Replacing Vanagon Exhaust System

An Exhausting Decision:

Replacing your Exhaust System:

If you have had your Vanagon for any length of time you have probably come up against a problem with your exhaust system. Sometimes you have a minor leak that can be repaired with just a new gasket and some new bolts. However eventually everything wears out and it seems like spring is the time most folks choose to address that cranky exhaust system that you have been living with all winter.

One of the keys to doing a successful exhaust system replacment is to be able to do an evaulation of the system. Do you need a completely new system or just one pipe? What is the condition of your Catalytic Convertor and does that need to be replaced as well? Most of these questions can be answered very simply by doing a simple visual inspection. Put the rear of the van up in the air on a pair of ramps or jack stands. Now start the van and try to find the leaks by feeling around all of the pipe connections with your bare hands. Be careful not to touch the pipes as they are extremely hot. A place where pipes like to fail is right as the heads. They get thin at the area where the flange is welded to the pipe and will crack right here. Look at the condition of your flanges where they meet together to the driver's side of the engine. If the flanges are getting thin I would count on replacing the whole exhaust system since these flanges are critical to getting the system to hold together once you have replaced a pipe or two. Thin flanges will mean even thinner pipes and they are probably either cracked right now or will crack soon after replacing the bad pipe. Next visually inspect the catalytic convertor. Again the flanges are key. If you see them getting thin then the cat will need to be replaced. It doesn't really matter if the interior of the cat is fine, if the flanges are thin it will soon fail after you put things back together. The good news is that junk catalytic convertors can be worth as much as $60 at a junkyard so you can actually recoup some of the cost of the new cat that way. If the flanges look good you will still want to look at the interior of the cat at some point. You should be able to look through the catalytic convertor and see light through it. There should be no broken spots or black "berries" in the honeycomb. If there are the cat is bad. A brand new cat can be killed if you overfill the engine with oil so be very careful with your oil levels. I like to keep mine about half a quart lower than the top mark on the dipstick to avoid any problems. If your oil level is in the middle of the marks you should be fine.

Next inspect your muffler. The muffler should not look overly rusty. They like to fail at the place where the muffler meets the flange pipe that is welded to it that goes to the cat. They can also rust at the muffler seam and split in half. If it looks realy rusty at the seam it should be replaced because they rust from the inside out so the rust on the inside is way worse than what you are seeing.

Finally inspect your muffler carriers and straps. If the carriers are rusted out these can be expensive to replace. I sell new carriers for 2wd Vanagons for $58 each and the syncro version is $108 each. You will need two. Also the straps that go across the top are $20. Replacing these can add a significant amount to the cost of replacing your system so you should evaluate their condition before you contact us to order your system.

We have two systems that we sell. One is called the OE system. This system is exactly like the original exhaust system that VW put on the Vanagon at the factory and is made in Europe. It uses the same pipes and muffler support system that we have previously spoken about. We sell the OE system for the 1.9l system for $425, and for the 2wd 2.1l Vanagon the price is $625. For the Syncro the system is $675. These prices do not include the catalytic convertor which would be $149 additional, nor does it include the muffler carriers or straps. The prices do include all of the pipes, gaskets, muffler and tail pipe.

We also sell the very popular S&S Exhaust system. This system is made here in the USA by a family owned business in Arizona. The system is $349 no matter what year or drivetrain you have. It includes all of the pipes, gaskets, and muffler with a tail pipe welded to it. Again the catalytic convertor is sold separately. The nice part about this system is that the muffler support system is actually welded to the muffler so there is no need to buy new muffler carriers or straps. This can be a significant saving above and beyond the savings of buying this system. We sell so many of these systems and I have used them on my own personal vans for many years without any real issues. They are a little louder because the muffler is more free flowing. It makes your van sound more like a mild Harley motorcycle but it is not really that much louder than stock. The system is supposed to give you a little power increase by lessening the restriction of the exhaust but I have never tested this claim on a dyno. The reason why most people buy this system is the cost. The quality level is decent and if you properly install it, the system can last five or six years (depending on where you are in the US).

Which is the best system for me? This is a decision that you are going to have to make for yourself. If you need the best quality, go for the stock system. If you want a great price that go with S&S system.

I hope this helps you make your decision. If you have any other questions please feel free to give me a call or email. You can order these parts through our webstore or just give me a call on the phone. We look forward to helping you!

Thanks,

Ken Wilford

www.vanagain.com

John 3:16

__Volume 22\| May 13th, 2008 _____ About VanAgain \| VW Accessories \| Vans for Sale \| The Community
An Exhausting Decision: An Exhausting Decision: Replacing your Exhaust System: If you have had your Vanagon for any length of time you have probably come up against a problem with your exhaust system. Sometimes you have a minor leak that can be repaired with just a new gasket and some new bolts. However eventually everything wears out and it seems like spring is the time most folks choose to address that cranky exhaust system that you have been living with all winter. One of the keys to doing a successful exhaust system replacment is to be able to do an evaulation of the system. Do you need a completely new system or just one pipe? What is the condition of your Catalytic Convertor and does that need to be replaced as well? Most of these questions can be answered very simply by doing a simple visual inspection. Put the rear of the van up in the air on a pair of ramps or jack stands. Now start the van and try to find the leaks by feeling around all of the pipe connections with your bare hands. Be careful not to touch the pipes as they are extremely hot. A place where pipes like to fail is right as the heads. They get thin at the area where the flange is welded to the pipe and will crack right here. Look at the condition of your flanges where they meet together to the driver's side of the engine. If the flanges are getting thin I would count on replacing the whole exhaust system since these flanges are critical to getting the system to hold together once you have replaced a pipe or two. Thin flanges will mean even thinner pipes and they are probably either cracked right now or will crack soon after replacing the bad pipe. Next visually inspect the catalytic convertor. Again the flanges are key. If you see them getting thin then the cat will need to be replaced. It doesn't really matter if the interior of the cat is fine, if the flanges are thin it will soon fail after you put things back together. The good news is that junk catalytic convertors can be worth as much as $60 at a junkyard so you can actually recoup some of the cost of the new cat that way. If the flanges look good you will still want to look at the interior of the cat at some point. You should be able to look through the catalytic convertor and see light through it. There should be no broken spots or black "berries" in the honeycomb. If there are the cat is bad. A brand new cat can be killed if you overfill the engine with oil so be very careful with your oil levels. I like to keep mine about half a quart lower than the top mark on the dipstick to avoid any problems. If your oil level is in the middle of the marks you should be fine. Next inspect your muffler. The muffler should not look overly rusty. They like to fail at the place where the muffler meets the flange pipe that is welded to it that goes to the cat. They can also rust at the muffler seam and split in half. If it looks realy rusty at the seam it should be replaced because they rust from the inside out so the rust on the inside is way worse than what you are seeing. Finally inspect your muffler carriers and straps. If the carriers are rusted out these can be expensive to replace. I sell new carriers for 2wd Vanagons for $58 each and the syncro version is $108 each. You will need two. Also the straps that go across the top are $20. Replacing these can add a significant amount to the cost of replacing your system so you should evaluate their condition before you contact us to order your system. We have two systems that we sell. One is called the OE system. This system is exactly like the original exhaust system that VW put on the Vanagon at the factory and is made in Europe. It uses the same pipes and muffler support system that we have previously spoken about. We sell the OE system for the 1.9l system for $425, and for the 2wd 2.1l Vanagon the price is $625. For the Syncro the system is $675. These prices do not include the catalytic convertor which would be $149 additional, nor does it include the muffler carriers or straps. The prices do include all of the pipes, gaskets, muffler and tail pipe. We also sell the very popular S&S Exhaust system. This system is made here in the USA by a family owned business in Arizona. The system is $349 no matter what year or drivetrain you have. It includes all of the pipes, gaskets, and muffler with a tail pipe welded to it. Again the catalytic convertor is sold separately. The nice part about this system is that the muffler support system is actually welded to the muffler so there is no need to buy new muffler carriers or straps. This can be a significant saving above and beyond the savings of buying this system. We sell so many of these systems and I have used them on my own personal vans for many years without any real issues. They are a little louder because the muffler is more free flowing. It makes your van sound more like a mild Harley motorcycle but it is not really that much louder than stock. The system is supposed to give you a little power increase by lessening the restriction of the exhaust but I have never tested this claim on a dyno. The reason why most people buy this system is the cost. The quality level is decent and if you properly install it, the system can last five or six years (depending on where you are in the US). Which is the best system for me? This is a decision that you are going to have to make for yourself. If you need the best quality, go for the stock system. If you want a great price that go with S&S system. I hope this helps you make your decision. If you have any other questions please feel free to give me a call or email. You can order these parts through our webstore or just give me a call on the phone. We look forward to helping you! Thanks, Ken Wilford www.vanagain.com Copyright 2008 John 3:16
2001 Lakeshore Dr., Millville, NJ, 08332 phone 856.327.4936 fax 856.506.0087 E-mail: sales@vanagain.com