Exhaust pipe crack.

[Xevin]

Discovered this yesterday on the 3/4 side

I wonder if a competent old school muffler shop can weld this

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Keep on Busin'

[?Waldo?]

That pipe looks seriously eroded. That crack is where the pipe looks paper thin or rusted out entirely. Likely most of the pipe is similarly thin and trying to even clean the metal enough to get a good weld would cause more holes. It might be possible to do a temporary weld on it but IMO that pipe is at the end of its useful service life. If I'm not mistaken that pipe is not connected to the heads and so it could be removed without the risk of snapping studs and needing to replace heads.
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I am a high-functioning autistic into VW diesels and Vanagons along with other things that are unrelated to this site.

[IdahoDoug]

Heh - that's a candidate for an epoxy fix. You'll be amazed how long it will last. What vehicle is that on?
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1987 2WD Wolfsburg Vanagon Weekender "Mango", two fully locked 80 Series LandCruisers. 2017 Subaru Outback boxer. 1990 Audi 90 Quattro 20V with rear locking differential, 1990 burgundy parts Vanagon. 1984 Porsche 944, 1993 Toyota LandCruiser, 2002 BMW 325iX, 1982 Toyota Sunrader

[Xevin]

Thanks guys. I was thinking the same as both of you. Going on a road trip next week. Looking for a bandaid for the trip. I’ll do a proper replacement this Winter.

I have a lot of old school muffler shops around me
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Keep on Busin'

[HackAl]

Was my crack not a candidate for an epoxy fix because it was too close to the block?
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91 Westy.

Ever consider temporarily trading your van? Join the list.

[DanHoug]

i've successfully used the "2000 Degree" iron fortified cement in a little screw top vial on thick castings but anything i've tried on the Vanagon header pipes never bonds well. there is such a large thermal expansion coupled with a quite smooth surface that it all seems to flake off. there's quite a bit of flex in the exhaust system too which further stresses a hard compound.

it's a hard location environmentally... the header is red hot just inches beyond where it bolts to the head but the head flange is relatively cool. LOTS of differential expansion.
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-dan
60% of what you find on the internet is wrong, including this post.

'87 Westy & '89 Westy both 2.1 4spd

Past projects can be found at--
www.thefixitworkshop.com

[Vanagon Nut]

"Looking for a bandaid for the trip."

No doubt the metal is thin around that crack but could that crack be brazed?

But....

Cleaning that area to shiny metal might be tough and only serve to expose pin holes or worse.

Brazing a patch over it would bump the cost up I"m sure.

Neil.
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1981 Westy DIY 15º ABA
(VW Gas I4)

1988 Westy DIY 50º ABA

VE7TBN

[HackAl]

Dan, gotcha. Makes sense.
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91 Westy.

Ever consider temporarily trading your van? Join the list.

[campism]