blazer exhaust pipe crack

Greetings all -

I have a 2004 4.3 v6, 4wd 4 door blazer (132k miles) that sounds good due to a cracked exhaust pipe. The crack is just before the resonator/expansion chamber in front of the cat and goes all the way around the pipe. Resonator/expansion chamber may be the wrong term for this coffee can sized swelling in the pipe. It is right after the crossover becomes a single pipe and in front of the cat. It is about 5" in diamiter 10" long. It is cracked all the way around the pipe at the weld. SO -

1) can it be welded? Will a muffler shop do that?
2) can i cut it out and replace it with a straight pipe? if i do this are any concerns?
3) what the heck is it?

thanks in advance
dkj

Greetings all -

I have a 2004 4.3 v6, 4wd 4 door blazer (132k miles) that sounds good due to a cracked exhaust pipe. The crack is just before the resonator/expansion chamber in front of the cat and goes all the way around the pipe. Resonator/expansion chamber may be the wrong term for this coffee can sized swelling in the pipe. It is right after the crossover becomes a single pipe and in front of the cat. It is about 5" in diamiter 10" long. It is cracked all the way around the pipe at the weld. SO -

1) can it be welded? Will a muffler shop do that?
2) can i cut it out and replace it with a straight pipe? if i do this are any concerns?
3) what the heck is it?

thanks in advance
dkj

go to a muffler custom shop. they have people that do this every day.

I would not go to a chain muffler shop.

this crack is not all that common. your sure its not the metal failing just a poor weld ?

Thanks for the reply

The crack is all around the pipe immediately in front of the weld. I suppose it is metal fatigue. I hope to get the shop I use for things I can't or won't do take a look at this next week. Working 12.5 nights makes it hard to get going on my days off.

dkj