How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

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Oldmogman
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How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

Post by Oldmogman »

Does anyone know how to identify stainless steel?

I think the exhaust on my car may be stainless - but only because it's not rusted and still has a silvery appearance. It's made by Walker.

(I'd read that magnets won't stick to stainless but a test on kitchen cutlery proved that not to be the case!)

Also, can a stainless exhaust be welded? (I noticed there seems to be tiny blow from seam.)
les
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Re: How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

Post by les »

Try the magnet, stainless can have different compositions in its make up.
paul 300358
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Re: How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

Post by paul 300358 »

The problem that you have is that most stainless exhausts are made of 304 stainless which is easily magnetised. It is usual to tig weld a stainless exhaust, I use a grade 309 filler rod, the main problem is cleaning prior to welding.
oliver90owner
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Re: How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

Post by oliver90owner »

Warranty?

How small and where? Can be a fix 🙂 - or a warning of greater imminent failure🙁.

An easy (temporary?) fix for a pin hole might be a jubilee clip with exhaust putty. I’ve fixed larger holes, before now, with a metal patch clamped on with a jubilee clip or two.
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mobylette
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Re: How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

Post by mobylette »

I have successfully welded stainless tube with a MIG using stainless wire and I am a very novice welder.
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Oldmogman
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Re: How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

Post by Oldmogman »

Thanks guys

It looks to be a very small leak in the joint where the pipe enters the silencer - there's no noise but I happened to notice a few millimetres of black discolouration where it's been blowing, when I was greasing my trunions.

The exhaust has been on the car for some 25 years, so I can't complain!

It would be an easy weld but I don't have Tig (or Mig!) yet so I might look out for another silencer as a standby.
irmscher
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Re: How to identify a stainless steel exhaust

Post by irmscher »

Liquid metal putty would fix it :)
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