I got my car back from the garage today, and when I was home I noticed this:
I asked the garage about it and they said the exhaust was like this when they got it. I believe them since they could have easily repaired it if they did it themselves but mostly because I remember backing up and hitting a curb a few days before I brought them my car. I have backed up into a curb before and never had any damage so this time I didn't check for any damage.
By the looks of it, It weren't the tips that hit the curb (since I see no damage there) but rather the pipe itself. So how can I straighten this? Simply try to bend it back?
Once the bent area is identified, use an oxy/acetylene torch to heat the area and a long pipe in the exhaust to bend the tips back to where they belong.
It's usually a two man job, your shop should be able to handle the job.
I got my car back from the garage today, and when I was home I noticed this:
I asked the garage about it and they said the exhaust was like this when they got it. I believe them since they could have easily repaired it if they did it themselves but mostly because I remember backing up and hitting a curb a few days before I brought them my car. I have backed up into a curb before and never had any damage so this time I didn't check for any damage.
By the looks of it, It weren't the tips that hit the curb (since I see no damage there) but rather the pipe itself. So how can I straighten this? Simply try to bend it back?
Looks like you can kind of see where the "trumpet" on the right side has some concrete still around the exhaust opening where it might have gouged it out.
But I know... just one more thing! Is the car driving a lot better after the work?
I got my car back from the garage today, and when I was home I noticed this:
I asked the garage about it and they said the exhaust was like this when they got it. I believe them since they could have easily repaired it if they did it themselves but mostly because I remember backing up and hitting a curb a few days before I brought them my car. I have backed up into a curb before and never had any damage so this time I didn't check for any damage.
By the looks of it, It weren't the tips that hit the curb (since I see no damage there) but rather the pipe itself. So how can I straighten this? Simply try to bend it back?
you could heat it but I would remove the tip and then use a nice large socket and extension to bend the muffler straight again and then work on getting the tip correct. if you didn't want gt tips I have a set of good condition formula tips somewhere
Looks like the whole exhaust system is sagging down and back on the driver's side. Have to get it back up into the air to check. Hanger may have fallen off or bent.
But... how the hell did that happen? Is that the weakest points? Also, When I (try to) bend it back, will there still be a big dent? And is this restricting exhaust flow much?
Probably like you said, hit a curb. I'd try laying under the car and put a C-Clamp on the wide ends and squeeze it back into shape. It's not restricting it much, but the hot tip might be burning the bumper.
Cliff, it's very difficult to imagine that you wouldn't have noticed the passenger side tips being cocked off to one side like that if it was bent that way before you dropped off your car at the shop. Yet, it's plainly obvious that the pipe was bent before the cradle was dropped. So... you didn't do it after you got the car back. I suspect someone at the shop bent it while they were maneuvering the car in the shop.
I wonder why the shop that did all this work for you apparently noticed something like that and didn't just go ahead and fix it as a courtesy. Or at the very least ask if you wanted it addressed.
[This message has been edited by jpeeler (edited 10-13-2024).]
Cliff, at least it's an easy fix. Suggest you put the car on a lift and use an oxy-acetylene torch to heat tthe pipe in the bent area to a medium glow then pull the exhaust tip around to where it should be. You can put a broomstick or pipe in the exhaust if you need attional leverage.
I seriously doubt that you have enough of a ding to affect performance but if the dent doesn't come out enough for you, you can use a spot weld dent puller to tease out the dent. If your exhaust pipe is not too compromised by rust it should come out. I've used this method to pull out dents on crushed coolant pipes .
I wonder why the shop that did all this work for you apparently noticed something like that and didn't just go ahead and fix it as a courtesy. Or at the very least ask if you wanted it addressed.
They actually did quite a bit of extra work as a courtesy already. They didn't mention it because they thought I already knew it was dent.
Well like I said, I remember backing up into a curb days before I brought the car to them.
Oh... I missed that part.
quote
Originally posted by Cliff Pennock:
They didn't mention it because they thought I already knew it was dent.
The actual "dent" in the pipe is inconsequential. It's the fact that the exhaust tip is pointing way off to the side that is of concern. Besides the fact that it looks awful, you don't want a hot exhaust tip melting the bumper skin. I'm surprised the shop didn't just straighten it out, as it would've been pretty simple to do with the cradle dropped.
Probably like you said, hit a curb. I'd try laying under the car and put a C-Clamp on the wide ends and squeeze it back into shape. It's not restricting it much, but the hot tip might be burning the bumper.
Cliff, my opinion (having seen how they do this in body shops for frames), tie a ratchet strap to the other side of the exhaust, and snug it down, and then do exactly as RWDPLZ says. As you clamp it down tighten the strap some more to kind of force the metal back in place. It should not affect the other side of the exhaust pipe, just keep an eye on it. At least you'll be able to get it back more or less into spec.
So I think I figured out with which part I hit the curb. It wasn't the exhaust tips that caught the curb, but the exhaust clamp (tail pipe hanger). I had straightened the tips by inserting a pipe and bending it back but when I did, I noticed I could move the tip up and down without any effort. I saw that one of the clamp's bolt was bent, so I probably hit the curb with the bolt.
Problem is, that prevents me from tightening the clamp. Or loosen it for that matter. I don't have spare clamps so until I do, how can I fasten it? I don't have any room for another clamp (without hanger) I think.
It wasn't the exhaust tips that caught the curb, but the exhaust clamp (tail pipe hanger).
...which is exactly the reason why exhaust clamps should never be tightened in place with the bolts pointed down. I either install them pointed straight up, or if tightening them positioned that way is an issue, I then position the bolts parallel to the ground.
Cliff, I was trying to find the images I posted years ago of where I located the hangers (and clamps) near the exhaust tips on two of my Fieros... but of course, they're among the tens of thousands of missing images.
Yes, but these are the "official" clamps so you can't point them with the bolts up...
Good point... but that's one of the reasons why I relocated the exhaust tip hangers on my Fieros.
I searched my hard drive and found one of the "lost" uploaded images. This is the driver's side of my '86 GT, with the plastic wheelwell liner removed, looking towards the rear of the car. You'll notice the original factory hanger has been removed. However, due to the pipe being crushed by the original clamp, the joint is still tight.
Until you remove/replace the broken clamp... are you just trying to prevent the exhaust tip from rotating downwards? If so, I suspect you could hold the exhaust tip in place by simply attaching a wire to it and attaching the other end somewhere to the frame above the exhaust. Sure, it's a mickey mouse repair, but it's not supposed to be permanent.
