Exhaust advise

[superjuice]

This weekend my exhaust gave out and had a local exhaust shop put a new cat on my EMS sytem. I asked them to install the unit before the flange but they decided to chop out the flange and weld it solid. I stated my displeasure and was told it had to be done, I didn't want to ruin any future dealings with the shop so I politely paid ($240) and was told to come back if anything needed to be addressed. Well as I suspected, and had actually told them, one of the flex joints is leaking. I went ahead and purchased the magnaflow 23120 down pipes with cat and that should arrive tomorrow.

Now that I don't have a flange to bolt to should I have them put one back in, and install this for me? He is using a mig to weld mild Steel to stainless but his welds do look pretty good. Maybe cut off the flange and go straight without the flange? Another option may be to put a higher quality flex pipe in to releave some of the stress, like this vibrant unit Amazon.com: Vibrant 60804 2.5" x 4" Long Flexible Stainless Steel Coupler: Automotive Although I did fit OEM rubber mounting hardware to the EMS system during the first install. I could have a buddy Tig some of this too but exhaust work just kinda sucks, that's why I brought it to a shop in the first place. I haven't been back to ask what they would do, I thought I'd weight my options first. Here's some pics as it currently sits.

 

[superjuice]

These threads have some good pics of the Magnaflow

FJZ80 Magnaflow 23120 exhaust replacement
Bosal vs. Magnaflow...you decide.

 

[Hornd]

Most shops do not carry stainless as no one wants to pay for it.
Call and ask if they have and if they don't bring your own Flange. I bought a 304 Flange when I had my Magnaflow installed on Ebay and took it to them.
They mostly used Aluminized steel which is fine for a Jeep, not a vehicle built to last.

 

[superjuice]

I'm hoping they still have stainless flange that was cut off my truck, I was kinda in a hurry to get out of there. I was getting really heated and didn't want to ruin any chance of them fixing the work that was done.

So, I should use a flange though? I see many systems welded in place. Seems less likely to leak but difficult to remove.

 

[superjuice]

My down pipes arrived today, they look good to me. Ordered OEM exhaust manifold gaskets and nuts, o2 gasket and nuts. If I could find a flange to straight 2.5" stainless pipe I could just use a clamp until I my buddy can TIG it back together. All the flanges I am finding are flat stock, shouldn't both sides have a recess like this for the OEM gasket?

 

[iptman]

You won't find a correct flange to match up to the magnaflow. I actually got a hold of a Magnaflow engineer and he sent me the drawing. Not only will you not find a flange with a recess like this/OEM you won't find this specific flange shape flat either. My shop just used something close. It's not a great seal but doesn't make noise either. I tried getting the OEM gasket in there and it made it worse so I went back to generic.

 

[Dave 2000]

I hear your frustration about shops that do this and ignore you the paying customer but, I am no welder but am happy to say that the welding in your pictures does NOT look that great.

If you have to have welding done I would shop elsewhere, I sold my welder because I put my hands up that I could not genuinely weld properly and do not have the time to practice, seems the welder of your pipe is practising on your car?

regards

Dave

 

[superjuice]

Thanks for replies, I'm surprised magnaflow doesn't sell anything to mate with this. I found this on eBay 2.5" Stainless Steel Exhaust 1/2" Flange Collector Catback Pipe 2 Hole w/ Gasket the hole pattern is 4" not 4.25 but I have access to a milling machine so I can slot them a bit. Maybe even get it in the lathe to do the recess. I'm tempted to cut the flange off and do a v-band clamp, something like this http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00180861G?keywords=vibrant v band&qid=1456906791&ref_=sr_1_4&sr=8-4

As for the welding, not great but I don't know how anyone does it while still on the truck.

 

[superjuice]

Would it be advised to put a quality flex coupling in here, or would condensation and abrasion just make it Prone to failure? http://www.amazon.com/Vibrant-60804...263_img_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=1S7S5KPBAK67E8EJTP3F

 

[madisonr34]

If you have a good high quality flex joint, it will not fail. Also from my understanding, all non OE replacement cats must be welded in, not bolted unless a vehicle specific one is available, like the Magnaflow ones for the FZJ80.

 

[superjuice]

Oh I know it had to be welded in, but it could have been welded to the old flange, so the catback would still be intact. I may actually let the shop install a temporary steel flange, they said they would make it right, just didn't realize why I needed that flange left alone. I pulled my headers when I installed the Ems system to replace all the studs and gaskets five years ago, putting the magnaflow in should be straightforward.

My current plan is to machine the eBay flange I linked to accept the OEM gasket. Then TIG the flange to some leftover pipe from when I installed a resonator in the tail section. line up the flange and cut off the excess pipe and tack it in. Then pull the frame over section and TIG it off the truck.

I'm just trying to make good decisions so I'm not doing this every other year. Maybe I'm overthinking it but I want it to last and not be all hacked together like it is now.

 

[Dave 2000]

The diesels have a mesh flex joint right behind the front right wheel, gets full exposure of stones/puddles/dust thrown at it, 21 years and it just starting to look a little tatty, so I would go with that if you could?

regards

Dave

 

[superjuice]

Just ordered a 4" and 6" flex pipe as well as a v-band clamp from vibrant, supposed to be quality parts. Idea is I could chop off the moroso flange and use the v-band clamp. Probably put one of the flex pipes downstream of the flange, I don't know if it really matters. Man, I just wish we had a decent exhaust shop around here.

 

[superjuice]

View attachment 1219570

Heres some comparison pics of the magnaflow, vibrant and eBay flanges. Magnaflow looks to be stamped and machined, vibrant to be just stamped but the largest diameter and the eBay is machined and thicker but slightly smaller diameter.

 

[superjuice]

Here's some more pics, last two are of a vibrant butt joint collar, nice stuff for sure.

 

[sea2skydad]

I have added a Vibrant resonator and flex pipe to my EMS (Exhaust Made s***ty) system. The quality of the Vibrant parts are on a totally different level. I have also added rubber exhaust hangers to replace the EMS hangers. Slowly buy surely I am getting a system that I can live with.

 

[rebelfj80]

Glad I found this thread. I think I got the last EMS (exhaust made s***ty) system made before he thankfully quit. In less than two yrs I've had it in the exhaust shop 6 times and replaced the muffler (so much for lifetime warranty)! Now flex joints are shot, and I've got to decide if I just scrap the whole system or keep band-aiding it.

 

[superjuice]

I hear ya, I've added a resonator, changed the muffler, added hangers, now replaced the down pipes and cat. The rest of the pipes are actually pretty nice so I'm moving forward, well back actually. This is how the down pipes ended up after the hack job from the local muffler place. The stress from welding everything in tension created the crack at the y pipe, it wasn't up there before. Is it just me or is the arrow pointing the wrong direction here, lol....I just started laughing when I pulled that out. I was going to let it slide but now I feel obligated to bring it to their attention. Goes to show, if you want something done right, do it yourself. Nobody cares about your rig more than you do.

 

[superjuice]

It's all back together now, super quiet and no leaks. I did use new OEM gaskets and hardware as well. The vibrant v band clamp is a work of art, had a buddy Tig weld it. Nothing lasts forever so I think it will be nice having that clamp there to pull the cat back without much trouble. Probably be putting a 4" flex pipe where the butt joint clamp is now because it's pretty rigid even with the OEM rubber mounts.

 

[rebelfj80]

Crappy EMS flex couplings detonated today. That exhaust is the gift that keeps on giving! Need to figure out something fast, as my 80 is my daily driver