To catback exhaust, or not to catback exhaust

"Textured Soy Protein" (texturedsoyprotein) 03/31/2015 at 16:36 • Filed to: None

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Now that my Grand Cherokee has four new oxygen sensors (shout out to !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in Middleton, WI for putting them on for me), it is in perfect working order with one small exception: it has a hole in the exterior casing of the main muffler. It's not actually leaking yet, but at some point it will need to be replaced.

I knew about the hole in the muffler when I bought the Jeep back in December, because I had the dealer put it up on a lift for me to inspect the underside. The hole is in the main muffler (#2), on the bottom side of the exterior of the muffler, kinda near where the arrow from #3 points to.

Since it's not leaking, and the Jeep is going to see only intermittent use until next winter, I'm not in a huge rush to fix it. The shop quoted me $375 for parts & labor to replace that middle muffler section, which is a pretty decent price.

Since I already knew about the hole in the muffler, I'd already looked at catbacks, and had landed on Gibson as my likely choice. They have an aluminized one for $425ish and a stainless one for $505. I'd probably attempt putting it on myself. Here are !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! .

So what say ye, oppo? Do I pay the shop to just replace that middle muffler and be done with it, or should I pop a little more for one of the Gibson catbacks, and do it myself?

crowmolly > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:39

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Catback. As long as the #6 flange isn't beat

dogisbadob > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:40

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just patch it with duct tape :p

uofime > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:40

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take a look at these bolts, if they are all rusted up removing the old exhaust will be a complete PITA

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:40

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Straight pipes, bro.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:41

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I'm all about the mods, but exhausts can be a major PITA, depending on make and age. 2005 is probably new enough, but you may be dealing with rust, broken hangers, and lots of things that won't come apart. In a lot of cars, the answer ends up being "screw it, hacksaw".

So yeah, catbacks are cool...just take a good long look at all those fasteners you'll be undoing. I did not install my own exhaust on my WRX.

Chris_K_F drives an FR-Slow > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:42

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Catback and do it yourself. With parts and install the middle muffler will nearly equal the cost anyways. Catbacks are easy to install, especially on an SUV or truck.

Textured Soy Protein > uofime 03/31/2015 at 16:44

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I'll get on the creeper and poke around the flanges to see what kind of shape the bolts are in.

Textured Soy Protein > crowmolly 03/31/2015 at 16:44

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I'll take a look when I get a chance.

Takuro Spirit > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:47

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Since you're in WI just clamp on some glasspacks and add some stacks

Fed(oo=[][]=oo)uken > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:48

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I just installed a Magnaflow stainless cat-back with the following reasoning:

I would rot through at least two OEM exhaust systems in the time it will take this one to fail. It will sound nice, and come with some sort of performance boon.

Textured Soy Protein > Aaron M - MasoFiST 03/31/2015 at 16:49

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I'm totally fine with the "screw it, hacksaw" method. ;)

The instructions seem straightforward enough. Might be able to do it without even jacking it up off the ground.

Aaron M - MasoFiST > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 16:51

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Just remember: the magic words are "PB Blaster".

Textured Soy Protein > Takuro Spirit 03/31/2015 at 16:53

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When I first got a Jeep, I was new to having any kind of truck or SUV, so I wanted to get some kind of novelty tow hitch cover, preferably a particularly redneckish one. Then I realized, nobody would think I was joking, because there are so many people around here with particularly redneckish novelty tow hitch covers that they purchased without any irony whatsoever.

I ended up with a Star Trek tow hitch cover instead. Here it is on my old Jeep.

jariten1781 > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 17:00

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If you can get it unbolted, cat-back. If not, have the muffler shop put together a system with a Flowmaster series 40, it won't cost much, if any, more than just having them do the stock swap. I swap them onto anything including my parent's old Grand Caravan...because why not?

Textured Soy Protein > jariten1781 03/31/2015 at 17:02

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The thought had occurred to me at one point that taking it to an actual muffler shop to weld something up, rather than just a typical mechanic (albeit a mechanic I like) might be a better choice.

jariten1781 > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 17:10

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Just be aware...everyone working at cheap independent muffler shops are always high as fuck so it can be a bit...entertaining...I've never had a bad experience though, they're masters at bending and welding pipe and they usually charge very little IMO.

Midas on the other hand....

Textured Soy Protein > jariten1781 03/31/2015 at 17:26

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Sometimes I drive past this place and chuckle.

I bet they'd hook me up good though.

jariten1781 > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 17:45

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Hell yeah, that's the spot.

Went to look up the old one I used to use in my hometown. Back in the 90s the building was neon pink and used old hubcaps for siding. Apparently they've cleaned it up since then, but it's still in business, now with checkered flags everywhere.

Arben72 > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 18:06

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Just take a sawzall and save the $500.

Putting it on though, if your in the rust belt will be challenging. If you have an impact gun and atleast a map gas torch, no issue. Breaker bar and torch might work too. Also you have to be comfortable being underneath a car.

Textured Soy Protein > Arben72 03/31/2015 at 19:20

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I'm definitely in the rust belt (Wisconsin) and comfortable being underneath a car. Why do you say impact gun, torch, breaker bar, etc. for putting it on? It's a slip-fit exhaust kit, just line up the pipes as you go, then tighten some bolts and clamps. At least that's how it seems from the instructions .

Arben72 > Textured Soy Protein 03/31/2015 at 19:41

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If you need to remove any nuts, they're rusted on there. They always are on exhaust. Fire will loosen nuts up, so you don't break the head off of one. You can get a map gas torch set up at menards for less then $15. It's always a nice tool too have in the garage. I personally diy everything if the cost of tools is less then the price for a mechanic to do it. Helps build a huge tool collection.

Textured Soy Protein > Arben72 03/31/2015 at 20:26

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Oh, see I was thrown off since you referred to those tools after "putting it on." ;)

pip bip - choose Corrour > Textured Soy Protein 04/01/2015 at 03:32

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patch it?

Textured Soy Protein > pip bip - choose Corrour 04/01/2015 at 09:49

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I have thought about that also. I may well end up doing that, since I'm just trying to maintain the Jeep rather than do anything particularly interesting with it.