Can anyone recommend a good exhaust repair substance? I know it will be just a temporary fix, but I don’t know how much longer I intend to keep my old heap anyway. Muffler bandages are really ineffective because leaks almost always occur near an obstruction, such as a “U” clamp or a welded-on support hook. Leaks never occur along a straight, unobstructed length of pipe. I’m looking for a good high temperature substance that will plug a leak and keep it plugged for awhile.
There really is not anything that will stand up for any length of time due to vibration, expansion and contraction, etc. The muffler bandage type repair is as good as it gets. There are some quick hardening cements, but they have limited life.
I had a 70 Maverick when I lived in NJ, had an exhaust leak right before the muffler on the pipe… I used that wrap around stuff and got it through inspection as I only had a few days left…It passed then about a week or two later the patch let go…Did not care at this point but eventually had the exhaust system replaced.Its a temp repair. The leak was at the rear of the vehicle so no fumes into the passenger cabin.
The only good patch is a proper repair. Patching a leaky exhaust is playing with someones life. Even if you take it to a shop and they use a pipe patch its better than a leak.
Sometimes the only thing to do is the right thing to do.
I’ve never found anything except welding. Really, cheap exhaust systems are pretty cheap. If you don’t want great quality, you can pick the stuff up pretty inexpensively. Then if you do it yourself . . . wear goggles.
this looks interesting - maybe helpful?
One material I have used in areas where the temperature is not too high i.e. <500 degree Fahrenheit is high temperature RTV (Permatex red). It seems to handle the heat fairly well. If the hole is big use a piece of sheet aluminum to back up the RTV. Use safety wire to hold the aluminum patch in place until the RTV sets.
Again, this is an intermin fix that will get you to the point where you can do replace the pipe(s) and/or muffler/resonator/whatever from the parts store.
Let us know what works the best for you. Curious
If it is the pipe, you could replace it with.a carbon steel pipe. It will last a few years but not nearly as long as a stainless steel pipe.
I’ve had good experiences with the muffler repair putty sold at tractor supply. I forget the exact name, but I think it was Permatex, and it is supposed to withstand up to 2000 degrees. Just be sure to follow the instructions.