What Parts Make Up the Exhaust System?
Maintaining the optimum working condition of your exhaust system is vital for fuel mileage, environment, and safety. Besides influencing your vehicle's performance, it also plays a crucial role in diverting harmful gases—including carbon monoxide—away from the vehicle. Your exhaust system's components carry away these gases when the air and fuel are burned in the combustion chamber.
Typically, an exhaust system comprises various components that operate together to direct the harmful gases away from the vehicle safely. These components include:
Exhaust manifold
Primarily, your vehicle's exhaust manifold is made of cast iron or fabricated tubing that incorporates the catalyst. It is usually connected to the engine at the exhaust ports with flange connectors and is engineered to collect exhaust gases from each cylinder, then funneling them via a standard outlet. The size of your car's exhaust manifold depends on the number of cylinders your engine has.
Oxygen sensor
All modern vehicles comprise at least two oxygen sensors (O2 sensors). As the name suggests, it determines the oxygen level in your exhaust system and sends that data to your vehicle's computer. The computer then adds or subtracts the fuel level to attain optimum fuel efficiency. Your car's oxygen sensor also ensures the performance and functionality of your catalytic converter and whether it is purifying the air in your exhaust system.
Catalytic converter
A catalytic converter is a critical part of your exhaust system that converts hazardous gases, such as hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide, into carbon dioxide and water. Some catalytic converters also enable you to get rid of harmful nitrogen oxides from your vehicle.
Hangers
The exhaust system hangers or the exhaust supports work as the mounts used to secure and support the exhaust pipes. It is essential to understand that even a single broken hanger can deteriorate the overall health of your exhaust system. Thus, if you notice a broken hanger in your exhaust system, you should consider getting it replaced immediately to avoid any unwanted circumstances.
Exhaust joints
Excessive movement in the exhaust system can damage the clamps and joints of your vehicle. Luckily, you can easily replace the cracked or welded joints on the muffler or resonator joint by consulting a professional. However, if clamped joints are not broken but leaking fumes, a repair technician can either apply an exhaust pipe sealer to the affected area to prevent further damage or replace it with a new one.
Muffler
The muffler may not look like an essential component of your car's exhaust system, but it plays a critical role in making your neighbors happy. This is because, during the combustion process, your vehicle's exhaust system constitutes a series of small explosions, creating significant noises. Fortunately, a muffler faints down the sound of your vehicle's engine when the emissions pass through your exhaust system.
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