Rusted muffler again!

[ditchdj]

My muffler and tail pipe just got so rusted it finally broke off yesterday on my '94 Astro. What's messed up about it is that I just got it replaced three years ago and it cost me almost 400 dollars! :eek: That's ridiculous. So now I'm doing this on my own. I just paid 94 dollars for the tail pipe and muffler. I get to pick it up tomorrow. The only hardest thing was getting the rusted-out U-clamp off of the pipe that goes to the catalytic converter. I took care of that by sawing through part of it with a hacksaw and putting the hammer to it to break it off. My wife's stepdad's gonna take the parts to his work and weld the hangers on and then I'm gonna hook it all up under my van with two U-clamps. :D

BTW Anyone know how I can make this set rust-proof??? I dont know about spraying anything on it since it gets real hot and all when I'm driving.

[Tanasi]

Unless you're using stainless steel you can't make it rust proof. The best way to keep it from rusty is to get the whole exhaust system hot enough to evaporate the water from it. I have had the same problem, sometimes the worst thing you can do to a car is drive it. Ironic huh????:confused:

[protege]

If it makes you feel any better...I just replaced half of my '00 Mazda's exhaust...for well over $500 :eek: The section from the engine manifold back to the cat' developed a crack. Since it's cast iron, the only option was to replace it--the flange and mount had snapped, and it couldn't be repaired.

As if that wasn't enough...I get to replace the *entire* exhaust system on the MG. Since that car didn't get used much, the exhaust is in a very poor shape. It's full of holes and rust. In fact, the rear muffler exploded in a shower of rust when I accidently hit it with a hammer. Oops :p

[ditchdj]

That's ridiculous Protege. The parts for my muffler and exhaust came out to 93 dollars. It's always those two parts that rust, and they always rust where the exhaust goes into the muffler and where the muffler meets the pipe that goes to the catalytic converter. Otherwise I'd salvage it with a muffler patching kit. For some reason that particular pipe is well intact despite being pretty rusted. It's actually very easy to replace as long as you have the right tools. The only real work involves welding the pipe hangers to the exhaust pipe and muffler. Welding's painfully easy (just soften up the metal a little and let it cool and they'll just fuse together).

[Crosshair]

Either get one that has a lifetime warranty or just tie it back on with whatever is handy. (Coat hangars work good.) My parents do the former, I did the latter on my old 89 Escort.

[Hemily]

it rusted apart in 3 years? thats..... weird....


well, if ya live in a place that gets snow, they use salt on the roads, salt makes cars rust, so a point, is to go to a car wash, that washes under your car, keep it clean under aswell.

[protege]

That's ridiculous Protege. The parts for my muffler and exhaust came out to 93 dollars.

I know..getting that fixed was insane! I don't think the entire bill was just for that part...but for fitting it. After some checking around, I couldn't find any aftermarket exhaust sections--the only option was to order a new one from Mazda. I *could* have had it repaired, but I'm not sure how long that would have lasted--vibration might have caused that repair to fail. Also, some areas in PA have emissions tests...and tend to frown on bodged exhausts.

Because the ES rides a bit lower than the DX and LX models, it's not uncommon for the exhausts to suffer...especially when you consider that PA's roads suck!

[Ringtail Z28]

Do they put salt on the road where you live? That'll rust up just about anything in no time.

[Spiffy McMoron]

Do they put salt on the road where you live? That'll rust up just about anything in no time.

When it comes to exhaust rust, quite often its not road salt that to blame-in fact, some juristictions have switched to road salt's less corrosive cousin, calcium carbonate. What really kills the exhaust system is condensation-on short trips, the exhaust gets warm enough to condense the surrounding air. If you were to take a longer trip, the water could be evaporated off, but on a short trip, the pipe is cool enough not to do that. This allows the water to stay in the exhaust system and begin to corrode the system.