The exhaust in my RX has gotten pretty loud as of late and it sounds like it's coming from the front of the car. I was finally able to get it up on a lift and look under it last night and it looks like the flex pipe right in the front has started to deteriorate.





Could that be the cause of the problem? I tried to get a good shot of the hole on the bottom but it didn't come out real well. It's to the point that pieces fall off when you touch it. What are my repair options at this point? Can I just put a piece of straight pipe in its place?

 

That is an area that is common to have issues with the noise, even with that piece. On the early RX300s there was an accordion metal piece that used to be there and then they did what was shown in your photo.

For sure you can straight pipe it there...that's what I did.

 

This is most likely the cause of the noise, fellow members have had problems with this very piece.

 

I replaced mine with one I ordered from NAPA for $91.50, Plus you need the gaskets for both ends. They have them as well.
I had to heat them nuts up to get them out without rounding off the rusted heads. Some just crumbled off in my hand, they were that rotted.
I replaced them with new stainless hardware.
My flexpipe was also broken in half at the bellows.
I had more power after the repair.

 

I had my muffler shop cut and weld new one as in the picture for $130 (tip included ). Hope it last a year or two.

 

Awesome. Thanks Lex, that should save me some cash.

 

By the looks of this piece it was used to reduce vibration between the engine and tailpipe. When you replaced it with a straight pipe was there any issue with any extra noise or vibration being felt inside the cab?

Mine is okay for now, but I presume this problem will occur sooner or later and want to keep this solution in mind.

 

No, nothing different noticed.

 

When you had it on the lift, did you feel the air or the sound come out of the flex pipe? I am just making sure you don't replace things that are not broken.

 

This thread should help:

https://www.clublexus.com/forums/rx-...the-front.html