exhaust paste does it work?

rrwfotr

Hi I notticed a week or so ago that my car exhaust was making funny sound. I checked today and looks like there is a hole in the pipe joint that joints the backbox to the exhaust pipe. The actual back box looks in very good condition.

I've seen the exhast paste on some motoring websites and wondered if it woudl be able to patch the hole before it gets any bigger? Am I wasting my time and should I just get a new back box Seems a shame as the bax box is in quite good condition?

Wig

They usually go on the joints first, is the hole on the welded join?

I doubt you will get any paste to work on this area. But there's no harm in putting a bit of halfords exhuast repair putty (cheaper than gungum) onto it and leave it to dry overnight, don't drive it till it's dry, trouble is in the cold it will take a few days to dry, but if you drive it to dry it won't work as good.

Just leave it till it gets too loud then change it. You can have a stainless steel one made for about 150 quid (just rear box).

basill

Its ok on its own on small holes however for a longer lasting repair or an awkward area ( exhausts always seem to go on a joint) its worth getting some metal mesh and moulding this around the area to reinforce the paste repair.
coke cans and jubilee clips can also be used to good effect!

You will pass an MOT as long as the exhaust is not leaking.

Sadly you are only really delaying the inevitable though, sooner or later it will need replacing.

B

tomstickland

The pipe-back box junction will break through after a while. You can try a temporary bodge with paste, it does work quite well. After that get a new back box from a scrappers or motor factors.

misterthrifty

My experience has always been that this is temporary and a replacement is soon needed. Alternatively, if you know somebody who is handy with a welder, they may be able to weld on a patch around the join which may well last for quite a few months. It may only cost £20 or so which could be cheap compared to a new silencer.

Mr T

superscotsman

I endorse what Mr Thrifty says. What will make your decision for you is when the MOT is due: If it's a long way off, you will be able to drive around on gungum for quite some time, and then change the exhaust in the run-up to the MOT.
In the old days, you could go along to the MOT with a can of gungum, and if the tester said there was a hole in the exhaust, you could put some gungum in the hole and say: "No, there isn't." You can't do that now.