Exhaust confusion...flex pipe on some and not on others

[kbobob]

Hey guys...got a little dumbfounded.

the flex pipe after the cat on my car is done for, actually its toast and there is a little crack in the pipe right behind it. So i was going to replace it, probably just get a universal flex pipe and cut out the bad part...etc etc

The part that confused me is I have an 01 atx.....it has this flex pipe....when i looked under my fiances 05 atx it did not. Also i was just looking at a 00FSM and it doesn't show one in there either, it just talked about the one on the cat and its purpose.

So what gives, would I be alright to not have it as long as I have the one at the manifold? I dont beleive this car is going to be around for more then another year or two due to the rust belt taking its toll on the rocker panels and a few other issues creeping up

I assume that its missing from the 05 due to daimler cheapening things out.

Thanks for any input on this...oh....btw....do most part stores stock these universal flex joints or are they usually order only?

[occasional demons]

Just eliminate it.

After redoing my exhaust, I didn't put one back. The one at the manifold is sufficient. I originally had an aftermarket one there, but for w/e reason, it made the midpipe sag really low. Thus why I nixed it.

[RayWolf]

actually its not stock for any year. the neon's all year only had the flex just after the header.

mine was done that way and was welded very badly to my stock exhaust.
the replacement pipe from the cat to the muffler has no flex at all

[kbobob]

I wouldnt say that.....my car came with it from the factory...as I am the original owner and the only modification done to that exhaust was an RT muffler was swapped in.

[Mopar00Neon]

x2 on wrong there bud.

My '00, and my '00 parts car had the second flex pipe after the cat as well. Hung down too low and was dragged to shit. I've since replaced it with a magnum exhaust system which eliminated it.

I am the original owner of my '00, and knew and bought my parts car from the original owner (who def. did not modify anything on it)

[occasional demons]

It is factory equipment. This is what it looked like (bottom), minus the GP clamped on behind it.

[sidepipe87]

x4 on wrong info... my bone stock 00 had it as well.

[g_force58]

My 2000 ES had the same flex until I had it removed and changed to solid pipe.

[NickKo]

x4 on wrong info... my bone stock 00 had it as well.

I have read that 2000 model-year Neons are the most confusing, since some of them came with only 2-in. (!!) piping from the factory.... Others came 'upgraded' with 2 1/4in. piping.

I have seen 2000-2001 Neons with the flex pipe under the car, after the cat converter; and other Neons had the 'flex pipe' built into the headpipe right after the exhaust manifold, like Bill said.

My 2000 Neon has the flex pipe after the exhaust manifold, but no flex pipe under the car.
The exhaust was replaced by the previous owners, so I do not know what came on that car from the factory.



- Nick

[Mopar00Neon]

x4 on wrong info... my bone stock 00 had it as well.

I have read that 2000 model-year Neons are the most confusing, since some of them came with only 2-in. (!!) piping from the factory.... Others came 'upgraded' with 2 1/4in. piping.

I have seen 2000-2001 Neons with the flex pipe under the car, after the cat converter; and other Neons had the 'flex pipe' built into the headpipe right after the exhaust manifold, like Bill said.

My 2000 Neon has the flex pipe after the exhaust manifold, but no flex pipe under the car.
The exhaust was replaced by the previous owners, so I do not know what came on that car from the factory.



- Nick

Tis true. My '00 came with both flex pipes, and the 2" exhaust. Its also a California car. Might have something to do with it, as emissions here are pretty much the worse.

Thus my 2 1/4" mag exhaust swap. (that, and I wanted my Thermal to bolt up without using any adapters. lol)

[sidepipe87]

^yup that's exactly it IIRC. It's because it's a ULEV car.

[NickKo]

Tis true. My '00 came with both flex pipes, and the 2" exhaust. Its also a California car. Might have something to do with it,as emissions here are pretty much the worse.

Tell me about it !

I was shopping on RockAuto.com for a replacement exhaust on my 2000 Neon.... They had, like 4 or 5 or 6 different configurations.
Talk about confusing.



- Nick

[Mopar00Neon]

^yup that's exactly it IIRC. It's because it's a ULEV car.

Not quite. its a California LEV... there were ULEVs, but they had yet different exhaust. My '00 is a 5spd, and has a normal cast iron manifold and the flex pipes in the exhaust with 2" piping. Its sticker also says LEV.

My '00 parts car was an ATX, and it had 2 cats... one that was built into the exhaust manifold, and the normal one in the down pipe. It also had the two flex pipes and 2" piping. Its sticker said ULEV.

I wish I still had those parts to take pictures of.

[kbobob]

well...after a night of playing with it....my 01 has 2" exhaust....this should just add to the confusion..

Its a canadian car and has a really early build date...its also got the sport package....which shouldnt mean anything in this case...and its atx...

well, thanks everyone for all the info...

[occasional demons]

My '01 had the 2" also. In that pic above, the pipes on top are 2.25"
I think they put w/e was handy on either '00's and '01's.

ULEV had two catalytic converters, one in the manifold/or mani-verter, and the normal location. The downstream o2 was before the second converter.

FWIW, my '99 XJ says LEV. As it was equipped from the factory, it got 13 mpg at best.

[g_force58]

My 2000 ES mtx has 2.25 ID pipe. Guess I am lucky it has a little more breathing room.