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Over the past couple of months the RX has gotten progressively louder and louder, with an annoying exhaust drone around the 2K to 3K mark. So I popped my head under to see what could be the cause, turns out the rear muffler has developed a few cracks/leaks on the seams.
Ran over to the parts store and grabbed some muffler paste for a temporary fix and now here for some suggestions on what to replace it with
Couple of options that I'm considering
1) Replace with an OEM muffler- Comes with muffler and resonator- $700Cdn
2) Remove and replace with a muffler- Welded in by a shop- $300?
Anyone else run into this issue? and what have you done?
Depends what part of the muffler and how long you plan on owning it for. If it’s a bad cat you have to suck it up the aftermarket ones are horrible. If it’s just straight pipe, the Y, or the muffler then you have options. If you love your RX, and you plan on keeping it long term try to go OEM if it’s possible. If you plan on unloading it sooner than later visit a local muffler shop. If it’s a rotten piece of pipe they can cut it out and weld a new piece in. If it’s a muffler they can go over options as there are different levels to the aftermarket ones. If you can fix your issue with putty chances are they can actually weld the issue.
Last edited by ellocovg; Aug 20, 2021 at 03:22 PM.
I would just get either the WALKER 55649 bolt-in muffler piece that has a flange on one side and has to be welded on the other, or just get a 24" 2.25" in/out universal stainless AP / EASTERN XS1255 muffler, both of these can be purchased for a decent price from Rockauto. Either option will let you save your old resonator, the Walker piece will only involve welding one pipe instead of two but I personally prefer the quality of AP exhaust parts over Walker. One is 140, the other is half of that. I would then bring that to an exhaust shop and if they don't do the job for under 150, then take your business elsewhere to a shop that isn't a ripoff.
Edit:
Both of these pieces are stainless steel like the OE piece, the rest of the offerings I can find are only aluminized which we Canucks know will rot out in no time. If you go with the Walker piece, you'll likely want a new exhaust gasket & bolts/springs for the flange as well, but the problem is you risk breaking hardware when you open that flange. I had to cut them all off on my Highlander and that was a huge hassle. If your muffler has rotted out, it would be safe to assume that maybe opening up that flange may create more trouble than it's worth and the AP unit might be a better choice. My whole exhaust rotted out on my Highlander and I just went with a glasspack for the resonator and a cheap used mint Ford Mustang GT muffler. Fit perfectly and the car cruises at OE volume, but has a nice subtle bark when you get on it, which I really enjoy.
Here's Rockauto's current discount code: 178055904162180592
I absolutely hate aftermarket exhausts they don't last worth a damn and often don't fit properly either. But if you don't plan on keeping the car for long that is the way to go. If it was my car I'd buy the OE part.
Mine fit properly and have continued to work well for years on end. Arguably better than OE as well, but then again, my muffler is an OE part as well (just not from Toyota). If the part is high quality and from a reputable brand, I don't see why it shouldn't hold up. Walker is kinda meh, but it can get you through in a pinch cheaply. In defense of OE, it is 700 bucks, but for my Highlander it was approaching the 2000 CAD range just for the resonator and muffler pieces.
Not all aftermarket exhaust parts are lousy. If you go to a locally-owned well-respected muffler shop, you can always find some appropriate good-quality options.
Hi all, I purchased a one owner 2010 RX450H yesterday which has all its life been serviced at lexus. It has 160000km or 99k miles. I noticed the exhaust has a rumble to it which it shouldn't and I also saw some water drops which indicated an exhaust leak. I didn't think it was too big of a deal and wondering if it can be patched?
I would be driving it through the winter here in the north east and would of course want the car to be as efficient as possible given that I paid up for a Hybrid. Please let me know if you guys think I should do
I shops in the area said they usually do not repair muffler leaks which is the last thing I wanted to hear
I have seen products online that people have used to "patch" small pinhole leaks such as JB weld
I have seen repair wraps but that wont work as in my case the leak is present in the area that is flat under the muffler
Seam probably came apart at the muffler and leaked or a hole in the muffler itself. Spray it down with soapy water and pinpoint where the exact leak is. See if you can putty it to keep it going for a few more years first before trying to get it welded up. If the muffler can't be saved, you'll need a 24" long center inlet, left offset outlet muffler. If you want quiet any OEM Toyota/Lexus muffler in these dimensions will do the trick so see if you can find one used locally, etc. Or if you want aftermarket go for something at least 409 stainless and 30" long straight-through and it'll flow better and still be quiet due to the size. A leak that small should not affect efficiency, I've had way worse ones on my Highlander do little to nothing, as long as it isn't bad enough to affect the fuel trims. I put a Ford Mustang one on my 2002 Highlander and it is quiet but has a nice sound to it, 409 stainless like the stock one and cost me like 30 bucks used on Kijiji.
Most auto parts stores sell a Muffler Patch paste in a tube for under $8. Just follow the directions. Usually scrape the muffler rust off with some steel wool then smear the paste on the leak area and let it dry the specified time. I have used it a few times on minor muffler leaks.
Or get some JB Weld epoxy putty or their muffler patch which has some tape to wrap around it. https://www.autozone.com/emission-co...tch/202232_0_0
2010 muffler leak - Replacement options
