Eliminate one tailpipe and muffler on 08 O-back?

[Subpar]

Have found some discussion on this, but nothing to indicate it has actually been done successfully. I want to eliminate one tailpipe and muffler on my 08 Outback. I'd rather have somebody tell me now I'm goofy than find out after I have done this.

I also have read and been given conflicting information from Subaru dealers no less.... on OEM stainless exhaust systems. Does my OB have stainless? It looks rusty to me. I just purchased this a few weeks ago and trying to get educated.

My 98 Saturn had stainless w/165k only replaced one muffler. My 2000 S10 was stainless as well.

Any info on this would be appreciated!

[AWDFTW]

Out of curiosity, why do you want to do this?

[Subpar]

It seems to be very counter productive and over engineered to have two tailpipes split from one exhaust pipe.

One tailpipe and muffler would run hotter and in theory last much longer. As it is now Winter, and living in zone three there is a lot of water that puddles under the mufflers. One much more than the other, that I am told is by design?

I'm no engineer but this just seems a wonky way to make something. I would gladly pay good bucks for a decent stainless pipe and muffler to modify this to a single.

If this seems to be unsound logic.... it would not be the first time I bit a fat hawg in the butt. Glad to hear others thoughts.

[plain OM]

The external rusting is considered normal. Here's a comment from Subaru Canada:

"On newer vehicles, some customers may complain about a premature rust appearance on their exhaust system, mainly on the piping.
"The material for the exhaust system used by most auto manufacturers is 409 Stainless Steel. Unlike the stainless steel used in kitchen sinks for example, 409 Stainless will display some surface rust when receiving heat and/or exposure to chemicals, such as those found in salty water. This surface rust does not penetrate through to the inside of the exhaust system. Thus, there is no durability concern."

One much more than the other, that I am told is by design?

There is nothing that moves the exhaust through one muffler and not the other to cause an imbalance. The exhaust comes down a single, center pipe, and then splits in a "Y" to the two muffler branches at the back. There might be a small difference in the length of the branches, but that wouldn't lead to a lot more exhaust through, and water under, one than the other.

It's normal for water to drip from the exhausts when the car is first started and for the first few minutes. Water is a by-product of an efficient combustion process, and is carried out with the exhaust as vapor, but then condenses and drips down from the outlets at the rear. It's more apparent when the outside temperatures are low and the exhaust system isn't hot. But once everything warms up, the vapor comes out the rear at a higher temperature and dissipates in the air instead of condensing.

Having two mufflers reduces the overall exhaust system back-pressure that all mufflers introduce (although this is accounted for in the design of the car). Other than that, I don't see why a single system couldn't work -- some owners have added/substituted various hi-flow systems, albeit for different reasons. But I think the cost etc., might not be worth it. While I haven't been keeping track over the past six years I've been here, I don't recall any number of reports of the mufflers themselves failing due to rust. If anything, it's the flanges or donut gaskets at the front, between the catalytic converter and single pipe going toward the rear, that seem to fail, and that is on earlier generations, at least as far as I remember.

[Subpar]

That is an excellent reply, and addresses several concerns and questions I had. Thank you very much! I have had conflicting answers from Subaru dealers on the stainless question and now that is addressed as well.

I am 64 and have always done 90% of the service work on all my vehicles. That is not possible anymore with the exception of simple straightforward tasks such as this exhaust issue. I will do my homework trying to locate a single stainless low restriction pipe and muffler. If I find something fine, if not that's OK too.

Thanks for your replies on this.

[subiesailor]

Originally Posted by plain OM

The external rusting is considered normal. Here's a comment from Subaru Canada:

"On newer vehicles, some customers may complain about a premature rust appearance on their exhaust system, mainly on the piping.
"The material for the exhaust system used by most auto manufacturers is 409 Stainless Steel. Unlike the stainless steel used in kitchen sinks for example, 409 Stainless will display some surface rust when receiving heat and/or exposure to chemicals, such as those found in salty water. This surface rust does not penetrate through to the inside of the exhaust system. Thus, there is no durability concern."



There is nothing that moves the exhaust through one muffler and not the other to cause an imbalance. The exhaust comes down a single, center pipe, and then splits in a "Y" to the two muffler branches at the back. There might be a small difference in the length of the branches, but that wouldn't lead to a lot more exhaust through, and water under, one than the other.

It's normal for water to drip from the exhausts when the car is first started and for the first few minutes. Water is a by-product of an efficient combustion process, and is carried out with the exhaust as vapor, but then condenses and drips down from the outlets at the rear. It's more apparent when the outside temperatures are low and the exhaust system isn't hot. But once everything warms up, the vapor comes out the rear at a higher temperature and dissipates in the air instead of condensing.

Having two mufflers reduces the overall exhaust system back-pressure that all mufflers introduce (although this is accounted for in the design of the car). Other than that, I don't see why a single system couldn't work -- some owners have added/substituted various hi-flow systems, albeit for different reasons. But I think the cost etc., might not be worth it. While I haven't been keeping track over the past six years I've been here, I don't recall any number of reports of the mufflers themselves failing due to rust. If anything, it's the flanges or donut gaskets at the front, between the catalytic converter and single pipe going toward the rear, that seem to fail, and that is on earlier generations, at least as far as I remember.

Not to mention that Subaru was trying all sorts of tricks to help address heat vs cooling issues to make the cooling system more robust. The duel exhaust out the back helps carry exhaust heat away in a more efficient manner vs a single tail pipe.