Signs your exhaust needs repair

The cost to repair the exhaust systems or its components can vary widely by vehicle type, make and model, as well as which component needs repair and the extent of the damage. Replacing a catalytic converter, for example, can be significantly expensive, while re-hanging a loose exhaust pipe can be relatively inexpensive.

Whatever the repair, continuing to drive a car with a damaged exhaust will almost always cost more in the end than repairing the problem at the first sign of trouble. And it’s important to remember that the silencer and exhaust system do more than just quiet the car, they also prevent carbon monoxide fumes from building up in the cabin, reduce polluting emissions and ensure the vehicle runs at peak efficiency.

Here are some indicators that your car may need muffler repairs or exhaust system maintenance:

1. Increased volume when the engine is running
When your car’s exhaust note suddenly sounds more like a lawn mower or motorcycle, it’s a good sign that your car needs silencer repairs. For other drivers, the sound of needed exhaust system repairs may sound like buzzing, a low rumbling or a slightly louder exhaust note.

Because silencer and tailpipes are constantly exposed to the elements, they may wear more quickly than other parts. (Photo by Fred Patton)

Don’t just turn up the radio to drown out the noise – get the car to a silencer repair shop. Delaying needed repairs can eventually cost more in the form of more extensive damage, such as having to replace an otherwise usable component such as exhaust pipe, catalytic converter or silencer because it fell from your car.

2. Rattling at stop lights or stop signs
You might notice you get drowsy when driving, you might see a dashboard warning light, or you might notice your car occasionally hesitates or chugs when you try to start it. If you notice any of these issues, or if your car rattles when not moving, schedule an appointment for the silencer shop right away.

The catalytic converter is one of the highest priced exhaust system parts. As far as safety goes, it’s one of the most important parts to keep up. If a catalytic converter has a tiny hole, you might not notice it right away. The signs start out small.

3. Engine vibrations
If you notice a new vibration or loss of power when operating your car, have the exhaust system checked by a professional. You might notice the new vibration when you touch the steering wheel, foot pedals or car seat.

You might or might not hear a rumbling sound, depending on the size of the damaged area. An exhaust leak makes your car’s engine work harder, and that extra effort sometimes causes vibrations so intense that the driver feels them before hearing the leak.

4. Decreased fuel efficiency
If you notice you have to fill up your petrol tank more often than normal, have your exhaust system checked out by a silencer repair shop. Similar to the vibrations, increased fuel use is a sign something is wrong with your car. When the exhaust leaks, your engine works harder. When your engine works harder, it requires more fuel.

Hypermiling: What is it & how can it help you?

What is hypermiling? Simply put, it’s a method of using simple techniques to get the most mileage out of your car. When hybrids became widely available early in the 21st century, some drivers weren’t satisfied with the EPA ratings of 30 to 45 mpg (48 to 72 km/g). They found that by using sensible driving techniques like slowly accelerating at green lights and coasting to a stop when approaching red lights, some hybrid cars could get as much as 100 mpg (161 km/g) .

­Even drivers of traditionally-powered SUVs can see a notable impact on their vehicles’ fuel economy. An Edmunds experiment found that hyperm­iling could squeeze an extra 35.4 percent more mpg from a Land Rover LR3, which usually gets only 12 mpg (19 km/g) in the city and 17 (27 km/g) on the highway .

Using cruise control is another proven way to greatly reduce fuel consumption. A test carried out by Wayne Gerdes, the man credited with coining the term hypermiling, found that using cruise control at speeds of 30 to 40 mph (40 to 64 km/g) can increase fuel economy by double-digit percentages .

Even NASCAR drivers have come to use hypermiling techniques during times when they must drive at low speeds — when they’re following the pace car during a caution flag. Each driver punches the gas to get the engine to full throttle, turns off his ignition and coasts as far as possible before turning it over again. This improves his fuel economy and saves them an extra time-consuming trip to the pit, a move that could conceivably win the race.

This was the case when NASCAR’s secret — or at least overlooked — use of hypermiling during races came into the spotlight, after Dale Earnhardt Jr. won the Lifelock 400 in June 2008 at Michigan International Speedway. The driver was widely criticized for the win, since he’d coasted beyond the pace car several times during caution flags in an effort to hypermile as much as possible. But the driver mentioned after the race that he was hardly the lone hypermiler on the NASCAR circuit: “Everybody’s doing it,” he told reporters . While drivers on the circuit don’t use the word hypermiling, the eco-conscious world bemusedly looked on after news of Earnhardt’s win was published. NASCAR had gone green.

Being the world-class driver that he is, Earnhardt Jr. was more interested in getting the checkered flag than saving the Earth. The circuit isn’t too worried about conserving gas. The estimated 175,000 gallons it uses during race season is all provided free of charge by official sponsor Sunoco . NASCAR has been eco-conscious in the past, though. During the oil embargo in the early 1970s, the racing circuit did its part by reducing the length of some of its races. The Daytona 500, for example, saw only 450 miles driven in the race in 1974 .

Hypermiling wins races, though, as Earnhardt proved. On the highway it takes concentration and discipline; on the NASCAR track hypermiling takes nerves of steel. Drivers have to be long on courage to pass their pit crews without stopping for fuel. If you run out of gas on the track, you’re out of luck. Still, if a driver’s car sputters to a stop on the last lap, at least he can take comfort in knowing that by hypermiling, he’s done something beneficial for the planet.

Maybe it’s a technique you should consider using, no matter what car (or race) you drive in 😀