Rusted bracket connecting the exhaust at rear of catalytic converter..
https://www.dropbox.com/s/rcbqbujd99...2010.54.46.jpg

There is a flex joint repair kit from NAPA..
NAPA AUTO PARTS

How do I go about fixing this? Is there going to be welding involved?..
Are there any other options?

 

I don't understand why some vehicles have a flex pipe. I have only had one vehicle with a flex pipe, the '92 Aerostar, and it was replaced about 3 years ago and the replacement rotted out, so I just put in a piece of pipe. Maybe it is not needed, maybe it is.

 

The flex is designed to that exhaust vibrations and engine movement are not transferred. It is a necessary part of the factory would not have spent the extra time and money to install it. Paul, I would take your van back to the shop and get a proper flex put back on. Without that flex, the exhaust manifolds will break. Not only will that create a loud ticking noise, but its a safety hazard, ever heard of carbon monoxide? Exhaust leaks up by the motor can leak toxic fumes inside the cab. The flex is there to allow the exhaust system and the motor and the frame to all move independently without transferring stress or motion to each other.

Yes that Napa one will work, and yes it will need to be welded in place. You need to get one that matches your factory pipe size.

 

i think there is another flex joint up in the head pipe. does it really need two?
my after cat one rotted so i got a small piece of pipe welded into the area. working ok sofar.

 

The NAPA picture looks like a flex joint kit. What you have looks more like two flanges with a gasket in-between.

 

Again, if it wasn't need, the factory would not have put one there.

The Napa unit is two flanges with a gasket in-between as a kit.

 

if it's working with one flex joint then might be 2 is unnecessary.
time will tell i guess. i'm not worried about it. if the manifold was going to break it would have before now.

 

Maybe I should have said two flat flanges as opposed to a ball and socket.The NAPA picture looks like a ball and socket with springs to keep tension on the joint. If there is already a flex joint further upstream will a second one cause too much movement? I think it would. A straight section of pipe with clamps might be a better alternative.

 

Why is it needed? If it is a transverse engine front drive, then I could see a problem with the engine twisting against the length of the piping, but with a longitudinal mounted engine the torsion should be handled by the hangers. When a flex pipe is included on a longitudinal mounted engine, is it instead for control of noise, vibration, and harshness? Or is it because of a convoluted pipe routing path? Or maybe because the manifolds are weak or too long as in a V10?

 

Think about it, regardless of how the engine is mounted, it still twists and pulls against its mounts. Regardless of the fact that hangers allow some movement, thing about the strains. Without a flex its like extending out an 8 foot breaker bar off your exhaust manifolds. Then add that the engine wants to twist, and the muffler and tailpipe are mounted such that they specifically resist twisting, you need something that can relieve that tension. And yes, the manifolds are very weak when you put then in a tight engine compartment with minimal airflow, heat them to full operating temperature, and then take away the only stress relief in the system.

Then add the fact that you have a muffler, which has mass and weight. As you go down the road and it wants to bounce it puts stress against the exhaust system.

On my mom's '92 Aerostar (RIP) both exhaust manifolds were cracked and broken before we learned that the previous owner had eliminated the flex. None of the other 3 Aerostars I've owned ever had a broken exhaust manifold, and yet that van broke both of them. Anyone else see a connection? On an Aerostar, yes that flex is very needed.

On a Ranger, I can't personally say whether it puts more strain on the manifold. What I can tell you is you have the same engines that the Aerostars do, and it is mounted the same way, so the exhaust would be subjected to similar stresses. You also want to keep some sort of flange there (I've seen it eliminated many times by cheap shops and installers who didn't want to do it right) because it allows you to disconnect components. Now why would you ever want to do that? Well someday you might need to remove the transmission or transfer case right? It would be really nice to remove it without having to cut the exhaust pipe. Just unbolt it at the flange and drop the components that are in the way.

 

It may be that Aerostars are a problem, but my Aerostar is a $500 car now so if the manifold breaks it really doesn't matter, someone will buy it either way so long as it moves down the road under its own power. But there are a lot of cars without flex pipe and mine have never broken a manifold from it. The hangers have to have enough play for sure.

 

thanks for the input, the flange kit is on back order (of course) so ill be driving around without a tailpipe for about a week. If this is a terrible idea please let me know..
i also posted a new question about some clutch parts as im installing them now. bearing differences...