The exhaust pipes under a car can wear out at different rates and will have to be replaced even if the rest of the exhaust system is fine. One pipe on a 1998 Toyota Camry that you may have to have replaced is the mid-pipe between the front pipe with the catalytic converter built into it and the muffler. This process is similar to replacing the mid-pipe on other cars, but with some cars, the catalytic converter is a separate part from the front pipe. If you know how to set up the car on jack stands, you should be able to replace this pipe by yourself. Here is how to replace the mid-pipe on a 1998 Toyota Camry.

Jack Car Up

You need to set the back of the car up on jack stands. Don't forget to block the front wheels with a piece of wood to keep the car from rolling forward off the jack stands.

Penetrating Oil

The bolts on the flanges connecting the mid-pipe to the other pipes will most likely be heavily covered with rusted and they will be hard to remove. Take some penetrating oil and soak the bolts on the flanges with it. You should also soak the hanger that the stud on the mid-pipe slides through to keep the pipe hung close to the bottom of the car so it doesn't hang down and bump off of the road when you are driving.

Remove O2 Sensor

There is an O2 sensor you will have to remove. The sensor is located on the top of the mid-pipe. You need to be careful here that you don't end up twisting the wires to the sensor when you put it back on the new mid-pipe. The problem is that the wires for the O2 sensor on a Toyota Camry go up through the floor of the car and you need to rip up the carpet to get to the wire connection.

Here's what you should do. Take a marker and put a mark on the sensor before you unscrew it from the mid-pipe. Count on many times the mark twists around when you unscrew the sensor – it will usually take three and a half turns on a 1998 Toyota Camry.

Remove Mid-Pipe

Remove the bolts from the flanges by the muffler and front pipe. Press the stud through the hanger and take the mid-pipe off of the car.

Replace Mid-Pipe

Push the stud through the hanger so the mid-pipe hangs loosely under the car. Clean the ends of the flanges on the muffler and front pipe to remove any rust and debris before you place the new gaskets on them. Bolt the mid-pipe to the flanges.

Reinstall O2 Sensor

You should twist the O2 sensor around before you place it into the hole on the mid-pipe. If it took three and a half turns to take it out, you should twist is three and a half turns before you place the tip of the threads on the sensor into the hole on the mid-pipe. As you tighten the sensor, the wires will become untwisted.

Take the car off the jack stands and go for a ride to make sure everything feels okay and you don't hear any loud noises coming from the exhaust pipes. For assistance, talk to a professional mechanic.

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