Downpipe. Repair or replace?

So I thought I was hearing an exhaust leak this morning. I get under car and see this:

 

http://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20161022/6f4014c2d45181af88ca1558ffac7c9c.jpg

 

That's my Perrin down pipe split right at the bottom of the cat. I'm assuming that any exhaust shop could repair that rather easily. Am I right, or am I looking at an expensive replacement?

Shouldn't be a big deal to fix for any shop. Cheaper than having it replaced entirely, unless you feel the need to spend $3-400 on another one. How long have you been using it?

easy weld fix

Wasn't sure because of proximity to the cat. Unknown mileage because it came on the car when I bought it.

 

It's the one piece single cat so new is $500-$600 from what I can find.

 

It's not even on the Perrin website anymore.

Holy hell my car sounds like rolling trailer trash!

 

Wed and my appointment with the exhaust shop cannot come soon enough.

 

How many hours of labor would you expect for this job? I was thinking < 3 including removal, weld, and install.

Remove it yourself and take it to a good welding shop. Have them reinforce it for you but DON'T let them cut it apart or the orientation will never be correct.

Why not just remove it yourself? Also, you should make sure the exhaust shop has the right replacement gaskets for the dowpipe to turbo connection and/or donpipe to catback in stock, or you may be removing it again for another exhaust leak. I've been able to reuse those gaskest with no issues, but it wasn't very old at the time.... maybe a year.

It's much older than that so good call on the gaskets.

 

Speed is much more important than cost at this point. I honestly don't have the time to remove it myself and find a ride up there.

 

I hate to admit it but I actually considered just buying a new one and replacing it because it would have been easier.

 

I always have either spare time or money....very rarely do I have an abundance of both.

So much for a quick, easy, cheap fix.

 

The cat needs to be replaced now and cat plus labor is close enough to the cost of a new one that I'll probably go that route.

 

Also considering fixing the old one but deleting the cat and selling it.

 

Under that scenario I would do all of the labor of replacing the down pipe but have a shop weld the old one (minus the cat) and sell it cheap.

 

Would anyone buy it though?

Re selling the old one, sounds like a lot of effort for not a lot of return. Actual catless down pipes are something like 150 used. I'd sooner buy one of the 4000 used catless pipes for 150 before spending 100 on a catted down pipe that had the cat taken out and re welded.

I was going to say, those welds cracked for a reason. If the material around the welds were already rusted/corroded, welding it back will unlikely work (can't weld rust). The container holding the cat material is thin like a muffler can too, so blow thru during welding is another big concern.

I was thinking more along the lines of doing someone a favor for little or no profit but given the aforementioned concerns and the ridiculous shipping costs I'll likely just trash it.

 

Guess I have to decide on a suitable replacement now.

 

Leaning towards another Perrin (if I can find one) or maybe Cobb.

 

Anyone have other suggestions?

 

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Cobb, Grimmspeed, or Invidia. Any of those are great. Just remember the Cobb does taper down to 2.5 to use the OEM donut gasket. Go with whichever one you can get the best deal on.

I would get a new one if it were me, dont hack a hack!

 

-Brian

Ordered a Perrin from the only website I found that still offered it. (Andys autosports) we will see if it actually ships. I'll be looking into the GS in the meantime.

Assuming I kept the same diameter I'm guessing a change in manufacturer wouldn't warrant a re tune?

 

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Depends. Was the original a 200, 300 or 400 cell cat? Flow will be different with the new one and may necessitate a tune, at least a tune "check-up".

How about unknown. Looks like I have some investigating to do.

 

And my order has been canceled already.

 

Guess I'll be looking at grimmspeed.

Again, depends on what else you've done to the car. If its something that's driven daily, your current tune should have enough margin for error to compensate for any difference in the new high-flow cat to not really matter.

 

Is it an AWD rally beast with a motor thats been blueprinted and tuned with an inch of the safe envelope for maximum performance? Then maybe your new high flow cat will matter at that point.

I live my life one AWD rally beast with a motor thats been blueprinted and tuned with an inch of the safe envelope for maximum performance at a time

I have yet to experience that life.

 

Sounds expensive.

 

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How about unknown. Looks like I have some investigating to do.

 

And my order has been canceled already.

 

Guess I'll be looking at grimmspeed.

 

Why don't you just contact Brian at TA and have him get you what he knows will work.