850GLT Exhaust Failure (URGENT)

DBrim · Post by **DBrim** » 12 Aug 2011, 12:03

Hello all,

I have an 850 GLT with 174k miles on it. A couple of weeks ago I got a check engine light with the code for a slow to respond O2 sensor, but since I am short on cash (soon to be shorter) and my gas mileage was fine, I ignored it.

On my way home last night, I hit a bump, and immediately something started to drag. I pulled over, and my exhaust pipe right before the catalytic converter had broken, and the pipe was dragging at an angle on the ground (with the converter also at an angle). I'll grab a photo and post it when I get home from work.

I got it towed home, and now I am doing research on fixing it. This is beyond my capabilities, obviously, so it's going to need to be done somewhere. I called up the Midas near my workplace (which has a good reputation among my coworkers and the internet at large). When I asked for a worst-case quote, he said that if he had to replace the muffler, it would cost $781 with labor. However, if he had to replace the Cat, it would be $800-$1100 without labor. I am assuming he meant the entire pipe assembly. He did say that if he could splice in a section, rather than replacing the whole assembly, it would be significantly cheaper.

So, is he ripping me off? Should I try another store? This location is about 12 miles away from where the car is, so I'd need to do something creative to be able to drive there.

DBrim · Post by **DBrim** » 12 Aug 2011, 13:45

It seems like the best option is to have Midas do a temporary patch until I can figure out which aftermarket Cat I can get, if that is the problem. Which ones would work with my car?

Post by **Ozark Lee** » 12 Aug 2011, 15:32

Chances are the flex joint broke and that is part of the exhaust manifold. There are some aftermarket flex joints that a good muffler shop can weld in but I cannot speak of their quality over the long haul. My son had one break on his '96 N/A and I bought a replacement header from OBX Racing. My son's car has EGR and the bung for the EGR on the OBX part was at a different distance and angle that it was on the OEM manifold which made it a bit of a PITA - we had to remove the EGR line and then bend it around a beam support post in the garage until it would line up on both ends.

Otherwise the quality of the OBX manifold was excellent and it was priced very right. It was actually cheaper by half than the cheap Chinese imports on eBay. OBX doesn't list much stuff for Volvos on their website but they do make it. It may take a phone call but it is an 800 number.

...Lee

DBrim · Post by **DBrim** » 15 Aug 2011, 07:24

I had the thing towed to a Midas on Saturday morning, and he replaced the CAT and all pipes from the engine and to the muffler for $750 (aftermarket CAT). He cleared the code. On the way home from the shop, I noticed some "burning" smell and a little bit of white smoke coming from where the front of the new pipes/CAT. I figured it was just dirt on the CAT burning off or the CAT burning in or something innocuous. I continued to drive it, because I was moving last weekend and needed the car for that. On the plus side, the car is now the quietest it's ever been, so it must have been leaking there since I bought it over a year ago

This morning, on my way into work, after 40-50 miles of driving on the new exhaust system, the Check Engine is back on. I haven't checked the code yet, but I assume it is the same as last time, which was slow rear O2 sensor response. Is it possible that the leak/failure killed the sensor back there? Or should I take it back to Midas and ask it to fix them?

This car is slowly makng me broke... over $1700 into it so far this year...

D_V_ENT850R · Post by **D_V_ENT850R** » 15 Aug 2011, 16:50

If it coded for slow response it just means the sensor is going bad! Not necessarily the leak made it go bad! Most likely just a bad sensor! Replacing it shouldn't be hard they just had it out! Replace it your self save some $$$

DBrim · Post by **DBrim** » 16 Aug 2011, 18:58

So I had the codes read today. Yes, there are two... Before the failure there was one. P0133 and P0140. Should I disconnect the battery for awhile? Else, what could this be?

DBrim · Post by **DBrim** » 18 Aug 2011, 12:08

Anybody?

I've seen that these codes may be due to hose leaks. I've heard descriptions of a particular elbow joint in particular, but I cannot form a mental picture of where it is. Can anybody help me out with a picture?

If I do end up replacing the Oxygen sensors, I've seen that people here seem to say that OEM is the way to go. Is this still the case with an aftermarket catalytic convertor? What are good places to look aside from FCP? I'm hoping that I can find something that's a bit less than $230 total...

Post by **taxi** » 18 Aug 2011, 17:32

On the right side of your intake manifold, very close to the power steering pump, you may have a small vacuum line that runs under the manifold towards the flametrap.
Its hard to see and get to, and some engines have this line and some dont, maybe somebody else here can tell you if you have it, good luck!

D_V_ENT850R · Post by **D_V_ENT850R** » 03 Sep 2011, 11:05

My R has that vacuum line! I keep blowing it off! Gotta fix it! I think it's from overboost! But it should be there!