I have a hole in my center muffler... is it a good or bad idea to try to patch it up with JB weld? What sort of tempreture does the center muffler get up to? A center muffler is $300.... I am seeing if its possible to fix it before shellingout $300 on the muffler.

Where is the hole in the muffler? Is it in an easy to access place? If you can get to it easily, have it welded. For the few bucks it will cost, it will be worth it (cost $20 for me). I used JB weld for such a repair (on my center muffler), but only for an emergency. I had it welded 2 days later, so I do not know the longevity of JB Weld.

If you have a weld fixable repair don't do the JB weld first. To weld over an area that was patched with epoxy leaves the welder breathing some nasty chemicals.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

STOP!! Don't do it!! I tried that on a previous vehicle, and damn near tossed my cookies from the stench. Take it from me...melting JB Weld smells terrible! It'll take forever to burn off, even after you scrape off the bulk of it.

It's great stuff for some applications, but on an exhaust system it will burn away, producing the fumes mentioned by other posters. There are muffler patch cement and asbestos chemical things in tubes available from auto stores, and sometimes they work a little while, although they're illegal in Virginia and many other states with state inspections, but welding is far superior (and also illegal in Virginia, if done on the muffler itself, rather than connecting pipes).

Huh? Can't weld a muffler? They got a lotta laws there, eh?

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.

I haven't gotten underneath the car yet... however, I believe I found the area where the leak is coming from.

It seems that the sound is coming from where #3 and #4 connect.. it "sounds" as thought some sort of gasket there is gone.. but I am willing to bet that parted rusted through resulting in the leak. What I find funny is that the undercarriage is rust free.. except for that part!

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Any other solutions that replacing the center muffler?

I believe that 'ring' (#8), combined with the clamps seals the pipe ends together. If it is leaking around the joint, perhaps the clamp fasteners have failed. I've had the fasteners give out before the pipes in that sort of setup before.
Maybe you can get away with less $$.

Also, check the hangers. Perhaps the joint was stressed for lack of support.

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1986 300E 5-Speed 240k mi.