At a glance, your car’s exhaust system seems like the least interesting component of the vehicle. Unlike the engine which whirs and purrs as it gives your car power, the exhaust system blows out all the stinky and yucky muck produced by the engine.
Of course, a healthy exhaust system with regular auto repair is vital to maintaining a strong engine. Without it, harmful gases and outputs won’t exit the vehicle properly and will cause a slew of problems for the car and for those inside it.
Your Vehicle’s Exhaust Pipe Is More Advanced Than It Appears
If you think your car’s muffler and exhaust system is just a simple pipe spitting out toxic fumes you are only part right. Today’s exhaust systems include high tech capabilities, including an oxygen sensor that monitors oxygen levels in your vehicle’s fuel mixture. If levels are too high or too low, your check engine light or other dashboard indicator will illuminate on the dashboard. Such signals may indicate an engine repair, suspension repair or more.
Air, toxins and gases first exit the engine area through what’s commonly referred to as the exhaust manifold. Here, car emissions are furnace-temperature hot and extremely poisonous. A cracked or worn out exhaust manifold can allow toxic fumes to enter the cabin. As such it’s important to get this exhaust manifold auto repair performed right away before the damage gets worse and someone gets sick.
The Exhaust System Makes Cabin Air Safe to Breathe
There are many signs that you are having problems with the exhaust system specifically the exhaust manifold. Loud noise coming from the center belly of your vehicle tends to signal a crack in the manifold as does shaking or vibrations from under your seat all the way through the steering column. (Vibrations could also signal other problems with the steering suspension system but heavy vibrations paired with loud noises tend to signal exhaust issues.) Like most suspension repairs, exhaust problems will only get worse if you ignore them so it’s best to get this looked at as soon as possible.
The Catalytic Converter Cleans Dirty Air
Next to the manifold in the car’s exhaust system is the catalytic converter, an advanced device that essentially converts highly noxious gases into less noxious ones. In the state of California, you won’t be able to pass your smog emissions test if the catalytic converter and larger exhaust system isn’t working as it should. Now this of course doesn’t mean the air coming from your exhaust is pleasant to breathe but it is much less harmful and free from pollutants than it would be without it.
The good news about the catalytic converter is that it is one of those parts that rarely breaks. The bad news is that if it does go belly up, it’s a more costly automotive repair. (Older model vehicles do tend to have more problems with their catalytic converters and wear down and break more often.)
Muffler Auto Repair Requires More Than Duct Tape
The next part of your car’s exhaust system is the muffler or resonance dampener system. As the name implies, this component’s function is to muffle the loud sounds coming from the engine block. If your car has muffler problems you and everyone else on your street will know it. Aside from just sounding loud and obnoxious, a hole or tear in your muffler releases harmful fumes. Muffler auto repairs need to be performed as soon as possible as the tear or hole will only get worse. It is less costly to perform auto repair on a tear than replace the whole muffler or exhaust pipe system.
The good news is that a small hole or tear in your exhaust system can be repaired by a temporary patch or tape sold by your local auto repair and parts store. Such auto repair products can help patch up the problem if you can’t get to an automotive repair shop right away but are only a temporary fix. If you are able to visually see the hole, you can use these exhaust repair kits and an aluminum can for a short term solution.
Sometimes, the hole or tear is not visible to the naked eye so the repair kit solution may remain more elusive. You can skip the patch up entirely and just get the muffler or piping fixed properly from a San Diego auto repair shop.
Last but not least the exhaust system includes the tail pipe, the part that sticks out from your car releasing fumes. The piping system extends from the engine to the tail pipe via several joints and connectors. The piping structure can be damaged or bent from accidents, including small fender benders. An auto repair in the form of replacing or re-connecting the joints and connectors may be required.
