![]() ![]() If the odor you are smelling is like rotten eggs, then the catalytic converter is probably failing. Some converters also reduce harmful nitrogen oxides. This important piece comes after the exhaust manifold and serves to convert the harmful carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon gases into carbon dioxide and water vapor, making the exhaust safer for the environment. Once exhaust gases leave the cylinders and pass through the manifold, they flow into a single pipe toward the catalytic converter. The catalytic converter, even though it is on the underside of the car, sits cozily within its own secure, hard case just behind the engine. Smells from the engine compartment – burning, melting.Some symptoms of a cracked, leaking manifold include: A leaking exhaust manifold can also affect engine performance. These leaks permit hot toxic gases to escape, which can damage other components in the engine compartment. Over time, the constant expansion and contraction of the manifold, caused by the heating and cooling in the engine, can cause the manifold to crack and leak. Additionally, a damaged manifold causes slow warm-up time which results in excess fuel consumption, and in turn will cause excess wear on your catalytic converter. Sputtering, sluggishness, and strange noises like ticking or clicking, and other problems are all symptoms of a compromised exhaust manifold. If the manifold is cracked or has a leak, the back pressure in the exhaust system will be incorrect, which reduces engine power. A leak in the exhaust manifold can burn the exhaust valves, which compromises their seals over the cylinders, and impacts the performance of the pistons, hence the engine. It also burns any excess fuel that is not used in the engine. The exhaust manifold sits over the cylinder heads and collects the exhaust gases from each, through exhaust valves, and pushes them through a single pipe to the catalytic converter. For instance, if you smell gasoline as you drive, check the oxygen sensor as soon as possible. Without a properly functioning oxygen sensor, the computer can’t calculate the air/fuel mixture, which affects the engine’s performance, and this can affect many other systems as a result. This helps determine the best fuel mixture and efficiency. Located in or near the manifold, the oxygen sensor sends O2 level readings to the car’s computer, which regulates how much fuel is needed in the engine. The gases that result from all of this have to be pushed out of the cylinders, processed into environmentally friendly, legally acceptable emissions, and passed through a piping system, and finally out the tailpipe.Īll of this starts with the oxygen sensor. The engine pistons are in their cylinders, busy making explosions, creating heat, and generating hot, noxious gases. Road junk and highway hazards aside, there are parts of the engine that rely on and contribute to the exhaust system that are not exposed to the onslaught of the outside world. Before being repaired, you could hear his car coming a mile away. It blew a hole in and did such damage that the whole pipe system had to be replaced. ![]() What other stuff have you witnessed discarded or lost on America’s roads? Someone we know once ran over a wood 2×4 on the highway at night. Being on the underside of the car, these parts of the exhaust system are exposed to all kinds of hazards – road debris, crud, dirt, water, snow, ice, construction materials, old shoes, boxes. Many of the pipes and fitments, as well as the muffler and key parts of the exhaust system live under your car, probably the worst place to be, second only to where the oil dipstick has to spend most of its life. The exhaust then passes through the system of pipes, to the muffler, which all work to cool the exhaust and muffle the noise the system would make without all of these pieces in place. The catalytic converter filters out most of the pollutants, converting the exhaust to a less toxic byproduct of carbon dioxide and water vapor. As the engine burns gas to power your car, it emits gases containing water vapor, unburned fuel and acidic contaminants. Components are joined together with gaskets, or seals, to minimize leakage. Five primary parts – oxygen sensor, exhaust manifold, catalytic converter, and muffler – are involved. Your car’s exhaust system is a network of connected pipes and parts designed to filter and route emissions from the engine compartment toward the rear of the vehicle. From the cylinders through the manifold to the catalytic converter and beyond. The exhaust system has a lot of parts that can be damaged. Here are some reasons your exhaust system is acting up. ![]()
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