Replace rear silencer - easy job?

Hi all - my car has just started to sound a bit rattly, especially when accelerating - I've poked my head underneath and it seems as though my rear silencer is causing the noise - probably a hole in it, as all rubbers seem to be there.

My question is, is it an easy job for a novice? I don't mind getting my hands dirty, but I'm always a bit scared of starting something if I don't think I'll be able to finish it!

Any advice appreciated

I'd say so, one of the easiest jobs for rookies like us.. 

It was the first job I did on my van, just un hook the rubber mounts, undo the u clamp and slide it out (may take a bit of gentile persuasion) then reverse the above. Little bit of copper grease for future preservation and you're done.    

The hardest thing is separating the back box from the middle section, there will be a clamp to undo and take off, then lots of wiggling and turning to take it off, if thats not working a big screw driver hammered into the joint to open it up a bit but becarful not to damage/bend the middle section.
When fitted the new back box a new clamp is always needed and a smear of exhuast assembly paste will help it slip back together and seal the joint once it gets hot.

The other option is Holts Gum gun to seal the hole in the back box but it will only last for appox 6 months or so..

Before you buy a new backbox check its not the exhaust hitting anything, give it a good wobble and listen out to knocking, you will need to do this with the car on the floor as when you jack it up at the back the rear beam gets close to the middle pipe and can course knocking.

Thanks for the advice you two. I had a look under the car last night and definitely won't be needing the Holts Gum gun - I could get 3-4 fingers in the big split down the side of the rear silencer!

I'll pick up a new one at some point today and have a go at fitting it at the weekend.

I'll keep you posted on progress…

How did you get on bud? Looking at doing the same on mine just because I don't like the mahoooosive tail piece currently installed.

hysteric said

How did you get on bud? Looking at doing the same on mine just because I don't like the mahoooosive tail piece currently installed.

I did this last Friday, so am able to report back…

Well in theory, it is quite a straightforward job - get the rear of the car up on axle stands - remove the clamp holding the two pipes together towards the middle of the car - remove the rubber supports by the rear box and tail pipe - separate the 2 sections of exhaust where the clamp was - pull the rear section out from the rear. Fitting is the reverse, with a smothering of exhaust paste on the join.

In practice, it was a bit fiddlier than that
* The 2 sections were totally fused together, so I had to get an angle grinder to carefully cut new slots in the old rear pipe to get some sort of purchase to prise them apart.
* The old rear silencer was a pain to get maneuver out of the gap between the body of the car and the rear axle (which it sits between)
* The new silencer was just a big a pain to get back in, especially as I had to be a bit more gentle with it!
* My new silencer (a VAG one from Ebay) didn't have the cross bar on it so I couldn't get it to attach to the rubbers nicely - must have bought the wrong one.  I noticed it was missing before fitting, but like an idiot, I carried on regardless! Result is that it was banging like crazy whenever the car was in motion. I've done a quick fix with an old Lambretta rubber bump stop I had lieing around and some wire, but I'll have to get it sorted as some point. I noticed it was missing before fitting, but like an idiot, I carried on regardless!

Other than that a successful job - the car is a lot quieter thats for sure, which is keeping the neighbours happy!