Long car rides are enjoyable with friends and family. You get to sightsee around different places and enjoy delicious food with them. But what if your car stops? And you hear some sound coming from it. You may be disappointed, and you may have to cancel your long car ride and head home. Well, this sound is called a muffler. Let’s get to know more about mufflers starting from how they cancel the noise to its effect on performance.
What is a muffler?
A muffler is responsible for the whining sound made by the car’s engine. Since the engines require a ton of power to generate, they make various pulsating sounds that resonate through the exhaust valves. Every single minute, your car engine creates hundreds and thousands of these pulses. If a muffler doesn’t function properly, your car will be very noisy. Whenever you hear a loud noise coming from the vehicle, you can tell straight away that the muffler is damaged.
How does a muffler cancel the noise?
A muffler contains tubes, baffles and chambers that reflect sound waves made by the engine. They are reflected to cancel the sound waves out. You will find a variety of mufflers with various noises. Some of them create a snarling sound, whereas some others don’t create any sound at all.
Why is a car muffler essential?
A car muffler is an integral part of the vehicle. It is the exhaust system of your car’s engine, and it is situated behind the car. It improves the performance of your car’s engine and endurance by controlling the engine’s back pressure and decreasing a considerable amount of noise. The engine’s valves create back pressure that collides and cancels each other out in all directions due to the poorly maintained muffler. And it can affect the performance of the car significantly. To ensure that your car’s performance is maintained, it is vital to prevent stress or damage to your vehicle’s engine and exhaust system.
Why does a muffler turn bad?
Some mufflers degrade over time because of excessive exposure to heat and moisture. Due to the moisture, the interiors rust and damage the quality of the muffler. If some other component has knocked your car, your muffler turns bad and gets damaged. Sometimes, your vehicle might emit a displeasing smell or get noisy instantly; that’s when you should start the inspection of your car’s exhaust system.
What are the common problems of the muffler?
There are some common problems that you can’t ignore when it comes to a car muffler. Let’s check them one by one.
- Holes or loose parts: A common sign or problem is the holes or loose parts in the car’s exhaust system. But why does it occur? When a rock strikes the muffler, it results in a crack or minor damage. You may require to replace your muffler or exhaust pipe entirely.
- Rust: When water is accumulated in the exhaust system, the muffler tends to rust over a period of time. Salt near the beach, heavy rains and snow can also result in a rusty muffler.
What are the signs that indicate muffler problems?
Some common signs can show muffler problems; let’s have a look at all of them.
- Louder than usual: Sometimes, your engine might produce a more audible whining sound whether the car is running or it is just idling. If the sound is a lot louder than usual, you must get it replaced. According to an article, your vehicle must comply with the legal requirements made by EPA since they maintain a ‘Report noisy vehicle service.’
- Unpleasant smell: As mentioned earlier, when you get an unpleasant odour, it is a sign that you will have to replace your muffler. When there is a leak, the exhaust fumes are taken out by the muffler, and they can cause a leak in your car.
- Lower fuel efficiency: If you have an up to date engine and exhaust system, your fuel economy and gas tanks last longer, but in case you need to refuel each time you use your car, then it means that you need to check your exhaust system or muffler.
How does a muffler affect the performance?
A muffler not only decreases the sound but also improves the car’s performance by getting rid of all the exhaust fumes or gases instantly. Additionally, a muffler can slow your engine down by creating back pressure. There are a plethora of muffler designs, which you can select easily depending upon your lifestyle.
