Exhaust System Fix - You Decide - $2400 or $3.47

[Ironsidesusa]

Hi Folks!
Last October when the wifey and I drove our "new" Camry down to our Florida home, it developed a problem with the exhaust system. I guess all that high speed driving down to our winter home in Florida took it's toll on my vintage 1997 Toyota. By the time I got to Wesley Chapel, it really started to sound very loud.

And so I decided it had to go in the shop for a looksy just to find out what the heck the problem might be. The local Toyota Dealership experts in town told me the bad news. After examining the vehicle on their lift, they took me into the shop and showed me the problem. Bottom line -the whole exhaust system in my ten year old car had to be replaced and it would cost me $2400 to make it right. And so I went home to cry in my beer and think about it a little before I took action to get the thing fixed.

Back at the house, with the engine running, I jacked up the car and crawled under my honey for another look. "Hey wait a minute!" I said. "This exhaust system doesn't seem to be in bad shape at all!" Except for a tired gasket between a bolted flange pipe connection (right after the catalytic converter), the system didn't seem to be in need of complete replacement!

I figured there must be a cheaper way to fix this problem other than brainlessly forking over $2400 to the local Toyota dealership. I figured their fix was equivalent to replacing the engine when all it might need were new plugs and wires. Oh yea, the problem would be fixed for sure but I would have to sell shoes for another five years to pay the bill I had generated on this!

My solution: I applied HiTemp RTV you can get at WALMART's automotive Dept. to the gap where the tired gasket was located between the two bolted flanges.


The net result of the fix was I was out $3.47 rather than $2400.

The fix might not look pretty but my wallet thanked me for it! You know the red sort of grows on you after while.



By the way, I have now driven my quiet 1997 Camry over 500 miles and she is still purring like a kitten. Also, I now have exactly the same fix on my son's 1998 Toyota Camry up North - now another purring kitten.


Ironsidesusa (a.k.a "Al")

P.S. My Dodge is up North and she is still going strong! I am a firm believer in the philosophy "Make It Last"

[xm camry]

Hey if it last then power to you, $2400 is a shitload of money I would have gone to my local shop and they probably would have charged me $60 to weld it, $3.47 still cheaper :P

[ELL]

Well xet, they wanted to replace his entire system, not just weld it
Anyway, good read!

[Ironsidesusa]

I still have several fall back positions if this turns out not to fix the problem in the long term. They are - in order of decreasing preference (and increasing price) after the HiTemp RTV approach:

1. Cut the bolts that hold the flange joint together, install a new gasket and re-bolt with new bolts. The old bolts are just too corroded to successfully take apart.
2. Cut the exhaust piping on either side of the flanged joint and using bolt clamps, a section of new exhaust piping and pipe couplers etc. re-assemble.
3. Go to a reputable mechanic (I know one up North but most are either rippoff artists or hacker mechanics) and have them weld the flange joint together. (I was aware of the fix that has been posted here but at this point I am too dam cheaper to go to the added trouble.)

Thanks for the inputs.

[Ironsidesusa]

Hi All!
Just a quick note to let you know that recently I used exactly the same fix approach on my son's 1998 Camry up North. (Before "the fix" his car was really loud. After "the fix", it passed the Massachusetts Vehicle Inspection with flying colors) Both cars are still running fine. Net savings for the family is now at $4800 less the $3.47 cost for the WALMART RTV.

[Stillrunning]

Originally Posted by Ironsidesusa

1. Cut the bolts that hold the flange joint together, install a new gasket and re-bolt with new bolts. The old bolts are just too corroded to successfully take apart.

This is the option I used. An angle grinder with thin metal cutting wheel works slick. I actually took the entire system off in one piece to do this as I was not sure I could get access while in place to clean off the rust. I also discovered that the spacing of the two flanges was a little too far apart to seal the replacement gasket so I just used two gaskets and longer bolts. Shops like to cut and weld a slip joint on but welding on the top side is tight for proper access as well.

[Maim Menu]

I did the exact same thing on my car. There was a leaking gasket too, what I did is loosen up the bolts so I could easily scrape the old gasket out. I squeezed a copious amount of this stuff and basically made a new gasket with it, then retorked the bolts, added some more around the area, final torquing, and no more noise. Great stuff.

[Eye8Pussies]

nice

[Heat]

I had a similar problem in an old Volvo of mine after I replaced the exhaust system cat back, I ended up having a place weld the cat to the down-pipe.

But yeah, $3.47 is cheaper. Was that before or after tax?

[xet]

Originally Posted by ELL

Well xet, they wanted to replace his entire system, not just weld it
Anyway, good read!

haha i didnt say that :P

but to the op, congrats on the fix and nice job not just shelling out the money to the stealership

[AdamS]

Good ol' Clark Howard approach...although I would consider this a temporary/band-aid fix. It might be best to change the gasket and bolts as suggested earlier (a slightly more expensive solution). I would be interested to see how long this holds up.

-=AdamS

[groovemasterodi]

What part of the metro ATL area does this Camry prowl, it looks familiar for some reason

[ghettosled]

i would recommend option 1 like still running said if it starts leaking again. im always leary on using silicone on exhaust components even if ifs high temp.

[AdamS]

Originally Posted by groovemasterodi

What part of the metro ATL area does this Camry prowl, it looks familiar for some reason

I know this is totally off topic but.....Formerly in Snellville now in Decatur...However, I'll say that my car looks pretty different now...running my stock wheels, invader hood, etc etc....desperately need to get a nice lightweight set of wheels...I am selling the IS300 wheels to go for a different look...

-=Adam

[groovemasterodi]

snellville is where i recall seeing it, been awhile but ya. Small world if it indeed was