How effective are exhaust patch kits?

Question

How effective are exhaust patch kits in terms of longevity and limiting noise and leakage?

Specifically I'm looking at using the kind that consist of heat-activated tape, an aluminium sheet and two pipe clamps, like this one, on a very small hole on the pipe between the catalytic converter and the resonator (which happens to be directly below the center console). Is there a downside to doing this before a more permanent repair?

While I haven't used one of those patch kits, the link you posted states, "It is meant as a temporary, or short term repair for a broken or rusted tailpipe." Is a temporary or short-term repair what you are looking for? — quentin-starin, Oct 18 '12 at 19:44
@qes, I suppose my question is: what does short term mean in the case of a small hole? Am I buying one trip, a week, a few months? It boils down to: would this extend the effective lifetime of this section of pipe at least $10 worth, considering if I go to a muffler place and have the weld in a new section of pipe right now the cycle of rust just starts over for that new bit. — nwellcome, Oct 18 '12 at 21:29

score 9 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 18 '12 at 21:34

I used these kits occasionally when I was young and broke, so my knowledge isn't that current. Back then, they were good for a couple of months, maybe a little longer depending on how bad and where the hole is.

If the exhaust pipe is so rusted it'll break in a few months, that kit is not going to last very long as the movement of the breaking pipe will mostly render it ineffective.

OTOH if it's a small hole and the rest of the pipe is in decent shape, it'll last you a while.

score 6 · Answer 2 · answered Oct 18 '12 at 22:25

As @ Timo states they are a low budget repair.The fact that the sheet is aluminum and thin enough to wrap around the pipe will limit its' longevity. It may work ok for a hole, but won't support a broken pipe for long. How long it will last will vary. The closer to the engine and the catalytic converter the higher temp and the shorter the life. I would use it as a repair for the shortest time needed, no longer than it takes to get special order,not stocked parts or get a warranty replacement etc. These repair kits tend to fail with little warning. My experience has been that if the pipe is rusted enough to have a hole, the rest of the pipe won't be much good for long.

score 2 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 19 '12 at 12:23

Not terribly effective in my experience. Mean time before repair failure seems was around a month on the multiple times we patched my wife's (then GF with no money) car a few years ago. Just buys a little time for you to save up some money and then get the exhaust system replaced.

How effective are exhaust patch kits?

3 Answers3