95 Camry 5S-FE Flex Pipe Question - Toyota Nation Forum : Toyota Car and Truck Forums

OldGoldCamry95 · 03-30-2009, 06:18 PM

My apologies if these pictures are obnoxiously large...

I have a completely stock 95 4 cyl Camry. I noticed that it was starting to sound like a Camaro. After getting underneath the beast I noticed this problem:

I read in some old threads that this flex pipe is welded, but it seems clear (to me at least) that the 2 male ends of this flex pipe are inserted into the female of the exhaust pipe and bolted? Right? Look at the front end here:

HAs anyone replaced just the flex pipe on their Camry? I got a quote from a shop at well over $500 which I know is ridiculous. I want to know if I need to have it welded or I could just bolt it on myself. Thanks in advance for any and all help.... Old & Gold

***eyeball96*** · 03-30-2009, 06:46 PM

Its a common issue with Gen 3/3.5 Camrys. I had mine repaired for 75 bucks! Shop around, you can find someone to do it for a lot less.

donbryce · 03-30-2009, 06:54 PM

I have 2 of those flex-pipe inserts on my '96 Camry V6. The stainless braid is more or less window dressing. The new front pipe I bought, but not installed yet, came this way, but the old one still on the car just has the bellows/ribbed portion with no braided cover. The new pipe is Bosal, the old I think is Toyota original.

Anyway, mine are welded on at both ends. Yours look like they are welded on too, with a heat shield bolted around the joints. One of the ribs had cracked over the winter about 1/2 way around, so I mig-welded it up all round. It should last until fall at least. If you can unbolt the section, I know those flex pieces are available as repair parts....but, it's a lot of work to take off the entire pipe section and do a repair 'at home'...unless you have a hoist. If you have a welder, it's probably just as easy to fix it, sometimes with the pipe still on the car, depends on where the crack is and if you have access - it's really tight under there on mine. I seriously doubt that you'll be able to remove the flex piece with the pipe on the car, even if it's not welded in, because of clearance issues...but maybe someone who has tried will verify this.

Check your flange connections downstream of the front pipe and determine what will come apart easily and what won't, and what you'll need to put it back on, like new gaskets, bolts/nuts, and what might need welding. I ended up removing the entire exhaust from manifold to muffler tips in one 13ft long piece, welding up the problem areas, and putting it back on, only 2 new gaskets needed at the manifolds. Your 4 cylinder should be easier.

Simpler=Better · 03-30-2009, 07:11 PM

$500 is too much. You can get a generic weld-in flex pipe for around $30-$40; after that you need to make friends with a welder.

***dz63*** · 03-30-2009, 07:38 PM

I agree. $500 is too much. I have had my flex pipe replaced three times on my '96 Camry. The last time it was done was in 2005. It cost me $206.94 CAD installed with taxes included. I get my exhaust done at at Stainless Lifetime Exhaust. They MIG weld everything in, including the flex pipe.

Mike Gerber · 03-31-2009, 11:19 AM

Here in the Chicago area, the cost to cut out that flex pipe section and weld in an aftermarket one is around $150 at most independent muffler shops.

Mike

the_professional · 04-01-2009, 04:21 PM

or do what i did.
I never welded in my life.
So i rather replace the whole section. Drove my cam on ramps, took the exhaust off from the exhaust manifold to the exhaust. Since they were all rusted together. Hacked off the front exhaust from the CAT, and replace the part. Then put back on the whole exhaust.

Of course i did it with snow in the ground and i cursed a bit when it was all rusted together. My hands were frozen. But, i can be very cheap. & i was happy to hear the silence of the 5SFE.

The part cost me $78 locally.

OldGoldCamry95 · 04-15-2009, 10:09 PM

Thanks for the information everyone. Its been a few weeks since I posted the original. I've travelled down to VA to visit my family so I'll see what its gonna run me down here as opposed to getting it done in Philly.

Professional: I looked into replacing the whole section and was able to find the part for $200 and change. I tried to take it apart by hand, but its all rusted together. I might have to take a hacksaw to that badboy though.

Gerber: Did you have to special order the aftermarket flex pipe, or did you find a shop that carried it in stock??

By the way, dz63 & donbryce: what do you mean by MIG weld??

Thanks again fellas

ghettosled · 04-16-2009, 07:17 AM

i know catco makes a bolt in section for the camry (i found mien on ebay). i think it was about $130 for that section, but i did have to cut the old rusty bolts off to remove the old section from my car.

hey, and why is it so bad to sound like a camaro???

honda2nrracing · 04-17-2009, 11:33 PM

I bought a flex pipe on ebay for 30 bucks(actually good one)-just measure your diameter and length and search on ebay- cut my old one out with sawzall and mig welded the new one in, piece of cake, the header is easy to take off too if you want to get a better grasp on the situation...

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/2-25x...Q5fAccessories

***dz63*** · 04-18-2009, 08:53 AM

honda2nrracing - wow, that is cheap! I feel ripped off at $206.94. Next time I will buy the part on Ebay and see if I can find someone willing to MIG weld it in for me. Thanks for posting!

Mike Gerber · 04-18-2009, 03:10 PM

"Gerber: Did you have to special order the aftermarket flex pipe, or did you find a shop that carried it in stock??"

I have used the same independent muffler shop for over 20 years. I hate doing exhaust work myself. Anyway, he usually carries the flex pipe in stock, as this is a common repair.

Mike