Every vehicle on the road needs a muffler to quiets the sound of the exhaust gases coming out of the engine before they exit the tailpipe. The most common mufflers on the market are made from stamped steel, and over time they rust, requiring you to take the car in for muffler repair.
Muffler Noise
One of the first signs that the muffler on your car needs attention is excessive noise coming from under the vehicle. The exhaust volume will typically increase, and the tone may become deeper as the hole in the muffler increases in size.
If the leak is in the seam of the muffler, you may hear a buzzing or rattling noise along with the rumbling sound as the metal vibrates when the exhaust gases escape the system. In some cases, you may start to smell exhaust gases in the car, depending on where the leak is under the car.
As soon as you notice any of these conditions, take your car to a muffler repair shop and have them inspect the system for you. The muffler may need replacing, or the leak could be in a joint between the pipe and muffler that has come loose and needs a new clamp installed.
Muffler Replacement
If the muffler on your car does need to be replaced, the muffler repair shop can take care of it for you while the vehicle is there. The shop may offer several different mufflers for your car, but the stock replacement muffler will work fine in most situations, and it will be the most reasonably priced.
If you want to upgrade, you can, but the durability of a stamped steel muffler will be similar between models. The tech can go over the options with you, and most good muffler repair shops will recommend a factory replacement muffler unless there is some reason that won't work for your car.
Once you have chosen the muffler you will use, the tech will put the car on a lift and remove the old muffler. Sometimes the exhaust pipe will need to be cut to get the rusted part off the vehicle, but the shop will have the tools to remove it.
The new muffler will be put in place and then clamped or welded to the existing exhaust pipe on the car. Welding the muffler joint is the most secure way to install it, but most shops will use clamps because the pipe and muffler will need to be replaced again at some point, and it is easier to disassemble and replace when it is not welded in place.
If you want the muffler welded in place, you can ask the shop to do it for you, but the installation cost could be higher, and the muffler will be more challenging to replace if it needs it again in a few years.
Share27 July 2021
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