Exhaust advice on a 03 nissan altima ???

Question

I have a 03 Nissan altima 2.5S...the braided piece of pipe on the front pipe/ down pipe is all tore up ( not by me, i swear, haha, it was already beat up when i got it) but anyway , it has a hole in it and gives it that nice bumble bee sound when i go up hills etc. I was told it would be about $75 to replace that piece ( cut and weld, currently have stock exhaust and all one piece).. BUT i have heard that the cats on those tend to go bad too. so here's my question... should i replace the whole system or just that piece? If you think i should replace the whole system ( which I'm leaning towards doing), what exhaust system would u recommend, or NOT recommend? Since it's a 4cyl, i know i wont get an awesome sound, but it has alot of power for a 4 cyl and i don't wanna lose any of that either . Thanks in advance for your opinion.

Answer 1

Just replace that piece, worry about the catalytic converter once it goes bad, it may last for a very long time. Your computer will trigger an engine check light if the cat goes bad.

Answer 2

Wrecking yards have front tube exhaust sections. Just make sure they unbolt you one and not cut it up. I would investigate that way to get the exhaust flex section and pipe all for much cheeper than even welding in a flex pipe by it's self. Cat converter needs to be examined from the bottom while the flex front pipe is removed and I also look thru the top o2 sensor hole to see if the cat is smooth and free from cracks and not broken up.  By the way 2002 to 2006 exhaust front tube is the same. The front silencer in that tube looks like a cat. But it is not a cat converter in that tube if the wrecking yard is reluctant cat is between the two O2 sensors tell them that if necessary...Good luck