Hi All, I'm after a bit of technical help. While changing my alternator I noticed the flexible part of the front pipe is damaged and blowing, so I rang the local motor spares shop and their computer (based on my reg no.) showed a different exhaust front pipe section - so I didn't buy anything.

I bought the car second hand and I am wondering if it has had a full replacement exhaust from a newer model.

My car's front pipe bolts to on the engine end using a 3 hole triangular connector, comes along to a flexi piece, then continues on to a 2 hole oval shaped connector, then onto another box, pipe and back box.

all websites I have been on (and the shop) list my car as having a solid pipe, then some sort of flexi pipe as an extra part with a u-clamp fitting.

Should I be buying a front pipe from a 2004 model as this is the only one that looks similar to my own one.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/cyetp1d0viuo98v/2016-01-09%2013.05.47.jpg?dl=0

There maybe differences in JTD and JTDm - this could be why... just a hunch.

There are at least 6 different versions of the front pipe depending on which BHP engine you have and the build date of the car.

If you want to PM me your VIN, I check it for you.
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[email protected] said:

I bought the car second hand and I am wondering if it has had a full replacement exhaust from a newer model.

Click to expand...

From your VIN, you have a 5 door Stilo JTD Active with the 115 bhp engine. It was built on 3rd July 2002.

Early cars, up to spares (Ricambi) number 185828, had a separate flexi section (item 1 in the diagram below) bolted to the rear of the front pipe and clamped to the front of the centre section. Later cars had the flexi section built into the front pipe as seen in your picture. As the spares number for your VIN (and shown on your VIN plate) is later than 185828, you have the correct front pipe fitted.

Fiat part number for your front pipe was 73502396, but was replaced by part number 55189605, so either of these part numbers would be suitable for your car. Any spares shop should be able to cross reference these numbers to a pattern part.
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Thankyou so much for your time - its really appreciated.
I have googled those parts numbers and came up with loads of results from various suppliers - all with the correct looking image. So happy I don't have to replace the whole exhaust
Kind of surprised the store couldn't have done this (unless he couldn't be bothered)

Purchased the front pipe with flexi like yours from ebay last year at very sensible price.
Soaked the front 3 nuts in penetrating oil and had no problems removing them, though the 2 that connect the rear of the front pipe to the cat are awkward to work on with limited space and if those 2 nuts are rusted up completely then a grinder and dremel type tool are very handy as the studs of the heads are welded to the end of the cat pipe oval, used about 10 small Dremel cutting discs to cut the welded stud heads out, not enough space to use a larger grinder and then used a couple of stainless nuts and bolts to connect the oval ends together, you will also need the gaskets for the front and oval pipe ends mine came with the front pipe.

Thanks for this advice, I have a new oval gasket, but didn't know I needed a front one at there isn't one on it already.

The JTD 80 and 115 bhp engines don't have a gasket at the front of the front pipe. It's just a metal to metal fit. Make sure that both surfaces are perfectly flat, and don't use any jointing compound.
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