Audi A4/S4 B8 Exhaust Clamp Fix

[hawkeye651]

Hi all - apologies if this has been posted before but thought it might help & avoid some unnecessary bills. My S4 (B8) 2010 began blowing its exhaust on Christmas Eve. An examination showed that the clamps had disintegrated.

With no auto-part stores open a temporary repair was put into action using jubilee clips!

An order for inexpensive Stainless Steel replacements was placed which arrived last week.

New clamps fitted today & all back in action. From an internet search this is a well known issue - the OEM clamps rust with the danger that the exhaust will fall onto the road requiring an expensive/inconvenient tow truck recovery.

Hope that is useful.

 

[Rich76]

Yep mine failed it’s mot on this last year

The garage repaired it with a pair of normal exhaust clamps

 

[rum4mo]

That seems to be an on going VW Group exhaust weakness, luckily for me I spotted that one had failed on my old Passat and due to lack of availability of identical clamps, I bought a pair of new joining sleeves. These clamps, design wise are very effective, just a pity that they rot away before the exhaust does, no issues like that on my S4 as it came fitted with a Milltek system and they use these Mikalor clamps.

 

[rum4mo]

I think that I feel the need to correct that last posting:- Milltek source their clamps from another source, but they had in common with most clamp providers, which is, the default situation is to provide stainless steel clamp bodies and zinc coated steel bolts and nuts, that will be to provide maximum strength. It is possible to buy Mikalor clamps that are completely stainless steel but for, on my S4 with a Milltek stainless steel exhaust, the 4 centre area clamps use M8 fixings and same for the larger rear end (tips) clamps. Mikalor use M6 or M7 on their smaller clamps.

So, as the bolts on my 2011 S4 with Milltek exhaust clamps are looking very nasty, I was going to opt for the more expensive route which will be to buy a new set of clamps from Milltek and "harvest" the bolts and barrel nuts and fit them to my existing clamps.

One obvious benefit from using Mikilor stainless steel clamps to replace ordinary VW Group exhaust clamps which rust through too quickly is, the Mikilor clamps seem to have a large/long swivel saddle section, so no real need to remove or move along the joining sleeve before fitting new clamps.

Anyone dared to opt for the Mikilor clamps with stainless steel bolts and nuts?

 

[pagechapa]

That's great, thanks.

 

[forty3]

I changed the exhaust on mine (temporarily as it was too loud) and had to cut off the clamps as they were so corroded. Did the same as you and refitted with the Mikalor clamps. Much better!

 

[Smir]

Just had my clamp disappear from my car! what is the metal bit under the clamps you use?

 

[rum4mo]

Just had my clamp disappear from my car! what is the metal bit under the clamps you use?

I'm not sure if this answers your question fully, but VW Group use and fit at factory "joining sleeves" these joining sleeves come complete with the clamp at each end. Aftermarket providers also sell these joining sleeves for these cars complete with a clamp at each end, I failed to find anyone selling these clamps by themselves.

So, just measure the OD of the exhaust at the point where the joining sleeve was originally fitted and order a new one - or more from ebay for example - or from Audi.

Edit:- what these clamps get supplied with as a complete assembly is 2 split bands one on top of the other, the clamps sit on the top of the outermost split bands or sleeves.

 

[ld2130]

Ooo thanks for the reminder.