Yes, your vehicle’s exhaust system muffles the engine, but it also ensures a constant oxygen exchange happening inside the combustion chamber. It pushes the gases out so fresh oxygen can come in and fire up. Your car, truck, or utility vehicle will give you hints there’s something wrong with the system. Fairfax Auto Repair lists signs of exhaust system trouble below.
Noise
Engine exhaust is noisy, very noisy, which is why your automobile has a muffler. The muffler controls the noise, so you don’t disturb your neighbors or get a fix-it ticket. If the muffler is leaking or has a hole in it, your car will sound like an army tank. You can also hear exhaust system noise if the manifold gasket is leaking. This makes a hissing or tapping noise depending on how cold the engine is when you hear it.
Sluggishness
As we said above, the exhaust system is responsible for removing the exhaust created in the combustion chamber. This prevents exhaust gases from building up and taking up too much space. As exhaust exits the chamber, fresh oxygen is brought in to keep your engine firing. If the exhaust system is leaking, you might feel sluggishness in your vehicle’s acceleration when you press down on the accelerator.
Low Gas Mileage
Oxygen isn’t the only thing firing up in your engine’s combustion chamber. There is also gasoline, and when the engine has to work harder than it should be, such as when you have an exhaust system leak, it will burn more gasoline in a feeble attempt to produce the power you’re demanding from the accelerator. You might not notice the problem at first, but eventually, you’ll be filling up more often.
Smells
You should never smell anything strange coming from your car’s engine. If your exhaust manifold is leaking, it’s releasing scalding hot exhaust gases into the engine bay, and you will smell the parts around the manifold burning. You might also smell gasoline inside your vehicle’s cabin if you have a clogged exhaust system. As you know, this can be very dangerous, so stop by our shop right away.
Tailpipe
Finally, it’s not a bad idea to check out your car’s tailpipe every once in a while. Use a flashlight to inspect the tailpipe. Look for holes, dents, or any other signs of visible damage. Also, check to make sure the tailpipe isn’t hanging too low or hanging loosely. Because of where it’s located, the tailpipe can be damaged by the very roads you drive on, especially if you go over a bump too fast and knock it.
Stop by Fairfax Auto Repair’s service shop in Fairfax, VA, and let one of our certified and experienced auto technicians inspect your vehicle’s system. We’ll make sure it’s a-okay.
