Front exhaust pipe with cat replacement '97 - any tips?

[dentalon]

Front pipe with the cat is leaking at the flex joint or whatever it is.

Anybody replace theirs yet?
Were you able to seperate the flages between the cat pipe and resontor pipe without it disintegrating? Everything behind the cat pipe is in good shape and i want to save it.

[tracerich]

Have an experienced repair shop remove the pipe, cut the flex out with a air hack saw, or something similar, nice clean cut, then have them get a replacement flex and weld it in. Real easy fix. The one's I have used are made by Walker Exhaust, and are available through most parts stores, I know Napa has them, Parts Plus to name a few... Whatever you do, don't replace the whole assembly with a complete aftermarket pipe with cat. The aftermarket cats are not up to the quality that the PCM needs in order to not throw the money light on.

[dentalon]

New flex welded on at Rayco for 100 bucks. Good as new.

[avalonxls]

i have almost the same problem, my exhaust is leaking at the front/flex pipe, and at the cat, so i need a new cat and front pipe. what should i do? get a mechanic to cut the front pipe and weld in a new flex pipe or just swap out the entire thing? where can i get OEM parts besides toyota?? ( too expensive) and i dont want any aftermarket stuff.

ps i live in toronto canada

[mmejia]

I doubt you would be able to get any OEM items for your exhaust brand new. Best bet would be to go used through junk yards or ebay.

Personally, I wouldn't go through that trouble. I broke my flex pipe (don't ask how) and I just had everything from the headers back replaced. I got a magnaflow catalytic that works like a charm (no CEL).

[avalonxls]

please tell me where you got your parts and for how much , i need to replace my flex pipe and cat, because the exhaust is heating up the surrounding areas and im worried about what it can damage..

[Param]

Originally Posted by avalonxls

i have almost the same problem, my exhaust is leaking at the front/flex pipe, and at the cat, so i need a new cat and front pipe. what should i do? get a mechanic to cut the front pipe and weld in a new flex pipe or just swap out the entire thing? where can i get OEM parts besides toyota?? ( too expensive) and i dont want any aftermarket stuff.

ps i live in toronto canada

If you don't want after market stuff, then you have to get dealer parts. In Canada it is quite EXPENSIVE.

US Dealer prices of most parts are atleast as half of Canadian Dealer prices.

You can get it from the States. Get that shipped to a US address close to border, or to friends/family in US. Then figure out how to get that here. Direct shipping could be quite expensive, unless they ship via USPS. However, you can ask them whether they would do it via USPS.

I have dealt with mechanicsville Toyota in VA, they shipped tune up/timing parts via USPS to my home in Toronto. You have to findout on whether USPS would accept parcel as big as the flex pipe.

The fun part was that both times I ordered parts nearly $250.00 US, & Canada post left the package @ my door!

[gabe74gt]

I have the same magnaflow too and love it, you can usually get a used one on ebay or cragislist. I wanted a valid warranty so I got it here. Magnaflow 43037. Also some of the forum sponsors usually have a sale going on magnaflow. Either way its a great exhaust system, sounds great, and very easy to install.

[HATEnFATE]

For a 1997 it's not as bad as the 96. I ended up getting a killer deal through my local parts store and paid aroud 200 dollars for a complete front pipe for my vehicle. I ended up replacing everything but the muffler for around 400 with bolt-in pieces. Nothing cut or crimped.

Get a bolt-in part from your local store and see what they'd be willing to do to help you out for $.

I just called my local store and their walk-in price on the pipe is $431.59 with the gaskets costing $15.07. A far cry better then the suggeted OE list of $1635.23 w/o gaskets.

[Vernon29RW]

I know I'm resurrecting this thread from out of the graves but I was just curious if anyone had any followups to this issue. Seems like a long time to go without anyone stating they were having exhaust issues. Anyways my 95 has been leaking for quite some time so I took it to a Meineke nearby me and dropped it off there for them to take a look at it. The guy tells me he cant cut it out and weld in a new one because the two pipes are too close together??and he wouldn't be able to line up the pipes correctly so that it would bolt back up correctly to each cylinder head. I thought it sounded a little strange but I see that people have had new ones welded in so I'm wondering what this guys problem was. He was also saying that he would not be able to weld the top of the pipe because of the lack of clearance. I think I'm just gonna take the whole thing off the car and bring it to another place and just have them weld in a new one right then and there. I figured Meineke would be the right place to bring the car into for that kind of work to be done. I guess I just found one full of lazy mechanics. Any help or suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks,
Steve

[Param]

Originally Posted by Vernon29RW

I took it to a Meineke nearby me and dropped it off there for them to take a look at it. The guy tells me he cant cut it out and weld in a new one because the two pipes are too close together??and he wouldn't be able to line up the pipes correctly so that it would bolt back up correctly to each cylinder head. I thought it sounded a little strange but I see that people have had new ones welded in so I'm wondering what this guys problem was.
Thanks,
Steve

You are right about the "Lazy mechanic". I have had mine cut & welded with newone without taking apart. While on hoist the guy asked me to press gas & made sure of the welding. I never had a problem for the last 3 yrs. They don't take it aprt to weld it, because (1) It takes a lot more time to take out/put back (2) unless you do it while on the car, it is difficult to get the bolt, angle, etc.. right.

[Vernon29RW]

Yeah that's what I figured. Assuming you have two flex pipes did you change out both of them? If so do you remember how much you were charged? I just found an entire new assembly with cat conv for $265 from Bosal. I can do it myself and I'm thinking it might just be worth it to change the whole thing out rather than having to pay for new flex pipes plus the labor for cutting and welding and I'll get a new cat converter to go along with it.

Steve

[Param]

Originally Posted by Vernon29RW

Yeah that's what I figured. Assuming you have two flex pipes did you change out both of them? If so do you remember how much you were charged? I just found an entire new assembly with cat conv for $265 from Bosal. I can do it myself and I'm thinking it might just be worth it to change the whole thing out rather than having to pay for new flex pipes plus the labor for cutting and welding and I'll get a new cat converter to go along with it.

Steve

I have to do on only 1 flex pipe, which rubbed the pavement when I exited a plaza(damn bad front shocks! - replaced them as well). I am in Toronto, & I paid $80 three yrs ago.

I don't believe aftermarket will last long as the Dealer parts, which is pretty well guranteed to be galvanized steel (remember my 99 car is 11 yrs old, & have seen more than its share of salt, rocks, & slush (Northern Ontario) during its first 7 yrs use. Pipes are pretty still pretty good, except the flanges)

[mmejia]

I second that price. Cut and weld of a flex pipe should run you between 70-100 bucks. I would not go with a bosal Y-pipe since the cat will probably not be nearly as good as your current catalytic. If you wanted to replace the whole assembly, I'd go with the one from Magnaflow, but those usually run around $600. All in all, find a non-lazy shop and just have the flex pip cut and welded. Smaller muffler shops tend to be better for this sort of thing.

[blkavalon]

i have the same exact problem. im going to weld it just like most people said. its the cheepest way. most auto parts stores carry universal flex pipes in different sizes