Long-life Xantia Exhaust?

[Old-Guy]

A few weeks ago, a mile up the road from our daughter's house (and 130 from home!) the exhaust on our 1995 1.9TD failed without warning; the pipe fractured at the front of the (rear) box. Drove back to our daughter's (to the huge delight of our little grand-daughter), changed into old clothes and crawled underneath to wire the pipe up (a wire coat-hanger has a multitude of uses in automotive emergencies!).

When I replaced the box, I found the old box stamped with double chevrons and the code 9601. As the car was built in mid-January 96, I take this to mean 1996 week 01. If so, the original box has lasted more than 13 years and 93,000 miles. Is this a record? The really annoying part was that the rest of the box was as sound as a bell Must remember to spray some heat-proof paint on that end of the new box!

A new genuine Citroen box was 50% more expensive than a pattern part and I reckoned it would be expecting too much for the car to last another 13 years of more or less daily use.

Strangely, the best deal on the exhaust (from stock) was through our local Vauxhall dealer so it's worth shopping around.

[addo]

I'm deferring the replacement long as I can, quite liking the cracked one's sound as it overruns on long descents.

Surprised nobody sells a repair flange to weld on the front, that stiffens the whole face of the muffler. Over here, a new unit from PSA sources is perilously dear.

[Peter.N.]

I needed a new back and centrebox for an XM a few months ago, there were no pattern parts available at the time so I paid an arm and leg for a genuin Citroen one, when I came to fit it, I could hardly lift it above my head, I reckon it must have been nearly twice the weight of the one I took off - so I'm not reckoning on having to change it again.

[lolingram]

I needed a new back and centrebox for an XM a few months ago, there were no pattern parts available at the time so I paid an arm and leg for a genuin Citroen one, when I came to fit it, I could hardly lift it above my head, I reckon it must have been nearly twice the weight of the one I took off - so I'm not reckoning on having to change it again

Diesels don't make sulphuric acid during the combustion process, and so they hardly corode from the inside, unlike a petrol engine.

When they break, it is usually due to the vibration over the years - mostly at tickover.

[jmd]

Correct lolingram, as well as which it seems that Old-Guy has not much salt on the roads of Gloucestershire, or he has been doing a very good job of washing the underbody of his car after the winter. That sure was a long-life exhaust.

[vince]

I had the same problem on mine a while back. I fitted firstly a cheap GSF range one but shortly after changed it for their dearer OE quality version.

It was alot heavier and like you suggested, i have painted that part of the rear silencer with high temp silver paint.

Its been on for a few months now and is still as new