In a nutshell: I am dropping my engine to put some gaskets in. Took off the y-pipe and cat yesterday and it looks like poo. Oil from my leak and 10 years of wear sure do show. A bolt on the cat attaching it to the rear exhaust broke in half it was so rusted out. Here are my choices, the most economical will be my final decision and I am not sure how to go about them hence my post.
1. Overhaul existing crappy exhaust (clean it up, see if I can rethread bolt hole etc)
2. Buy a new stock y pipe and cat
3. Get a aftermarket y pipe (depending on if I can pass emissions or not)

By the way, the bolt in the cat's flange is still stuck inside, and the other flanges bolts are rounded off so replacement of the cat looks scary...
Thanks for any input.

 

Here is the exhaust as of now:
http://picasaweb.google.com/mevjen/E...63510223038690

 

That doesnt look too too bad..

Is the flex section still in tact ??

-matt

 

Personally I would do the upgrade with an aftermarket Y pipe and new cat. Looked at some of your other pictures too. You can really see where the oil has been leaking on it, and into the flex section. If you dont have safety inspections I dont see why it wouldn't pass, expcially with a new cat.

 

It is frayed off of where it should connect to the last pre-cat coming off the y pipe.

 

I would replace the y-pipe only and re-use the rest.

That exhaust looks like new compared to the stuff we salt-belters have dragging under our cars.

 

I would get new parts and sell the old ones !

 

BTW awesome pictures my friend,

what is that little green **** lableled EVAP service port ? never seen that before

that TB is diiiirty, take it off, clean and replace gasket

 

An impact hammer will push the broken stud out of the cat.
If that doesn't work, dril it out and replace with a nut and bolt.
EZ Fix... really.. All the bolts, both sides of my cat have been drilled out and replaced with a nut and bolt.

 

ya you can find used aftermarket y pipes for decent price in the for sale section. i would get that and reuse the rest. you'll be happy you did.

 

budget y and find a nice cat and youll be fine.

 

lol, that's nothing. My flex section is totally gone, and my cat is rust-fused to the y-pipe.

 

So was mine, until yesterday.

If I was you, I would dump the stock from the Y pipe to the cat, and replace them. If you going to all this trouble, why put the stock system back on?

 

^ questionable emissions, thats the reason i am reluctant to do any exhaust work

 

I guess it is a service port for the evap system to check functionality, i rerally don't know.

Anyways, I have my car back up and running, I just drilled the bolt out and put a new bolt with a nut on instead of rethreading it. I will probably drop it again and replace the whole thing when I save some more.