Do-it-yourself muffler pipe repair

In detail: do-it-yourself muffler pipe repair from a real master for the site my.housecope.com.

No matter how carefully we drive, over time our car wears out, all sorts of sores begin to appear. Some endure repairs, such as the stabilizer struts (knocking, of course, is unpleasant, but you can move around), but with some it is not very comfortable to ride, I would even say unbearable - such a breakdown can be attributed to a burnt-out muffler. He roars notoriously! So what to do - change? Or you can somehow repair it, and preferably with your own hands ...

Image - DIY muffler pipe repair

THE CONTENT OF THE ARTICLE

It should be noted that a car muffler is a unit that is constantly exposed to aggressive environments. On the one hand, it is salt, water, snow and road stones. On the other hand, it is high temperature and substances from engine exhaust. In general, this link is struggling with two unfavorable environments, which sooner or later destroy it.

Made from durable metals, often steel or its alloys, which can withstand high temperatures. Did you know that near the catalyst, when driving fast, part of the muffler can simply glow red. It is not homogeneous, that is, it consists of several tribes, often only three.

1) These are the so-called pants, come from the engine

Often, the middle and rear parts, or rather their resonators (where the sound is muffled), suffer the most. There water collects and begins to oxidize the walls, then rust - that's why the muffler burns out.

There are two solutions to the issue, this is actually a replacement (preferably with an original, or a spare part close to the original), or try to repair this failed link. Usually it is simply removed and welded, previously they also used "cold welding", but its use is limited in time, after a thousand, and maybe several hundred kilometers, the sound will again appear.

Video (click to play).

In general, if they decide to repair it with their own hands, then it is advisable to weld the hole, then under normal circumstances, this part of the muffler passes several tens of thousands of kilometers.

If you nevertheless decide to repair, for example, there is no money for a new one, then follow my instructions:

1) Remove the burnt-out part. The process is not difficult, except for removing the pants (the part of the muffler that connects directly to the engine), there you have to tinker a little with the mount. It is also worth looking at the bolts, from time to time they can stick a lot, so it is advisable to use silicone lubricants that will help in dismantling.

2) After removal, we determine the essence of the problem, it may be a burned-out hole in the resonator! The pipes themselves, as a rule, rarely burn out. You also need to decide whether it is worth repairing this muffler link, often the walls that remain on the sides are also already thin, and if you weld on them, they will be the weak link.

3) It also happens that there are no holes on the surface, but the muffler still roars. Most likely, you replaced it with a similar one that fits your car, but made in a homemade way, the resonator is not correctly located in it. Repair here will be complicated, because you need to open the upper part, cut it off with a grinder, and then remake the resonator! BUT - you need to know how to position it correctly, which is also not unimportant, otherwise all the repair work will come to naught.

4) We return to the burned-out holes. Of course, many put them on cold welding, but as I wrote above, this is not for long, such repairs should be temporary, in order, say, to get to the desired destination.Some cover the hole with fiberglass using epoxy resin, if you properly prepare the place and apply according to the instructions, then such a repair can last a long time. As practice shows, several thousand, and maybe tens of thousands of kilometers. The big plus of such a repair is that you can do everything yourself. We watch a small video - instruction without welding.

5) We clean the places for welding, it is imperative that the contact is as strong as possible. Then a sheet of steel is taken and welded over the holes, thus, we restore the tightness of the resonator or pipe.

As you can see, the muffler can be repaired in various ways. Some are actually do-it-yourself - cold welding, fiberglass + epoxy. They are sold in almost every construction supermarket. Also, repairs can be more serious - welding, thus, you can extend the life of the unit for many more kilometers.

Repair video by welding.

That's all, before throwing out this part, see if it is possible to restore it. That's all, read our AUTOBLOG.

The exhaust system of a car performs very important functions to reduce the noise of the engine, reduce the temperature of gases escaping from the cylinders, as well as to partially eliminate the smoke and toxicity of exhaust gases.

The malfunction of the elements of such a system cannot be unnoticed. A muffler breakage is especially evident. When depressurizing, this element immediately loses the function for which it received its name.

Given this feature of the breakdown, it is necessary to restore the working capacity of this part as quickly as possible, otherwise increased attention on the road cannot be avoided not only from motorists moving in the stream, but also from traffic police officers.

The easiest way to rectify the situation is to install a new part, but due to various circumstances, replacing an inoperative muffler may not be possible. Fortunately, it is possible to repair the muffler with your own hands without welding and replacing.

This article will consider simple and effective ways to restore the performance of this element of the exhaust system of a car, but first, it should be recalled under what circumstances such a breakdown can occur.

It is easier to prevent a disease than to treat it later. The same is true for car breakdowns.

Of course, all the nuances on the road cannot be avoided. But knowing about the dangers that threaten the elements of the exhaust system of a car, you can try to delay the occurrence of one or another malfunction with preventive measures.

Image - DIY muffler pipe repair

If the car is used constantly, then sooner or later problems with the muffler will arise, regardless of the quality of the material from which this part is made. Located in the lower part of the car, this part is constantly exposed to the abrasive effect of sand and stones falling on its surface. And if, when the car is moving, a sufficiently large solid object turns out to be between the wheels, then from a strong impact the muffler can be completely destroyed.

Therefore, the main rule of extending the life of the unit is to drive the car carefully.

The muffler is connected to the exhaust system by means of threaded connections, so if the nuts are not tightened well enough, this part can be lost while the vehicle is moving. To prevent this from happening, the condition of the threaded connections of this element of the exhaust system should be monitored from time to time.

The muffler often becomes unusable from burning out the metal, but this process cannot be completely stopped. Slightly slowing down the failure of this part as a result of thermal and corrosive effects is possible only when processing the inner surface of this part using graphite impregnation.

If, despite all the preventive measures taken, the muffler burned out or its body was damaged as a result of mechanical stress, then many owners immediately become interested in the question of how to connect the muffler pipes without welding.

You can carry out such repairs at home using a special sealing compound.

Cold welding is a two-part adhesive that can be used to glue metal products. Is it possible to weld a muffler with cold welding, because this part is affected by a very high temperature of the exhaust gases.

The adhesive composition of cold welding tolerates high loads and temperatures well, therefore, when a burnout appears in the muffler, or cracks from mechanical stress, it is necessary to remove the part from the car and perform the following actions:

  • Clean the damaged area thoroughly. Cleaning is carried out with coarse sandpaper or using attachments for a drill or grinder.
  • The metal, free from rust and carbon deposits, is thoroughly degreased with a solvent.
  • Cold welding is applied to the damaged area. Gloves should be used to apply the plastic type of glue.
  • After applying the composition, it is necessary to wait about an hour, and then polish the layer of hardened glue.
  • After a day, the part can be installed on the car and operated without any restrictions.

The muffler must be repaired by cold welding in a warm room. Only at temperatures above +5 degrees will the two-component composition of the glue react with the metal surface.