T4 exhaust centre box replacement options

[CharlesStevenson]

As per the title, when driving my T4 today the exhaust pipe connecting the first box to the centre box broke away and ended up bouncing along the road.

My local garage were able to unscrew the silencer from the flange end over the DSR suspension arm but their quote for a full system was £310 fitted.

I visited my local motor spares shop to see if they had some piping I could use to bridge the gap (nope) and advised that the first and second boxes were sold an all-in-one item - £100 with me to fit.

So, what I'm looking for is either:

1. Someone in the Pboro, Cambs, Lincs, Northants area who would be able cut & fit a pipe to bridge the gap to delete the silencer totally. It's so quiet with one box that I'm sure noise and emissions won't be badly effected by just having two so this seems a good option.

2. A replacement centre box that will fit onto the flange and with perhaps some fettling, join onto the perfectly good pipe that comes off from the front box.

3. Someone who's perhaps has a spare centre box plus piping sitting in their garage (well, I can hope, can't I!?)

If someone's able to help with any of the above, especially #1 then I'm happy to pay in cash, beer tokens, face-masks, whatever, you choose!

I did ask at the spares shop about solid and flexi pipe to bridge the gap but they said that would work out as costly as fitting new boxes???

Thoughts?

Attached are pics where you can see where the 3 bolts on the flange were undone to remove the old part (so at least they aren't rusted) and the other end of the pipe.

It looks like all of the ebay listings show both the front and centre boxes sold as one unit, so I might have to buy both and just fit one and cut or bridge the pipe accordingly - here's one with the two boxes plus a joining piece for under £45 delivered. https://bit.ly/3hTAaKX

Also, if there's anyone in the Pboro / Cambs / Lincs area, has somewhere to work on a car plus stands/ramps and would like a few beer tokens then I'd welcome a second pair of hands as where we live right now isn't really a good place to do work on a car - beer tokens ready & waiting for this!

[canis]

When I had my T4 running, the exhaust was rotten, I'm sure I replaced the entire middle section as a complete unit. Can you not obtain one? That's surely easier than welding up rusty metal, though. Exhausts are horrible things.

Thinking about it, mine is probably still okay and i'm scrapping the car. Bit of a trek for you though.

[CharlesStevenson]

Hi Canis, no, I'm not looking to weld up what's broken - the garage removed the centre box and that's left the flange at the rear and a perfectly good connecting pipe to the front of where the centre box would sit.

Just seeing if someone nearish would be able to make up a connector to delete that box since the other 2 are still ok.

It seems a waste to replace both the missing one and the still good one in front of it at the same time.

[bimmer49]

My center box used to get pummeled on the dirt track. I bought a length (2m?) of 50mm exhaust pipe and a pipe adapter and done away with the center box.

[CharlesStevenson]

Yes, that's what I was thinking of doing, or having someone make up for me.

The end where the rear box connects has a 3 bolt flange - can you buy pipe with that on it or do I need to get it joined somehow?

[canis]

I did fabricate the triangle bit once. In order to get the angle exactly right, I had to have it bolted to it's mating half and offer the pipe to it, on the car. Get enough weld on it to remove it and finish it on the bench. Not easy but it worked out okay.

[CharlesStevenson]

Originally Posted by canis

I did fabricate the triangle bit once. In order to get the angle exactly right, I had to have it bolted to it's mating half and offer the pipe to it, on the car. Get enough weld on it to remove it and finish it on the bench. Not easy but it worked out okay.

Thx for that - so it sounds like I might need to simply go for a replacement centre box since at least that'd come with the flange welded in place.

Might be the easiest quickest option after all.

[CharlesStevenson]

Question: Since 'losing' the middle box I've ended up driving around 190 miles with just the front box and as the silencing is surprisingly good (and a lot quiter than the local Corsa / Lupo/Fiesta brigades systems) I was wondering whether anyone else has simply run a single box with just a run of pipe to the rear of the car?

Don't know how the MOT people would take it but assuming the emissions and noise are low enough, it may well be ok?

Thoughts anyone?

[clarkey1984]

My phase 1 non turbo petrol had the cat and a stainless back box, no centre box or resonator, it was erm, loud...

https://youtu.be/gDsiybEbAjE

[CharlesStevenson]

Originally Posted by clarkey1984

My phase 1 non turbo petrol had the cat and a stainless back box, no centre box or resonator, it was erm, loud...

https://youtu.be/gDsiybEbAjE

That's what I like to hear (no pun intended) - how did the MOT tester(s) respond to the volume?

At the moment my car with just the front box is noticably quieter than a couple of the local 1.0 'supercars' that reside in this area.