Exhaust leak

[madasahatter]

My middle box has a small leak, where it goes into the box. { Cat Pipe } i assume it is the original exhaust.

When you look underneath a cradle welded on, there is a small hole with soot. IT is not overly loud to be honest. Question

do i attempt to repair the exhaust has anyone had similar. Seem like a lot in eBay baskets if the sellars are to be believed.

[J Henderson]

Sounds like a similar leak to what I experienced?

i got mine welded so it would pass an MOT, but within 6 months or so, it had started to leak elsewhere.

The front pipes near the 02 sensors had some small perforations, and the rear Y section also developed a big leak before eventually snapping in two.

I've since had the whole lot replaced with a stainless steel system.

If you can get a weld repair done cheaply enough to tide you over, I'd do that, but be aware that the rest of the exhaust is probably going to follow suit.

 

[madasahatter]

Yes mine is leaking around that cup area Where the Xy lettering is. A bit hard to tell if it

is top or bottom. All sooty around the hole. Exhaust part is a tad expensive as its the cats.

[Linas.P]

Yes as above - it could be welded to be fixed temporarily, but sooner or later it will comeback. Exhaust most of the time rusts inside out, so when you have hole you can be sure it is quite think. 

Ideally start preparing to replace it, but it could be "mended" for few years, also it could be further repaired by welding in the piece of pipe (subject to the rest of it being in decent enough shape, so it isn't necessary to replace whole middle section.

Also hole in this area should not cause MOT failure, advisory at most.

[madasahatter]

Mot is not due till april, i thought about dropping it so i can see it properly.

But it could break then i would be in big trouble. Also the bolts may snap so i would need

to by the replacement bolts first, just in case. Also you think it would only be an advisory.

[J Henderson]

Mine started out as an advisory in 2022. I wasn't even aware that I had a leak when I took my car to be tested, but it was clearly audible about 6 months later, which prompted me to get it welded.

Yours might be in a similar state come April as the Winter months won't be kind. These cars seem to generate a helluva lot of exhaust vapour in cold weather.

The person that welded mine was reluctant to drop the system in case it opened up a can of worms.