The doughnut gasket flange ripped off the cat side of the exhaust on my 2000 outback.

Can I just bypass it by welding a piece of pipe in? I'm mad at this car, and just want it to work...

The pig iron they make that rear flange out of didn't cope too well with the rust up there?

 

Not interested in welding a new flange piece to the back of the cat section? I think that's the "best" way to go. Were you thinking of cutting off the flange completely on both sides and putting a coupler on it?

 

There is a valid argument that the spring-bolts that go in there help keep flexibility in the system and reduce shock. But at this point? Meh...

 

While you're in there you might want to check the cat bracket - mine was snapped in half.

http://opposedforces.com/parts/legacy/us_b12/type_20/exhaust_system/exhaust/illustration_1/    (#12/14 - AT/MT)

Go to Napa and get a split repair flange and some longer bolts. Should be 1-3/4" size.

Not 2"? Napa wants WAY too much for a stupid piece of metal, then add on a new doughnut gasket and spring bolts and it's way more than I want to spend. I'm gathering parts for an engine swap and I need to get this pile rolling as cheap as possible. It's been sitting with a dead motor for the better part of a year, and I don't have a lot to spend. If it's not going to hurt anything to just weld a piece of pipe where the gasket goes, that's free....

When my flange degraded so much even a split-flange repair wouldn't work anymore I just ran springs attached to somewhere on the pipe pulling the pipe forwards and up a bit.

The weird thing is therest of the exhaust isn't that bad. just that damn flange. Dave, I would do that, but something tells me it's not gonna pass inspection... if I see a good one at the junkyard tomorrow I'll cut it off.

Not 2"? Napa wants WAY too much for a stupid piece of metal, then add on a new doughnut gasket and spring bolts and it's way more than I want to spend. I'm gathering parts for an engine swap and I need to get this pile rolling as cheap as possible. It's been sitting with a dead motor for the better part of a year, and I don't have a lot to spend. If it's not going to hurt anything to just weld a piece of pipe where the gasket goes, that's free....

If you have a welder and pipe available, weld it. It's not ideal, but shouldn't cause any trouble short term.

The other thing I could do is weld in a piece of flex pipe. It would still let the system flex, but I wouldn't have to deal with stupid doughnut gaskets ever again.... I hate those things. I'm constantly dealing with leaks on my GL because of it.

The other thing I could do is weld in a piece of flex pipe. It would still let the system flex, but I wouldn't have to deal with stupid doughnut gaskets ever again.... I hate those things. I'm constantly dealing with leaks on my GL because of it.

I have never had any long term success with flex pipe. IMO the metal in the pipe is too thin, and not very good quality metal at that. I tried it twice, but both times the pipe rusted through and broke.

 

I am with you, I don;t like doughnut gaskets either. Really a PITA. I have just cut them off when broken, then cut a piece of pipe to proper length (one size either larger or smaller in diameter,) and slide over or in the pipes at each end. Fasten down with horse shoe exhaust clamps, and job is done. Any more, I now have this type of work done at a family owned muffler shop, that torches off bad pipe, cut and bend new pipe to fit,  and weld in the new piece of pipe to finish the job. Usually, I am out the door with cost of about $50. The large chain muffler shops won't do this type of work, but small shops will.

+2 on what Rooster said.

 

Flex pipe will rust out, and very quickly, leaving you right back where you are now.

 

I had a similar repair to what Rosster described done for $30 once...

Well I have a bunch of exhaust pipe sitting in my scrap metal pile. So I'll just do that repair and it'll be free... I just want this dumb thing to work for the winter. Going to the junkyard with the GL tomorrow... $40 2.2 shortblock. Headgaskets should come in later this week and I'll be back on the road