Stock muffler broke at weld
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
From: Auckland, New Zealand
Stock muffler broke at weld
Hi ya!
Out driving yesterday, and the next thing I hear is a rattling coming from the back. Turned out the stock muffler had come completely lose from the bracket, the weld had broken!!! :crazy:
Might be a good time to get a set of Stingers, but just in case I keep the stock mufflers, can a good muffler shop weld the pipe back to the bracket without taking the muffler/bracket off the car?
Thanks in advance!
:cheers:
Out driving yesterday, and the next thing I hear is a rattling coming from the back. Turned out the stock muffler had come completely lose from the bracket, the weld had broken!!! :crazy:
Might be a good time to get a set of Stingers, but just in case I keep the stock mufflers, can a good muffler shop weld the pipe back to the bracket without taking the muffler/bracket off the car?
Thanks in advance!
:cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 1,884
From: Hot Springs AR
Re: Stock muffler broke at weld (Johnny)
When you say "bracket", are you referring to the hanger on the muffler itself, or the connection to the intermediate pipe? There's a not very exclusive club (myself included) that's had welds break at the flanges between the tailpipe assembly and the intermediate pipe, but I've never heard of the welds at the muffler hangers breaking.
Oh, and BTW, if the flange is what's broken, it's angle is critical to getting the exhaust tips aligned (ask me how I know :rolleyes: ). We were off by only about a pencil width, and now my tips are significantly out of alignment. One more thing to fix over the winter.
Have a good one,
Mike
Oh, and BTW, if the flange is what's broken, it's angle is critical to getting the exhaust tips aligned (ask me how I know :rolleyes: ). We were off by only about a pencil width, and now my tips are significantly out of alignment. One more thing to fix over the winter.
Have a good one,
Mike
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 174
Likes: 2
From: Fort Smith AR
Re: Stock muffler broke at weld (Johnny)
I too suffer from the dreaded flange cracking. I got lucky and noticed the exhaust leak before the weld completely failed. Am in the process of having it welded. Good luck!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 6,456
Likes: 2
From: D/FW Area TX
Re: Stock muffler broke at weld (Johnny)
Seems to be a common problem. Never happened on my 1999 Coupe, but it happened to my brother's 1998 and another person I know. I would think you can get it fixed at a muffler shop. Good luck!
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 272
Likes: 0
From: Auckland, New Zealand
Re: Stock muffler broke at weld (VetteDrmr)
Yeah, it broke at the flange. I'll have to tape it up, with some heat resistant tape or something to keep it from falling out, to get me to the muffler shop.
Thanks guys!
Thanks guys!
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 1,614
Likes: 7
From: South Florida
Re: Stock muffler broke at weld (Johnny)
Here is the cause of your problem. The pipes are stainless steel. When welding stainless steel both ends must be heated up to a higher temperature than regular crap steel. Sometimes the factory did not heat the metal up high enough and eventually the exhaust cracks. If muffler shops don't heat up both metal surfaces hot enough, the same thing will happen. I think the sticker on a replacement exhaust section is $1400.
Also is there a service bulletin on this problem? There probably should be.
Also is there a service bulletin on this problem? There probably should be.
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 9,923
Likes: 1,884
From: Hot Springs AR
Re: Stock muffler broke at weld (SpyRacing)
Actually, the rear portion of the intermediate pipe, and the entire muffler section, is NOT stainless steel. I think it's aluminized steel because it does tend to resist corrosion, but trust me, it's not stainless back where these failures are occurring.
I don't know for sure, but I think that the section of the intermediate pipe ahead of the cats might be SS.
Hope this helps,
Mike
I don't know for sure, but I think that the section of the intermediate pipe ahead of the cats might be SS.
Hope this helps,
Mike
