Unsolicited follow-up post: at 195K miles, my crap weld is still holding up, but the remaining 25% of the factory weld is cracking now. Another crack developed in the pipe below the converter. Meanwhile, the driver's side converter is rattling; the substrate is obviously loose. Will replace both with aftermarket, hope they're reasonably good.

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Lenny

There are only three sports: bullfighting, motor racing and mountaineering; all the rest are merely games. --Ernest Hemingway

'10 GL550/'04 BMW 545/'99 BMW 323/'98 ML320/'87 VW GTI (race)