How do you replace the entire muffler and exhaust pipe system on a Mercury Sable - Ford Taurus?

Answer 1

This is one of those times I recommend shopping around for pricing to have it done professionally.

For years I would do exhaust and mufflers myself - until I found a chain of muffler shops here in the Detroit area that was about $20 more than parts alone!!

For $20, I'm much more than willing to NOT have to deal with rusted bolts and studs and the complications that you can run into.

Doing it yourself...

• Buy all the pipes, muffler(s), and tailpipe extensions from your store of choice
  
  
• Start at the back end of the catalytic converter- often referred to as the 'cat' -
  NOTE: converters are rarely ever needed to be replaced! You're doing the "cat-back" replacement job
  
  
• And this is likely where you'll run into the first complication - dealing with rusted/corroded studs & nuts.
  Try and get the nuts off without damaging the studs!
  
  Lots and lots of penetrating oil like PB Blaster; propane torch to heat things up; a nut-cracker tool; nut remover tool for when the nut gets all rounded off; cutting tool to CAREFULLY slice the nut down the side
  
  That's to name just a few ways I've dealt with those (*$&($#*&... "darned" things
  
  
• The rest is just releasing the pipes & muffler from the hangers and pulling it all out from under the car
  
  Exhaust systems are much easier in that the 'hangers' the pipes hang off the bottom of the care are almost always like big rubber bands! So much better than the 'old days'.
  
  
• Assembly - you will have purchased a number of big pipe clamps to connects the parts together - pretty intuitive and straight-forward in fastening the pipes/pieces together.
  Tip: don't hesitate to really crank-down on the nuts. It's actually a good thing to even crease the pipe underneath the clamp - ensures a good solid connection.
  
  
• Muffler - likely you'll have a 'universal' type muffler - not a factory exact model. This is where you may run into the complication of the original rubber hangars not able to line-up and support the new muffler.
  You may have to resort to a universal hanger, drilling a hole to mount / bolt it to and then putting the other end under one of the clamps.
  
  TIP: because the muffler is 'oblong' or oval shaped, you'll need to position it / rotate it so as the system moves when you drive down the road, it doesn't bounce - knock up against the bottom of the car. That will quickly drive you nuts.

Have 'fun', but consider pricing this one out to be done - your TIME and effort could be saved for other projects...