Thread: Exhaust - DIY or just go to shop

Looking for input.

My resonator is blown out. The flange for it that meets up to the DP is also ate up and leaking.... not reusable.
I already bought a 28" Thrush glasspack. Should I screw around getting a few connectors/adaptors and try to clamp it with some stainless band clamps? I would have to get a flange welded onto a connector to meet up with the DP. I know this won't be a quick job, I'm no mechanic aha. Car will probably be laid up for a whole weekend...which is fine long as I can get it done and save some $$. Cost: three SS clamps= ~$36 various connector/adapters= ~$20 couple sawzall blades= $12 weld new flange= $25 maybe GP= $24

Total cost = ~$117
+ satisfaction of doing it myself?? After putting down all the numbers, shop looks much better lol.

OR

Just take it to a shop and have a new GP welded (or clamped) in. Very well regarded shop quoted $180. Won't use my $24 glasspack of course, so I'd have to return that.
Another shop closer to the city quoted $120.


Suggestions or opinions ?

If you value your own time at all, avoid frustration and go to a muffler shop. Just my opinion. Bring your Thrush with, they may be OK with using that.

I just got my res replaced for $30

Yea....the frustration avoidance might really be worth the extra $80 to me. Is using connectors and band clamps even a good idea? If it lasts two years i'll be happy.

Originally Posted by dsmuts

I just got my res replaced for $30

wow, did they just straight pipe it ?

buy a glass pack. then go have it welded in. you'll be ahead of the game when your not aggravated, and it dont leak when the shop is done. if you have a U bend still, have them cut that out, then install a o2 bung and put a pipe there as well.

stock pipes are not quite round, so clamps never seem to seal well.

Yeah just strAight pipe. Glasspack would have been another $20 and I'm super cheap

If I can find a shop willing to weld it in, already have a glasspack.
Shop I was at today to get a front alignment said Thrush GPs don't last long at all... again if it lasts two years ill be happy. Should i be returning this thing anyways? They probably just want to push their own parts.

Almost certainly going to go with having a shop do the work. Didn't know the stock pipe would be oblong... sounds aggravating already.

Find another shop.. And a exhaust shop isn't the only shop that can weld that in.. Just about any shop can.

i got a 2 year old thrush gp in my car, its just fine, its still red too. exhaust sounds the same as day one.

Well ITS DONE!!!!!
Ended up going to a Merlin's 200k across the street from where I work. Was going to be $60 but they said the flange on my original DP wasn't going to seal with the new flange they have to put a new one on along with the GP flange.
I have had a 3" ZZP DP sitting in a box for months so I just had them install that. Don't have to fight that battle now. They welded a flange to an extension that goes to the glasspack then clamped, then a clamped on reducer to the Y pipe. I believe they welded the reducer to the Y pipe. Told them to do it this way so the GP can be swapped out.
Ended up being $180. Done and gone, dont even care. No rolling around on the cold garage floor dealing with those totally rusty worn out components cussing and pissed.

SOOO satisfied, finally I can hear myself think and my music and the road...!!

Whatever you do dont straight pipe it... these engines sound like garbage as it is.

Originally Posted by frosty

Whatever you do dont straight pipe it... these engines sound like garbage as it is.

Yea I won't... I know. Its almost too quiet now, looking forward to the GP breaking in a bit. Gonna scrounge for some Borla Pro mufflers too, might be awhile before I find those tho.

exhaust systems dont "break in" really. my glass packs been on for 2 years or more, its still sounds the same. "quiet"

Im running full zzp 3" exhaust with the zzp mufflers and resonator. Yea it was expensive. But ill be damned if I don't actually get frickin complemented on how good it sounds by frickin everyone. I honestly got mad the first time someone complemented me on it thinking the guy was being a smart ass because I know how godawful terrible our cars sound.