sleeving cut exhaust?

RatLabGuy

RatLabGuy

You look like a monkey and smell like one too
Joined
May 18, 2005
Location
Churchville, MD
I have a case where I'm going to have to cut through part of the exhaust midpipe on my Mazda, in order to drop the gas tank. Should only have to make a single slice, drop what I need, do the work, and patch it back. Properly removing at the flanges is of course impossible due to 15 years of rust.

What is the best fitting or gizmo to do this repair? I know I can get a piece of pipe that is just bigger, slip it over, fit it, slip back, and put a pipe clamp on either side, but my experience is that will likely not seal well.
 
Ah, I just found where there are butt splices that are slightly indented for this, and apparently a goop sealant? Any luck w/ those?
 
There is a type of coupling that is wide and has a soft band that wraps all the way around and clamps on both sides of the splice.. Those will seal fine. We used to use those to join pipes on the diesel dynos at a previous job. They came from NAPA, but I'm not sure if that was a ordered part and don't know if they make them that small.

Why not just cut the old hardware off at the flange and get new hardware and gasket?
 
Okay, Google "exhaust coupler" and you'll see multiple solutions for your exact problem; splicing two pieces of the same size. Clamp and sleeve in one integrated unit.

The ones we used look like something that Torca makes probably, but I don't see the specific type when briefly looking at the image results. I do see many that should work though.
 
Go to Salvo and buy a couple of unions, clamps, and a tube of exhaust sealant.
 
Or hit up advance, get a coupler the right size or slightly smaller, clamps, and borrow the exhaust pipe expander. Or one of the " total seal" stainless band clamps, those work well. Or just drop it, weld it and reinstall hangers.
 
Had a friend do this once when traveling back to school. Lasted about 50 miles before it melted through. :p
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I have used the thing that @drkelly posted with absolutely no issues.
 
rodney eppes said:
I've been accustomed to these on Big Rigs, but the last exhaust system I had built for my CJ, used these. Shop had Orilly's drop them off. I've re-adjusted my muffler, & these are a Breeze to use. And No leaks!
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I took a 5" one I got from work, cut it down to be a 3" version, and used it to hold the tailpipe in the muffler of my Ram for about 3-5 yrs. It was still working until the inlet to the muffler finally rusted out and I replaced the whole thing with an MBRP system.
 
Ugh. Turns out this exhaust pipe is like 2 1/8. Nobody seems to have a joint that size, certainly not in that cool step lap joint. Tried a 2 1/4 and it's just too big, no way it would ever seal. Local shop had to order one so we'll see.
 
Tradarcher said:
Had a friend do this once when traveling back to school. Lasted about 50 miles before it melted through. :p
View attachment 276589
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Sooooo... on my 93 Toy pickup, the bung-hole (teeheehee) for the O-2 sensor rusted out. Fixed it "temporarily" by slicing 2 soda cans, cut off top and bottom and sliced down the middle, wrapped them around it, wrapped in foil tape, clamped down. Been like that... a year now?
 
RatLabGuy said:
Ugh. Turns out this exhaust pipe is like 2 1/8. Nobody seems to have a joint that size, certainly not in that cool step lap joint. Tried a 2 1/4 and it's just too big, no way it would ever seal. Local shop had to order one so we'll see.
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Might be metric? 2-1/8" is basically 54mm, which is close enough to 55mm...
 
jeepinmatt said:
Might be metric? 2-1/8" is basically 54mm, which is close enough to 55mm...
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Mazda, so I wouldn't be surprised. I mean, there's no reason to expect it to be SAE.
All I know for sure is... 2" is too small, 2 1/4 is too big. And 2 1/8 is oddball enough that you can't just walk into any store and find it.
 
Advance usually has 2-1/8" ID couplers if thier stock is correct. Same for the other box auto parts stores. It's not that uncommon. You could also insert a 2" ID coupler inside your pipe and clamp the outside..
 
I swear it seemed like the one I used was 2-1/8 and came from Advance. I remember cause I had to go to 3 stores, and I had gotten the wrong clamp a couple times already.
 
a_kelley said:
Advance usually has 2-1/8" ID couplers if thier stock is correct. Same for the other box auto parts stores. It's not that uncommon. You could also insert a 2" ID coupler inside your pipe and clamp the outside..
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77GreenMachine said:
I swear it seemed like the one I used was 2-1/8 and came from Advance. I remember cause I had to go to 3 stores, and I had gotten the wrong clamp a couple times already.
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No dice here at Advance, AutoZoo, or O'Reily's.
Ended up getting it from a local NAPA, who had to order it from the local warehouse. Go ta butt-joint type that slips over both sides. Yeah, probably would have been better to slip over one side, and under the other. Oh well.

It at least held long enough for me to drive a few days and learn the gas tank was still leaking, the whole reason I had to cut the exhaust in the first place.
Said Fuck it, had enough w/ this POS car and traded it in at a dealer for a new car. Somebody' else's problem now.:D
 
Yeah they don't usually keep up with exhaust connector stock well at any of the stores.. that's why I got a 5 gal bucket of connectors, pipe and pieces. Hardly never return one, even if I didn't need it, one day I will. Oh and a welder helps. A lot.
 
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