Magnaflow cat-back leak.
 

Well over the past couple of weeks I had started to notice some strange noises coming from my exhaust. This past week i started the car and looked under neath to see if I could hear where the noise was coming from. Well, low n behold it was coming right where the stock down pipe meets the front of the magnaflow cat back.

I brought the car in to the dealership today to get an oil change, and had them check to see exactly where the leak was coming from. Well they had the car up on a lift and showed me a nice little split at the front of the resonator where it is welded to the small piece of pipe that connects it to the down pipe.

I tried to call magnaflow (left them a message), and I also called Modern Performance (where I bought the cat-back). The guy at modern told me to call back monday when the owner returns, and said they 'might' be able to send me another one, or get another one from magnaflow. This exhaust does have a lifetime warranty, as it says it on every web site, but I just hope this doesn't turn into some crazy headache trying to get it replaced. I didn't recieve any kind of warranty card when I got the exhaust so I better not need one.


Has anyone had a similiar issue with the magnaflow cat-back? I will keep everyone informed how I am treated both by magnaflow and modern to resolve this issue.

The car sounds like crap with the leak!
:cussing:

Let us know how this goes. I was planning on the Magnaflow cat-back but heard that it uses 400-series stainless steel instead of 300-series. 400-series is more prone to rust and failing even though it's still stainless steel. I think Xenox had this same issue with his Magnaflow cat-back.

You may want to verify that with Magnaflow and ask why they used 400 instead of 304 (300-series) stainless steel.

Modern should take it back if you got it from there, and send you a new one. We have done this for our customers when this happens. If it is a warranty issue. You, the customer, are responsible for shipping of the old exhaust back to the company or magnaflow, and the shipping of the new system to you. This is in the magnaflow warranty.

Depending on how much the shipping is, it may be cheaper to get a shop to weld it back up for a few bucks under the table.

And let Magnaflow know what you did so they are aware. JMO.

^^^ That option is what many consider because shipping it two times (there and back) will cost 50-80 bucks.

Mine is starting to make noises now. I am not sure what it is but im going to take a look. Mine makes a tick sound after the car is turned off for a few minutes till it cools down. It started doing that after rob installed my new 3.0 pulley. I think I have a small leak where the I pipe meets the muffler section but I think thats due to me becuase I can see carbon there.

Mine exhaust ticks when i turn off the car and it the stock exhaust system. It is just the exhaust contracting as it is cooling.

out of curiosity how much did u guys pay for the magnaflow cat back? on moderns site it says to call about pricing

489.99 I think is what they list it for.

I think it's a little less than that Ern.

Mine leaks ath the flange where it bolts to the stock downpipe. Have replaced the gasket 4 times but it will not stop leaking. Its good for about 2 weeks and then it blows the gasket out agen.
It also leaks where the slip joint it. No mater what I do i cant get it to stop leaking there. I even bount an aftermarket band clamp thats 4" long (The one it came with is like 1" lon) and it still leaks!

I give up. I love the sound when its not leaking but its always leaking!! Im going to go have the whole thing welded! Thats the only way it will stop liaking permanently!

Later

UPDATE:

I first called Modern Performance. I was told:

"Oh you need to call magnaflow they handle all the warranty claims. We'll send you the original reciept."-MP

"OK."-Me

*calls magnaflow*

"Hi I'd like to submit a warranty claim for the exhaust I bought for my cobalt ss, it has a leak. I'd like to try to get it replaced."-Me

"Did you buy it from us directly?"-Magnaflow

"No, I bought it from modern performance, they are an authorized dealer of your parts."-Me

"Then you need to return it to them (modern), and then they have to return it to their distributor. Then the distributor has to send them a replacement, and then they have to ship the replacement to you."-magnaflow

"Oooooooooooooooooook."-Me

*calls modern*

"i called earlier blah blah blah"-Me
"Oh yeah Ok hold on......................."-modern

*10+ minutes passes*

"Yeah hi do you think you could take it to a muffler shop to get it welded? We could try to return it for you, but its up to you."-modern

"I guess, I'll try to get it welded first."-Me

A couple things bothered me. The first guy I talked to at modern was kinda rude, and totally brushed me off, and sent me off in the wrong direction. Then I waited on the phone for ever, just to have them tell me go get it welded. One of the reasons I bought this exhaust was because it had a life time warranty, I didn't realize it would be such a headache to try to get it replaced. Between the shipping costs and time, and not having an exhaust while the other one is away, its too much trouble. The local Midas has a bunch of good guys that work there, and they said they'd take a look, if they can do they said they'd do it. They said the iffy part is that its stainless.

We'll see. I'll let you know.

Ive never had great luck with Modern. I bought some of the nokya bulbs and my stb from them and that was it. When I was ordering my intake and exhaust i got a bunch of static and holds. I just went to TTR and booya, there the bomb.

I don't know why Magnaflow chose to use T-409 stainless steel instead of T-304. T-409 will wear out quicker and eventually corrode way before T-304 will.

I know all other pre-fab exhaust manufacturers for our cars use the good stuff, T-304. i.e. Dezod, GMPP/Borla, Corsa.

Unless there was two people that had problems with their Magnaflow exhausts that called us last week, Maverick should have posted a follow up to this post.

Because we have never had a warranty issue whatsoever with Magnaflow, we didnt know how to take care of the warranty claim because its never happened before.

Ultimately though, we have sent a brand new one to the customer at our expense, and sent a call tag along with the package to ship the defective piece back to us at our expense.

We're sorry for any confusion in what to do, but we completely understand Magnaflow's exhaust warranty policy now, and we have taken care of the customer by sending a replacement system out, and shipping it back to us all at our expense. Magnaflow will NOT reimburse us for the round trip shipping we are paying either. =(

The warranty from Magnaflow clearly states that Magnaflow is not responsable for the shipping charges.

We have had this happen on a few of our systems we sold, no problems getting a new system to our customs from us, as long as it is defective.

Well, there must have been two people, because I was never told I was getting a new exhaust. It was suggested to me over the phone that I 'could' send it back to you first, and then you could try to get me another one. So I assure you that person you sent the new piece to was not I. I ended up having mine welded, because it was too much of a hassle to send the thing back, and then wait on a new one.

Oh well I guess.