Broken Exaust Flange

[pbgd3skier]

While driving during a winter ice storm I began to notice a grinding noise, on inspection the heat shield had been ripped apart and was dragging. But an increase in exhaust noise was noted. Over the following week that noise increased.

I jacked the car up to see if there was a hole in the cat but found a cracked flange between the cat and the muffler.

The flange attached to the muffler is fine, but the one on the cat is in two pieces through the middle.

looks like one of these
http://www.gravesport.com/images/Anatomy-Exhaust-Flange.jpg

What is the best way to fix this problem? Do I need to cut the pipe weld in a new section, and flange the new section? Alternate method?

Thanks.

saw one online where someone purchased two flanges cut them and drilled them such that one was installed in both directions but that cannot apply full pressure evenly to the flared portions.

[gearheadE30]

If the flanges are shot, the rest of your exhaust is probably pretty rusty. It might be best to have a shop make you a new exhaut portion. If you can weld, though, you can put the new pipes in yourself.

[pbgd3skier]

Muffler section is 2 years old, Borla if I recall correctly.

Cat section actually looks decent except that flange and the fact that the heat shield was ripped in half.

I can weld, but do not have my welder (its about 330 miles to the north of here) so I guess if there is no suitable repair I will have to go into the muffler shop and have them do something.

Bothersome because I have another cat section where my welder is, for this car, from when I got the junkyard engine to make one working m42...