Archive for the ‘Noise’ Category

Aftermarket stainless steel exhausts – Ideal for your car?

Tuesday, January 18th, 2011

I have put Some simple information together to explain what an exhaust system is, and what it will do for your car.

What is an exhaust system?

An exhaust system in general removes the by products of combustion from the car’s engine and vent them in to the atmosphere away from passengers. This silences the noise of the engine and cleans up car engine emissions before venting them into the atmosphere. (Post 1992 cars only)



What will a stainless steel exhaust system do for my car?

Aftermarket stainless steel exhausts have a soul purpose of replacing the factory fitted exhaust system of a car. This will improve the cars visual, sound and general performance. Stainless steel exhausts will give any car a great style upgrade, by making changes to the more visible parts such as the exhaust tip. But you must keep in mind that aftermarket stainless steel exhausts are not just a stylish accessory but also alters the performance of a vehicle.

So before you can even consider buying a new exhaust system, make sure you think about these considerations before any purchases:

• Cost: the cost of a stainless steel exhaust system is quite overweighed, but please keep in mind that an exhaust made from such durable steel will last many yeas. Less maintenance is required to keep a high level of shine with stainless steel exhaust. So perhaps setting yourself a budget before ordering will give you a better idea of what you can get.

• Sound: if you have ever dreamt of driving a sports car with a unique rumbling noise that will instantly turn heads, then a stainless steel exhaust could be a great investment for you. Depending on the system you choose you could get a deeper roar, replicating those high end sports cars. All you need now are the alloys! :)

• Performance: an aftermarket stainless steel exhaust gives your car a more efficient fuel path. Making your engine breath better and creating more power. I should explain that my VW Passat is now seven years old and completely standard except for the performance exhaust that I had fitted with great results about two years ago. The standard output of the engine when new was 130bhp which in itself gave fairly lively performance. The much increased power delivery with my new exhaust was fantastically smooth with the feeling of more grunt coming in even before the turbo spooled up.


Tags: , , ,
Posted in Car Modifying, Exhausts, Noise | 2 Comments »

How To Tell If There’s A Problem With Your Exhaust

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

Anybody who has been driving their car for a decent amount of time will have a good ear for the sounds that it makes. By the same token they will notice when the vehicle starts to make noises which are out of the ordinary. It is at this point that it may be necessary to carry out checks of important parts.

Don’t make the mistake of presuming that the peculiar rattling noise coming from underneath the vehicle will go away. Noises such as this could provide the alert to a loosening exhaust, which may lead to expensive damage over time.

Another potential problem will be made obvious when you hear a rumbling sound coming from the exhaust. Any knowledgeable car owner will know that this horrible noise probably means that the silencer has been corroded.

You should also be wary in the event that the exhaust starts hissing, this is a sure sign of the emergence of cracks in the manifold or exhaust pipe. If this essential vehicle part starts chugging it will be the sure sign of blockage, which may be caused by a clogged catalytic converter.

It is a particularly good idea to take a regular look over your vehicle to ensure that nothing is wrong. Don’t worry too much if you spot external rust, it is unlikely to be causing any serious damage to the car. You should be more concerned about cracked pipes or rough holes surrounding any seams or joins.

You may be given warning that something has gone awry with your vehicle if you spot a warning light going off on the dashboard. This may tell you that your car is producing more harmful emissions than it should be.

It is worth bearing in mind that the police have the power to remove any vehicle which they believe to be emitting above normal amounts of noxious gases. The police’s suspicion will also be raised should they hear exhausts which are producing excessive levels of noise.

The most sensible means of dealing with any issues that are affecting the performance of your motor is to take it for an assessment at a local dealership. If you’re lucky then you may be able to correct the problem by taking your car for a quick spin around the block. It is also advisable to have a quick look through the handbook, it will provide good advice for carrying out simple maintenance work.

Tags: , ,
Posted in Exhausts, Noise, Problems | No Comments »