babyfood1217

Just a primer:

1988 Toyota 4runner - 22re - 5speed - 4wd
Pretty normal all around. Off the top of my head, the only thing out of the ordinary on my truck is the V6 rotor/caliper/MC/booster swap I did this spring.

This truck has been nothing but a pain in my ass, but I can't get rid of it, just can't afford a new vehicle now. Like many of you, I can however plop a few dollars into it here and there and try to make it into something I can really enjoy.

This project is to replace the exhaust. Be forewarned, this might be a slower project as money is a little tight right now. Anyhoo, a hole has been getting bigger and bigger in my muffler for a couple months now. The exhaust (catback muffler/mid and tailpipe from Advance Auto Parts in Wisconsin) was done in summer of 2008, but Wisconsin winters and salt can take a toll on everything, so I wasn't horribly surprised by this rusty/holey debacle.

I didn't want to spring for a big dollar header and full system back, but I do want to open the pipe diameter up a bit (from stock to 2.25".) I realize I could have gone to a muffler shop, picked out a muffler and cat, and had them build around it. I also realized I could have purchased a series of exhaust bends and straight sections that were designed for exhaust use and sat there and fabbed it all up.

Instead, my cheapskate a** went to Oreilly's Auto to pick up a new exhaust (mid and tailpipe with muffler/hanger all welded together), and then I went to Home Depot.

I purchased two 2" - 90˚ bends from the electrical conduit aisle and an 8' section of 2.375" fencing upright gave me a minimum of 16ga (though it measures more like a 14ga -15ga) with heavy galv. coating. I am using the exhaust components from O'reillys to measure and mock up the pieces I will need to complete the exhaust. I will fab all the pipe sections and purchase the muffler and a hi-flow cat from the interweb (summit is likely the source.)

Todays project is from the muffler back (tailpipe). I only used the two 2" - 90˚ bends, and made a total of 4 through cuts, one notch cut, and five welds total. I marked and marked again before cutting, and was mimicking the layout of the purchased exhaust component.

What I bought at O'reillys: midpipe/muffler/tailpipe for an '88 4rnr 22re DLX 4wd bonestock...


Some of what I bought at Home Depot: 2" 90˚ conduit bends...


More from the Depot: 2-3/8" x 8' fencing upright...


After mocking and measuring for a while, I started to cut...


Cut...


I don't have a garage, so doing all of this in my apartment with the torch hanging out the window should get interesting...



After cutting, the effects of the mandrel bending are apparent, so I trued up the opening and deburred...


I only needed to do one notch. True exhaust bends are available with a much tighter bend radius to avoid this hassle, but these are half the price...


Passed the torch out the window and started to tack weld everything into position.


Because I'm welding on galvanized steel, I thought it prudent to throw on my respirator with organic vapor and metal fume cartridges...


Aren't the prettiest as I'm welding through galv., but they are penetrated and solid...


Next to momma pipe...





I won't add or consider the hanger until I get the remainder of the system put together. Off now to return this part to O'reillys and see if they have the down pipe (off the manifold, to the cat) and a bung for the O2 sensor.

BigSwole

From what I hear that downpipe is outright crazy expensive. Better off to just get a header.

sc87yota

...

babyfood1217

Just the downpipe, at OE specs and as available from NAPA, O'reilly's, Advance Auto, etc... is about $100. I just ordered one in order to get rough dimensions so I can fab my own pipe. I also need an old one to frankenstein the 2-1 segment into a larger diameter outlet (I'm running 2.25" from the manifold back.)

You might ask why I'm not going to just use the down pipe that is on my truck? I'm building this exhaust system complete, but without pulling the old off. Using new or used/obtained items to fab and measure around, I won't find myself stuck with an un-exhausted truck when I need to go pick up another section of pipe or an elbow or some hardware. Yes, I know, on the day I finally and able to install this new system, some wierd glitch will pop up that I didn't foresee, but essentially, I'm building a full system (minus the manifold) from the ground up. Gaskets, hardware, hangers, clamps will (hopefully) all be sorted, measured twice (or more) and lined up before install time.

babyfood1217

And while we're at it, does anyone know the thread/dimension of the O2 sensor bung on these exhausts? Looking at the choices at Summit and getting a bit overwhelmed. So many choices, but no info I've found leads to towards a certain size. I didn't see it in the FSM either...

yotarover

with what you prob spent, i could have from the header back replaced for 100 or less.
that includes any bends i want as well

babyfood1217

$9 a piece for the bends, $17 for the 8' of straight, which I'm likely going to return and get a 6' which will still be more than plenty and will cost $4 less...

babyfood1217

and, I am the person doing something, vs. some guy who would care less about it. I'm not able to do all the work I would like to do on this truck, but the little things I can do, I will. It's hard not having a garage and wanting to wrench and fabricate. I can do this, the way that I am, by spending just a dollar here and there, and in the time that I have. Not trying to prove a money saving point or anything. I guess, if anything, I'm just saying/showing that a person can do quite a bit with very little...