Exhaust Pipe and Suspension Problem

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Noela - 23 Jun 2004 14:28 GMT

Hi,

My front exhaust pipe is rusted and leaking, producing an irritating
noice.

A mechanic is charging about 400 to replace it with a new one (Parts:
$362; labor $45). Is this reasonable for a Speedy's muffler ?

Although I would want to keep my vintage max, I'm not sure if I should
be putting such a new part in at this time.

Would you advice a used exhaust pipe from....from wreckers,
particularly if I may end up keeping the car for just another year?

Secondly, I noticed that while in low rmps (up to 1500) my steering
wheel jerks quickly, from left to right, as if the wheels are
wobbling... any ideas, what might be wrong.

I live in MD...

thanks for all your advice

Noela

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Steve T - 24 Jun 2004 01:02 GMT

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 9 lines]
> Would you advice a used exhaust pipe from....from wreckers,
> particularly if I may end up keeping the car for just another year?

A used one in your part of the country isn't likely to be much better. That
pipe is an expencive part to replace.

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Steve

http://www.atlantaracing.com

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CW - 24 Jun 2004 04:27 GMT

What year maxima, and specifically what front exhaust? Is it the
segment before the cat and after the exhaust manifolds? If so, there
are aftermarket alternatives that are much cheaper. You can even get
a muffler shop to custom fab one for a lot less. The labor he is
charging is very reasonable. The parts cost is a little high unless
he is getting new OEM.

CW

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Steve T - 24 Jun 2004 05:52 GMT

> What year maxima, and specifically what front exhaust? Is it the
> segment before the cat and after the exhaust manifolds? If so, there
> are aftermarket alternatives that are much cheaper. You can even get
> a muffler shop to custom fab one for a lot less.

Pretty tricky part to fab up nicely. Most of the "muffler shop" ones I've
seen are pretty kinked up (tubing benders really butcher tubing!) and don't
look like they would flow very well. Also most end up leaking where they
attach to the manifold from using thin/cheap flanges. To make a nice madrel
bent one with good flanges would take some time/money.

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Steve

http://www.atlantaracing.com

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CW - 24 Jun 2004 18:24 GMT

True. The collector portion which merges the two banks is hard to get
right too. Custom shops also frequently don't have lined flex
sections so you may end up with a lot of raspy noise with throttle.
If it is the downpipe, I would just opt for a cheap aftermarket one
like one made by Warpspeed.
http://www.warpspeedperformance.com/nissan.htm

From the dyno's that I've seen, mandrel bent tubing doesn't make a
whole lot more power than pressure bends for this part though. In any
case, I've seen 10-12fwhp compared to the stock downpipe... a nice
gain.

CW

>Pretty tricky part to fab up nicely. Most of the "muffler shop" ones I've
>seen are pretty kinked up (tubing benders really butcher tubing!) and don't
>look like they would flow very well. Also most end up leaking where they
>attach to the manifold from using thin/cheap flanges. To make a nice madrel
>bent one with good flanges would take some time/money.

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