How tight can I (or should I) tighten up on the clamp around the muffler inlet pipe ? The clamp is already tight, but it isn't holding the muffler tightly on the intermedite pipe. Can I tighten up the clamp some more and squeeze the metal together until it is tight ? I would have to make a crimp in the muffler inlet to get it tight on the I pipe. Is that OK? Or should the connection tighten up without putting a crimp in the muffler pipe ? Sorry for such an easy question, but I really don't know.

------------------
88 GTA 5.7 TPI Charcoal Grey Bone Stock except for loose muffler which makes it a bit louder than normal.

 

The pipe should be a snug fit into the muffler before you start clamping. If you've tightened the clamp and it still isn't clamping, use a pipe expander first to get that snug fit.

------------------
82 Berlinetta, orig V-6 car, now w/86 LG4/TH700R4. 2.93 limited slip. 2-1/2" cat-back, ZZ3 intake, Accel HEI SuperCoil. AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Daily driver, work-in-progress (LG4 w/'87 LB9 block, ZZ3 cam, ported World 305 heads, Hooker 2055 headers, 3" Catco cat & 3" cat-back, Spohn SFCs).
57 Bel Air, my 1st car. '66 396, 9.7 CR forged TRWs, Weiand Action+, Holley 750VS w/4150 conversion, GK 270 cam, Magnum rockers, Jacobs Omnipack, 1-3/4" Hedders & 3" Warlocks, TH400 w/TCI Sat Night Special conv & Trans-Scat shift kit, MegaShifter, 3.08 8.2" 10-bolt w/Powertrax, AMSOIL syn lubes bumper-to-bumper. Idles smooth @ 600 RPM in D. Best 15.02/95.06 @ 5800' Bandimere (corrected 13.93/102.4 @ sea level).