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cat converter/muffler pipe seperated (see picture)

9K views 11 replies 5 participants last post by  andyg 
#1 ·
Ok guys. Had a LOUD drive home today and took a look under the 99 Plymouth grand voyager to find this (see pic). Looks like the cat pipe has rusted enough to completely separate about a foot in front of the muffler. The shop says it could cost upwards of 800 bucks to fix! The van is not worth this at 178,000 miles so here is my question for you....will the local auto store have something that will give me a "jimmy rig" fix? Im planning on just using a metal clothes hanger to support the pipe and im hoping the store sells something that will atleast give me a temporary fix. Please help me out! I appreciate your advice!
 

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#2 ·
That high dollar quote might be just because he wants to replace whatever is rusted away, which he might think is the pipe coming out of the converter, hence replace the converter. That is, if the only damage is that joint.
Good news: you don't have to replace the converter even if that's the pipe that's rusted.
It is very common for the pipe to rust away at that spot, where the two pipes meet.
Firstly, doing this kind of exhaust work yourself is as easy as picking your nose. When mine broke there, the muffler was already sounding a little boomy so I just bought all the parts that go aft of that joint. It all cost just a couple C notes. You can easily adapt the right pipe piece to make a new mating there. If you don't replace any parts, then you just need a piece of pipe. Another muffler shop will do that. Keep visiting different shops until you find one that will. My bet is that will be the next one. Or go to the parts store and get a piece of pipe and a couple of pipe clamps. They come with one end spread to fit over the leading pipe and you can cut to fit.
 
#3 ·
Yup, what he said. Find out what size the pipe is (diameter.) I don't know off the top of my head, someone else might, or the auto store should be able to tell you. Remove the old junk clamp off the converter end along with whatever might be left of the muffler tube attached to it, and buy a coupler pipe and two clamps of the appropriate size. One end of the coupler will be a bit wider to fit over the converter end, and the other side will stuff inside the muffler end. Clamp the two together and your done...

You're looking for something like this:
 
#4 ·
Th epic looks like a flange fitting. I can't tell for sure though. If so you just cut that off. A reciprocating saw is a godsend here.
 
#5 ·
You know Duct tape....

Na, spring for the expensive stuff and get that aluminum ducting tape. :lol:


Just kidding. Yea, that pipe looks like and easy fix. But man, that is some rust you got there. And here I am pissed about some small surface rust.

I thought that most Chrysler products use Stainless steel pipes? If this is so, looks like just the coupler rusted off. So that's going to be easy.

But wow, road salt is some BAD stuff..
 
#9 ·
I thought that most Chrysler products use Stainless steel pipes? If this is so, looks like just the coupler rusted off. So that's going to be easy.
It's called stainless but it still rusts. It isn't 18/8 cutlery stainless and it isn't kitchen sink or cafeteria serving counter stainless. There are many grades of the stuff, and this one eventually rusts.
 
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#6 ·
imickey, someday I'll post pics of my vans rust for all to marvel at lol. But that point of failure is what happened to mine. As in the other thread, I had a new muffler and tail pipe put on for $200. The cat was fine as they were able to get clean welds to it.
 
#10 ·
And just like that, I was owned...


You know, I should have known better, I forgot about the different grades of Stainless steel's.

It makes a BIG difference.


  • Type 409—cheapest type; used for automobile exhausts; ferritic (iron/chromium only).
  • Type 439—ferritic grade, a higher grade version of 409 used for catalytic converter exhaust sections. Increased chromium for improved high temperature corrosion/oxidation resistance.

You know I wonder if adding the ceramic coating would make these parts last any longer in the "real world" operating conditions. I have a hunch that they would crack over time and let in corrosion anyways due to thermal expansion and mechanical stress.

Another problem that I see is that it would have to be applied almost the day you got your new van or, it might not be effective due to the corrosion process already starting on a system that is already a year old and that has been exposed to the elements already. :ask_wsign
 
#11 ·
You know more about it than I do then.
I only have hear dof ceramic coating on factory pipes anyway. I thought the purpose was noise suppression, except on headers which is to retain heat or something?
The Allante had two layers of stainless steel sandwiching a layer of ceramics, and that was for noise. That thing had everything done to it for noise. Even the tires were designed for it. Eagle VLs.
 
#12 ·
I think the main thing is, why worry about it? My factory exhaust lasted over 10 years, same as the OP. You can try any coating you want, but the elements will get to it. Just let it live 10 years, then replace it. Exhaust is pretty cheap maintenance if looked at how long it lasts.
 
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