Need some advice on exhaust
 

I just got back from the muffler shop and its not going to be cheap if I decide to go that route. My exhaust manifold is cracked in two places and I need the exhaust replaced from the cat back. They quoted me 500 and change for the parts and the labor. I thought this was really high considering its just a four cylinder truck. Do you think I should go this route or try something else. I thought about just ordering a good quality header from someplace and then just having a muffler put on. Would it run like this? I dont think it would be a problem because I don't have an O2 sensor near the cat. If I went this route I could probably get the header for around 200bucks(?) and then have the tubing made to accept the muffler and run about halfway down the truck. It might be louder than stock but I guarentee not as loud as it is now. If anybody has a similiar issue lets hear it. I don't want to spend this kind of money on exhaust. I wanted to spend a good chuck of change on some tires.

if you wanna wait for it.. buy a header.. and just replace from there back. If you can get ahold of a welder.. use it! if not clamps will work.. but they look ghetto.... i did from my O2 sensor back in 2" pipe and even put a turboflow muffler on and it cost me $30

$500 I'm guessing his mortgage is late. My local shop quoted me $250 from the catback 2.25 pipe with a magnaflow. This was after I bought a LC Engineering exhaust.

Buy a LCE header and it will bolt up to your cat. when money is right run 2.25" from cat back. 500.00. that is crazy high. i think the LCE header is 350.00.

You can get a Thorley header from summitracing for about $290, that's what I have with good results, no leaking. Check the the classifieds, i've seen an LCE header go for $150 a while back.

You can get a new manifold for cheap on ebay.

Having a shop do the cat back and exhaust manifold would certainly be inline with $500.

Well if I go with the header would it run right with just the muffler on it. I only ask because the muffler is cheap. The cat is what cost so much. I did find some OEM replacement manifolds. I found them for 90bucks w/gaskets.

a header and muffler would run OK. with no cat, I'd suggest not getting a glasspack.
I'm running my truck with a glasspack and no cat at the moment and it is very loud.

You could have the cracked manifold welded with iron rod. If done properly, it should be fine. Headers on the 22 RE don't seem to be much of an improvement. The 2.25 pipes seem to be the real improvement. I agree with the other comments about the price you were quoted being excessvie.

I think I know what I'm going to do. Soon as it warms up I'm going to get the new manifold ordered and replace the exhaust from the muffler back myself. I want to save some money so I can buy tires.

Kyle - Read engnbldr.com for the best data on improving exhaust systems. Ted is not a fan of the 22r header. The stock Toyota manifold flows pretty well. You may want to save yourself the price of a header and just increase pipe size.

So it's not all that necessary to have 2.25in from the header to the cat? It's more beneficial having the increased size from the cat back?

I plan on just ordering the exhaust manifold not the header. I will then get a quality muffler and replace from there on back.

If I remember, a little back pressure is desirable with the 22R. This is the reason for the smaller pipe, manifold to cat. IMAO, Ted knows exhaust, study him and believe.

Is the manifold indeed cracked? My 94 22re when I had it cracked the pipe at the Y. I took it off myself (get the proper 6 point sockets) and had it welded up. Then reinstalled it. The actual exhaust manifold later began leaking from the gasket and mateing surface at the head. I had to pull it, found bolt holes stripped in the head, helecoiled a few of them where the leaking was, got a new gasket, sprayed it with copper gasket coat, reinstalled. All was good. I did notice a place on the surface of the manifold that looked like a crack, but it never gave evidence that it was a true leak.