Car repair forums?

[elalan]

Can anyone recommend a noob-friendly auto repair forum. I have managed to tear the exhaust system off my 2001 Dodge pickup and it occurs to me its probably a matter of bolting the right stuff together in the right order. The part that had the O2 sensor on it is gone.

Anyway, I picture taking a picture of it, posting it and then hoards of helpful mechanical types hold my hand as I bolt something to a manifold to a catalytic something and hang it from some place and wrap it all in a colorful muffler.

Thanks in advance for any recommendations.

 

[darkjungle54]

I work in the automotive parts business and do a lot of my own mechanical work. My suggestion would to locate a Haynes Repaid Manual at your local auto parts store. These manuals are very concise and easy to understand with plenty of photos as well! The high-end will run you 24.95 -16.47 (Amazon), so it is still cheaper then paying someone to do it for you! The part# for the book you need is 30041.

http://www.haynes.com/

 

[SSGDPM]

I have been working on vehicles since I was in my early teens (cars, motorcycles, construction equipment) and the one job I won't ever do again is exhaust. It is much easier to just take it into the shop as everything on the exhaust system is usually so rusted that if you don't have access to a torch and air tools it can be a long miserable job. Technically very easy to work on but physically difficult. Most exhaust places are fairly reasonable on labor as they can make quick work of a job that will have you fighting with in the garage for several hours with rusty fastners.

 

[Austin]

I have been working on vehicles since I was in my early teens (cars, motorcycles, construction equipment) and the one job I won't ever do again is exhaust. It is much easier to just take it into the shop as everything on the exhaust system is usually so rusted that if you don't have access to a torch and air tools it can be a long miserable job. Technically very easy to work on but physically difficult. Most exhaust places are fairly reasonable on labor as they can make quick work of a job that will have you fighting with in the garage for several hours with rusty fastners.

Agreed.

 

[Pkrankow]

Price a factory fit exhaust at the parts place. You will need to get the car off the ground and off its suspension to put it in at the back (most likely) A factory fit kit is pretty easy as you cut the old parts out with a reciprocating saw and bolt the new parts in with clamps. If it is not available for reasonable money, go to the shop. Don't think about it further.

Phil

 

[Gruder]

Lots of specific vehicles and makers have forums dedicated to them. See if you can find a Ram-specific forum, etc. Sounds like one heck of a repair! Good luck!

 

[lamontqsanford]

I would opt to have it professionally done, but that is just me.

As an owner of an auto recycling facility I would suggest you go to some local auto recyclers and see if they happen to have any 98-01 Dodge trucks that they have not been dismantled yet. If they will let you look, due to insurance this isn't always a given, take some pictures and then get some price quotes. Most likely the auto recyclers won't sell you the parts because the exhaust system includes the catalytic converter. In most states the converters cannot be sold used due to emission standards. If they will sell you the parts you can expect to pay some good money for the exhaust because of the cat converter.

Is it a diesel or gas?

 

[Walker]

Get a pro to do it. But if you insist on doing it yourself, test fit everything first before you go tightening clamps and such. I did it one time, tightening each clamp as i assembled it......I never did that again. A shop will have all different sizes of pipe, elbows, etc. They can do a better job of pieceing together a nice custom exhaust for your car, where as if you order a kit you're going to have a muffler, tip, a few pipes and that's it. If the piece you are referring to is the catalytic converter that will be sold separately and so will the headers (if you go that route) and those pipes to connect them all. Good Luck

 

[Edcculus]

You could try poking around on the Car Talk forums.

 

[DavyRay]

I have been working on vehicles since I was in my early teens (cars, motorcycles, construction equipment) and the one job I won't ever do again is exhaust. It is much easier to just take it into the shop as everything on the exhaust system is usually so rusted that if you don't have access to a torch and air tools it can be a long miserable job. Technically very easy to work on but physically difficult. Most exhaust places are fairly reasonable on labor as they can make quick work of a job that will have you fighting with in the garage for several hours with rusty fastners.

+1

I am the second person to quote this post. For good reason. I am a dyed-in-the-wool DIY guy. I no longer work on exhaust. I have rebuilt engines, modified suspension systems, and rewired cars. I do not work on exhaust pipes or mufflers at all. There are people who do this for a living, who have the right tools, and know when to weld vs cut vs clamp.

Start someplace else in learning to work on a car. Anyplace else.

 

[Beerman]

My other daily internet forum (besides B&B) is:

garagejournal.com

It's mostly a blue-collar group of guys, from a varitey of backgrounds, who are WAAAYY to into tools, their garages, cars, etc. Kinda like B&B, but more blue collar.

Try over there. I agree with the other that say "leave exhaust work to the pros" but for any other car related questions, you'll get more proper advice there, than anywhere else I've found on the 'net.


Beerman

 

[flatstick96]

+1

I am the second person to quote this post. For good reason. I am a dyed-in-the-wool DIY guy. I no longer work on exhaust. I have rebuilt engines, modified suspension systems, and rewired cars. I do not work on exhaust pipes or mufflers at all. There are people who do this for a living, who have the right tools, and know when to weld vs cut vs clamp.

Start someplace else in learning to work on a car. Anyplace else.

This post is chock full of wisdom - pay it heed.

I can count on one hand the number of times I've taken any of our vehicles to the garage in the last 10 years, but I don't think I'd mess with exhaust again. I replaced the cat on one of my cars one time, and that was a flat-out whipping; I had the cut the old cat out with a reciprocating saw as it was the closest thing I had to the "right tool" (note: It's not the "right tool" at all). Amazing how much more prone to rust exhaust system components are than everything else.

I encourage you to do as much of your own repair work as possible (you CAN save a lot of money, and it IS rewarding), but this is not the best "get your feet wet" project.

As others have mentioned, the best forum you'll find is one specific to your vehicle.