So I've done quite a bit of googling on this but haven't found much about what I'm actually trying to do.  I have a 2000 Subaru Legacy that just came back from the dead after a timing belt scare.  Now I want to fix some long-standing issues.  One is the exhaust, which has been getting steadily worse in the past 20K miles or so.

 

Now, this car spent a lot of years in Michigan before I had it, and is quite rusty.  Enough that I preemptively spray every bolt with PB Blaster before attempting removal.  And it's been beat up on some dirt roads.  But I live in Arizona, which means that my local salvage yard is full of rust-free cars.

 

So my question is, how hard is it to remove my exhaust system (say, from the catalytic converter to the tailpipe) and replace it with one from the salvage yard?  My thought was that I would just go there with my socket set and unbolt everything, but then I've read a lot of threads talking about welding.  It's unclear to me if there's welding involved when you replace parts of the exhaust, or whether the exhaust is actually welded onto the body of the car.

 

So, am I going to be able to get an exhaust off a car at the salvage yard with just a socket set?  I haven't actually tried to find the source of my exhaust leak yet, but I thought it would be easier to replace everything with a non-rusty, lower-mileage exhaust.  But if that's not the case I might give it a go with JB Weld and try to fix the leaks myself.

Easy, but most yards cut the cat's out as they can not sell them.  

 

If you are lucky you may find one that still has the fwd flange on it, otherwise you will have to have one welded on.  You might also be able to get one from someone parting out a car. 

 

14mm nuts on the front exhaust

14mm and 12mm on the joints

Rubber donuts that hold the exhaust up.  

 

Takes about 10 minutes to drop the complete exhaust if your not fighting rust.

Working in a yard, no lift and no air tools look at about an hour.

If you can take a portable drill with a cut off wheel it'll make life easier.

 

O.

if the cats have already been removed,

the mid pipe and muffler (with pipe) is easy.

no bolts to undo, just rubber exhaust hangers .

take a can of spray lube to make it easier.

So I took a look under the car and the most beat up part of the exhaust system is the crossover pipe (I think that's the correct name).  So everything upstream from the cat rather than downstream.  I got a nice looking replacement at the junkyard today.  I'll bolt that on and see what happens, then worry about the rest if I need to.

 

I did take an exhaust off of a subaru at the yard just to give it a shot and see how it works.  So one more system of the car is no longer intimidating!  I'm checking them off one-by-one...

Edited January 19, 201511 yr by Smo