In France - rear exhaust fallen off - advice appreciated!

[JudeSunFlower]

The rear section of my exhaust fell of my 1999 Mazda Bongo (2.5 TD) this afternoon. The pipe to the rear box has broken where it joins the box. Normally I'd just order another and arrange a fitting.
I have taken off the box which is still in reasonable shape and have the rubber fittings. It just needs to get my family and me through a few more days pottering about and a 200 mile drive back to the ferry.

Has anyone ever tried to get a Bongo exhaust supplied and repaired in France? If so do you have any advice - where to go etc.? I cannot really drive any distance with things as they are. I am worried nowhere will stock what I need and UK ordered parts are unlikely to arrive before I need to travel home.
Alternatively - can anyone recommend any temporary repairs?
Is it safe to drive a significant distance without the rear box fitted if I can secure the broken pipe?

I am in St Brieuc (Brittany). Thank you in advance.

(Re-posting here - apologies for duplication.)

[Bob]

I'm happy to be blamed for the duplication.

[Gasy]

If you carny get one locally
I'd drive it back like that
If you get smells coming into van just extend what's left of your eggsaust with flexible metal ducting
Should be able to get that from a local auto store

[winchman]

French back street garage should be able to bodge it to get you home.

[briwy]

This may help, Feu Vert is like the Halfords of France. This is the branch close to you.

http://centres.feuvert.fr/centre-feuver ... 23c69610f8

They may be able to fit a generic silencer on to get you going or cobble up the old one.

[JudeSunFlower]

Thank you all for your replies. Really impressed with this forum!

I'll let you know how I get on...

[dom_e]

Depending on how far you have to drive, it may not be necessary. I've driven a few hundred miles without a back box with no issues in my diesel.

[MarcT77]

A good temporary fix is to split a drinks can wrap it round the pipe and jubilee clip it into place.
Mine went a few weeks ago and this bodge saw me thru till pay day...

[Velocette]

A good temporary fix is to split a drinks can wrap it round the pipe and jubilee clip it into place.
Mine went a few weeks ago and this bodge saw me thru till pay day...

I think it is snapped off at the weld where pipe is perpedicular to flat end of box. I used the drinks can dodge on the other end of my tailpipe where it shows at the bumper. Looked quite bling and got another year out of the backbox!

[Diplomat]

It's almost a certainty with this design that the join will fail where the pipe is welded into the back box. There is so much weight applied at this point, with some twist for good measure. The twist becomes apparent when you try inserting a piece of mating diameter tubing to try and make a temporary fix.

If you haven't got welding gear, forget it. It's not worth the aggro of trying to fix it when it will run fine and pass the test without a back box as long as the pipe extends to the rear extremity of the bodywork.

Because of this inherent weakness, I meant to fit an additional hanger at the front of the box to take the weight soon after I fitted a new exhaust. That was 3 M.o.T. s ago. Must do it soon before the next catastrophic failure occurs. There is a handy place to secure it to on the bodywork above. Some stout wire and a rubber loop is sufficient just to take the unsupported weight off the joint.


Frank

[scanner]

It's almost a certainty with this design that the join will fail where the pipe is welded into the back box. There is so much weight applied at this point, with some twist for good measure. The twist becomes apparent when you try inserting a piece of mating diameter tubing to try and make a temporary fix.

If you haven't got welding gear, forget it. It's not worth the aggro of trying to fix it when it will run fine and pass the test without a back box as long as the pipe extends to the rear extremity of the bodywork.

Because of this inherent weakness, I meant to fit an additional hanger at the front of the box to take the weight soon after I fitted a new exhaust. That was 3 M.o.T. s ago. Must do it soon before the next catastrophic failure occurs. There is a handy place to secure it to on the bodywork above. Some stout wire and a rubber loop is sufficient just to take the unsupported weight off the joint.


Frank

Yes it is a totally pathetic bit of design.

I would never fit an original (or pattern) rear box again - it is also about half a hundredweight of unneccesary ballast.

[Gasy]

Be a boy racer and put a cherry bomb on it

[scanner]

Be a boy racer and put a cherry bomb on it

No need to pay that much, a straight piece of pipe will do.

[tigger]

You'll be fine. I drove for hundreds of miles with no back box on my Bongo before getting it sorted. You've got a turbo-diesel - so the less back pressure from the exhaust system the better. You might notice slightly more noise under full throttle, and a slightly better throttle response. Other than that, no problems - drive on!

Dom

[cmm303]

...You might notice slightly more noise under full throttle, ...

Mine was a very noticeably noisier when just the tailpipe dropped off.