exhaust leak
 

Hey fellers,

I finally found my exhaust leak. The pipe that connects to the resonator (i think resonator) looks as if the top half is missing. When I look from the drivers side behind the front wheel and someone revs the engine I can see exhaust flow out on the top half of the pipe on the front side of the resonator. Is this a two piece pipe or do I have a hole? It should be the original exhaust which is stainless (its a '92 LSL) so i wouldn't think it would rust or corrode. Just dropped it off at the muffler shop, what should I expect to fix this and ~ cost?

thanks

Tdog

Only the muffler, as far as I know, is stainless. The rest of the exhaust is regular old steel. Here's a diagram of the exhaust system:

http://www.subaruparts.com/diag/?mod...category=440-A

The center pipe, after the cat and before the muffler, is all one piece - including the resonator. But if the front part of the pipe is all that's bad, an exhaust shop should still be able to cut out the bad parts and weld in some new pipe. If the resonator itself is bad, you can have that chopped out and replaced with just a straight piece of pipe. Owners who have done this report little, if any, increase in exhaust noise.

By the way, we have a tech forum for these questions. Please direct any similar questions there in the future.

exhaust leak
 

Found the leak, it is where the two header pipes (?) come together to bolt to the rear convertor. The gaskets are shot and the flanges from the headers are very rusty and deteriorated. The midas guy just wants to order all new pipe and convertors for both sides from the headers to the rear convertor. Does anyone have access to a part car and possibly cut/saw the piece of pipe between the convertors? any other suggestions.

thanks

Tdog

I would try another shop. All Midas seems to know how to do is take off old parts and install new ones. I haven't seen the car (or the parts in question), but if the converters are sound then somebody should be able to weld new pipes and flanges onto the converters.

I'd try an independent exhaust shop - they're more likely to attempt cheap repairs than a franchise.