If the pipe broke in two back near the flange, you can expect the rest of it to be shot too. Look for holes, they will likely have black stuff on the outside. Any rusty areas you find, poke at them and see if they give way. Idle the engine and stop up the end of the system (usually the tail pipe, but in your case, the end of the broken pipe) with a rag. This will build pressure in the pipes. Any leaks will make a hissing noise.

 

in my case, the part that hangs onto the car near the front of the pipe was shearing off and therefore a hole appeared. it was obvious with exhaust coming out of that area.

you do not have to do any inspections inside the pipe.

 

I could do that. Is it safe? How long should I run the car for when trying to hear for a hiss?


I don't have a lift or anything like this either.

 

sure it's safe. once the exhaust passes through the catalytic converter, it's much safer. Most of the CO has been removed by the catalytic converter. You can also block up the tail pipe of the muffler momentarily to see if any exhaust comes out of the earlier sections of your exhaust.

just make sure you do this outside and not inside a garage.

 

Thank you.

I actually meant, though, is it safe for the car to have the exhaust plugged up while you run it?

 

Yes it's safe. You only need to do it for a second. If the system is tight, the pressure will build up with no hissing sound and you should let it out.

 

I ended up getting the muffler replaced professionally. The place only wanted around 135 bucks total: muffler + install. Great deal I figured when the muffler alone was gonna run me about $80.

 

that's a great price. the only bad is that most places do not offer a warranty beyond 1 year. if you bought it yourself, it would be warranted for a lifetime.