How to fix this exhaust...

This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
gotta fix it.

How much should this cost to cut apart and insert a new piece and weld
it back in? Which shops are best for exhaust work?

Thanks

http://i17.tinypic.com/4bztmdc.jpg

http://i11.tinypic.com/42lw2yu.jpg

http://i17.tinypic.com/2qrzjvs.jpg

http://i19.tinypic.com/2pydr2c.jpg

http://i14.tinypic.com/3zqe4pu.jpg

Dean

"Dean" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
> What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
> gotta fix it.

It looks like the seam just opened up. I'd take it to a muffler shop
and ask them to just reweld the seam. If the rest of the material is
so bad, that it can't be weleded, isn't it likely that a lot of the
exhaust system is close to failure as well? The biggist concern I
would have is whether or not you can find a shop experienced in
welding stainless steel. It might be worth talking to the service
writer at your local Lexus dealer. Is the system combletely welded
from the front catalytic convertors to the rear, or is there another
bolted joint behind the Y-pipe? You possibly could remove the Y-pipe
and take to an experienced welder. The Lexus catalog
(http://www.lexuspartsonline.com ) lists a seperate pipe for the front
pipe, you it is possible you could purchase that and have it welded
in. The cost is shown as $334 (see http://tinyurl.com/2h9g3t ).

> How much should this cost to cut apart and insert a new piece and
> weld
> it back in? Which shops are best for exhaust work?
>
> Thanks
>
> http://i17.tinypic.com/4bztmdc.jpg
>
> http://i11.tinypic.com/42lw2yu.jpg
>
> http://i17.tinypic.com/2qrzjvs.jpg
>
> http://i19.tinypic.com/2pydr2c.jpg
>
> http://i14.tinypic.com/3zqe4pu.jpg
>
> Dean
>

On Apr 23, 11:46 am, "C. E. White" >
wrote:
> "Dean" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
> > This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
> > What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
> > gotta fix it.
>
> It looks like the seam just opened up. I'd take it to a muffler shop
> and ask them to just reweld the seam. If the rest of the material is
> so bad, that it can't be weleded, isn't it likely that a lot of the
> exhaust system is close to failure as well? The biggist concern I
> would have is whether or not you can find a shop experienced in
> welding stainless steel. It might be worth talking to the service
> writer at your local Lexus dealer. Is the system combletely welded
> from the front catalytic convertors to the rear, or is there another
> bolted joint behind the Y-pipe? You possibly could remove the Y-pipe
> and take to an experienced welder. The Lexus catalog
> (http://www.lexuspartsonline.com) lists a seperate pipe for the front
> pipe, you it is possible you could purchase that and have it welded
> in. The cost is shown as $334 (seehttp://tinyurl.com/2h9g3t).
>
>
>
> > How much should this cost to cut apart and insert a new piece and
> > weld
> > it back in? Which shops are best for exhaust work?
>
> > Thanks
>
> >http://i17.tinypic.com/4bztmdc.jpg
>
> >http://i11.tinypic.com/42lw2yu.jpg
>
> >http://i17.tinypic.com/2qrzjvs.jpg
>
> >http://i19.tinypic.com/2pydr2c.jpg
>
> >http://i14.tinypic.com/3zqe4pu.jpg
>
> > Dean- Hide quoted text -
>

Isn't that just a heat shield, rather than a pressurized seal?

Good price on the part there - thanks. Cheap compared to the other
lexus models!

On Apr 23, 11:46 am, "C. E. White" >
wrote:
> "Dean" > wrote in message
>
> oups.com...
>
> > This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
> > What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
> > gotta fix it.
>
> It looks like the seam just opened up. I'd take it to a muffler shop
> and ask them to just reweld the seam. If the rest of the material is
> so bad, that it can't be weleded, isn't it likely that a lot of the
> exhaust system is close to failure as well? The biggist concern I
> would have is whether or not you can find a shop experienced in
> welding stainless steel. It might be worth talking to the service
> writer at your local Lexus dealer. Is the system combletely welded
> from the front catalytic convertors to the rear, or is there another
> bolted joint behind the Y-pipe? You possibly could remove the Y-pipe
> and take to an experienced welder. The Lexus catalog
> (http://www.lexuspartsonline.com) lists a seperate pipe for the front
> pipe, you it is possible you could purchase that and have it welded
> in. The cost is shown as $334 (seehttp://tinyurl.com/2h9g3t).
>
>
>
> > How much should this cost to cut apart and insert a new piece and
> > weld
> > it back in? Which shops are best for exhaust work?
>
> > Thanks
>
> >http://i17.tinypic.com/4bztmdc.jpg
>
> >http://i11.tinypic.com/42lw2yu.jpg
>
> >http://i17.tinypic.com/2qrzjvs.jpg
>
> >http://i19.tinypic.com/2pydr2c.jpg
>
> >http://i14.tinypic.com/3zqe4pu.jpg
>
> > Dean- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Isn't that just a heat shield?

Thanks for the link - quite cheap compared to the other lexus models!

"C. E. White" wrote

> "Dean" > wrote in message

> > This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
> > What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
> > gotta fix it.
>
> It looks like the seam just opened up.

But when you brighten up the picture a bunch, it looks like there's an actual hole
in the rusted inner pipe, and opening the heat shield's seam just lets you see it.... http://i16.tinypic.com/2psggsk.jpg

Dean > wrote in news:1177341730.157672.227980
@q75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:

> This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
> What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
> gotta fix it.
>
> How much should this cost to cut apart and insert a new piece and weld
> it back in? Which shops are best for exhaust work?
>



These appear to be factory exhaust parts, still installed on the car. The
silvery-colored heat shields are still present, which is how I know it's
still factory.

You have suffered a rust-through of the exhaust pipe due to internal
moisture. When this happens, it is a certainty that the rest of the system
is very close to being perforated as well.

It appears it took eleven years for your factory exhaust to hole itself.
Not bad at all.

What to do? All that is practical is to replace stuff. You can do this one
of two ways:

1) Cheap out, getting Monkeys-R-Us (The Cheap Exhaust Specialists) to cut
out and replace the worst bits, rip off the heat shields, and install
clamps, simian-quality welding and Chinese-quality steel.
Repeat every six to twelve months ad infinitum to have the next holey bit
replaced.

2) Bite the bullet and have the Toyota dealer install one-piece, top-
quality factory parts (with heat shields) to replace the old one-piece,
top-quality factory parts (with heat shields) that lasted eleven years.
Now forget about it for another eleven years.

Guess what my choice would be, and guess how I (a non-professional) might
arrive at such a decision?


--
Tegger

In article >, Tegger wrote:
> Dean > wrote in news:1177341730.157672.227980
> @q75g2000hsh.googlegroups.com:
>
>> This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
>> What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
>> gotta fix it.
>>
>> How much should this cost to cut apart and insert a new piece and weld
>> it back in? Which shops are best for exhaust work?
>>
>
>
>
> These appear to be factory exhaust parts, still installed on the car. The
> silvery-colored heat shields are still present, which is how I know it's
> still factory.
>
> You have suffered a rust-through of the exhaust pipe due to internal
> moisture. When this happens, it is a certainty that the rest of the system
> is very close to being perforated as well.
>
> It appears it took eleven years for your factory exhaust to hole itself.
> Not bad at all.
>
> What to do? All that is practical is to replace stuff. You can do this one
> of two ways:
>
> 1) Cheap out, getting Monkeys-R-Us (The Cheap Exhaust Specialists) to cut
> out and replace the worst bits, rip off the heat shields, and install
> clamps, simian-quality welding and Chinese-quality steel.
> Repeat every six to twelve months ad infinitum to have the next holey bit
> replaced.
>
> 2) Bite the bullet and have the Toyota dealer install one-piece, top-
> quality factory parts (with heat shields) to replace the old one-piece,
> top-quality factory parts (with heat shields) that lasted eleven years.
> Now forget about it for another eleven years.
>
> Guess what my choice would be, and guess how I (a non-professional) might
> arrive at such a decision?


Option 3) Install a high quality aftermarket stainless steel
performance exhaust system. As I understand it, there are a number of
good manufacturers (borla, magnaflow, bassani, etc). These systems should
be far less expensive than the factory replacement parts
retail-to-retail.

Dean wrote:

> This is on a 96 Lexus LS400, which is otherwise in great condition.
> What are my options here? Sounds like a Mustang now, but I guess I
> gotta fix it.
>
> How much should this cost to cut apart and insert a new piece and weld
> it back in? Which shops are best for exhaust work?
>
> Thanks
>
> http://i17.tinypic.com/4bztmdc.jpg
>
> http://i11.tinypic.com/42lw2yu.jpg
>
> http://i17.tinypic.com/2qrzjvs.jpg
>
> http://i19.tinypic.com/2pydr2c.jpg
>
> http://i14.tinypic.com/3zqe4pu.jpg
>
> Dean
>


I'll bet that once you get those shiny stainless heat shields off,
you'll find a very, very rotted exhaust system underneath. The portion
of the actual pipe that is visible looks HORRIBLE! If that's the case
then I wouldn't patch, I'd replace. Before any decision is made you need
to look at more of the system than what can be seen through that gap in
the heat shields.

Tegger wrote:


>
> It appears it took eleven years for your factory exhaust to hole itself.
> Not bad at all.

I disagree, that kind of failure is appalling in this day and age. Isn't
Lexus supposed to be flawless, after all? Everyone else has been using
fully stainless exhaust for a LONG time. The original 240,000 mile and
17 year exhaust system on my wife's "inferior" American car doesn't have
the slightest blemish on it, from exhaust manifolds to exhaust tips.

Steve > wrote in
:

> Tegger wrote:
>
>
>>
>> It appears it took eleven years for your factory exhaust to hole
>> itself. Not bad at all.
>
> I disagree, that kind of failure is appalling in this day and age.
> Isn't Lexus supposed to be flawless, after all? Everyone else has been
> using fully stainless exhaust for a LONG time.



Toyota's now using "semi-stainless". I don't know if they were using that
in '96.



> The original 240,000
> mile and 17 year exhaust system on my wife's "inferior" American car
> doesn't have the slightest blemish on it, from exhaust manifolds to
> exhaust tips.
>
>


Then you sure don't live where I do. Winter does incredible damage to
exhausts. The OP appears to be in the Rust Belt (possibly NJ).


--
Tegger