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The complete exhaust from the cat back for my 95cse came yesterday. The package includes the flex pipe with the braided steel fabric, the resonator (center muffler), and the rear muffler. The package of stainless M8x55mm long bolts, nut and washers I bought from bolt depot also arrived. So I put the exhaust in. The existing exhaust is straight through without the resonator. The rear muffler is kind of flimsy and there is a crack at the front face of the muffler where the pipe goes in. The whole thing was one piece from the cat back. It could probably last a couple of months but I didn't like the sound of it.
The sections of the new Starla/Walker exhaust are joined by flanged connections. One side has a loose flange. The mating flange is fixed on the pipe. The two bolts are locked on the loose flange. The locking mechnism is provided by serrations on the bolt shank near the bolt head and same on the holes.
Having bought only one new car my entire adult life, and also being one who likes to do everything himself, it has been my habit to replace the bolts and nuts on the exhaust with stainless steel ones whenever I get to work on them. So this one is no exception. I placed each section on a vise and knocked the locked bolts right off with a hammer. With my son's help we installed it in 30 minutes.
So what is my problem?
I am beginning to question if I am going about it the hard way, the way I usually do with many things in life. I know the factory exhaust lasts anywhere from 7 to 10, 11 years. My two 95 5 series has the original exhaust. I also know a replacement exhaust lasts 3 to 5 years based on past experience. Now I have this aging fleet averaging 12 years of age. How much longer am I keeping the car? Five years down the road it probably will go to the junk pile. Either that or some other slob will pick it up for pennies. Should I be spending my time worrying about the rusting bolts on the exhaust?
PS. You know what kind of life I have on a Friday 6:40 in the afternoon with nothing better to do than sitting in front of the computer writing gibberish. Fact of the matter is I am waiting for a problem on a simulation software to complete diagnosis so I can package the session to tech support to solve my problem.
posted by 12.31.1...
, Fri, 21 Jul 2006 18:31:29
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