Exhausts are an essential component in cars, regulating the emissions from the engine in a safe manner. Exhausts are often overlooked and can cause a lot of problems with cars. The following article has some common faults and how to fix them with exhausts.
• Checking the Emissions will help you spot any problems. The easiest way to check it is to take put on some thick gloves and a get a cloth. Start your car and leave it running for a few minutes. Once the engine has warmed up put the cloth over the end of the exhaust and leave it there for a few seconds. Take the cloth off and see how badly marked it is. If the cloth is thoroughly black then chances are it needs replacing. Also listen out for any hissing sounds or bubbling noises. If you can hear anything unusual it could mean that part of the exhaust system needs replacing.
• Similarly, Rattling Sounds could be the symptom of a problem. Rattling sounds could be telling you that the brackets holding the exhaust in place are loose or that something is touching the main exhaust pipe and causing friction. If this is the case then this you should have your exhaust inspected straight away. If you carry on driving with the sound continuing you may cause the exhaust system to fail prematurely which will take considerably longer to fix and will be more expensive.
• Coloured Smoke is another clearly visible symptom. There could be a number of faults which will make this happen. A common cause is an oil leak in the exhaust system. If this is the case the smoke coming from your exhaust will appear blue. The damage is incurred by a leak in one of the valves that keep oil out of the exhaust cylinder. To prevent the leak from entering the system further you can add an additive solution to the oil that helps to prevent leaks appearing in the system. If the leak continues without being repaired it could cause the valve its leaking into to fail. To repair this, the entire valve will need replacing. If the smoke coming from your exhaust is white then it could be caused by a leak of water or antifreeze into the system, (the white colour being caused by the steam).