do this cheap.

At this point it seems like the best thing is to try to minimize the exhaust leakage as much as possible. It won't be perfect and maybe won't last long but that's not my problem. Set expectations, put a Band-Aid on it, let it fail, and she can go deal with it later if she wants.

 

[Kira]

Minor contributions:
FLAPS = Favorite Local Auto Parts Store
Isn't brazing the method needed here for flexibility and avoidance of burning through?
My cert? a coupon welding class at an art school >40 years ago.
Find a good (as in they'll talk to you) exhaust shop....a fabricator with a parts bin.

Just had a thought......California 'scaredy cats' might not touch this.

 

[eljefino]

On the flipside, CA has, as I understand it, a nice variety of minority-run muffler shops that might be able to fix this cheaper than you think.

 

[zippy753]

I lived in CA when I created this account a long time ago, I now live in Northern Colorado. I'm sure I can find a shop to do this for under $100 but that's not the issue.

I'll gladly spend a few hours to help out a young person, use my garage and tools, and spend only a few bucks on parts. I'm not paying for her to take it to a shop however, that's on her.

Thanks everyone for your feedback, I see it's not going to be as easy as I thought.

 

[eljefino]

The hardest part's going to be getting that flange apart. After that it's all gravy. And you don't have to spend any money until then.

 

[zippy753]

The hardest part's going to be getting that flange apart. After that it's all gravy. And you don't have to spend any money until then.

I'm going to try your suggestion, thanks. Do you have any tips for getting that flange apart? I assume hit it with heat first and punch out the bolts, then maybe grind them if that doesn't work.

 

[eljefino]

If it were me I'd jump straight to grinding. The top one's gonna be a bugger.

 

[troymcclure]

On the flipside, CA has, as I understand it, a nice variety of minority-run muffler shops that might be able to fix this cheaper than you think.

Highly recommend. Went this route twice on a Nissan and couldn’t be happier. They seem to use pretty good stainless steel on the exhaust system except at the flanges. Saw it was a common failure. Two separate points rusted out after only 7 years. I did live in the rust belt at the time. $50 cash both times. Incredibly fast, solid work. They welded in a small section of stainless steel straight pipe. That was 6 years ago now and they are holding strong so the fix will potentially outlast the factory flange.

 

[GMBoy]

It's a 1995. Most states only have safety inspections at that age. Just cut the converter out and replace with pipe.

Before I get slammed for recommending removal of the converter and I understand it may not be the best option - the guy asked for the cheapest repair that would last.