Just before I got home las Friday my 2011 got loud. The exhaust separated behind the catalytic converter. Closer examination shows ears of the flange on the converter have rusted away. National chain muffler shop wants to replace converter and the complete exhaust system, $1800 for the converter, with a 5-7 day wait, plus the rest of the parts and labor.
I have a new gasket, and have ordered a two-piece flange repair.
Does anyone here know if the flange on the resonator is threaded or is it a hole with a bolt behind it? In other words will the rusty bolt come out with a hammer or will I have to fight to clear the holes in the resonator flange?

 

The downpipe has holes. The exhaust manifold and resonator have pressed in studs. I don't know how difficult it is to remove the studs. I imagine someone good with a cutting torch, they'd practically fall right out.

 

My replacement Walker resonator/exhaust pipe had holes in the flange. But the downpipe flange was such a corroded mess that we got sloppy and just cut both flanges off and sleeved them and welded. The cleaner way would have been to buy a new flange to weld on to the downpipe.

 

Welding is a reliable, inexpensive, quick solution. And in the future, you won’t mind cutting with a grinder.
Great alternative vs $1800

 

A weld on flange kit

https://www.mandrelbending.ca/produc...-409-stainless

 

Seeing as the thread is a couple months old, I will post a link to my reply concerning fixing this headache....
https://www.chevyhhr.net/forums/prob...t-break-67082/