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406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 10:30 pm
by omega
my rear silencer has been broke for a couple of weeks now but as its been cold and wet ive left until today.when i took it of it turns out that its the end of the middle section that has broke[the last 2 inches with the olive joint on it]
so instead of a cheap silencer its a expensive middle section at about 100 quid
been told by the exhaust place that they all fail here
anybody else had this happen? any solutions?
i think it happens as the rear box is heavey and only supported by the rear hanger so allows it to flex

Re: 406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Thu Mar 11, 2010 11:42 pm
by HimBigChief
Same has happened on my 2.1TD, just spotted it last weekend as I was swapping back onto the summer wheels. Fortunately, I've got a stainless centre and backboxes to go on waiting in the garden, just need to grab a local guys number to get it fitted.

Re: 406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 8:37 am
by Welly
They go at the hanger position under the back axle here....

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And the joint before the back box here......

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New.....
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Re: 406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 1:25 pm
by lofty
Most of us have "been there, done that and got the T-Shirt" with 406 exhausts!!

The original hdi exhausts seem to last about 6 years from new before they generally all go at once

Re: 406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 1:30 pm
by teamster1975
I had to change the mid and rear section on mine to get it through the mot, speed bumps don't help either for grinding away the middle box (and before anyone says I don't go flying over speedbumps!)
Luckily the cat is fine!!

Re: 406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 2:34 pm
by steve_earwig
I aint got no t-shirt :( My D8's went when we were in Zagreb and I thought, rather than driving it around sounding like a tank, driving it all the way home and then finding someone to get the exhaust from and all that, it'd be easier to use the exhaust repair place that was right next door to the restaurant we were having lunch in. He used generic parts and it was cheap, as far as I can remember. In fact the last exhaust I did was on my old Ashtray, which was bluddy years back :shock: and guess what, it had snapped right in front of the back box.

Re: 406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Fri Mar 12, 2010 9:31 pm
by omega
welly fantastic pics mine went at the backbox as in your pic

just had my new one fitted and i can see why they fail
1... there is no support for the middle section at the front!!,the only thing that keeps it up is the manifold bolts[who designed this!!!]
2.... on my car {98 d8] there is a hanger near the middle box that is not used by the new exhaust or the one i took off[ maybe its for petrol] i thought of welding a hanger on but the garage says if i do that theres no warranty

has anyone done any mods? or is part of joys of 406 ownership?

Re: 406 exhaust common fault?

Posted: Sun Mar 14, 2010 10:23 am
by Doggy
Mine failed its MOT last Jan. for the strap rotted away round the back box - it was the 6 yr old original, so I replaced it with an OE one. This year had to replace the middle pipe cos the hanger had rotted away, this time it got an aftermarket job. Bloody annoying, two bits changed and neither was leaking :evil:

Now I've got a leaky flexi-section :cry: