Exhaust problems.

[Britprius]

Decided to have a trip up to Barmouth Wales today as the weather was great.

About halfway into the journey without any warning there was a load roaring from under the car, and a metallic rubbing noise. This at around 60 MPH on a narrow winding road. Eventually found a safe place to stop, and investigate to find the offside silencer had snapped off at the "Y" junction.

There was no warning, and the car past it's MOT a few weeks ago. It seems "although I agree the car is ten years old" the reason is flexing of the exhaust at the "Y" junction because the silencer is not supported at it's front end. It is only supported at the very rear by two mountings.

I suppose I must consider myself lucky the exhaust pipe coming from the silencer pointing forwards did not dig into the road surface as this could have ripped off the rear bumper.

John

[sorcerer]

Wow, that could have been really nasty.

I don't know what you'll be doing about it but I remember a thread from about a year ago where someone got a full exhaust custom made in stainless steel for his RX300 for £395 and it's even guaranteed for the life of the car. If/when I need one for my RX300, that's the way I'm going to go.

Found it:

 

[Britprius]

4 minutes ago, sorcerer said:

Wow, that could have been really nasty.

I don't know what you'll be doing about it but I remember a thread from about a year ago where someone got a full exhaust custom made in stainless steel for his RX300 for £395 and it's even guaranteed for the life of the car. If/when I need one for my RX300, that's the way I'm going to go.

Found it:

 

My nearest Powerflow stainless fitter is only nine miles away at Ludlow. However they have quoted I think a rather high figure of £675 this is more than an OEM system for the rear. So still looking at the options that include hiring a tube bender, and making my own system. 

John

[Farqui]

Crumbs John, you don't need that on a day out.

As already mentioned, thankfully it didn't jam underneath the car.

Do you recall that my zoorst was recently blowing at the rear of the Y AND it had a couple of big holes in the OS muffler. These sailed through the MOT and my pet indi said he wasn't surprised it passed, provided it wasn't noisy #facepalm

Your quote for a new rear section is high. For near that price I also got the middle/cats renewed/fitted.

Good luck getting it sorted buddy.

[sorcerer]

15 minutes ago, Britprius said:

My nearest Powerflow stainless fitter is only nine miles away at Ludlow. However they have quoted I think a rather high figure of £675 this is more than an OEM system for the rear. So still looking at the options that include hiring a tube bender, and making my own system. 

John

You're not the first one to say Powerflow are expensive but the guy in that thread I mentioned used Cybox based in Bromborough on The Wirral rather than Powerflow. It might be a bit of a trek for you but if the savings are substantial it may well be worth it. Here's a quote from one of their FAQs:

Q. Do you offer a Custom-Build service?

A. Yes, we do, but strictly at our own premises and not via a third party or franchisee. We manufacture everything in-house so have the ability to create the right results rather than having to rely on a limited range of silencer designs and components.

[Britprius]

I can get a pair of rear GS specific silencers from Poland with the first bend out of the silencers ready fitted for £169 new. A suitable "Y" piece, and two 90 degree bends could finish the job for circa £200+.

John

[Farqui]

Ever creative eh John [emoji106]

[Britprius]

12 minutes ago, sorcerer said:

You're not the first one to say Powerflow are expensive but the guy in that thread I mentioned used Cybox based in Bromborough on The Wirral rather than Powerflow. It might be a bit of a trek for you but if the savings are substantial it may well be worth it. Here's a quote from one of their FAQs:

Q. Do you offer a Custom-Build service?

A. Yes, we do, but strictly at our own premises and not via a third party or franchisee. We manufacture everything in-house so have the ability to create the right results rather than having to rely on a limited range of silencer designs and components.

Looking at that link the work looks great. The cost of a GS system though I think be a lot more as there are two silencers, and the plumbing is more complicated.

John

[Britprius]

2 minutes ago, Farqui said:

Ever creative eh John

I do not believe in paying out good money for something I can do myself. Maybe some would call me tight, but there is also the satisfaction of overcoming a problem without spending a fortune.

John

[Farqui]

I completely agree and appreciate your approach John. Your attitude is commendable.

Good luck and keep us posted.

[Neil E]

If you have the skills, go for it or MIJ in Walsall would be worth a try for a better price on a quality stainless steel system.

 

[Britprius]

16 minutes ago, Neil E said:

If you have the skills, go for it or MIJ in Walsall would be worth a try for a better price on a quality stainless steel system.

 

I have to go to Stourbridge on Thursday, and a trip to MIJ is on the cards as it is only about 20 minutes away.

John.

[Neil E]

They will give you good advice and do a good job and I know they get lots of repeat custom. If you decide to go with them, do prepare to take a good book to read / do some shopping / go to the cinema whilst they work on it.

You can see some of their work in the build thread section. 

 

[Britprius]

As a temporary fix to allow me to use the car I have sealed over the hole where the exhaust snapped. The car now only has one rear silencer, but is now possibly even more quiet than the OEM two silencer system.

This will give me time to sort out the best option for replacement.

John.

[welshdragon]

Hi John,

Sorry to hear about the mishap but your resourcefulness is shining through the "problem" as always and I'm sure you'll soon have it sorted :)

Tony

 

[Britprius]

I have been doing some digging on the rear exhaust, and found I can build one with larger silencers than most custom builders use for a tad under £200. So it looks like that is the route I will take.

Pictures will follow when the work is completed.

John.

[cpk]

Hi John,

I have one the same year as you and keep getting reports at service it's nearly on it's last legs, I imagine it will go at the same place as yours.  I don't want to spend £5-600 on a stainless system, I'll probably keep my car for another 2 years, I just want a good, cheap, quiet replacement.

How are you sourcing your parts? 

[Britprius]

Chris.

I have found the parts on the "net", and the price I quoted is for stainless.

With a little DIY using existing standard mild steel silencers, and mild steel pipe, and fittings you could reduce the cost by around £50. This does mean you have or access to a welder "MIG" or "TIG". You can build a system without welding by buying a pipe expander about £15, and using clamps. This allows you to stretch the end of a pipe in diameter so that the next piece slides into it. This does allow for plenty of adjustment to get things aligned, but looks a bit messy. However it could be welded at a later date and the clamps removed

If you want details of either system let me know, and I will try, and point you in the right direction. I had been quoted as much as £675 for a rear end stainless system. With a little thought building a rear system is not that difficult.

John.

[Britprius]

I have ordered this afternoon all in stainless steel:-

 2 silencers 10 X 6 X 16 inches with offset entry, and exit 2 inch bores, 4 mandrel bent right angle 2 inch bends, 1 "Y" piece 2.5 in to 2 inch outlets, and 1 mtr of 2 inch tube.

This will be all the parts needed to build the rear exhaust system. I intend using the original exhaust tail pipe trims as they are in good order, and see no point in changing them, and loosing the OEM look. Likewise I shall use the OEM mounting brackets from the silencers, but adding an extra mounting at the front of the silencers to remove the strain on the "Y" piece.

This at a total cost of £199-71, and all being custom made ready to pick up on Thursday this week from a company in Worcester called "304 Stainless Exhaust Parts Ltd" This I think is good value for money.

John.

[Farqui]

Well done John, sounds like you've covered all the parts there.

Will be interested to see how it works out for you.

Those new silencers are slightly smaller than OEM right? OEM can's are VERY quiet.

[Britprius]

If I find the exhaust to noisy for my taste I can add 2 more silencers 12 inches long 3 inches round into the pipes running out sideways to the rear boxes as there is room. I do not think these will be needed, but it is an option. The system will still lighter, and more free flowing than the OEM.

John.

[is200 Newbie]

25 minutes ago, Britprius said:

If I find the exhaust to noisy for my taste I can add 2 more silencers 12 inches long 3 inches round into the pipes running out sideways to the rear boxes as there is room. I do not think these will be needed, but it is an option. The system will still lighter, and more free flowing than the OEM.

John.

Hi John

Just saw your post. When the original exhaust went on mine I had it replaced with a stainless steel one which I lived with for a couple of years until I could not bear the drone it created anymore. I made my own after a lot of considering which parts to use.

Took a long time to find the parts but well worth the effort - although the IS250 does not have the same footprint as the GS the principles of making your exhaust will be the same. Mine has been on for a year now and during that time I have only had one issue where one of the clamps broke. Welding took a good deal of figuring out but I got it right in the end and it passed its first MOT with it on this year.

The biggest issue I found was finding a back box and centre resonator to fit the recesses well. I used mild steel as it was easier to work with and I did not want to go back to the stainless due to the noise it created. I used Rover ZR back boxes and an IS200 resonator - fit was perfect. I put bigger bore pipes on it from the resonator and it has made a noticeable difference in the drive (but probably placebo as I was used to the stainless one for quite some time) - not freeflow as the resonator is restricted as I didn't want to mess too much with the back pressure created by the engine.

I went from a single back box to duel back boxes only because the fit was perfect.

One tip for you is to keep the old one and use it to pattern the one you are making. Make it so you can easily replace parts in the future if needed. Picture of mine is below after I finished the work.

 

[Britprius]

2 minutes ago, is200 Newbie said:

Hi John

Just saw your post. When the original exhaust went on mine I had it replaced with a stainless steel one which I lived with for a couple of years until I could not bear the drone it created anymore. I made my own after a lot of considering which parts to use.

Took a long time to find the parts but well worth the effort - although the IS250 does not have the same footprint as the GS the principles of making your exhaust will be the same. Mine has been on for a year now and during that time I have only had one issue where one of the clamps broke. Welding took a good deal of figuring out but I got it right in the end and it passed its first MOT with it on this year.

The biggest issue I found was finding a back box and centre resonator to fit the recesses well. I used mild steel as it was easier to work with and I did not want to go back to the stainless due to the noise it created. I used Rover ZR back boxes and an IS200 resonator - fit was perfect. I put bigger bore pipes on it from the resonator and it has made a noticeable difference in the drive (but probably placebo as I was used to the stainless one for quite some time) - not freeflow as the resonator is restricted as I didn't want to mess too much with the back pressure created by the engine.

I went from a single back box to duel back boxes only because the fit was perfect.

One tip for you is to keep the old one and use it to pattern the one you are making. Make it so you can easily replace parts in the future if needed. Picture of mine is below after I finished the work.

 

Hi Noo bie. Thanks for your input.

I did look at using the Rover 75 single outlet boxes as I want to keep the car looking OEM also the Jaguar XJ6, but decided that if I went the mild steel route I would be doing the job again in 2 or 3 years time. However with the system I am building it would be easy to retro fit the rover boxes if the system is to noisy. I am using the OEM resonator box as the front end of the system is in good condition. The resonator has 2.5 inch pipes reducing to two 2 inch pipes at the "Y" junction.

As far as building the system is concerned I am going to mount the silencers first so the tail pipes are in the correct position the plumb back to the "Y" piece flange joint. I am not using but joints as I have a tool for stretching the pipe diameter for sleeve joints. when I have got everything lined up I will drill each joint and fit a self tapping screw to hold the joint in position. There is plenty of room around the GS pipes at the rear. Then I will remove the system from the car for welding.

John 

[is200 Newbie]

17 minutes ago, Britprius said:

Hi Noo bie. Thanks for your input.

I did look at using the Rover 75 single outlet boxes as I want to keep the car looking OEM also the Jaguar XJ6, but decided that if I went the mild steel route I would be doing the job again in 2 or 3 years time. However with the system I am building it would be easy to retro fit the rover boxes if the system is to noisy. I am using the OEM resonator box as the front end of the system is in good condition. The resonator has 2.5 inch pipes reducing to two 2 inch pipes at the "Y" junction.

As far as building the system is concerned I am going to mount the silencers first so the tail pipes are in the correct position the plumb back to the "Y" piece flange joint. I am not using but joints as I have a tool for stretching the pipe diameter for sleeve joints. when I have got everything lined up I will drill each joint and fit a self tapping screw to hold the joint in position. There is plenty of room around the GS pipes at the rear. Then I will remove the system from the car for welding.

John 

You will be surprised at how easy it is to do - would have been easier for me if I had a proper ramp but managed with two car ramps (car 2 foot off ground)

If you have an issue with a drone after fitting the stainless pipes, try a bigger diameter pipe, matching the 2.5 inch as it will make the flow of gas through the boxes slower, reducing the noise vibration and creating a low down "growl". Don't make the pipes any smaller than oem as the system is set up to balance the exhaust extraction and fuel burn to be right - if you are adding restrictions such as small pipes then the engine will be struggling to shift the exhaust fumes. Just one thing I picked up when I was looking at doing mine.

Good luck

[Britprius]

1 minute ago, is200 Newbie said:

You will be surprised at how easy it is to do - would have been easier for me if I had a proper ramp but managed with two car ramps (car 2 foot off ground)

If you have an issue with a drone after fitting the stainless pipes, try a bigger diameter pipe, matching the 2.5 inch as it will make the flow of gas through the boxes slower, reducing the noise vibration and creating a low down "growl". Don't make the pipes any smaller than oem as the system is set up to balance the exhaust extraction and fuel burn to be right - if you are adding restrictions such as small pipes then the engine will be struggling to shift the exhaust fumes. Just one thing I picked up when I was looking at doing mine.

Good luck

I am keeping to the OEM pipe sizes. Surprisingly at the moment I am running with only one silencer with the hole in the "Y" piece being blocked off. This if anything has made the car quieter, and at the speeds we are allowed to do seems to have made no difference to performance.

I will also be working on a couple of ramps.

John