Exhaust Broken. Ideas? (Pictures included)

[hotrodalex]

I changed the oil in my Saturn on Saturday and happened to look at the flex pipe while under there. It's about halfway gone... I'll just call up that shop if it ever breaks.

[thewizard16]

I changed the oil in my Saturn on Saturday and happened to look at the flex pipe while under there. It's about halfway gone... I'll just call up that shop if it ever breaks.

Haha, very proactive of you... I'd never had a flex pipe break before so I was pretty startled when the car got so much louder. I knew where the problem had to be based off the volume increase and the vibration of the floor under my foot, but it still wasn't something I think I'd wait to have happen if I had the choice . I asked about the other flex pipe when it was at the shop and they claimed it still looked pretty decent. Why one wore more quickly than the other I don't know.

[hotrodalex]

Haha, very proactive of you... I'd never had a flex pipe break before so I was pretty startled when the car got so much louder. I knew where the problem had to be based off the volume increase and the vibration of the floor under my foot, but it still wasn't something I think I'd wait to have happen if I had the choice . I asked about the other flex pipe when it was at the shop and they claimed it still looked pretty decent. Why one wore more quickly than the other I don't know.

Maybe it scraped on something?

[thewizard16]

Maybe it scraped on something?

Nope. Considering it happened as I was hitting the lip of the entrance to the post office, I thought it might be that, but that's not the lowest point on the car, and it's pretty well shielded. It just sheared off past the point where it joined the main pipe . It's an old car though, I forgive it for having an occasional worn out part.

[giant_mtb]

What's the point in using a flex pipe, anyways?  Why don't they just use standard piping?  Is flex pipe used for curves that non-flex-pipe can't handle or what?

[thewizard16]

What's the point in using a flex pipe, anyways?  Why don't they just use standard piping?  Is flex pipe used for curves that non-flex-pipe can't handle or what?

As I understand it, the engine rocks back and forth enough (watch an engine in the bay when you start it, or slam on the accelerator) that you need a pipe that can "give" when it needs to instead of just break like a rigid pipe attached to the engine would. Since the rest of the exhaust piping isn't shifting in concert with the engine, the flex pipe helps act as a joint between the piping off the manifold to the piping downstream. 

[hotrodalex]

As I understand it, the engine rocks back and forth enough (watch an engine in the bay when you start it, or slam on the accelerator) that you need a pipe that can "give" when it needs to instead of just break like a rigid pipe attached to the engine would. Since the rest of the exhaust piping isn't shifting in concert with the engine, the flex pipe helps act as a joint between the piping off the manifold to the piping downstream. 

Yep. Of course I'm not sure why it's necessary to weld the exhaust hangers to the pipes. Flex pipes aren't used in older cars because the hangers went around the exhaust to hang them but were not welded or anything. Possibly there is less noise with a flex pipe and welded hangers, but I never hear any rattling or whatever on older cars due to non-welded hangers.