Wondering if anybody can give me advice on this problem with my 1997
RAV4.

The exhaust is leaking from a joint in the pipe just after the
J-downpipe, adjacent to the oil pan. It is producing some loud noises
too.

The leak is right at the circumference of a weird looking circular
coupling. There appears to be 2 knobby looking bolts on either side.

Can this be fixed by tightening the bolts or applying some fix-up
muffler cement or tape?? I read that this joint is Toyota's way of
connecting exhaust pipes.

I read about this common problem with Corollas. I dont want to take it
to a shop to get it welded so it just comes off in another year. Plus
they rip me off. I wanna do it myself.

thanks for any advice

Larry

<lpdcunha (AT) engmail (DOT) uwaterloo.ca> wrote

the exhaust pipe to flex because the engine will normally rock side-to-side.
Since the engine is mounted sideways in the engine compartment, the rocking
motion becomes fore-aft. Without some means to allow the exhaust pipe to
flex, the exhaust would soon break. The two most common methods of allowing
the pipe to flex are a flexible section of pipe - the outer cover looks like
a woven basket, or a joint that allows flexing. The joint is kind of like a
ball and socket assembly, and the knobby-looking bolts on either side of the
joint have springs outside of the bolt to keep pressure on the joint.

If the exhaust leak is from the ball and socket part of the joint, there is
no easy way to repair it other than replacing it. You can try tightening
the bolts but they are probably pretty rusted and will not turn. If the
leak is somewhere besides the ball-and-socket, you can try products made to
repair exhaust leaks, sold at auto parts stores.

FYI, Toyota dealers in the U.S. and Canada offer a lifetime warranty on
Genuine Toyota exhausts installed at Toyota dealers. It may be worth a
visit to the dealer.
--
Ray O
correct the return address punctuation to reply

lpdcunha (AT) engmail (DOT) uwaterloo.ca wrote:
Sometimes these joints will leak because the springs on the knobby looking
bolts become a little weak due to heat/cool cycles. If you spray the threads
several time with a penetrating oil, I like PB Blaster, take the joint apart
enough to clean any rust or other debris out of it, coat it with dry-slide
or some type of lube with graphite base to it, and reassemble you can solve
the leak. Don't tighten the bolts until the springs are completely
compressed or the joint won't flex like it's designed to. You might want to
replace the springs while apart as well.
HTH, davidj92

Thanks for both of you who replied. I appreciate this valuable advice.

I finally understand how this joint works. I dont think I can mess
with the knobby looking bolts. I called them knobby because they are
acutally capped with some metal covers that are welded on. I cant
really tighten anything or see any threads. The leak is indeed coming
from the seam gap of this weird pivot joint.

In RAV4world.com I got advice to go ahead and replace the whole front
pipe to fix this.

I have some other ideas. The cheap way is to apply some muffler tape or
wrapping to this area to block the leak.

Another way is to cut off that section of the pipe, removing the entire
pivot joint. Then replace it with some off the shelf flex pipe with
U-clamps.

Larry

lpdcunha (AT) engmail (DOT) uwaterloo.ca wrote:
I'd say the experience in the RAV4 world would make pretty good advice and
go with that. Only other thought I had was cant he knobby things be removed
and bolts installed?
davidj92