Muffler Repair In Bloomington

Your vehicle's exhaust system is a vital component of your safety. Any problems with your exhaust and emission systems should be repaired as soon as possible. Waiting too long to bring your car to a car repair shop can worsen the car’s condition and your health.

How can you tell if your vehicle needs exhaust replacements or emission repairs? Here are some signs to watch out for that can point to a problem in your emission system.

A Decreased Fuel Efficiency - If you’re making more frequent visits to the gas station, you may have an exhaust leak.

Performance Issues - An issue in the catalytic converter can create performance issues drying startup and acceleration. An exhaust leak can also be causing a reduced performance issue, which needs immediate attention.

Check Engine Light Is On - Your car will try to tell you that something is wrong with its exhaust system by turning on the check engine light. If you’ve checked the engine and every other system, it’s likely time to bring your car to experts at Gearheads Garage for an emission inspection.

Gas Smell - A broken exhaust system can cause gas fumes to leak into the cabin.

A Burning Smell and Smoke - A broken gasket can create leaks, which can cause burning inside of your car. When you smell burning plastic or see smoke, turn off the engine and evacuate it. Contact Gearheads Garage for an immediate inspection and repairs of your emission system.

A Rusty or Split Exhaust Pipe - A visual check can give you an immediate idea of the status of your emission system. You know you have exhaust issues if you see an exhaust pipe full of rust or holes.

Popping or Hissing Noises - Any strange noises coming from your vehicle are bad news. A hissing or popping sound can mean you’ve got unusually high backpressure. You may also notice burned paint or discoloration next to the exhaust ports on the cylinder head.

Vibrations - A vibrating gas pedal, car seat, or steering wheel can point to a rusty exhaust pipe. It can also signify exhaust leaks, which can cause harmful gases to enter the cabin.

Some of the signs above can point to a different car issue. Visit our expert mechanics in Bloomington Normal if you want to be sure that you’ve got your vehicle problems pinned down.

Review the parts of your car’s exhaust and emission system. It’s how you comprehend better what your vehicle needs and how to take care of it better.

Exhaust Manifold

The exhaust manifold is the part directly connected to the engine. Its job is to pull or guide the combustion gasses into the exhaust system. It has smooth, curving passages to lead the exhaust flow.

The materials used for the manifold are steel, aluminum, stainless steel, and cast iron. Cast iron is the material most commonly used for the exhaust manifold. You could have two exhaust manifolds depending on the size of your vehicle’s engine.

Catalytic Converters

As its name indicates, the catalytic converter transforms harmful engine emissions into carbon dioxide and water. It uses catalysts, which are heat and metals, to convert harmful emissions. You can find the catalytic converter between the exhaust manifold and the muffler.

The catalyst is a metal, or sometimes a chemical, that creates a reaction in other chemicals. However, the catalyst shouldn’t undergo the same reaction or get affected by these new chemical reactions.

You’ll find metals like platinum, rhodium, and palladium inside a catalytic converter. They are why carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons react, creating H2O and CO2 instead.

Oxygen Sensors or O2 Sensors

The next part is the oxygen sensor, which measures how much oxygen is in the exhaust. The computer uses the data to calculate the correct mixture of O2 to optimize fuel economy and performance. It subtracts or adds fuel to get the right air-fuel combination.

Most vehicles with a four-cylinder engine have two O2 sensors. One is on the exhaust manifold, which is before the catalytic converter. You’ll find the other on the exhaust pipe after the catalytic converter.

V6 and V8 engines have four O2 sensors. They have two sensors before and two more after the catalytic converter on each cylinder bank.

Flex Pipe

Your engine creates vibrations when it operates, which can damage its parts. The exhaust line is one of the parts that often crack from wear and age. The exhaust flex pipe is a flexible tube made of stainless steel. It gives the exhaust line some flexibility to limit cracks in the system and attached parts.

 Mufflers

Vehicle engines can make a lot of noise, so the muffler reduces this noise. Mufflers come in two kinds. One has baffled chambers to bounce and create sound waves until they lose volume and force. Another type reduces backpressure, which is a source of engine noise.

Resonator Assemblies or Pipe Accessories

Resonators are like mini mufflers, but they have less restriction. A resonator looks like an empty echo chamber where exhaust energy and noise bounce around. It is also what transforms the sound to be more acceptable. Resonators can come before or after the muffler.

Tailpipe or Exhaust Pipe

At the rear bumper of your vehicle is the tailpipe. It is where exhaust gases come out of the car. The tailpipe plays a huge role, even though it’s at the tail end of the emission system.

Without it, the engine gasses will exit at the bottom of your car. It can lead to carbon monoxide entering the cabin of your vehicle.