A8CT

Does anyone know the exhaust pipe size for the 4.2? My driver side is leaking and need to be replaced. I would take it to a muffler shop but not too confident in the quality of a replacement. Does anyone make a good stainless flex pipe?

dvs_dave

I just had a local muffler shop do mine as the access is easy and it's a standard size. The guy showed me the original and it had rusted out underneath the braiding so was obviously not stainless. It lasted 12 years so in my opinion not worth trying to get a stainless one.

A8CT

I thought the D3 exhaust was stainless end to end? I haven't had an exhaust issue on an Audi since I had my 5000. Ok, maybe I'll just go to a muffler shop too.

Bob

aTOMic

OD of the pipe is 50mm/2 inches.except in spots where it's 60mm (2-3/8"). Sorry.

Pretty sure the braid IS stainless but there are many grades of stainless, one of the differences in the grades is flexibility vs rust resistance; I'm guessing Audi leant toward the flexibility side for the wire. Stainless rusts, too

You may need to cut a pipe - I forget - but if you do, bentley says use a chain type cutter, but I'm not sure you can use it with the pipes on the car (of course if you cannot get the chain cutter to work on the car the sawzall will), and you'll need "band clamps" to reattach... find them at NAPA or online far cheaper than Audi. Be sure to specify NOT a flexible band-type ($11) but a rigid stainless tube-type; I think I paid $35 at NAPA (may have been FCP Euro) last month. Can't recall where they came from; I bought a bunch of stuff from different places... Getting old sucks.

Mister Bally

The low cost ones with last less than two years from my experience on my A8. Had them replaced the 2nd time with Leistritz Stainless ones.

2004A8L

Can you provide a link where to buy them correct size ? My driver side one is going bad I'm thinking to replace both of them.

THANK YOU

dvs_dave

The external braiding was stainless, but the bellows pipe inside was not as it had rusted out and the outer braiding had frayed. Muffler shop cut out the old and welded in the new one with what superficially looked to be an identical part to the other one. Looked like a nice clean job.

Up to you how complicated you want to make what is a very routine repair.

EHLO

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-...FYlWDQodlLcECQ

dvs_dave

That's not a flex pipe. That's just an exhaust connector. A flex pipe looks like this, and by virtue of its design is flexible. The whole point of it is that it isolates (to an extent) the vibration and movement of the engine from the rest of the exhaust system.

EHLO

I didn't claim it was, the OP was referring to a non flexible one, so I provided a link.