Blue Smoke | Car engine | Carbon monoxide | Catalytic Converter | Clean Air Act | Environmental Protection Agency | Exhaust Leak | Exhaust System | Fuel Efficiency | Fuel Mileage | Leaking Tailpipe | Toxic Gases | Uncategorized | Waste gases  No comments

A well performing exhaust system saves you on fuel usage as well as increase the power of your car.  However, you cannot control instances of worn out catalytic converters, tailpipes or the whole system.  This can be avoided if you have the habit of checking on your vehicle before driving.

Learning how to identify a leaking exhaust will help you to buy the correct car parts and save you on hiring a mechanic.  Examining a leak on your exhaust only takes 20 minutes, which is not too long considering the good side of performing this examination.

Following are the steps on how to identify a leak in your exhaust.

• Lift the front part of your car at the highest possible angle.  Support the front end by putting two jack stands below the front control arms.
• Turn your car’s engine on...

 Blue Smoke | Car engine | Carbon monoxide | Catalytic Converter | Clean Air Act | Environmental Protection Agency | Exhaust Leak | Exhaust System | Fuel Efficiency | Fuel Mileage | Leaking Tailpipe | Tailpipe | Toxic Gases | Waste gases | Water Drips from Tailpipe  No comments

Water leaking from your tailpipe is not a big issue so it should not worry you that much.  A result of the combustion process of the engine, leaking water is not an indication that there is a build-up of water in your exhaust and muffler.  Water is emitted from the exhaust system the same way as carbon monoxide and other waste gases are ejected.  When carbon and hydrogen from the fuel mix with oxygen, hydrogen oxide is formed and comes out as evaporated steam.

When the evaporated steam travelling via the muffler and exhaust system becomes cold and condenses into liquid, a little amount of liquid forms inside the tailpipe.  This usually happens on cold weather conditions although it usually happens when you take short trips...

 Blue Smoke | Car engine | Carbon monoxide | Catalytic Converter | Clean Air Act | Environmental Protection Agency | Fuel Efficiency | Fuel Mileage | Tailpipe | Toxic Gases | Waste gases  No comments

The U.S. Government issued a directive on the control of emissions.  This directive orders that manufactured and sold cars in the country must have a catalytic converter.  A catalytic converter is a small gadget that transforms toxic gases to the less dangerous carbon dioxide and water.  This is not the only task of catalytic converters, though.

The Clean Air Act was initiated by the Environmental Protection Agency during the leadership of the late U.S. President Nixon that helps in controlling pollution in the country.  This directive has prompted the inclusion of a catalytic converter in all vehicles since 1975.

However, catalytic converters can be a problem, too.  Like other car parts, they can fail to function well...

 Blue Smoke | Car engine | Carbon monoxide | Catalytic Converter | Fuel Efficiency | Fuel Mileage | Tailpipe | Toxic Gases | Waste gases  No comments

Understanding the warning signs from your tailpipe will save your car from engine troubles.  Knowing these signs are easy.  Any car owner knows that a ticking sound and blue smoke coming out from the tailpipe spells trouble.

So what is wrong if your tailpipe is emitting blue smoke?

A tailpipe that emits blue smoke should make you worry, as this means oil is getting through your vehicle’s combustion chambers and is getting burned in the cylinders.  Burned oil will ruin the cylinders.

How can this happen?

Oil can trickle in the cylinders in numerous places.  Preventing the oil to seep through are the valves, guides, piston rings and seals of the engine.  However, these cylinders wear away in due time; and this will allow the oil to go through them...

 Carbon monoxide | Catalytic Converter | Fuel Efficiency | Tailpipe | Toxic Gases | Waste gases  No comments

An eco-friendly gadget, a catalytic converter is attached to the vehicle’s exhaust.  It helps in burning the hydrocarbons and in reducing the discharge of toxins. 

Modifying catalytic converters on old car models was prohibited by car manufacturers, as they found lead deposits in cars that use leaded fuel.   Lead present in fitted catalytic converters will destroy it permanently.  Therefore, cars with built-in converters can only use unleaded fuel.  Carbon dioxide and toxic gases like carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide and hydrocarbons are released by unleaded fuel when burnt up.  The last three are even carcinogenic.

A car with a fitted catalytic converter will reduce the release of toxic gases to approximately 90%.    It does not minimize the release of carbon dioxide, though.

 Carbon monoxide | Catalytic Converter | Fuel Efficiency | Fuel Mileage | Tailpipe | Toxic Gases | Waste gases  No comments

The exhaust system of a vehicle emits the gases produced in the combustion section that are dangerous to us and our surroundings.  Submitting your exhaust system to regular check-ups will ensure that you are not polluting the environment.  Exhaust fumes can also enter the passenger section if there are holes in the exhaust system.

Following are the different components of the exhaust system and their functions.

The Exhaust Manifold is fastened to the cylinder head.  It takes every cylinder exhaust and puts it together in a single pipe.  It is either made of aluminum, stainless steel, steel or cast iron.

The Oxygen Sensor is installed in the exhaust manifold or next to the tailpipe...

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Owning a car does not stop from knowing how to drive.  It is likewise essential to understand its parts and purpose.  The most important thing is to know how to increase fuel efficiency.

Every car has an internal combustion engine that creates waste gases.  Therefore, the removal of waste gases will help in order for the car to run well.  The task of removing these waste gases is the job of the exhaust system.

The exhaust system, however, is composed of other parts like the exhaust pipe, exhaust header, the muffler and the catalytic converter.  Sticking out from the rear of the vehicle is the exhaust pipe also known as tailpipe.  The most noticeable part of the exhaust system, the tailpipe is found on the rear of a vehicle...

 Catalytic Converter | Fuel Efficiency | Tailpipe | Waste gases  No comments

With a good running catalytic converter, you are assured of maximum engine power and fuel efficiency.  Take care of your Cat with the following tips:

• Use the appropriate and required fuel for your vehicle.
• If you plan to use a fuel additive, check if it can be used with a catalytic converter and read the instructions.  Call the manufacturer if you have some misgivings.
• Submit your car to a regular service to check if it meets the specifications set by the manufacturer.  Most importantly, let them check if the engine is functioning appropriately.  The monolith will collapse or will be filled with dust if your engine is not properly tuned up.
• Do not push start your car, as this will lead to unburned fuel...

 Fuel Efficiency | Tailpipe | Waste gases  No comments

What is the first thing that you check on your car every morning?  For sure, you are one of the many individuals who sit on the driver’s seat, start the car and head on to their place of work.  A few may have a few minutes to check the engine, though.  This clearly shows how most car owners neglect the other car parts and systems that are similarly vital. 

An important system in any vehicle that gets little notice is the exhaust system.  So when was the last time you check on your tailpipe?

The tailpipe gets noticed only when a funny sound is heard warning the driver that something is wrong.  The sound can be caused by a hole in the tailpipe and immediate action is required even if it is a trivial matter...

 Fuel Efficiency | Tailpipe  No comments

Anyone will envy you on having a fast car that functions properly and is likewise efficient in fuel usage.  This can be achieved by upgrading your exhaust system.  Here are two rationales why you need to do this.

It will augment the performance of your car.  Designed to trade maximized performance for increase in noise levels, aftermarket exhaust systems will augment the power of your car.  Most modern vehicles are fitted with quiet exhaust systems.  However, the quiet exhaust systems are innately limiting than the noisier, free-flowing ones resulting to the reduction of the car’s power.  To increase your car’s engine power by a small percentage, attach a good quality free aftermarket exhaust system...