oem muffler replacement

[jstevens]

My 2008 needs a replacement muffler. I want oem. I went to a muffler shop and they gave me a poor substitute. I don't want to spend a fortune but I want it quite again, back to stock. Chevy wants $400 + Anything better? Thanks, John

[avguy]

I just finished replacing the muffler on my '05. Used a $100 Walker, which was an excellent fit into the 3 hangers, and also a perfect match to the mid exhaust pipe flange. Don't know if how much (if any) difference there is with an '08, but I think Walker does a good job building plug-and-play, which is great for DIY guys who don't have access to a lift and a bunch of pro tools.

[jstevens]

Avguy, Thanks for the reply. Does the muffler sound like stock? Is it louder? My wife and I just want's it to sound like it did when it had the factory muffler. Do you have a hatch or 4 door? Both are available.

[Pontiac1976]

The only thing is the GM Factory Muffler is Stainless Steel and will most likely out last the walker most times. But the walkers should be as close as you can get to the factory with out paying the big $. It might be a little louder then the factory

[avguy]

Avguy, Thanks for the reply. Does the muffler sound like stock? Is it louder? My wife and I just want's it to sound like it did when it had the factory muffler. Do you have a hatch or 4 door? Both are available.

Mine is a 4 door, and IIRC the price of the 2 was within a few bucks. AFA the noise, I started with a small hole at (just above) the connector flange that got worse over 2 weeks, with the pipe finally breaking completely. So after running a straight-pipe for a day, the new muffler sounds real quiet . It may be a bit louder than the OEM, but nothing that really jumps out (at me anyway).
Just curious if your muffler or pipe rusted, or was it some other type of failure? I live in the rust belt, and it took 8 full years to croak mine, so I'm puzzled how this could happen to your Aveo in just around 5 years?

[Pontiac1976]

I replaced the front pipe in June because the flex pipe rusted out but the rest of the front pipe is good I keep it for now. The muffler is louder bye a bit has some rust on it does not look as nice as it should so it will be next to go my luck it will be the winter. Mine is a 2008 I bought it in June 2008 so it over 5 Yrs but I only had it for 5 Yrs two Months. The weather where it sit be for you buy it after how wet the area is how much rain it's been drove in how long it sits before it drove again.

[avguy]

I replaced the front pipe in June because the flex pipe rusted out but the rest of the front pipe is good I keep it for now. ....

Not understanding what you mean there by "rest of the front pipe". Are you talking about the mid pipe, which has the resonator, located in between the front pipe and the muffler, and connected by flanges to both of those parts?
I'm also interested in your experience replacing the front pipe. I actually bought the muffler, mid pipe, and front pipe, intending to replace all 3 at the same time to avoid multiple jobs joining to old flanges. But after getting a closer look at the connection from the front pipe to the cat, I couldn't how I was going to be able to maneuver the 3 new bolts into the cat flange. The outer shell of the factory cat is quite a bit bigger and fatter than the aftermarket cats I see on the parts sites, and the area between the cat body and flange seems so small, I couldn't imagine how new bolts were getting through the tiny openings. Plus the cat flange area is so rusted, I was expecting other problems related to that as well.
So how did this go for you - any problems with the cat flange area? I kept the mid and front pipes, because it won't be too long before they'll need to get replaced also, maybe along with a new cat as well if I can't figure how to deal with those bolts

[Pontiac1976]

The front pipe was the pipe after the cat that goes under and up to the second cat. The pipe look like this that I had to replace. It went well except one of the two bolts was to rusted that I could not get off I had to put everything back together, That all so had to crack lose the lower o2 sensor. so make sure the did not burn the sensor. So it cost me a 1/2 hour to get the bolt ( stud ) cut out welded in a new stud so I could bolt in the middle pipe when it goes bad my self. The pipe form GM deal 350.00 +13% tax my cost 278.00 +13% tax. The work $50.00+13% tax. Would have take me 15min if the one stud nut would have come off. I would put new bolts studs if there too rusty to save time the next time. Maybe a light dab of ANTI-SEIZE on the treads too help near future work. Can't get the pic to up load for some reason

[Pontiac1976]

I up loaded the pics to my cardomain page

[serega12]

Have them weld in another resonator inline with factory one. Problem solved. Possibly will be quieter than stock. And cheaper than buying another muffler.