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- What Are Common Car Failure Searches?
- What Do My Dashboard Warning Lights Mean?
- Why Does My Car Drive Weird?
- Why Does My Car Make Noises?
- Why Does my Car smell?
- Symptoms Without Summary
- Car Leaking Coolant
- AC Isn't Cooling
- AC Blowing Hot Air
- Shaking While Driving
- Overheating AC
- AC Smells Like Vinegar
- Heater Not Working
- Windshield Wipers Don't Work
- Car Leaking Water
- Car Leaking Red Fluid
- Car Battery Leaking
- AC Only Work Sometimes
- Shaking While Idle
- Shaking At High Speeds
- Evap System Leak
- Shaking While Braking At High Speeds
- Shaking When Stopped
- Shaking When Accelerating
- Radiator Leaking
- Pink Fluid Leaking
- Car Leaking Oil
- AC Not Working.
- Car Leaking Gas
- Power Steering Fluid Leak
- Bad Brake Caliper
Muffler replacement
The muffler is one of the main components of a car's exhaust system. Its function is to suppress noise produced during engine operation and to reduce the concentration of emissions resulting from fuel combustion. Muffler degradation is a normal occurrence that happens over time due to environmental factors, temperature fluctuations, condensation, metal corrosion, as well as mechanical damage from aggressive driving on uneven roads.
Symptoms that should prompt you to check the muffler include increased engine noise and various types of extraneous noises coming from the rear underside of the car. Over time, the muffler can suffer damage, such as the corrosion of its protective casing and the pipes leading from it. Depending on the nature of the damage, the muffler can either be repaired or replaced if repair is not feasible. Muffler repairs are carried out for minor casing damage by welding patches onto the casing. If a pipe that was welded to the muffler falls off, it can be re-welded, but the weld should be reinforced by adding additional metal elements; otherwise, the repair may be short-lived, and you'll need to repair or replace the muffler again.
In any case, work related to muffler repair and replacement is labor-intensive, requiring specialized skills (such as welding), equipment, and tools. The most optimal option would be to consult a professional mechanic who can advise you on whether to repair or replace your muffler. You should also understand that muffler repair is a temporary solution and is no substitute for a new muffler.
Depending on the design of a car's exhaust system, the muffler can either be a separate element or an integral part of the entire exhaust system, meaning its replacement would also involve the resonator and exhaust manifold. In this case, muffler repair and replacement become more complicated, both in terms of time and cost. To save money, you can choose to replace only the muffler using a special connecting coupler. In this case, the mechanic cuts off the muffler from the exhaust system and installs a new one using the coupler. There are rigid couplers in the form of a pipe with a clamp, and there are flexible ones like corrugated couplers. The overall performance of the car's exhaust system will not be compromised in this case. After completing the repair work, make sure that the muffler is correctly attached to the exhaust system and is securely fastened. There should be no exhaust gas leaks, holes, or gaps, and note that the exhaust system should not be rigidly fixed but should have some slight mobility in the suspension mounts.
When choosing a new muffler, pay attention to the material it is made from:
- Steel: The cheapest and most common material for making mufflers, usually coated with an anti-corrosion layer or galvanized to protect against corrosion; generally lasts for an average of 3 years.
- Stainless steel: High cost, excellent corrosion resistance, and a beautiful appearance; lifespan up to 10 years.
- Aluminized steel: Steel with added aluminum, good corrosion resistance, lighter weight than pure steel; lifespan of 3-6 years.
All new mufflers offer roughly the same noise suppression (unlike straight-through mufflers, the use of which is prohibited by law). The question is how long the muffler you buy will last, and how quickly it will wear out or succumb to corrosion and degradation.
The AutoTechIQ ranking for Safety, Cost Avoidance, and Environmental Impact is
Lawn Mower Noise
The lawn mower sound is typically due to a crack in the combustion system. A vehicle's combustion system features many components, such as cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust, which are all susceptible to damage. These are the most common issues involving these parts:
- A crack in the exhaust system: The exhaust system serves as a sort of "straw" that throws engine gases to the outside. When the exhaust cracks, it affects the flow of gases, making weird lawn mower sounds.
- Faulty head gaskets: The head gasket is a sealing component inside the engine that prevents fluid and gases from the engine's cylinders from mixing up. However, when this sealing fails, it can allow leaks; the leak can lead to fluid building up on hot surfaces and produce gurgly lawn-mower-like noises when the vehicle is running.
- Faulty spark plugs: Spark plugs are engine components that create a spark; the spark they create ignites the fuel in the combustion process and makes the car start. However, when spark plugs become faulty, like when they are malpositioned or overheating, they fail at "sparking" and produce noisy detonation, resembling a lawn mower sound.
- Engine misfire: An engine misfire happens when there's an issue in the combustion process. Cylinders work with spark plugs and perform controlled explosions in the combustion process, but when a spark plug is faulty, a cylinder might do this explosion wrongfully; this is called a "misfire," and it sounds like a lawn mower.
- Faulty wheel bearing: Wheel bearings are components that help support the weight of the car and provide balance; they're found between the wheels and a large metal rod below the vehicle called an axle. However, as a wheel bearing wears out, it'll cause more rolling friction, generating a lawn mower sound.
- Exhaust manifold leaks: The exhaust manifold is a component inside the engine that collects the resulting gas from cylinders and leads them outside through the exhaust pipe. However, if there's a leak in this system, the exhaust manifold changes the tone of the exhaust gases, producing a lawn mower noise.
Other Vehicle Symptoms
Below are just a few examples of typical Symptoms and Fixes your car might be experiencing
