97' Previa SC Muffler Replacement

[Lendog]

Recently had the van in the shop (head gasket) & my mechanic said i should replace the muffler soon. Was going to do it myself and had a few questions before I started buying parts.

Are the mufflers the same on the 97 SC and non-SC Previa's? The Bosal W0133-1750921 is the only "direct fit" style Ive seen online other than getting one from Toyota, and looks to be the right one from the pics, but doesn't say specifically for one or the other. The ones I've seen for the earlier non-sc models have the longer straight pipe after the bend from lacking a 2nd cat I believe?

Would a bad muffler put off more heat? Maybe, I just didn't notice before but lately after a decent amount of driving the bumper and floor inside above the muffler are noticeably warm to the touch. Anyone else notice this? Normal?

Everything is pretty rusted from the muffler to flex pipe, which is losing the woven material around it. I've had a few people say I should just take it to a muffler shop because ill never be able to get the rusted bolts off at the flanges... Thanks!

[pdgizwiz]

I recently bought a '97 and have had to deal with the exhaust system. The first cat had a horrible rattle, and I bought a "MagnaFlow" replacement through O'Reilly instead of the $1000 OEM unit. I noticed that the flange diameter at the joint on the front of the 2nd cat wasn't a perfect fit, but it worked.
Once the rattle was cured, the classic Previa whistle became evident. I then discovered that the '97 muffler is unique, and the "2nd cat" changed mid year. Judging from the price difference, I suspect it lost its catalyst and became a spacer.
I am considering replacing the muffler and the empty second cat with a Walker intermediate pipe (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001AX675S/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=Q3Q3HE1VG8V1&coliid=I1X5MHMF7XXEDH) and a matching muffler (http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000RUBGG0/ref=wl_it_dp_o_pC_S_ttl?_encoding=UTF8&colid=Q3Q3HE1VG8V1&coliid=I86EHD6Q2N8ER).
OEM replacements for the original parts would cost roughly four times as much.
I haven't bought the parts yet, and expect I may have to weld the two together, unless they are designed to be joined with a conventional U-bolt clamp.
The stock '97 muffler is huge, and has larger diameter pipes, I believe. I'm sure a new one would be excellent, but I can't justify paying as much for an exhaust system as I have currently invested in the van.

I don't know what the issue with your muffler is, but if it's rusty, I imagine that it has begun to leak. If it is spewing hot gasses at the floor and not out the tailpipe, it might be heating things up. But I couldn't tell you what's "normal" off the top of my head.
It's true the bolts will be rusted and likely need to be cut off with a torch or a hand grinder. I used the latter to separate my front cat assembly from the rear "cat".

[pdgizwiz]

I put a Bosal muffler on my '94 and found it to be significantly louder than stock. This may or may not be an issue for you.
I looked up the part number in your message (Bosal W0133-1750921) and it appears to be "a fit" for '97 Previas made through 07/'96. I don't know what changes were made in August of '96 or if they really matter.
Could be related to the pipe/flange diameter of the second "cat", could be mounting locations to the floor, could be some esoteric emissions related thing.
What's the build date on your van? It's on the label inside your driver's side door jamb. Mine is 12/96.
If you go the Bosal route, post your results here. If/when I go the Walker route, I'll do the same.

[tbkilb01]

I pulled a really new looking muffler off a 95 previa (with fresh shiny metal fom one end to the other) yesterday for $10 at the pick and pull since my 92 muffler is rusting out at the pipes. I spent allot of weekenders on Galveston, Surfside, Matagorda, and South Padre Island beaches in Texas years ago when I was a beachcomber. But I alwayz made sure to rinse the bottom off at least twice before leaving the beach at the carwashes designed to rinse the bottom of vehicles leaving the beach. Hence the bottom of the 92 has very limited rust (nothing flaking or growing that i can see) and I have treated all the bolts that I could that I have not removed for some sort of maintenance or service, but the pipe on the muffler is taking it hard. Guess the heat cooked the salt on before I could rinse it. Anywho, looks like the pipe on the 95 version is shorter, maybe even bigger! Its probably due to 95 having 2 Catalytics/supercharger?...Wondering, has anyone tried to get one of these bad boys welded/connected/adapted to a 91-93 previa yet..? Surely a muffler man can! :cnfsd: