Turns out the nice muffler note this engine is making is not all natural, looks like the muffler is pretty rotted out. Exhaust / Muffler leak on Mitsubishi 4A30 The engine isn't really loud but it definitely has a bit of a exhaust hum to it. I looked around the best I could while squishing my face under the truck to see what I can. Everything seems fine but I noticed the hangar rotted off in the rear by the muffler On cold starts, I could see smoke coming out where the tailpipe meets the muffler. Upon closer inspection I saw it's pretty rotted out Symptoms Sort of loud. When the engine and outside temperatures are cold it sort of lags a bit under load until warm When cold, you can see smoke coming out of the tailpipe at the leak Possibly related - It usually takes me 2-3 turns of the key, turning it over just a few times, before it fires up. I wonder if a clogged muffler is to blame. Possible fixes I tried to just squeeze some JB Weld muffler goop as a band-aid but the muffler has like a slotted metal cage around it so I can't really get in there. I'm very excited to see if replacing the muffler will bring back any more power or help with the longer start issue OEM Exhaust - MB957957 Aftermarket alternative per Amayama _ Pitwork AY280KE064 >> Availability and compatibility still not confirmed. Waiting on Amayama to respond. Gasket - MB687000 I'll post more photos once I get back under there Tailpipe rotted where the Red X is.
I just discovered why my van died, the muffler collapsed inside. When I removed it I couldn't even blow air thru it. So its a thing!
Wow, did you come up with a fix for this? Replace / repair ? >> Just found your thread in signature, going through it all now When I first was introduced to my Bravo, the hot exhaust light would always turn on when it was working hard. I suspected a clogged cat or who knows really.......Luckily, I didn't officially own it yet and the current owner didn't care much about it, so I dumped some 91 octane in and just rallyed the piss out of it for a week. The light went off and performance slowly came back as I continued to tune it up. I'm starting to think, it just blew the tailpipe out at this break so the flow wasn't restricted anymore. I'm really looking forward to sealing this back up and seeing if I get a wee bit more power under load. Don't CAT's usually clog, not mufflers? Do you have experience with the 4a30 motor, it looks like yours is a Suzuki right? I saw you mention the EGR port for troubleshooting. I wonder If i have one, I don't think I see anything on the 4A30, fuel injected. I saw you mentioned you removed the catalyst comb, what's the technique for that?
When it first happened I thought "cat clogged". I removed the cat, knock the comb out completely and reinstalled with no change, still was not running. Then I discovered by disconnecting the exhaust that it was clogged. I order a custom turbo exhaust from Japan that would fit my van and have that on there now. Link to what I bought below. https://500yenshop.com/en/yahoo-auctions/detail?id=g1110260647
Sweet, I just pawed through your thread and saw that. Nice find / fix. I'm looking forward to getting mine buttoned up to bring back a bit of powahhhhhh
*** Thanks for the tip on the 500yenshop. If nothing else it's a good way to validate some aftermarket part cross overs and the pricing seems to be cheaper if not on par to Amayama and Partsouq. Removing the muffler Will post pics once I get my broken phone repaired 3 bolts hold the bash plate on the underside of the pipe in place. 2 came right out the third decided to test my patience 1-2 hours later after using the cut off wheel on a dremell , I just decided screw it and tore the thing off The bash plate is mounted to brackets on the OEM tailpipe. OK with the plate out of the way you expose the exhaust studs. Soaked in PB blaster 1 came off just fine, the second one was a doozie. I've never had this happen but I was able to back it all the way to the end of the stud and then it just spun and spun and spun. I couldn't get the nut off the stud. It was rusty for sure and I suspect some gunk got caught it. At this point it was dark and working by flashlight TIP, what I should have done was soak the nut longer. Back it off, then suck it in, back it off a bit more, then suck it in, all while douching it in PB. This sort of cleans the threads. I rushed and paid the price. After a long night laying on my side in the snow, the muffler came off. I destroyed one of the studs but otherwise the rubber mounts are still good to go. Parts order OEM no longer available according to a few sources Pitwork seems to be the best alternative based on price but I want to make sure it will definitely work. Amayama is going to reach out to Pitwork to confirm that part #AY280KE064 will work I also see HST 065-47 available on 500yen for similar price and pictures look like the same shape as OEM The rubber isolators have a bolt style mount that screws into a bracket on the OEM pipe. It will be important that the aftermarket has these same mounts I also ordered (2) nuts and (1) stud FUSO MB313077 - Nut FUSO MD041236 - Stud
On my van the cat was bolted to the exhaust manifold. I just unbolted it and then put it in a vice and used a hammer and chisel to break it up. Might want a mask, as it produces a lot of nasty dust you probably don't want to be breathing and safety glasses. I did that then took a wire wheel to the inside to make sure it was all out and then bolted it back up.
Thanks for the info, I'm not messing with that on mine. Exhaust seems to be firing out pretty strong currently so I'll continue down the path of just replacing the tailpipe / muffler . Post updated above with more info on removing the muffler from the U44 4A30 motor.
Next Steps Need to confirm aftermarket will work. Figure out how to remove and replace the stud. Soak it in PB
Ah shoot, I didn't expect that. They say it can only come Sea Freight due to the size @ $1000+ in cost. ** EDIT - Amayama also said this just goes to the nearest Sea Port and then I am responsible for collecting it and somehow getting it to my location in Montana. I called around to shops and they all say the smallest they can go is 1 1/2" pipe and they suspect mine is a smaller diameter. I will have to go check it out tonight , fingers crossed
Wow! Sorry to hear that. My muffler was pretty small cause the van is rear engine but it was 300+ dollars from 500yenshop + their charges for packing and shipping but it was in a bigger order so wasn't too bad.
I think the pipe size is similar to whats on older honda civics, its really small, like maybe 1 inch or 1.25 inches, something like that.
Ooofa, I was hoping it was going to be a more normal size pipe diameter. Fingers crossed there is still hope for my engine but I suspect all these models are spec'd pretty similar. >> @t_g_farrell - So are you telling me 500yen managed to ship your muffler / tailpipe in an Air shipment? I could justify coughing up 300-500USD but 500+ is tough. I'm sure a local shop would charge something similar for a custom fab. I'm especially eager to get this put back together now that I have a clear change in starting and engine performance with that old muffler removed. I'd hate to have to band it up and somehow put it back on =[ I just wrote to Impex Japan, to see if they can send it VIA Air instead of Sea >> What makes these tailpipes even more unique is the mounting system. At least on the Mitsubishi Bravo, there isn't the normal finger style mount on the tailpipe that slips into a rubber mount on the frame. This setup has like little brackets on the tailpipe with welded nuts. The mounts then have a bolt that threads into the tailpipe. Further complicating any custom fabrication I think the name of the game now is fine an aftermarket exhaust overseas and get it here as cheap as possible.
Check out 500yenshop, $85.00 plus whatever shipping is. You can ask them in the "have a question" part of the listing at the bottom of the page and they will answer. May need to create a login first. https://500yenshop.com/en/yahoo-auc...112668&s=Mitsubishi+Bravo+muffler&translate=1
Done and Done, thanks for the tip. I think that may be where I end up ordering from. >> Was everything packed tightly to avoid damage? I wrote to 500yen and Impex Japan. After reviewing the dimensions and weight, there's no reason FedEx international or DHL couldn't ship this by Air. Amayama has been very good to work with but sometimes you get a bad sales rep. I wrote them again as well, and asked them to confirm. PS - It looks like HST and Pitwork are the two options in this case. I believe Pitwork is Nissan. HST is aftermarket but both options are made in Japan. Pitwork seems to be 2x the cost compared to HST but HST does appear to be high quality.
It was all repacked into a shipment with a set of new floor mats and the muffler. You can control what is packaged with what on the site. I kept them separate from my other items which were smaller so the exhaust wouldn't crush the delicate small items and I knew the mats would make excellent pads for shipping. So I had 2 boxes shipped and the mats and muffler took longer to come in anyway, so it worked out fine. I'll go back to 500yen for my next order when I need stuff I can't get here.
That's cool, thanks for sharing. Am I understanding it right, where 500yen just buys from Yahoo Japan and other sources? I was going to ask what seller you bought from but I suspect there are many sellers through 500yen so I probably couldn't find it. I've regained confidence that someone will be able to ship this to me for < $500
Yeah, they act as a proxy. You deposit money with them and then shop yahoo auctions, yahoo, or Rakutan. When you bid or buy something it shows up in purchase list and when you are ready you can select things to be packaged together. This was my purchases And I created 2 shipments for the items as I explained earlier The 1902 one is the mats and muffler. Took about 2 weeks for all the items to be ready to package and another 2 weeks to get them shipped to my door.
Note you can spend more than you deposit but not sure if there is a limit on that. I accidently went over but then just added more money later to fix it up. Also when you make shipments they will ask for more money to cover the costs but it all seems pretty fairly priced to me. I spent a total of ~$300.00 for all that stuff to my door.
@t_g_farrell , mind if I ask did you go with DHL or FEDEX? Did you order just a muffler or was it part of then tailpipe as well? This thing is sort of big @ 60x24x18 approx. I'm getting quoted $1500 on FedEx and bit less from DHL but still too crazy to consider. Unfortunately 500yen isn't responding and Amayama and Impex aren't helping too much either. Maybe their new years holiday is slowing this down. Im going to keep digging
I went with the cheapest but my muffler was just the last section of the total exhaust (did not include the pipe with the flex pipe in the middle). So it was kind of small. Also my shipping size and weight was in the limits for regular shipping so just took the cheapest. This is a pic of the second package with the matts and the muffler
Good to know ,thanks. Shoot yeah mine is a bit larger for sure . BUT in a rare positive turn of events , I kept pushing Amayama for more information, these guys are good. I believe their new year holiday slowed everythtijg down however they just sent me an updated order for $200 ish shipping woohoooo. I also learned Pitwork is part of Nissan and is quality OEM option. HST is strictly aftermarket brand but does appear to be Japanese made and certified . Will update more details later
OK I wanted to do a proper update post now that I'm on my computer to keep the relevant details visible Also just noticed the Japanese candy in @t_g_farrell post, lol nice work dude. How did it taste? Way classier with a sense of pride ? Current state of the Bravo Muffler / Tailpipe removed successfully with some damage to hardware 1 stud is destroyed on the end , the other stud survived. Same story for the nuts that were attached Lower bash shield was mangled by me when I couldn't get the rusted hardware apart. Solution was to Dremel, cut, and tear at it until it broke off . >> As with most of my struggles this would have been light work on a lift with proper tools. I was on my back in the snow working by flashlight Exhaust mounts / hangars are bit different on this rig compared to what I'm used to. It's a bracket mounted to the tailpipe with a welded nut. The hangars have collar bolts that go through the rubber and thread into the tailpipe mounts. More reason why this aftermarket option needs to be spot on or I'm going to be a sad sad man. With the muffler removed the engine fires right up and roars to life. A big difference over my consistent 2-5 key cycles to start. Very excited to see this improvement Parts Order Update Impex Japan - Not very helpful on this particular issue. Told me to measure my exhaust and use their pricing calculator. This yielded costs as high as $1500 USD >> The kicker is their fine print mentions that you order, wait for them to receive it, and then the shipping is due. If that amount due is too high, well too bad they don't refund the original purchase. Too risky on this item 500yen - Seems to be a solid option but felt a bit too complicated for me. As mentioned above it does appear to be a trustworthy source and I would have purchased from here if it were not for below........ Amayama - They really worked hard on this one. At first I was quoted $1000 and was told it can only come by Sea Freight. After looking up some max dimensions from Fedex and DHL it seemed like that was false. I asked them to please try again and they came back with a $270ish quote for FedEx Priority air. They estimate arrival before the end of the month but that seems unlikely. Not bad. If I had someone try to custom fabricate this it would cost easily $500+ around here and the small diameter pipe seems to be a problem for most exhaust shops. If you are in this same position I think Amayama would be the best option based on my experience working with them but 500yen is a solid contender as well. My vote is to spend more and get Pitwork but who knows maybe that HST brand is good to. Amayama refereed to Pitwork as " Nissan / Pitwork " I suspect they have better OEM quality standards. I think it comes with just the gasket and no hardware but order yourself a gasket just incase and at least new nuts if your studs are OK Next steps I'm cautiously optimistic that the part will arrive and fit like a glove. The biggest battle for me is going to be removing and replacing that stud . I may try to get a die and re-thread it since it's seemingly accessible but IDK...... I've never replaced a stud before. Especially not one this stuck. It was -20 this morning, without the wind chill taken into consideration. Tonight is going to be worse. Poor Kangaroo
So does the broken stud stick out for enough to get ahold of it? If so use heat and PB blaster and a vice grip to turn it out or if long enough put 2 nuts on it locked on each other and turn it out with those. Harsh conditions to be doing this in if you ask me. Good luck! I suspect the muffler hangers look like this with a metal rod in one or both holes. These are typical JDM exhaust hangers. I've bought ones like pictured and gotten steel tube and cut it to make the same kind of hanger.
Hey! From Japan to rural Montana in 2 days via Fedex and my parts are set to be delivered today. That's insane. Broken stud removal is next I've been soaking the stud in PB blaster and it's sort-of accessible. As suggested above I think I'm just going to try and vice grip it and hope it breaks loose. Is this pretty typical procedure or could it become a mess? Should I just go buy a stud extractor tool thingy? What do you think @t_g_farrell Maybe I try to do the vice grip way first and if it slips out or doesn't work, I think the extractor tool will still work. I cant really do the two-nut trick because of having to cut off the original nut and the busted threads on the stud. Will post pics of new muffler soon.
Try it with vice grip, it will probably back out with a couple of light hits with a hammer. Make sure the vice grip is on as tight as you can get it. Use heat area around the stud too. I hate extractors, they rarely workout and end up drilling which is not desirable either. I hope you have this in a garage by now.
Good advice, thanks. I'll stick with the vice grip method. No garage yet but it's warming up a bit. I' m due for some good luck, and at one point I could have swore I saw the stud back off when I was trying to remove the nut so it may be broken loose already. Amayama + FedEx Express for the win, really impressed with them after the initial hiccup of suggesting Sea Freight. I also contacted Impex Japan and 500yen with no response. Amayama seems to be the quickest to respond and help out, they also seem to have the ability to speak with OEM and Aftermarket distributors and check on any issues. The pitwork product seems solid and has Nissan branding on it. The welds look good and it's heavy at about 12 lbs. Hopefully I am on the home stretch here. More detail repair info to follow soon. *** The aftermarket gasket that came with the muffler is thicker than OEM. I wonder if I should use that instead? *** Anyone out there have a suggestion on general rule of thumb for torquing this stuff down? You don't go too tight with muffler stuff right, just snug it all up? \
Finally, time to post some progress Stud removal This was a total bitch, i thought for sure it was going to end in needing a new CAT after I messed this up. I was making virtually no progress and just destroying the stud. I noticed the threads were exposed from the backside of the flange so I started soaking the bolt from there. This seemed to be the key to penetrate the rust. Maybe if you have heat this would be a lot easier? I realized biting from the tip of the vice grips was better than further down in the jaws. My hand hurts like hell , you really have to bite down so hard and while laying on the ground I had horrible leverage. Anyway I got a little tiny wiggle, like 10-15 degrees at the most, but it was something. Soaked it more, wiggle it more. Little by little and it finally came out. In my haste I kept smashing into the other stud that was in good shape. I sort of banged up the threads but not enough to worry about it. Hang the new muffler I'm not sure what the right technique is here. I started with all of the mounts in place and had to hang the middle rubber first while using some wood to support the heavy side of the pipe. Then I slipped the pipe over the studs and from there got the rear rubber mounted up. The Pitwork part seems to be a perfect fit. I ended up using the gasket they supplied which was much thicker. I just gently pulled it together with a small wrench and will torque it down a bit more if needed. Test run went well, it starts much quicker and is quiet, almost too quiet. Now I can hear all the other engine noises =\
