I have a 1996 Camry and a crack where the exhaust pipe goes into the catalytic converter. The repair shop says its manufactured as “all one piece” and expensive to replace.
Is there a metal bonding paste or putty that I can put over the crack?
Yes, most “consumer” type auto-parts stores sell exhaust system “spooge”, something like old-time stove cement, that will TEMPORARILY stop the noise and leaking. The best stuff comes in strips you wet and wrap around the pipe. It hardens like a rock. That’s part of the problem. Vibration will soon break the “rock hard” repair…
After 12 years, it’s time to spend a few bucks maintaining your car. Take it to a real muffler shop and have them look at it. They may be able to splice in a new pipe and repair your problem. Or YOU can remove the problem section and have a repair shop weld it up off the car. Worst case, have an independent muffler shop replace the worn-out parts with aftermarket ones. This will be MUCH cheaper than a new factory exhaust system…
[b]I believe the component you’re talking about is called the flex-pipe. And trying to patch or repair this pipe is futile. There is no patch kit that will last very long because of the heat and vibration this pipe is exposed to.
Yes! They are expensive! But the only way to repair it permanently is to replace it.
Tester[/b]
If the leak is in a section of rigid pipe, try this.
Go to home depot and buy a piece of 3 inch round heating duct and a section of flexible metal clothes dryer vent.
Use a piece of the clotes dryer vent as a gasket to seal the leak. (it is corrugated, so it will crush down and conform to the pipe) Then cut a piece of the duct about 6 inches long and wrap it around the pipe, centering it over the gasket. Use two muffler clamps on each end of the duct.