Front Downpipe & Cat

[Dave76]

Hi, can anyone help with some info?

1. I have a hole on the exhaust pipe which comes down from the engine to the cat, is that whats called a 'downpipe' when I am looking for the part?

2. I am woried that if I buy an independart part it might not fit my specific car, so with things such as exhausts is that a danger?

3. Just because its the front pipe does athat automaticaly mean I need a cat as well?

4. I found this site below does anyone know if they are ok, mainly worried about fitting is behind that question.

http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/Products.aspx?CategoryID=114063

Thanks

[SteveLS400]

Hi, can anyone help with some info?

1. I have a hole on the exhaust pipe which comes down from the engine to the cat, is that whats called a 'downpipe' when I am looking for the part?

2. I am woried that if I buy an independart part it might not fit my specific car, so with things such as exhausts is that a danger?

3. Just because its the front pipe does athat automaticaly mean I need a cat as well?

4. I found this site below does anyone know if they are ok, mainly worried about fitting is behind that question.

http://www.onlineautomotive.co.uk/Products.aspx?CategoryID=114063

Thanks

Yes that would be the downpipe. If you haven't already done so, please spend some time using the search facility. Much has been discussed about exhausts.

There are no "pattern" parts but I have contributed to a thread or 2 to resolve this problem.

Are you absolutely sure its the pipe itself? Its more likely to be the flanges, which as you will see from the searches, do fail after time/mileage. If you haven't yet made this determination, please do so as the cost will be comparably negligeable.

The other thing to check before having £000's worth of exhaust are the EGR pipes. Located behind the engine and not visible from under the bonnet, the failure of these can be confused with a blown downpipe.

Flanges or EGR, no new CAT.

Cannot comment on the firm you have sourced as I have not heard of them before.

[Dave76]

Are you absolutely sure its the pipe itself? Its more likely to be the flanges

No I just listened and it sounded like that area

The other thing to check before having £000's worth of exhaust are the EGR pipes. Located behind the engine and not visible from under the bonnet, the failure of these can be confused with a blown downpip

Now, it was that comment which REALLY rang bells, I listened from under the bonnet and right back to where the engine ends and cab begins and that seemed to be the area where the noise was really coming from – if that is it does that mean it’s a big job? I mean does the engine have to come out? Its not worth spending to much on this car

What are EGR pipes, are they just a rubber hose for somerhing? bet that sounds naive, I am to this sort of thing.

Thanks for your reply

[simontaylor]

EGR pipes can be replaced while the engine is in situ.

How easy/hard, depends on the year of your car.

They are steel pipes, and some have a small concertina section to try and absorb expansion/contraction, but they still crack/fracture in time..... like after 10 years.

On a MK-iii, they are about £60 each, 2 of them, plus gaskets and it took me about 5 hours to just do 1 of them, but I would hope to be a bit quicker next time.

[Dave76]

EGR pipes can be replaced while the engine is in situ.

How easy/hard, depends on the year of your car.

They are steel pipes, and some have a small concertina section to try and absorb expansion/contraction, but they still crack/fracture in time..... like after 10 years.

On a MK-iii, they are about £60 each, 2 of them, plus gaskets and it took me about 5 hours to just do 1 of them, but I would hope to be a bit quicker next time

Thanks, if it took that long could be a long mechanics job by the sound of it,its a 1996 but certainly the noise does seem to be coming from that area.Its not worth spending much on this car but also a one way final trip seems a bit premature. whats the likely outcome if I simply left them and put up with the noise? what do they actually do? thanks

[Malc]

Have I read on this Forum in the past that the Celsior doesn't have EGR pipe(s) ?

Is there an option of doing something with it when it " pops " other than simply replacing like with like or normal repair.

Like just blanking it off somewhere ?

Thanks.

Malc

[SteveLS400]

Have I read on this Forum in the past that the Celsior doesn't have EGR pipe(s) ?

Is there an option of doing something with it when it " pops " other than simply replacing like with like or normal repair.

Like just blanking it off somewhere ?

Thanks.

Malc

This link has a link within it that should help http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=69538&st=0&p=735191&hl=+egr%20+pipe&fromsearch=1entry735191

[Malc]

Have I read on this Forum in the past that the Celsior doesn't have EGR pipe(s) ?

Is there an option of doing something with it when it " pops " other than simply replacing like with like or normal repair.

Like just blanking it off somewhere ?

Thanks.

Malc

This link has a link within it that should help http://www.lexusownersclub.co.uk/forum/index.php?showtopic=69538&st=0&p=735191&hl=+egr%20+pipe&fromsearch=1entry735191

Thanks, I've followed the thread and can't decide if blanking it off is an option ?

Malc

[Dave76]

Thanks for these replies. I checked again the noise certainly does seem to come from that area/ If blancking off is uncertain then apart from unwanted noise is there likely to be anymore adverse effects? also anyone know where this stands with the MOT test? any help appreciated,

Going from whats written so far all this seems to amount to is I get some unwanted noise and nothing much else to bother about except can I live with it or not, am I right in that thinking? thanks

[SteveLS400]

Thanks for these replies. I checked again the noise certainly does seem to come from that area/ If blancking off is uncertain then apart from unwanted noise is there likely to be anymore adverse effects? also anyone know where this stands with the MOT test? any help appreciated,

Going from whats written so far all this seems to amount to is I get some unwanted noise and nothing much else to bother about except can I live with it or not, am I right in that thinking? thanks

As you will have seen from the links I have provided, I would not remove the EGR pipes; I would clean and or replace them having checked engine mounts 1st.

The reason I say this is because I have not as yet seen anything definitive relative to this car. I do know that removing them on some other makes can have consequences because the EGR valve is controlled by the engine ECU. So for example at idle or full throttle the EGR valve would not be required but would be between these extremes. At the same time as calling for the operation of the EGR, the ECU sets the timing advance and mixture expecting the EGR to be operating. This could lead to hot and/or rough running and resultant fault codes.

The imported vehicles that have no EGR will also have a different ECU. Logic would say that in blanking off the EGR, any issues could be avoided with the fitting of one of these ECU's. As I've said, I do not know of anyone that has taken this action on this car/engine and thus recommending this is beyond my confidence.

As to whether living with the current condition is an option, I suspect it will be down to how intrusive the noise becomes and whether this has a bearing on an MOT.

[Dave76]

OK Steve & everyone else, its been very helpfull, thanks