I had noticed what I thought to be an exhaust leak smell/noise coming from the passenger side lately. I thought maybe my downpipe was loose or something, but when I finally got around to checking out the problem, it turns out that the rubber hose that connects the outlet of the air pump to the metal hose that feeds the main cat had split practically in half.

Is it normal for exhaust to be coming back up the pipe? I have had the airpump disabled for some time now. Should I just replumb it and leave it or is there supposed to be a 1-way valve or something going on in there?

 

It is normal to hear exhaust out of that hardpipe. It is connected to the cat via I believe the ACV. Just cap it off with a Wal-Mart rubber furniture cap.