I replaced my broken Cat with a CATCO direct replacement ant it is clamped on. Exhuast leaks out and makes a bad sound becuase half the exhuast is coming from up front and the other half is coming from the back

(wouldn't be bad to have straight flow throuh, but the cops here in fairfax country are ******... )

How can I seal this without welding...that was the whole problem of getting it on...It is clamped down tight enough to start to dent the pipe on the cat a milimeter.

 

They make a sealer, some sort of muffler repair, almost like a cement. I cannot remember exactly what it is called, but any auto shop should carry it. If you spread it on the pipes and then clamped it down. It should seal, I have never tried this personally, but for a few bucks it would be worth a try.

Nick

 

The only time I've ever seen those clamps seal is with an air impact gun. I can't understand why that should make the difference though

 

i use copper RTV and use the impact to torque them down.

 

got sealant from NAPA and it worked for a day, now its cracked.

Blocks most of the exhuast and all of the sound, still a little exhuast is let out, but it will work for now, until I get headers and y-pipe (once I find them )

 

What is a copper RTV ? ? ? ?

 

Impact guns can generate more torque that your arms and a socket ever will.

 

Wanna bet a cat back kit on that?

Most air impact guns are set to apply 120 lb.ft/TQ, or less, depending on cfm of the gun and/or the compressor.

Hell, I've snapped those clamps by cranking them too hard. But I'm also 6'2" and 250 lbs. So I gotta a little bit of weight to apply to it.

If you look in JC Whitney, or even Jeg's or Summit (not sure on those two) you will find a clamp that has a full 360* seal. They incorperated the clamping piece with one narrow strip instead of the two running along next to each other like ordinary ones. This blends better with the 'ring' portion to obtain a better seal.

Good luck,
AJ

OH. BTW, I know for sure that Dynomax (& others I'm sure) make stainless steel band clamps. They're just that, a steel band about 2-3" long that fully wrap around the pipe. They work real well, but cost $$$. By the time you spend the $$$, you could have it welded. But these offer the ability to remove the exhaust to drop the trans, gas tank, etc.

 

When I put a straight pipe in where the cat was and used U shaped clamps it leaked out the sides a bit. I took it apart again and applied some sort of generic muffler sealer and it worked fine with the same clamps until I replaced the whole exhaust system many years later.

 

I would say try a band clamp, too. They're like $8 bucks (I got one that was meant for desiel exhaust... oh well), but they work really well, esp. if you're going from 2.25" to 3" and you have 3 reducers. Arg.