As your car starts to age, you may start to wonder if these constant repairs are worth the money. If you are facing an exhaust leak repair, you might ask yourself how much money are you going to have to spend to fix the car? These are all important questions to think about when you are putting money into fixing a car. It can be difficult to financially plan for the future when you don’t know what car repair expenses are going to pop up. If you need an exhaust leak repair, you should plan to spend anywhere from $160 to $330.
What Is An Exhaust Leak Repair?
If your exhaust starts to leak, that could lead to some very serious problems within your car. If you wait too long to take action on fixing this leak, you could face much higher repair costs because of more damages. The exhaust pipe is located in the back of the vehicle. It is the pipe that sticks out of the rear of the car. The function of the exhaust pipe is to get rid of gasses that come directly from the engine. This pipe connects to all parts of the entire exhaust system. The system includes the catalytic converter, the exhaust manifold, the muffler, the tailpipe, and the resonator. If you to repair the exhaust pipe, it is smart to make sure you inspect all of the parts listed above. This will give you a better idea of what the problem is and then you can determine the best way to fix it.
What Does The Exhaust System Do?
You may be wondering what exactly does the exhaust system do? The exhaust system has a relatively simple purpose, but at times these tasks can be accomplished in difficult ways. The number one goal of this system is to direct gasses that come from your engine into a safe place. This means that all of the bad gasses that come from the combustion chamber need to exit the vehicle. The best place for these gasses to go is outside of your vehicle. Typically this means these gases are released somewhere under the rear of your car.
The second purpose of the exhaust system is to muffle the loud noises your engine makes. These gases make noises when leaving the tailpipe and the job of the exhaust system is to lower the sound of these gases escaping. There can be complications within this entire system because the routes these gases have to take is not simple. This system also gets extremely hot throughout this entire process.
Your engine actually vibrates and moves around a lot when you are driving around. This occurs because you accelerate, downshift, and decelerate within short timeframes. The engine has to handle you accelerating rapidly and then slamming on your brakes in the event of a traffic jam. This means your exhaust needs to safely carry those dangerous fumes quickly and quietly to the back of your car and out the pipes so your engine does not overheat and cause worse problems to occur.
The exhaust system has steps it goes through to make sure these gasses exit your car before your engine can overheat. The system uses a variety of manifolds, pipes, flexible unions, joints, heat shields, and rubber hangers to accomplish its tasks. The extreme temperatures could reach up to 1200 degrees in the system, which causes a lot of stress of these particular components.
There is another byproduct of good combustion if your car’s engine and that is water. Water will often exit the exhaust in the form of vapor. There are times when it is cold outside and you are taking a short drive so the inside of your exhaust system is still wet. If the metal pipes are left wet, this will cause all of the components to rust. If these start to rust, this could cause holes and leaks within the system, which could lead to some very bad engine problems. Additionally, the exhaust system is located all along the bottom of your car and that means it is exposed to all of the elements from the road. These elements include dust, rain, debris, salt, snow, and ice.
The exhaust system has a tough life and goes through a lot, which can eventually cause the system to break down. The majority of times at some point in the lifetime of your car, the exhaust system will need to be replaced or repaired. It is up to you if you want to repair the system yourself or have a professional help you. It is always a good idea to take your car into the shop to get an inspection and a price estimate. Once you have all of that information then you can decide if you would like to repair it on your own or let a mechanic handle the repair process.
Signs You Should Have An Exhaust Leak Repair
If you notice your car is not running how it normally does, you should figure out what the problem is and have it repaired as soon as possible. One of the most common signs that your exhaust is leaking is that your engine will make more noise than usual. Often the only person that can detect this is yourself because not everyone knows what your car sounds like on a normal basis. You should always pay attention to the warning signs of your car not working properly.
Another thing to be aware of is a vibrating gas pedal. This is a big problem if you start to feel your gas pedal shake. You will be able to feel some type of rumbling underneath your feet as you drive your car if your exhaust pipe is leaking.
The last most common sign that your exhaust pipe is leaking is your miles per gallon will start to drop. This happens because your engine will have to start working a lot more and the leak into the combustion engine will throw off the gas sensor. Your car will start to use fuel less efficiently. If you notice any of these signs while you are driving your normal route, you should get your car checked. If you do have an exhaust leak, you do not want it to continue for long periods of time and potentially damage the engine.
Source Of The Exhaust Leak
The exhaust system is made up of many different components. The function of this system is to remove the exhaust fumes from the engine, burn off the bad fumes, and then release the emissions out of the tailpipe. Unfortunately, it can be difficult to detect where this leak is coming from because they can occur from anywhere within the entire system. There are a few places this leak could come from such as the manifold gasket, the muffler, the catalytic converter, or there could be an issue within the pipes themselves. If you suspect you have an exhaust leak, it is important to get an inspection as soon as possible so you can identify the exact source of the leak. Once you know where the leak is coming from, you will understand what repairs need to be done in order to resolve the leak.
Steps On How To Fix An Exhaust Leak
If you notice a leak in your exhaust system, it may be difficult to fix it on your own. You can always go get an inspection from a mechanic to get a better idea of what you are dealing with. You might be able to replace a small section of the pipes or exhaust components. You can do this by disconnecting the joints and replacing an entire section of exhaust. This will only be an option if you don’t have to replace the entire system. The downside to this is that it is often expensive to do and you might find it difficult to accomplish because of all the rusted bolts and parts. The best option would be to take your vehicle to a repair shop so they can weld in a new section of the pipes for you. They will make sure your exhaust system leak is tight. You also have another option and that is to replace the entire system. Often mechanics will suggest that because there are no guarantees that welding will last a long time. Whether you replace the entire system or repair the leak, it is your decision and dependent on how bad the leak is.
Exhaust leaks can be incredibly dangerous. The problem is they let exhaust gases into the cabin of your vehicle. These gases are not bad for the environment which is why they get pushed out through pipes and into the open air. These gases are very harmful to humans if you inhale the fumes. This could lead to some serious health problems in the future if you inhale too much of these bad fumes. If you ever smell exhaust fumes while you are driving in your car, you need to have the entire exhaust system checked out immediately. This is not a problem you should wait it out to see if things get better. Things will only get worse and a lot of complications will come from not fixing the exhaust leak.
How Can You Save Money On An Exhaust Leak Repair?
Repairing parts of a car can be very expensive. There are some ways you can save money on certain repairs. The first thing to keep in mind is to bring your car in to a mechanic as soon as you notice symptoms of your car not working properly. It is important to get an estimate as soon as possible and stop driving the car so you don’t further damage anything. If you continue to let your exhaust leak, you could damage other parts of the system and have to spend another couple hundred dollars to repair it.
The cheapest option would be to have a mechanic weld the lead. This is not a long term fix because, over time, the leak could start up again. If you take your car into a dealership, most likely they will recommend replacing the entire part because this is more reliable and a long term fix. You can talk to a few different mechanics to determine the best option for you and your financial situation.
Often dealerships and mechanics will run promotions or offer coupons. Always look online before you bring your car in to see if there are any seasonal deals or promotions running at the time you need a repair. This can help you save money on an exhaust repair.
Conclusion
If you have an older car and you are debating whether you want to fix the exhaust leak, understand that you have other options. If you don’t your car is worth the money to repair it, you can sell your car to us. We will take care of the exhaust leak and replace it. We have a team of highly trained individuals who purchase cars and it does not matter how old they are, how many problems they have, or what their overall condition is.
Our company sells refurbished parts and vehicles at the best price. We are very experienced and can give some of those profits to you. We will also give you an offer on your car if you don’t want to repair the exhaust leak. If you are interested in getting a quote, go directly to our website to get a quote or call us at any time. We want to help you figure out what’s best for your current car repair situation. The process is easy. We will schedule a time that is most convenient for you to come pick up your car and then we will pay for it in cash. You don’t need to worry about paying us to tow your vehicle and bring it to our property.
You don’t have to worry about repairing your exhaust leak if you don’t think its financially worth it. You can get cash towards your entire vehicle and then take that cash to purchase a new car. If you are interested, contact us today to get a quote!