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You may probably have encountered one of those pimped out cars slowly coast by in front of you, only to suddenly roar with a heart thumping growl as it takes on the length of road ahead, leaving you with a trail of dust and a pounding heartbeat. Perhaps you may have witnessed a car started and revved up with a mighty and low-pitched roar that sounds so aggressive and angry in contrast to the smug smirk of the driver.
Noise to others while music to some, this sound is generated by that small tank-like car part that you can see under the belly of your car, and that part is called a muffler.
Mufflers Defined
Patented during the late 1800’s by Milton and Marshall Reeves, mufflers (or silencers in some European countries) have been an essential part of any car exhaust system, mainly to dampen the sounds generated by car engines. One way of knowing how car engines sound like without them is to compare it with race cars, that typically have no mufflers in their exhaust systems. These mufflers are designed nowadays with certain specifications to follow sound pollution ordinances, especially in urban areas.
Car mufflers are simple, yet fully functional devices which are most often located at the rear of your vehicle. It is hard to miss it as the tailpipe where the exhaust comes out is the landmark for the muffler. Just a few inches further is where you would see the muffler – an oversized shaped flask in most cases but may take other custom form to suit the car shape design. Some car configurations may already expose a little bit of the muffler at the back of the car, just being behind the tailpipe. Others, such as sport cars may have their muffler system hosted further within. Heavy duty trucks and pickups may have their mufflers totally exposed but still placed in a discrete area.
Usually the muffler is synonymously associated with the exhaust pipes because they are just adjacent to each other and directly connected. Stock mufflers that come with cars have the tailpipe and muffler as one continuous item. Aftermarket models, especially those bought with certain ratings and custom designs in mind, are sold either as a whole set with a tail pipe or as a single separate item, leaving the car owner with the freedom to choose a custom tail pipe as well.
Part of A whole System
Mufflers are just one of the parts(yet extremely important) in a much bigger and complex exhaust system. Serving its own purpose of generally sound dampening of engine combustion noise, other parts have their own specific design and functions.
As a whole, the exhaust system serves three main things: to dampen combustion noise, to convert toxic fumes from engine combustion into manageable output, and to vent out these fumes out effectively.
Starting with the most immediate part of the exhaust system, the exhaust manifold and header is the part responsible for collecting all the exhaust from the combustion as well as the sound being generated. You may see it as you open the trunk and look at the engine – as a collective form of pipes that run from the valves and into a single pipe. The header is referred to the pipe that emanates from each cylinder of the engine while the manifold is the area where each header converges.
The mid-pipe is the area that follows the manifold. This is usually the longest part in automotive exhaust systems as they include the catalytic converter, and main exhaust piping. Catalytic converters are special devices that collect the toxic fumes from engine combustion such as the carbon monoxide (CO), nitrous oxides (NOx), and unburned hydrocarbons, and turn them into carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen (N2), and water (H2O). This device is responsible for keeping the toxic fumes from finding their way into the passenger cabin and posing a health threat.
The end portion of the exhaust system is the end-pipe that is composed of the muffler and the tailpipe. Basically, the task of this area is to convert the explosive noise created into a relatively soothing whir and dissipate it via the tailpipe.
The Science Behind Mufflers
Throughout the whole engine to exhaust systems, mechanical and chemical concepts govern them. However, the muffler takes on a completely different approach in handling car mechanics – it takes up physics and sound dynamics.
You may wonder why mufflers are usually shaped in that flask like form. It actually serves two main purposes:
First, the flask shape (or in other cases customized to fit the shape of the car’s chassis) acts as a chamber to collect the accumulated sounds, thereby providing a lower pitch than the traveling sound within the mid-pipe. Second, the series of pipes inside the muffler is designed in such a way that the traveling sound is redirected back within the chamber, and positioned so that the back waves would be the same as the incoming ones. The resulting conflict of these sound waves cancels each other significantly, leaving a much lower and manageable sound to the drivers ear.
Opening up any stock muffler, you would be able to see multi-layered sheets of either aluminum or stainless steel as the main body, with the three internal pipes having holes in the middle area. These holes serve as mini exhausts for the pressure from the mid-pipe to escape and create a “barrier” for the main sound wave. The mid-pipe goes into the center of the muffler and arches to one side within. On the other side, a separate and independent pipe vents out into the tail pipe. This creates a semi balanced sound wave system within the muffler.
Even if the sound of non-muffler exhaust systems such as those found in race cars seem exciting and fun, having the same non-muffler configuration in your day-to-day vehicle in magnitudes of the tens or hundreds of thousands in urban areas would be catastrophic to the noise it would generate and your neighbourhood will certainly hate you for that.
However, there is also one major drawback with the use of mufflers which is its affect on overall speed of your car. Basically, mufflers lessen the horsepower output of the engine. One indispensable concept in car exhaust systems is that the same pipe is traveled by the resulting combustion force, as well as the sound wave, which also is part of the force generated. Having to “dampen” one in this manner, also dampens the resultant force of the other, thereby creating less power for the car. This is the very reason why race cars have more horsepower but are also generally noisier. Nevertheless, commercial automobiles don’t really need that extra horsepower as they usually have enough torque already.
Muffler Maintenance
Like any other car component, mufflers also tend to wear out over time. Factors that lead to its wear and tear are from the harsh environment both inside and outside, poor maintenance, bumps and dents, and unsecured placements.
Even if it is made of metal, the most common reason for muffler replacement is rust. Even stainless steel eventually succumbs to the reality of rust formation. Given the fact that carbon deposits thicken inside, plus the presence of condensation from cold start-ups, and with the constant passage of oxygen based compounds, rust is prone to form within.
As with the outside, the environment such as the atmosphere, water splashes, and other corrosive elements it is exposed to also pose a great risk in rust formation. Driving around flooded areas in this manner calls for an immediate checkup as possible external elements may find its way into the muffler, thereby hastening the damage process.
Even seemingly harmless bumps under the chassis due to road bumps, stones or potholes may also prove damaging in the long run. This may lead to inefficient exhaust, loose fixtures, and eventual worsened physical damage to the muffler.
One way to determine if you may have trouble with your muffler is by getting the feel of its sound when you rev up your engine. While still in neutral gear and with the engine running, try to rev it up slowly and see how the sound of the care engine differs from the usual. If you hear rattling somewhere behind and underneath your car, it may be a loose fixture of your exhaust pipe or muffler. If the whirring sound becomes louder or throatier beyond the usual, it may indicate a damaged, defective, or clogged muffler. In any case, it is a good idea to have it checked with your local auto shop for experienced automotive advice.
Expect to dole out about a $100 to $200 for an after market muffler unit including labour. For custom and specialized mufflers, you may expect to burn around another couple of hundred bucks, but with the satisfaction of that throaty VROOM! That would surely catch any wandering ears nearby.
You do not have to worry if your muffler starts to fail after around 4 to 5 years, especially with the aluminum type ones. They usally keep going even with a small malfunction; you only get to hear loud, unwelcome sounds, and disapproving stares from passersby. Changing mufflers is relatively quick when serviced in, and would not necessarily cost a leg and an arm for generic types.
How to replace muffler yourself
Watch this educational video on how to replace muffler yourself and save on repair and replacement costs:
Engine parts are vital to the overall performance of your car. One such important detail is its head gasket. It provides a seal between your car’s piston cylinder head and engine block. It prevents leakage of your engine coolant or engine oil into the cylinder, thus it plays an important role in keeping all those stuff in their proper container.
Always be mindful of your engine temperature gauge. This would let you know if your engine is overheating. Overheating can be a classic sign that you are having a faulty gasket. How do you confirm this? You can do either thing:
1. Check your engine coolant level. If your car is overheating, your engine’s coolant may be leaking from cooling system into the oil pan. The proper way to do so is to allow your engine to completely cool down, simple science would tell you that engine coolant when heated expands and could give inaccurate reading. Take note of its appearance too; it should be clean and colored ranging from transparent to blue, green or yellow.
2. Check your engine oil with the oil dipstick. If you see froth forming together with the oil, this is an instance of your coolant leaking in. To be able to get accurate results with the level of your engine oil, you have to park your car on a level surface and allow the engine to cool down prior to measuring.
If you are unsure about diagnosing the problem properly, it doesn’t really hurt to consult your professional mechanic. When you notice one of these signs, you must take into consideration replacing your head gasket as soon as possible. If you are to replace it yourself, make sure to properly install it. Improper installation might contribute to having the problem all over again. Keep in mind that no major problem started big; it always starts with the small stuff.
For decades now, one of the quickest ways to set your ride apart from all the rest was with the installation of performance mufflers. Putting a deep, rumbling, growl on the back-end of your car added more than just an appealing sound, it added attitude. You can throw every type of performance part on the market under the hood, but if it doesn’t have a set of cat-backs or glass-packs, no one will give it a second glance.
There are more styles and unique sounding mufflers now than ever before. With all the different brands of exhaust, it is difficult to decide which sound, sounds best. The true muscle car fanatics love that deep growl that comes from underneath an American made thoroughbred, such as a Mustang GT or a Camaro Z28.
Indeed, nothing sounds as mean as a GT, with a set of Flowmasters, at about 45mph, being downshifted to 3rd, foot off the gas, let out on the clutch and let that pony turn the heads of everyone within 1/4 mile. “All eyes on me”. If you seriously want to shake the glass in every establishment around you, pop it in 2nd, instead of 3rd.Though you might want to wait till you have slowed to about 25mph, or under, before you hit 2nd.
The new age, high performance foreign car owners, seem as though they rather enjoy the higher pitched performance mufflers. Some sound like street bikes when they pass you out on the interstate. They do sound cool when tuned and opened up to full song. The sound fits the kind of cars that these performance mufflers are designed for.
There was a time when the cool little trick was to cut a hole in your exhaust, have a hot wire hooked to a toggle switch running into the hole. When you would floor the gas, build up speed, downshift, let out on the clutch as you flipped the toggle switch and you would see a blazing flame shoot out your tail-pipes. It was pretty cool to witness, though outlawed and banned for understandable safety reasons.
There are draw backs to performance mufflers. One of which, is the fact there are times when you may rather not have your car sounding as if it were about to explode off the starting line in a funny-car drag race. For instance, if you were attending a funeral, or trying to sneak into your drive an hour past curfew. Even worse, you are trying to sneak your girlfriend back home 4 hours past curfew!!
A vehicle nowadays is more of a necessity than a luxury. Driving your own car to work or in any destination is very convenient especially if it is well taken care of. Sometimes, you have spend a lot of money for maintenance purposes. Well, if you are consistent enough to check up your vehicle regularly, it will serve as your partner in your day to day activities with limited instances of car trouble.
One part of your car that needs regular maintenance is the muffler. A muffler is also called as the silencer. It eliminates the noise that is usually caused by the exhaust of an internal combustion engine. So, how do you know if your muffler needs repair or replacement? Since, it is responsible for keeping your engine quiet, an unusual noise is definitely a problem. A loud, rattle noise indicates a crack or a hole. Also, the existence of rust on the muffler can also cause holes in the system. So, if you notice these symptoms then, it is best to consult a professional mechanic to avoid further damage. In this case, it is better if you could do some research on to where or who to consult if you don’t want to keep on facing the same problem over and over again. If you still feel doubtful despite the research, the best way to go to is your car’s service provider. Usually car companies have a specific parts for a specific car model. Though it is quite expensive, you can guarantee that everything will work out fine as the material that will be used is compatible to your car.
There are also different do-it-yourself (DIY) methods in getting rust off of your muffler that you can check over the internet. Though these tips are rather helpful, it also has its disadvantages. If you are not good at following directions or you do not have that kind of skills, it is highly recommended to leave it to the professionals. This kind of method can definitely save you a lot of money if done properly. Think first before you act because your intentions might lead to something that requires more money from what you have expected.
If you’ve owned a vehicle for a number of years now, chances are some parts might need repair or replacement. Of course your car’s muffler is no exception. If your muffler is experiencing problems then you will definitely want to do something about it. Among the things you’re definitely going to be thinking about is muffler repair cost and where to find mechanics and dealers who will give you a good deal.
One of the most common problems attributed to the muffler is rust. When liquid comes in contact with metallic parts of the vehicle rust can develop. This happens a lot when the car is goes on short frequent trips. Vapor released in the system doesn’t have time to completely exit the exhaust and condenses while still in the exhaust. The oxygen sensor is also a part of a muffler that usually needs repair. Neglecting the oxygen sensor can lead to decreased fuel efficiency.
Muffler repair kits are actually commonly found on the internet and are easily found in car parts retailers. Using these kits can allow you to handle muffler problems without necessarily contacting a professional. By making use of a muffler repair kit your entire muffler repair cost should be somewhere in between $5-$20 depending on the kit you purchase.
Should you decide to avail of the services of a professional mechanic your muffler repair cost is going to be a bit higher. Labor charges, taxes and other miscellaneous expenses have to be covered if you go to an auto repair shop. There are advantages and disadvantages to going to these auto mechanics. The advantage is that they are not likely to screw up your vehicle’s repairs because it would definitely reflect badly on them. Also, there may be problems that you have been unable to diagnose; these issues can also be solved by mechanics while they are repairing your muffler. The disadvantage is that it will definitely cost you more.
Mufflers aren’t that expensive a new muffler on average doesn’t cost more than $30. But if it’s found that your there is something wrong with your exhaust system it could cost you up to $500. Muffler repair costs rarely have to be that heavy, just hope that the problem isn’t your exhaust system.