The need for an aftermarket exhaust on the Hybrid Ford Maverick

[mangler]

After watching Sandy Munro's last video of a hybrid on the lift, the stock exhaust seems to be biodegradable. So an aftermarket exhaust made with materials used post 1975 (either 409 stainless or even 304 stainless steel) would be highly desirable, unless you plan on getting your exhaust replaced every time you get your coolant flushed.



I am not talking about a performance exhaust here, just stock sound with decent materials. You will note the "hybrid drivetrain coolant chamber" built-in to the exhaust stream will make any eco boost exhausts unusable, at least out of the box. If that was the only big difference between ecoboost and hybrid exhaust, a smart exhaust manufacturer could sell a "modified" ecoboost exhaust pre-cut with the heating chamber as a clamp on part.

I hate changing terrible parts multiple times, so I would definitely be interested to changing to a decent system, once, after the original line crumbles. Let me know your thoughts.

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[Darnon]

400-series stainless still can develop surface rust. Ford does often use 400-series stainless for exhaust tubing. It's pretty easy to see after a few years because additional components like the flanges, clamps, and bolts will continue to become more corroded as those are typically regular carbon steel.

 

[mangler]

400-series stainless still can develop surface rust. Ford does often use 400-series stainless for exhaust tubing. It's pretty easy to see after a few years because additional components like the flanges, clamps, and bolts will continue to become more corroded as those are typically regular carbon steel.

I am aware that 409SS is not "stainless", but I would not bet they using 409SS here. Pre-muffler, that pipe has some pretty severe surface rust on a 6 month old truck. That center muffler/resonator does not even look like aluminized steel, the cheapest option that you really should be using on a new vehicle. Looks like that $19.99 "lifetime muffler" they will sell you at exhaust chains (labour to replace not included...). Mild steel, ultimate in cheapness. Funny enough the pipe after the center muffler looks like it is in better shape, and so is the final muffler, so those or at least aluminized (maybe that part is even 409SS).

Bottom line, if you want to keep your truck 5+ years, and you live in the rust belt, I would be seriously looking at aftermarket options. I understand the truck is built to a price point, but this is some serious cheaping out here Ford, with likely impacts on customer satisfaction.

 

[SuperDave71]

I’m not sure what was up with the truck in the video, mine was/is nowhere close to that.

 

[Darnon]

I don't know when that was filmed but approximately 6 months from publication would put that about March/April. I took delivery of mine mid-April and it looks more like yours than that video even catching a bit of the end of WNY snow/salt season.

Apparently OP can do metallurgical analysis by eye through video. I imagine that could be a well-paying talent.

 

[mangler]

I’m not sure what was up with the truck in the video, mine was/is nowhere close to that.

Yours does look way better (not sure if it has seen a winter/salt spray yet). That vehicle in the video is an early build, and there could have been "changes" made because of supply chain issues. Hopefully newer Mavericks will have better exhausts. Darnon is correct, at the very least you could expect 409SS piping and heavy gauge aluminized mufflers from Ford. Hopefully that is just early builds, and they will take care of these folks under warranty.

 

[Bob The Builder]

For those that do not drive very much it will prolly rot out from the inside first.

 

[TSAINTS1115]

$22k starting price or indestructible exhaust. You can't have both.

 

[1929]

I hate changing terrible parts multiple times, so I would definitely be interested to changing to a decent system, once, after the original line crumbles. Let me know your thoughts.

Let's agree to answer this question in November 2032 when exhaust is rusted out.

 

[mangler]

I don't know when that was filmed but approximately 6 months from publication would put that about March/April. I took delivery of mine mid-April and it looks more like yours than that video even catching a bit of the end of WNY snow/salt season.

Apparently OP can do metallurgical analysis by eye through video. I imagine that could be a well-paying talent.

You don't have to be a metallurgist to see there is something wrong with the exhaust system in the video. Nor do you need to be able to do a metallurgical analysis "by eye" (which I am not claiming here btw, that's not a thing, I am saying something does not look right, and making educated guesses as to why). If you want to know what high temperature rust/oxydation looks like on 400 series stainless steel, just look at the catalytic converter and the front pipe attached to it (8min35sec). Even Ford is not cheap/stupid enough not to use ferritic stainless steel here, as they have to warranty that for a LONG time for emissions. See how it is discoloured, but smooth/even? That's what 400 grade stainless should look like. See the pipe exiting the catalytic converter, how it is different, with lots for flakes and spot corrosion after so few miles? That does not looks right. In fact you can see a distinct difference between the pipe and the coolant heating module (which thankfully looks to be made of better material, I can just imagine that is not cheap to replace).

Most of the pipe from the cat to the first muffler looks terrible. ironically the tail pipe and muffler look much better, so at the very least they look like aluminized steel.

Again if yours doesn't look like that, great, hopefully you get good mileage out of it. But I suspect many people will have a hodge podge on their exhaust system (this cannot be the only one...), so I would expect some owners will not be as lucky and actually get abysmal performance out of their exhaust. Time will tell. And the system in the video will not last 10 years, you would be lucky to get 5 years out of it. Ford probably rolled the dice and hoped it would make it pas the 3 year warranty.

 

[Darnon]

And the system in the video will not last 10 years, you would be lucky to get 5 years out of it. Ford probably rolled the dice and hoped it would make it pas the 3 year warranty.

Sounds like the better deal than paying out for a stainless replacement exhaust would be an ESP then that covers the rest of the truck as well if you're worried about Ford cutting costs.

 

[mangler]

Sounds like the better deal than paying out for a stainless replacement exhaust would be an ESP then that covers the rest of the truck as well if you're worried about Ford cutting costs.

Every time I've looked at ESPs in the past they were expensive for what they were. They always claim the full coverage time/mileage, even though most of the high value parts are covered by the basic warranty, at least for a significant portion of the ESP.

Here you would likely want a 7 year bumper to bumper, and those won't be cheap...

 

[mangler]

$22k starting price or indestructible exhaust. You can't have both.

I don't disagree, and if you HAVE to cheap out, better on a easy to replace part like the exhaust than the crankshaft bearings...

 

[Darnon]

Here you would likely want a 7 year bumper to bumper, and those won't be cheap...

For instance $1155 from Granger for 7yr/100k mi with $100 deductible and you can use those $210 FordPass points on it. How much much a cat-back (or heat exchanger-back for a hybrid) 309 stainless exhaust cost? $700-800 plus install (another $100-200)?

 

[GPSMan]

This can/will be replaced under warranty. And "emissions related" has a long warranty.


And if you live in an urban area with say, 50,000 people or more, odds of your exhaust getting hacked into pieces by thieves before it rusts into pieces are 50/50.

You bet I'm not touching mine. Unless I have to. Changing it now is not only premature, it's foolish.

FWIW 316 "stainless" also rusts. It is stain less steel; meaning it stains less. It's not bullet proof and even 304 and 316 are highly HIGHLY susceptible to salt. And yes, I am a subject matter expert in this category.

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