The problems that you experience with your car's exhaust system can arise from any of its many components. Your car muffler is one of the components that suffer a lot of deterioration during the service life of the exhaust system. There are several possible reasons behind car muffler damage, but here are a few major culprits that every car owner should be aware of.
Rust
Rust is one of the most notorious causes of car muffler problems. Car exhaust mufflers located beneath your car will corrode over time due to normal deterioration. The corrosion can take place on both the interior and exterior of the muffler. Internal corrosion is caused when exhaust gases condense as the muffler cools or when high temperature oxidation occurs as the exhaust gases travel through the muffler. External corrosion, on the other hand, happens when salts and chemicals that are present on the surface of the road react with the metal material used to make the muffler.
While the mufflers in many modern cars are made of rust-resistant metal such as galvanised or aluminised steel, you should inspect your muffler every now and then for rust damage. You can use a utility knife to gently scrape off rusty areas before applying rustproofing auto paint. For the repairs to be effective, the structural integrity of the muffler should not be weak enough to call for replacement. However, it is important to keep in mind that the more trips you make, the faster your muffler will corrode and the sooner it will need to be replaced.
Physical wear
If the underside of your car frequently comes into contact with the road surface, then you run the risk of shortening the lifespan your car muffler. Make sure the muffler is located as high as possible beneath your car, so that you can prevent hitting speed bumps and large stones that may be present on the road you are travelling on. This is achieved by lifting your car's suspension system, which involves replacing the front and rear leaf springs and shocks.
When the distance between the underside of your car and the surface of the road is increased, your muffler is likely to suffer less physical damage. Apart from that, you should practise good driving habits like slowing down when approaching speed bumps or riding on off-the-road terrains where flying debris can easily hit the underside of your car and damage your muffler.
If you notice extensive damage to your muffler, contact a car service center.
Share