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Car Forum / Nissan / Nissan Maxima / February 2008

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02 maxima muffler replacement

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bhaiX@vt.edu - 19 Feb 2008 18:23 GMT
Hi,

Over the weekend my muffler started making rattling noise. After
further investigation the muffler became separated with the exhaust
pipe at the connecting joint. It got rusted and came loose. Looks like
all other hooks and everything else is in place.

I took it to Mieneke and a look repair shop, and both of them said the
muffler needs to be replaced and quoted ~$300 (about $230 for the part
$80 for labor). The muffler itself has no visible damage.

Has anyone had similar problems? If so is there any other way, may be
just re-welding the joint will work. I dont know, if that a good fix?
Or will I be just better off replacing the muffler altogether.

thank you all in advance
-B
Al Moodie - 20 Feb 2008 14:21 GMT
>Hi,
>
>Over the weekend my muffler started making rattling noise. After
>further investigation the muffler became separated with the exhaust
>pipe at the connecting joint. It got rusted and came loose. Looks like
>all other hooks and everything else is in place.

This is a common problem with Maximas, my 03 exhaust did the same
thing a week ago at 62k miles. A design fault.

Asked about it in this newsgroup and at maxima.org.

Three solutions:
1) Replace muffler $300 and up. I was quoted $424

2) Reweld muffler pipe to flange where it has separated. I could not
find anyone who would do the welding

3) Cut the flanges off both the muffler pipe and the pipe it joins to,
then put on a sleeve and two clamps. Image of fix attached. Cost me
$130 at Midas. Others at maxima.org had the same repair done for $75 -
$100

Al Moodie.
Al Moodie - 20 Feb 2008 14:24 GMT
>Hi,
>
>Over the weekend my muffler started making rattling noise. After
>further investigation the muffler became separated with the exhaust
>pipe at the connecting joint. It got rusted and came loose. Looks like
>all other hooks and everything else is in place.

This is a common problem with Maximas, my 03 exhaust did the same
thing a week ago at 62k miles. A design fault.

Asked about it in this newsgroup and at maxima.org.

Three solutions:
1) Replace muffler $300 and up. I was quoted $424

2) Reweld muffler pipe to flange where it has separated. I could not
find anyone who would do the welding

3) Cut the flanges off both the muffler pipe and the pipe it joins to,
then put on a sleeve and two clamps. Image of fix attached. Cost me
$130 at Midas. Others at maxima.org had the same repair done for $75 -
$100

Al Moodie.
bhaiX@vt.edu - 20 Feb 2008 18:28 GMT
Thanks Al for your input. I took it to couple of other places to see
if they can weld it, but concensus is to change the muffler.

I took it to the dealer too, he is quoting me $550 + tax - what a
surprise!!!

Looks like the main price difference is using OEM Vs. after market
muffler. I called couple of Nissan dealers and Im getting quotes
around $399-$450 for an OEM muffler. Based on other postings her looks
like the durability is good for an OEM muffler as its made of
Stainless steel. Whereas an aft muffler is made of Aluminized Steel
which I an get one at my local Autozone for $130 or Napa has one for
$157.

Can anyone provide some real life experiences with aft muffler. And
any particular once to stay away or are best fit.

thank you very much for all your help,
-B

> On Tue, 19 Feb 2008 10:23:42 -0800 (PST), "bh...@vt.edu" <b...@vt.edu>
> wrote:
[quoted text clipped - 23 lines]
>
> Al Moodie.
Ralph Hertle - 21 Feb 2008 13:11 GMT
bhaiX@vt.edu:

> Thanks Al for your input. I took it to couple of other places to see
> if they can weld it, but concensus is to change the muffler.
[quoted text clipped - 15 lines]
> thank you very much for all your help,
> -B

[...]

My experts at Meinecke told me to weld up replacement pipe segments, and
to keep the old muffler until it rusts through and makes noise. Then
replace it with a stock type muffler, and that, they said, should last
the practical life of the car. Unless you have to have a st. steel
system for aesthetic purposes, and pay extra for that, stay with a stock
set up and benefit from the lower cost. I would check the system pipe
support brackets. If the design is the same as on the '97 Max those
components may rust away and need replacement.

Ralph Hertle
common_ sense@netscape.com - 23 Feb 2008 23:15 GMT
>bhaiX@vt.edu:
>
[quoted text clipped - 30 lines]
>
>Ralph Hertle

Serious question here - how can a Stainless Steel muffer/exhaust
system ever rust or corrode out?  It should be good not only for the
life of the car, but for several hundred years more.
bhaiX@vt.edu - 24 Feb 2008 14:14 GMT
> Serious question here - how can a Stainless Steel muffer/exhaust
> system ever rust or corrode out?  It should be good not only for the
> life of the car, but for several hundred years more.

Well the problem is not the SS muffler, its in perfect shape, but the
main problem with 5ht gen maximas is at the flange. The flange is not
SS, so it rusts and separates. I couldnt get anyone around her to weld
it back in place. Hence had to get it replaced with an aft market one.
common_ sense@netscape.com - 25 Feb 2008 21:37 GMT
>> Serious question here - how can a Stainless Steel muffer/exhaust
>> system ever rust or corrode out?  It should be good not only for the
[quoted text clipped - 4 lines]
>SS, so it rusts and separates. I couldnt get anyone around her to weld
>it back in place. Hence had to get it replaced with an aft market one.

Thanks,,that makes sense - though it doesn't make any sense that
Nissan didn't make the flange out of S Stl to,,,??

Welding to St Stl is very difficult to do - problem being you get
"chrome depletion" at the joint, which makes it very brittle, and very
corrosion prone.
No One - 25 Feb 2008 22:47 GMT
no_common_ sense wrote:

> Welding to St Stl is very difficult to do - problem being you get
> "chrome depletion" at the joint, which makes it very brittle, and
> very corrosion prone.

You a welder now?  They weld it all the time in our fab shop with no
troubles at all.  Read up before giving advice.

http://www.key-to-steel.com/Articles/Art97.htm
http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1178
common_ sense@netscape.com - 26 Feb 2008 01:28 GMT
>no_common_ sense wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>http://www.key-to-steel.com/Articles/Art97.htm
>http://www.azom.com/details.asp?ArticleID=1178

no just have a degree in chemistry and metallurgy - and built the
space shuttle, and F16,,,but I guess your working in a body shop makes
you the expert.

you can weld it all you want, but it might not hold up, and it might
rust out, requires special equipment, and a knowledge of what type of
St Slt you are welding (bet you don't know the different types do
you,,?)

Your problems with my useful and accurate posts are - beside your
being a news group troll?
No One - 26 Feb 2008 01:36 GMT
no_common_ sense wrote:

>>> Welding to St Stl is very difficult to do - problem being you
>>> get "chrome depletion" at the joint, which makes it very
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> no just have a degree in chemistry and metallurgy

Yes, of course you do.  Just because you 'do' a lot of chemicals,
doesn't kmake you a chemist.  You can't even get what grade kind of
gasoline to burn correct and THAT is in a manual.  The closest you
ever get to stainless steel may be in your razor blades.  Then again,
they way you talk, I doubt if you are old enough to shave.

> and built the space shuttle, and F16,

LOL, you certainly are some sort of space cadet.  I won't argue with
that.

> but I guess your working in a body shop makes you the expert.

Another incorrect assumption by yourself.  These are what make you
look like the idiot you are.

> you can weld it all you want, but it might not hold up,

You are SOOOOOOO full of sh.t.  You think that all the welds in a
nuke are faulty?  What about a refinery?  You DID know that there is
a lot of 'SS' there, right?  You did know that they are also capable
of handling high pressure, didn't you?

> and it might rust out, requires special equipment, and a knowledge
> of what type of St Slt you are welding

Wouldn't you think a real welder would know these things?  That's why
they call them welders and not wannebee morons like they call you.

> (bet you don't know the different types do you,,?)

Again, you are WRONG.  At least you are good at something.

> Your problems with my useful and accurate posts are

I will let you know when/if I ever see one.  Any posts of yours that
are at all accurate are far and few between.
Ralph Hertle - 26 Feb 2008 07:53 GMT
[...]

> Again, you are WRONG.  At least you are good at something.
Ralph Hertle - 25 Feb 2008 00:12 GMT
common_ sense:

 [...]
> Serious question here - how can a Stainless Steel muffer/exhaust
> system ever rust or corrode out?  It should be good not only for the
> life of the car, but for several hundred years more.

My '97 Max doesn't have a stainless steel muffler/exhaust system. The
piping is steel and the muffler is aluminized steel.

You are right in that stainless steels do last a long time. Dissimilar
metals, however, could cause corrosion of the stainless or plain steel
due to the electromotive series.

One anti-corrosion technique that is used on boats to prevent submerged
metals from corroding is to attach a zinc metal block to the metal
parts, for example, to the outboard engine. The zinc corrodes and the
boat metals that are electrically connected to the zinc and that are
immersed in the same water [electrolyte] do not. Zinc attached to the
exhaust system may prevent rust. The zinc blocks that are available at
your marine accessory store may need to be replaced from time to time.

Attaching zinc blocks to the steel body may help prevent rust long after
the thin zinc plating on the sheet steel has corroded away exposing the
steel body panels to rust. That might be good for local areas subject to
abrasion, water and salt.

On the replacement system that I have, I opted for a larger diameter
Warpspeed brand single pipe system of plain steel. They say that, given
the mileage and condition of the car, the plain steel should last as
long as the car.

Ralph Hertle
common_ sense@netscape.com - 25 Feb 2008 21:41 GMT
>common_ sense:
>
[quoted text clipped - 29 lines]
>
>Ralph Hertle

Exactly right, and apparently its the support brackets, not the
exhaust system components that are the problem.

Fortunately here in Phx Az, its not corrosion that's the problem, but
all the rubber parts failing do to the dry heat.
dwalms0@gmail.com - 23 Feb 2008 13:34 GMT
> Thanks Al for your input. I took it to couple of other places to see
> if they can weld it, but concensus is to change the muffler.
[quoted text clipped - 45 lines]
>
> - Show quoted text -

Most aft mkt mufflers should come with a life time warrantee. If not,
don't buy it. If you use a reputable shop, you should be fine with the
aftermarket job. (I just did my 03 this week). Good Luck DW
dwalms0@gmail.com - 23 Feb 2008 13:31 GMT
On Feb 19, 1:23 pm, "bh...@vt.edu" <b...@vt.edu> wrote:
> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 13 lines]
> thank you all in advance
> -B

What year is the Max; 03??  I just replaced my 03, which has 160K this
week. Most shops don't seem to be interested in trying to patch these
things up. They just want to sell you a new one.

The price seems to be about the same as what I paid. DW
bhaiX@vt.edu - 24 Feb 2008 14:09 GMT
DW mine is an 02 maxima...I tried several places but as you said no
one is willing to weld it...as I need to get this done I finally got
it done at Monro muffler. Hope this will work out.

My first impression is that the new aft market muffler is less noisy
then the OEM one both in city and on highways...I like it this
way...also Im planning to order Magnaflow muffler tips, but to get
back the OEM look ;)

thanks for all your advice,
-B

On Feb 23, 8:31 am, dwal...@gmail.com wrote:
> On Feb 19, 1:23 pm, "bh...@vt.edu" <b...@vt.edu> wrote:
>
[quoted text clipped - 21 lines]
>
> The price seems to be about the same as what I paid. DW
 
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