General Exhaust Replacement Panda Cross Multijet

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General Exhaust Replacement Panda Cross Multijet

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Aug 6, 2022
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Sheffield
Hi all, our Multijet Cross still has its original factory single piece exhaust and the back box is starting to look very sorry for itself. I used to fit my own exhausts in the past so have been trying to find a cost for just the parts, but even well known parts suppliers don’t seem to list either a system or a back box so I’m struggling to cost it up. So I’m just wondering if any 4x4 or Cross owners have had an exhaust system from one of the major fitters and could advise me of the cost?
TIA
 
It seems the original silencers' outer skin can rust away, but they can soldier on for years looking tatty.

I trimmed away the flaky remains of the outer skin and painted the silencer black when we got ours 4 years ago.

I've read varying reports of aftermarket replacement silencers, generally not lasting so long.

I'd be tempted to keep the original going as long as possible, even if it looks a bit of a mess.

@Uncle Beee How's the rear axle on yours? The spring pans are famous for rusting. Replacement beams are available for FWD but not yet for 4WD.
 
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It seems the original silencers' outer skin can rust away, but they can soldier on for years looking tatty.

I trimmed away the flaky remains of the outer skin and painted the silencer black when we got ours 4 years ago.

I've read varying reports of aftermarket replacement silencers, generally not lasting so long.

I'd be tempted to keep the original going as long as possible, even if it looks a bit of a mess.

@Uncle Beee How's the rear axle on yours? The spring pans are famous for rusting. Replacement beams are available for FWD but not yet for 4WD.
Yes, there’s no sign of it blowing or any leakages, but as you say the outer skin looks very tatty. Underside looks pretty decent, I had our mechanic/MOT tester have it on the ramps for a proper health check this week and he was very happy with it (except the rear shocks which he rightly said were tired, but would most likely still be only an MOT advisory). He did give the springs and mounts a good check as i know some of the 4x4 parts can be hard to find, so keeping 🤞🏻. We live on a steep hill, so hopefully all the usual places where water and muck sit will drain 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻
 
Mines passed with an advisory on the back box for the last two years

The OEM back box will normally soldier on for many years after the outer skin has long rotted away
 
Rot in the rear subframe will scrap the car

It’s happened on here at least 2x

I would but some rust prevention inside. The subframe seems to rot from the inside due to water entering the open ends

Not my photo. L
6287ACA9-16CC-4693-B681-6C6168897BEC.jpeg
 
Mine does look ok (touch wood) and a former keeper did have a professional waxoyl done. Having said that it won’t hurt that when i do the rear shocks in a few weeks, that I do a bit of a clean up and refresh 👍🏻
 
Blimey that tubular brace bar or what ever it is looks a bit sad.
Yep rear subframe

Looks like water enters and sits there. First you see is a hole as it rots from the inside

Last time I looked about 6 months ago, nobody made a third party part and there wasn’t a single one on sale on UK eBay. There were a few in Italy but postage is a killer
 
Mines passed with an advisory on the back box for the last two years
Mine's now had six MOT advisories for a corroded backbox; the first back in 2016. Just remove the outer shell once it starts to rust away and you might be surprised how much longer they'll stay gastight. Removing the outer shell will prolong its life as it prevents water collecting between the skins (likely if you use the car in the wet for short journeys as it won't get hot enough to burn off the water).

But do check that the bracket securing the bottom of the manicat to the bellhousing is sound. These can corrode completely away, and then vibration can crack the cat; not cheap if that happens, and easily avoided. Replacement brackets can be easily sourced.

There are also a couple of clamps securing the pipework together; IIRC these are integrated on the factory fitted parts. They, too, will corrode away, but that same corrosion usually ensures the pipes remain firmly connected to each other. If it bothers you (or your MOT tester, you may sometimes get an advisory if a clamp is missing but the system is gastight), they can be replaced with standard U clamps. As they just secure two bits of pipe together, replacing them on a well rusted system isn't actually going to achieve much.
 
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Maybe a small local engineering firm could make one, although it's difficult to tell by the photo how intricate it is.
This has been discussed at least once before. IIRC the conclusion was that, unless someone starts producing pattern replacements for the 4WD subframes, either repairing a well rusted one or fabricating from scratch is not trivial and will likely cost multiple thousands. OEM parts are seemingly no longer available in the UK, and when they last were, cost over £2000 and that's before fitting. Even tatty secondhand examples seem to fetch north of a grand, so I'd echo those saying this is one part well worth protecting if you're planning on keeping the car for awhile.

Thankfully for 2WD owners there are now reasonably priced new aftermarket axles available; this (particularly with the current prices being asked for small £30RFL cars) is going to save a lot of vehicles that otherwise would have been scrapped. Unfortunately the 4WD subframe design is completely different.
 
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The diesel has a large bore back box. A 100HP spec silencer would probably work -

Or this for the diesel (AFAIK, 169 never had a DPF filter)
 
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The diesel has a large bore back box. A 100HP spec silencer would probably work -

Or this for the diesel (AFAIK, 169 never had a DPF filter)
I don’t know if it makes any difference but I thought the 4x4 had a transverse not longitudinal back box

Never had or worked on the 4x4

Makes sense in my head it’s tucked up out of the way as much as possible

But I could be wrong
 
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I don’t know if it makes any difference but I thought the 4x4 had a transverse not longitudinal back box

Never had or worked on the 4x4

Makes sense in my head it’s tucked up out of the way as much as possible

But I could be wrong
Definitely a transverse back box on mine, tucked up behind rear subframe and bumper. The main pipe seems almost straight too, which you would hope make replacement straight forwards. As you’ve all said the issue for 4x4 owners are the specific parts, which are often not readily available or affordable on the after market
 
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