Your Muffler ! FIX IT !!

I have a 97 Taurus GL with a 3.0 (U) engine. It is a 4 dr sedan. It has a single exhaust system. My muffler rusted out, and needs to be replaced. The rest of the exhaust system looks in really good condition.

All I wanted to do was replace the muffler. My problem is that the muffler is welded to the pipe, and that pipe runs all the way up to the converter, which is towards the front of the car.

I went to Napa, and was told that I needed to replace everything up to the converter. It was to be about $348.00 in parts. I wonder if there is some other way, Like hack sawing the muffler off, and using some kind of adapter-spacer to be able to clamp on a regular muffler again.

I just hate muffler shops because I went to Midas or Car-x or something like that, and some high school age guy (learning how on my car) F***D up the job real bad. I had to fight hard to get it made right. I don't want that again.

I just want to replace the rotten muffler.

Please help me to understand what to do. Thanks Tom

Reply to
Tom Smith
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Everything from the converter back is about half rotten already.... In a previous life, you went to a "fast food" car repair store....

Now, it is time to wake the f*ck up.... You have an 11 year old exhaust system... stuff that looks good only looks that way.... Take the cheap route now, you have the chance of turning your exhaust system into a hobby....

Oh, you can patch shit together... and it will be good up until you are in a bind.... things never go bad when it is convenient...

NAPAs catalog will say "for welded assemblies, replace....." and give a list of parts and pieces.... Listen closely... this is good advice...

Something from a long time ago.... "How much to fix my tailpipe?" .... "Hmmmm, prolly $60 or so.... but I can get you a new one for $38"...

Rust lives everywhere... not just in the places you can see or hear it....

Lovingly top posted by an asshole...

Reply to
<mechanic

The NAPA catalog says; "if welded assembly, replace all required parts."

That doesn't mean 'replace all parts.'

Assuming that you have eyes and a brain, look at the section of pipe directly in front of the old muffler, if there is 2.5 to 3 inches (or more) of straight pipe and it looks like the angle of the pipe in question will allow the new muffler to hang correctly, there is no reason that the old muffler can't be sawed off and a new one slid on and clamped in place.

This WILL take a little effort and intuition on your part.

Reply to
aarcuda69062

And it has been successfully done MANY times. My 1994 TransSport had the original exhaust except for the muffler and cat at 178000km and 14 years of age.

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Reply to
clare at snyder dot ontario do

don't pay any attention to the shit for brains backyard mechanic wannabee. Eliminate the converter too and run a pipe all the way from the manifold to the new muffler, flange it on and job done!

Reply to
Arnie Quarry

Ohhhh, an exspurt (sorry, I meant expert)... and it knows me personally...

We can all meet at his house... we can shit on hius front stoop and use his back yard for a land fill... he doesn't mind pollution....

FWIW.... if you aren't part of the solution then you must be part of the problem.... Many of us are what you might call "reponsible adults"... we accept our fair share of the burden of trying to make this planet last for a few more years... After all, we don't own it - we are simply borrowing from our grandchildren...

Doesn't the nick name "crushed skull" seem apropos?

Reply to
<mechanic

The nickname "hurricane" comes to mind. . . Haven't seen any posts by him in a long, long time; maybe this is his son?

Reply to
SC Tom

How can turd climb out of a toilet?

Reply to
aarcuda69062

Good to see you guys alive, well, and kicking the crap out of 'Cane'!

To the OP, go the NAPA routem as posted above. Keep the Cat as long as you arent buying gas from a mom and pop {old timey} station.

It's cheaper in the long run, eliminating the cat will save you nothing,.. and responsible.

Never mind the anti-petro advocates are crooks and thieves.

Reply to
Backyard Mechanic

Yes, they make adapter-spacers that can be used to do this. I don't know why your Napa didn't explain this.

It -is- critical to get the length -exactly- right, though. Start by sawing off your muffler, then get the needed adapter, check to see that it fits on, then hold it and the new muffler up to the existing exhaust to see exactly where the final saw cut on the existing tailpipe needs to be.

But, one thing is I would suggest you get the biggest saws-all to cut off the old muffler you can find. If you try it with a hacksaw you will be all day at it.

Ted

Reply to
Ted Mittelstaedt

A six inch hacksaw blade on a normal sawzall will do both ends in about 3 minutes MAX on a stainless pipe. 2 if not stainless.

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Reply to
clare at snyder dot ontario do

Muffler pipe cutter, rollers on a chain with a adjustable pliers type handle. Made by KB tools. Gets into tight places. Don't know if they still make them but mine has had plenty of use on the old cars over the decades. SawZall is quicker though........ AZ, Advance, etc. all have a reducer, splicer pipe dept. that usually can adapt a new muffler on to keep a beater running quietly. That's how the kids splice on a "coffee can" muffler onto their ricers.......

Reply to
Repairman54

Thanks for the good advice, I was able to get an adapter so the new muffler fit onto the pipe in front of it, after I sawed it off. Thanks again Tom

Reply to
Tom Smith

Thanks for the good advice, I was able to get an adapter so the new muffler fit onto the pipe in front of it, after I sawed it off. I always wanted some exhaust specialty tools like a chain type pipe cutter, and pipe expander. I have noticed that on my 2 cars the original exhaust systems lasted about 12 to 13 years before needing any work. They are not stainless steel. The cars I had in the past never lasted that long. Have materials improved ? I also see alot less muffler shops around these days. I never liked muffler shops anyway, because of deceptive practices and overall poor quality work. I am gald to see them being phased out. I seem to remember some muffler shops offering rust proofing also. What a scam that turned out to be. I used to go to auto parts stores, and see a whole wall full of exhaust pipes. I hardly see any of that anymore. Why are exhaust systems lasting so long now ? Or do I have it all wrong ?

Thanks Tom

Reply to
Tom Smith

Exhaust systems are covered under the emission system warranty now on new cars, anywhere from 60 to 100k miles. Stainless steel or aluminized coated pipes are used to get them to go the distance.

Reply to
Repairman54

The catalytic converter is, the rest of the system is not covered under the emissions warranty.

Reply to
aarcuda69062

Ther material is better, but the unleaded gasoline has a LOT to do with it. No (or a lot less) Phosphorous and other nasties are required to keep the engine clean - so less acid produced. Also the cleaner burning engines today have a hotter exhaust - so generally the systems run drier.

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Reply to
clare at snyder dot ontario do

The warranty only covers to the catalytic converter.

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Reply to
clare at snyder dot ontario do

Last time I did something like that, I used a special exhaust pipe chain cutter. It was like a roller chain with multiple cutter wheels like the sinegle one in a pipe cutter. You strapped it around the pipe and tightened the chain around the pipe. You rotated the cutter back and forth around the pipe. Eventually you cut throught the pipe. You get a nice square cut with a realtively smooth edge.

This one is not exactly like the one I used, but similar -

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I like this one better -
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. It is also handy to have a tail pipe expander -
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. Walker has a breakdown for the exhaust system for this car at
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. Ed

Reply to
Ed White

Catalytic converters are a good source of platinum if a person is out of work and needs some extra money. It's pretty easy to crawl up under most pickup trucks and unbolt them.

Reply to
Rick Cooper

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