sorry long. In simple, it has a small leak between the Cat and the muffler but is quiet. Will it pass NJ inspection? Thanks.
My truck is falling apart from rust. I have 5 months until inspection. I plan on getting a new truck before then but I want to pass inspection to sell this or drive it if I don't get a new truck by then.
I hit a puddle this summer and the cold water shock on the hot exhaust pipe cracked a weld joint coupling. Luckily the break was after the catalytic converter. Basically it's just that the muffler isn't attached. It was loud. Then I took two 3" metal straps/plates and screwed them into the exhaust pipe with self taping screws to bring the two ends of the break together (I would have just had it welded for maybe $25 while it was already up on the lift for an oil change but the metal is so rusted that I don't think the weld would stick well let alone also hold it all together for long because the break happened in a 'bouncy' area of the pipe. I hope the tiny bit of air that might come through around the screw holes doesn't cause an inspection fail but maybe I can have them weld over those screw heads or I can put a dab of that 'exhaust-fix glue' on it at least to pass inspection and then it'll probably fall off.
Another reason why I screwed those straps on instead of just pulling the
two pipes together and having it re-welded over the old weld joint was because the two cut ends got all jagged from rubbing and they don't slide together anymore. If I have to cut the whole thing out and weld in a new coupling then I'll do that though.
I'm due for an oil change in the next couple days, so while they already have it on the lift, I can maybe get it welded for $25 or something. But do I have to for inspection? I don't even want to throw $25 at this truck because it's a POS and I already threw too much at it.
As it is now after I screwed those two strap plates on, it's a quiet as if nothing ever happened but I don't know if it will throw a code. I'd rather get it welded for $25 then spend ~$10 for that 'exhaust fix glue' that will probably leak or something for inspection.
From what I read, I don't even have to worry about this in NJ but I want to make sure.
I passes my last inspection by the skin on my teeth and it had I think two Pending codes (running lean and something else like EVAP leak), so I have to plug in the code reader and make sure I can still pass how it is. I have to look into those codes also because I'm not sure if they'll pass even if Pending. And now DMV charges extra for a re-inspection if you go back after failing once.