Hello, I just picked up a 2000 Dakota with 200,000 miles on it. It is in good shape except the steel part of the front bumper is more rust than reality and it has a terrible exhaust leak.

Turns out the exhaust leak is caused by a rusted out flange on the crossover pipe. I was told by my mechanic that I would need a new $500 crossover pipe. It seems like there must be another option...

 

go to a shop that does custom exhaust they'll be able to do it a lot cheaper for you

 

Get a flange repair clamp at most auto parts stores. It's basicly a 2 part clamp that goes around the pipe and bolts thru the existing boltholes on the header pipe. Around 10 bucks a clamp. About an hour to install.
If you do one side, your probably ready on the other, so buy 2 and do both.

 

Do you know off hand what size i should pick up? The truck is still at the shop.

 

x-pipe FTW! or h-pipe i guess....

 

talk to a good shop and they can give you a hand with deciding and actually putting in the new pipe for ya

 

Your talking about the upper end of the y pipe???It's like 2 or 2.5 inches at the pipe. Guy at the parts store can help you out, theres a little leeway in the sizes. Advance Auto Parts carries them for like 12 bucks, I bought the one for the other side at a local autosupermart for 4. Walker makes them. Basicly looks like two c clamps and long bolts.Don't have to remove the pipe. Cheapest fix and permanent DIY solution.

 

I talked to my mechanic and told him about wanting to use a 2 piece flange, he took another look at the pipe and decided that he could cut it , slip on a one piece flange and then weld it back together.

The guy is a buddy of mine and generally does really good work... so I think I will let him do it.


While its with him should I have him change the fluid in the tranny ( 5 speed) and rear differential? I believe the rear diff has never been serviced and the tranny may have been done about 50,000 miles ago when the clutch was rebuilt.

If servicing the rear diff and tranny are easy then I could pick up a manual and do it myself... what do you guys think?

 

It's amazing how many mechanics will fix something the more economical way once the consumer is a little educated. Buddy or not he should know how to deal with this situation other than to remove and replace. That pipe is a whole lot thicker than the rest of the exhaust system and the flanges are the weak link. Very common repair on exhaust systems.
The cut and weld method is standard practice at most working man garages. The Flange clamp I suggested is the DIY method for the backyard mechanic. End result is the same, no leak.

Yes, I'd have him do the fluids if your unsure about the last service interval. 200k is a long way to travel in someone elses care. The piece of mind is worth the cost. Spend some of the $400+ you just saved on the first estimate.

 

Is it hard to change the fluids myself? I am a bit of a shade tree mechanic, I do all of the work on my bike... and the easy stuff on my cars and trucks (brakes, oil, and occasional head gasket on my caviler).