Exhaust pros wanted !

[callmeal]

Hey Pathfinder exhaust pros (I hope that you're out there/ on here)!

I recently bought a 2003 Pathfinder. Has almost 130,000 mi. on it and needs some major exhaust work. It was throwing the code suggestive of bad cat(s) so I brought her in for some diagnostics and the shop did extensive testing and told me it would be $3000 for the two cats and many other replacement exhaust parts besides (holes/ leaks). OUCH!

So I bought somebody else's problem. Sucks for me, I know. Rather than break the bank, I wanted to know what others with similar exhaust problems have done. I'm moderately mechanically inclined but I'll 'fess up to my total lack of experience with exhaust repairs.

Going on PartsTrain, for instance, I found a whole lot of exhaust pieces supposedly for an '03. But I don't know which ones would actually even fit... too many options.

Thanks guys

[Towncivilian]

Which codes are currently present?

Sorry, I don't know too much about aftermarket exhaust components.

Welcome to NICO.

[miamiheat3332]

You can get replacement cats real cheap online, and then take them to a shop to get installed/welded in.

Another route you can go, is have the old cats cut out, and just have pipes welded in with bungs tapped for the rear o2 sensors, then what you do is get a spacer for the o2 sensor, and you have a more free flowing exhaust, and it will pass all emissions also with no check engine lights, the only time it will not pass emissions is if they hook up something to your tailpipe but around where i live that doesn't happen. Or you can always take it to someone who will "slap" on a sticker.

Edit: Also saw you have other exhaust leaks, so your options are as follows,

1. Take it to the shop for new cats and exhaust fixes and pay an astronomical price

2. Order cats online and a replacement factory cat-back exhaust and get it installed somewhere

3. Order cats online and get a custom cat-back exhaust ( may actually be cheaper then getting a factory styled one )

4. Dont order cats, take it somewhere for a custom exhaust, have them do straight pipes in place of the cats with rear 02 sensor bungs and throw on spacers for them.

#4 is probably your cheapest option if you want sweet exhaust and more power.

#3 is probably your next best bet if your one of those people who want to keep it "legal" lol.

For the $3000 quoted price is outrageous, you can do a custom exhaust and new cats from the internet for less then half of that price.

[Slumpert]

Pipes are different for 2wd vs 4wd due to extrastuff under there.

Parts on ebay approx 2X manifolds ($100 each) 2x Cats ( $250 each) Complete cat back exhaust $250 (item4852e90c6e&vxp=mtr)

Not sure the cat back system has the two resonator pipes ($100 each) but even still that would be under $1200 in parts for complete engine back replacment..

[3VQowner]

List the code you got

[K03sport]

go to rockauto.com and look there. I got the middle and rear exhaust sections for our '04.

However, do not get the Bosal pieces. I went the cheap route and got crappy welds, beat up muffler bodies and slightly warped flanges. Rockauto offered to exchange the pieces, but this was after I got them on the truck and I wasn't going to go through the pain of taking them back off, shipping them back, waiting for new parts and then putting the new ones on (again).

If in the process of removing the mid and rear sections, the OE bolts are M10 w/ flange nuts.

Also, O2 sensors are cheaper to replace than cats, so go that route first, If the codes come back after being cleared, then do the cats. But try new sensors first.

[callmeal]

Which codes are currently present?

Sorry, I don't know too much about aftermarket exhaust components.

Welcome to NICO.

Thanks for the welcome. Thanks for being here!

Here's an update:

(It's a 4WD)
Took it to The Wonderful Muffler Man and he replaced both cracked resonators, fixed a broken hanger and patched a hole further downstream all for under $200. So I got LUCKY that I found that guy! But I think I'll still need to do the cats as he really did nothing to address the SES light. Still, all that was a big, big part of the battle.

Since a couple of you asked for the code (not in front of me right now, I'll edit later if needed) I think it was P0420. That was a scan at Auto Zone and the guy said that it suggested need for a new cat. That's when I took it to the supposedly reasonable corner auto shop where they did tests and said both cats were under spec and there were leaks and gave me the $3000 quote.

So, in a nutshell, I think I'm gonna finish the repair (myself) and get the cats from RockAuto or similar.

Thanks for all the help