2000 Camry 4cyl Flex Pipe

[dmonn]

I want to cut out my current Flex Pipe on my 2000 Camry CE 4cyl and just clamp on after market flex pipe over the remaining pipe but I do not know what the OUTSIDE Diameter of the exhaust is, and/or what the inside diameter of the flex pipe should be.

Anyone know the exhaust pipe outside diameter?

[marc780]

I'll assume the old piece is leaking or else why would you want to change it out...If you are talking aftermarket flex pipe like the stuff they sell at pep boys and which you can bend like a pipe cleaner, my advice is to stay away from this junk. It is too thin, impossible to clamp properly and pretty much always leaks. If you want to do your own exhaust system work, at least have a muffler shop bend a correct piece of exhaust tubing for you.
Measure the inside of the tubing, ask a muffler shop or just hack of a piece to take with you for sizing, there are like 3 or 4 diameters of tubing.

[dmonn]

Well... that wasn't quite the answer I needed, and you do make some good points.

But being the cheep bastard that I am, and that I wasn't going to pay some shop over $100 for their own imaginary pipe work, I finally di it on my own.

And remember this is only a temporary solution... I'll do a better job once the temperature here gets above.... oh.... -20. And for anyone else thinking about this:

Original Pipe Diameter 2 3/8"

The only problem you may have as I did is working with the clamp that is bolted to the car and around the existing pipe right before the original flex pipe.

Maybe it's because it was -12 degrees outside... and I was cold.. but I could not get a 10mm ratchet to fit on the bolt (too small) or an 11mm ratchet to fit (too large). I also tried 3/8 and 7/16 just for kicks and neither fit.

So... since I already had the Sazall out.... *chop* off it went.

I then cut the exhaust about 1 inch after and one inch before the existing flex pipe. The trickiest part here was when cutting it off in the front. You must be very careful not to put a hole in your oil pan. Your transmission pan is also right there, so depending on what blade length you are using and what angle you are coming from... be careful. I had a friend hold up a a piece of metal while I sawed to give me a little buffer zone between the blade and the pan(s).

After the flex section of the existing exhaust was removed and the clamp to the body (frame) was cut off, I replaced it with an 18" section of the exact same pipe as marc780 described.

Although I had no problems clamping it. I used 2 clamps on the front where it bends, and on in the back. No leaks.. not yet anyway. And any little leak that may exist or happen surely will be minimal compared to the hole that was in the original flex pipe which was so big, I could drop a golf ball through it.

So... although this is a cheap fix.. ($5 for the pipe, and about $6 for the clamps and about $8 for a 12 pack of Labatt's Ice beer for the guy that helped me) it's just cheap enough to make it worthwhile when you just need a quick fix.

Total work time: about 1 hour

And as soon as spring gets here, and I'm not freezing and have more time.. I will order the section of pipe I need which goes from the manifold flange to the muffler flange and contains the original type of flex pipe and a new catalytic converter. ($240) It bolts in on both ends.

[Quicksilver300]

wait so you have no flex pipe now? Just a pipe? Doesnt sound like a good idea. I guess my untrained opinion would be, that I'd be quite scared of breaking the manifold, hopefully the pipe would break off the flange instead, which I've had happen. I highly suggest you do not go cheap at all when you replace the whole section. Get the best quality you can find, NY roads are not kind to our cars. I've gone through two front pipes in 6 yrs up here in cooperstown. I regret not having replaced the pipe with oem or similar.

[dmonn]

No. I did use flex pipe. And just as I said in my post I used the exact same flex pipe as marc780 described.

This is a 2000 Camry CE with over 200k miles on it. That quick fix of mine got the car through inspection and by the time spring returns and I can work in a more comfortable manner I will replace the pipe (also as I described in my last post) with the OEM pipe that goes from the manifold flange to the muffler flange.

[marc780]

need which goes from the manifold flange to the muffler flange and contains the original type of flex pipe and a new catalytic converter. ($240) It bolts in on

I think i'd bring my own tubing and have a muffler shop bend it for you. How much would they charge for this service, i have no idea but you are only paying for an hour or so of labor. So its got to be cheaper than having it done and/or buying OEM factory parts.
Re the catalytic converter, i replaced the cat on my nissan pickup (1988) with a generic one from a company from the net. It came with a universal bolt on fitting that just required some trimming of tubing to fit almost perfectly. The cat converter cost me $60. After all, i know that the smog machine at the test-only center doesnt care if the cat on my truck is OEM or not - as long as it passes smog (which it does).