Exhaust

[is200 Newbie]

Sorted - had missed first name out !

[normski2]

Ah good!

You had me wondering if only Gold Members could change those details. Glad that's not the case.

[is200 Newbie]

What should be an easy replacement has turned into a nightmare.

the company I found cannot do the exhaust now until October - so it would be off the road until then and then there's the hassle of getting it there which is 40 miles away but I need it in the mean time.

They were going to replace the middle section but I found out that they were actually going to cut the pipe after the cat from the original part so if any problems occurred in the future then there would be a further problem of matching up the exhausts as they would not be standard fittings.

Bit the bullet tonight - £1500 lighter - booked in to be done in two weeks time (2 week lead time on the part)

Happy with the car and do expect to pay for the pricier parts but for something like this (that is a consumable) I cant justify it as cost of part vs car value you would expect it to add a bit of value to it. I expect the back boxes to go next so that's £2200 in total on an exhaust.

IT MIGHT BE WORTH ANYONE READING THIS THINKING OF PURCHASING ONE OF THESE TO CHECK THE MID EXHAUST BEFORE DECIDING TO BUY.

Not happy but what can you do when you only have one source for the part.

[blackcts]

Hateful buddy and I fear the same for mine when it's out of warranty - pure unlucky Toyota exhausts are pretty long lasting - but sure the IS250 is probably the most reliable car on the road - look how much cars depreciate - you will be better off in the long term keeping it and enjoying it - you have a car with a bit of class about it, it will always cost more than a ford focus for parts! But it's chain cam, cheap servicing and that's all it should need for many years to come

[juicestop]

A quick search on eBay returns many non-oem full stainless steel exhaust systems at much cheaper than you've been quoted. They do come from USA so you'll probably end up paying import duty, but you'll still be quids in.

[is200 Newbie]

Just a question of the exhausts components - I have added a diagram of the exhaust (ignore the arrow as that's where my exhaust had gone)

Does this car have pre-cats?

Looking at the picture below - there are the back two boxes then there is another box (second muffler I am thinking?) - there are also two rugby ball shaped parts in the exhaust which is further down before the pipes fully splay out - what are these as they look like pre cats and if that's the case is what I am thinking is muffler is that the actual cat itself? or are the pre-cats (if it has them) on the manifold - sorry picture not that big.

[is200 Newbie]

Exhaust update

2 weeks on from thinking I had sorted this, was informed on Friday that the wrong part had been ordered. A further 2 week wait for the part would be on the books. Got a refund and took the business elsewhere as I couldn't get the car there until mid October.

Bought a replacement part from breakers after being told from a local garage they could fit it. Part came and it was immaculate, I thought I struck lucky - two days after receiving the part I had the car booked in for the piece to be installed.

Felt really happy now it was sorted. Back in my car again after sitting in a Vauxhall for 3 weeks.

5pm came, just finished work and went to collect car.

Found that the exhaust could not be replaced. Firstly, the one on the car had 4 rotted bolts onto the manifold so there was a good chance that the manifold could crack or get damaged when getting them off (actually saw this for myself while it was on the ramps) the room to get these off is minimal so would require grinding off.

Secondly there are two lambda sensors (one on each side of the centre piece pipes just before the cats, looking down from the engine) These sensors have minimal wire of approx. 4cms exposed from the shell of the car to the exhaust so chances are that when removing these the wiring would break. These seem to be plugged in within the cabin under the carpet in the front seat area. So it would mean removing the 2 front seats and carpet to track this plug down to un plug it.

May patch up and px or look at the stainless option again .....

Back to the drawing board - hello Vauxhall again !!!

[normski2]

Sorry to read of your aggro. That's a gutting scenario all round.

Hope it all pans out OK in the end.

Some of these repairs are not easy are they!!

[is200 Newbie]

Think I have cracked the problem now - may need some good gum and a welder but have found a flexible exhaust repair on the web after a lot of digging around tonight. Will need to re-tap the bolt holes on the new piece but it looks like it will work - £12 will fix the problem plus a new support weld from the exhaust to the body which will remove the stress point on the exhaust.

Its just at an awkward place on the exhaust that its gone. If it works I will re-post with the instructions ... will save quite a bit of money when other people experience this..

[is200 Newbie]

Things looking up

Had the part delivered yesterday - pictured below - not going to class this as a permanent fix but hopeful for now - just had it installed.

Needed to drill out the bolt holes for the spring clip bolt to fit and cut it down by 7cms that was about it for the mods to the part. Had it welded to an inner sleeve I had made (5.7cm outer diameter steel tube / 2mm thick and 5cms long) inserted into the rear muffler and welded onto the manufacturers weld - in turn the part I bought was sleeved over the tube and welded together.

Bit of time and effort to do - took the day off to do this just under 3 hours later walah - done!

So basically there is a sleeve inserted into the box / welded and flex exhaust sleeve welded over the box sleeve and then clamped to the back boxes via existing spring clips.

Runs fine - will allow me, if anything, to get the car to an exhaust specialist - cant see any possible issues in what I have done - if anything it may blow from the welds but will not break again. When it starts blowing I will get it done.

Installing this part takes away the stress point right where the exhaust snapped - there is a bit of play in the part I fitted which takes the stress out - overall well chuffed - saved £1500 and a further few week wait.

[is200 Newbie]

FINALLY - Cars back after having a new bespoke stainless exhaust system fitted.

No real difference to the way it looks. Early days yet on how it performs as waiting for ECU to settle down after the Battery was disconnected / re-connected. Sounds "meaty" compared to the original - sounds more sporty (bit noisier in cabin but I am thinking that when the boxes soot up a bit it will quieten down a bit?

Driving it home I noticed the revs have dropped a bit (I think) - I had heard it can happen on bespoke exhausts - At 70mph in drive the revs are sitting steady at 2000 - is 2000 revs normal for others at 70mph?

I am thinking the lower revs are better than higher revs in general as its not putting a lot of pressure on the engine?

[juicestop]

Glad you finally got a solution to your exhaust problem.

70mph at 2k revs is quite normal.

Would you care to divulge where you got the exhaust fitted and what the cost was? I'm sure others will have exhaust system issues in the future and the info may well be of use.

[is200 Newbie]

The company I took mine to which was the closest to home is called CYBRAND in Ellesmere port, Cheshire. It would normally take them a full day to make and fit but I left it with them for 3 days as it was easier for me to arrange that way.

Cost of the system was £375+Vat = £450

Although its just been done and I have had no issues it seems they have done a good job on the car. The system has a lifetime guarantee also.

[thestugots]

This is my first post but I've been reading through the forum as I'm thinking about buying a used IS250 and want to find out as much as possible about them first.

I'm just writing to say what a great thread this is thanks to Newbie IS200. He posted about a problem with his exhaust and then followed through will loads of information on what he did to solve the problem and then gives all the information about the solution he found.

I wish more people would do this kind of thing!

Thanks :)

[is200 Newbie]

Thanks - there are a lot of good posts on here - it helps having a good forum against one of these cars to help people that don't mind getting their hands dirty in maintaining their cars.

Update on the exhaust is that while its noisier than a stock one it is quietening done now as its being used - sounds sporty outside but a bit noisy in the cabin which I expect to get better with use.

A compromise I have made against the high cost of an original replacement part.

[thestugots]

I think these custom exhausts are often noisier as that is what customers often want from a custom exhaust :)

What parts were replaced exactly? Was it is the three boxes and the pipework in between?

[is200 Newbie]

The parts that were replaced were (from the rear of the car) the two back boxes / pipework up to the first box / the box itself and then a length of pipe up to the cats (cat back system). Original cats / manifold are still on the car.

I only wanted a replacement exhaust - wasn't interested in a sports one - as it is now it looks like an original one.

Wasn't prepared to pay for the rip off price I was quoted as I knew there were other jobs on the car I needed to do.

[CWJ]

On 27/10/2013 at 8:37 AM, is200 Newbie said:

The company I took mine to which was the closest to home is called CYBRAND in Ellesmere port, Cheshire. It would normally take them a full day to make and fit but I left it with them for 3 days as it was easier for me to arrange that way.

Cost of the system was £375+Vat = £450

Although its just been done and I have had no issues it seems they have done a good job on the car. The system has a lifetime guarantee also.

I also took my IS250 there after you mentioned them. Cost was £340+VAT (£408) for the rear section including both rear boxes and new tips. They did need it for the whole day, and there was a 10 day waiting list as it were. They are now called Cybox if you want to look them up.  It is a little louder now, although I did specify the quiet option. Cant really complain and I would recommend them. As mentioned above a lifetime guarantee is standard.

[is200 Newbie]

17 hours ago, CWJ said:

I also took my IS250 there after you mentioned them. Cost was £340+VAT (£408) for the rear section including both rear boxes and new tips. They did need it for the whole day, and there was a 10 day waiting list as it were. They are now called Cybox if you want to look them up.  It is a little louder now, although I did specify the quiet option. Cant really complain and I would recommend them. As mentioned above a lifetime guarantee is standard.

Needs must - at the time I was stuck for an exhaust - the original one had packed in and I needed the car. Was told about this place and gave them a go. Initially it was noisy but to be honest they done a good job. I believe from what they said that mine was the first IS they had done.

Living with the noise of the exhaust afterwards, while it was a novelty at first, it was too noisy but the drone was a killer and the drone sat right at 70mph (cruising speed) so it got to be an embarrassment driving it with passengers.

I would recommend checking the exhaust after a while for soot marks as the welding I found out on mine was not that good - yes there is a guarantee but its a pfaf getting the car back to the manufacturer as its so far away for me both distance and time wise. I made my own in the end and the noise has disappeared completely.