A noisy exhaust can be anything from a problem in the vehicle, to a sign your vehicle’s in great shape. Either way there are quick easy ways to fix the problem at hand.
Do you find yourself saying “yes” to any of these questions? Does your exhaust make so much ruckus you can’t hear yourself think? Do you catch yourself saying huh every time someone in the vehicle says something? Are you the neighbor everyone hates because your exhaust nearly bust their windows out?
In this article I will be going over the importance in learning about your vehicle. How to examine the vehicle for the possible cause of your problem. Along with just how to quiet your noisy exhaust.
Contents
The Reasoning Behind the Noise
If you drive a particularly older vehicle, the loud exhaust may just be the factory exhaust. With an old vehicle comes an old exhaust. If you’re driving a clunker stay with me.
If you aren’t driving an old heap you may just driving a car or truck with simply too much “go in her”. These vehicles pack a punch. Don’t worry, there’s a solution.
If your sitting here thinking, well I don’t fit either of those. The third main reasoning behind the loud exhaust is that there may be a leak in your exhaust or intake manifold gasket somewhere.
While there are a few other reasons behind the exhaust loudness they just aren’t common.
Check for Leaks in the Exhaust
Firstly, we have to ensure the age, or the power is the only issue. Many times, it is; but you have to keep in mind. With age vehicles often rust and with rust comes leaks.
So, let’s check for a leak. There are multiple ways to check this. I will give you two ways to check for a leak in the exhaust.
Method #1
The first way to check is with a vacuum cleaner (with hose), extension cord and a spray bottle filled with soapy water.
This method of checking for a leak is the safest way due to eliminating the possibility of burning yourself.
Simply…
- Grab an extension cord that will reach from the nearest outlet to your tailpipe.
- Plug in vacuum and stick the hose to the end of your tailpipe.
- Turn vacuum on and spray exhaust seals and ball joint.
- Look for bubbles. If you find bubbles you have found and located a leak.
This video shows you how to locate a leak using this method.
Method #2
- Start the car (this method only works if the engine is cold).
- Let the engine heat the pipes a little.
- Get on the ground and look for any size puddle of oil on the ground.
- If puddle is found, you have located the leak.
- If it’s winter, it will be easier to locate leak simply because the exhaust leak will be vaporizing out of hole. As our breathe does on cold mornings.
Fix Your Leaking Exhaust
So, after following the steps above you have found and located the source of your issue. While it’s not the power behind the engine, not the age of the vehicle. It’s a leak. Thankfully, most often this is an easy fix.
Small Leaks
You have located the issue. It may be a small leak or a small hole. Either way you can go to your local auto parts store and buy heat-resistant epoxy. Clean the site of leak or hole. Follow the instructions on the package of epoxy and there you have it.
Larger Holes
If the hole isn’t the size of a pea and your sitting here like “your funny” epoxy won’t fix this. You can go to your local auto parts store and buy something like muffler cement. Again, you’d clean the area surrounding the hole and follow the instructions on the package.
Multiple Holes
You may just have to part with your exhaust and buy a new one. Not all your problems can be fixed with glue.
What if There Are No Leaks in the Exhaust?
If there are no leaks that you can see don’t check off an issue yet. The next step to ensure that your vehicle isn’t obnoxious due to a leak in a different region; time to check your intake manifold gaskets.
- Pop the hood and inspect by where the tubes and hoses meet the engine; looking for loose coolant. It will show as wet spots or stains.
- Use a dye test from your local auto parts store that is placed in your radiator fill cap.
- Allow your vehicle to warm up and cool down completely.
- Using an ultraviolet light shine on all questionable areas that may be leaking. The dyes of coolant will be bright green in most due to most tests you buy.
*Make sure to be wearing yellow glasses for safety. Ultraviolet light can blind you.
- Buy a can of car carburetor cleaner and put spray tube onto the can.
- Start engine. While engine is running slowly spray carburetor fluid in short busts around where the manifold runners meet the engine. Listen for any changes in noise. If there’s change you have a leak in the intake manifold gasket.
Here’s a link to a professional tutorial and tips on changing an intake manifold gasket:
Older Cars Are Louder
If you have no leaks. You wonder what could possibly be making my old car scream. One part of it is that old cars didn’t care to be quiet.
With many years of asphalt on its life the vehicle may have something as minor as a loose or misaligned exhaust. This would cause more air to escape; resulting in a louder exhaust. So before anything else check the bolts and alignment of your exhaust.
Along with that is that it could be all the rust build up in the exhaust and all though there are no holes the rust thinning out the metal will cause the exhaust to be louder.
If this is the case. It may come down to one of two things:
- You may need a new muffler. When a muffler gets too old and rusted; the walls will get thin. The screens and filter may get rusted and stopped up causing them to rattle. It having to force air through them can make it louder than normal and a new muffler can and will dull down the noise depending on the type and make of the new muffler. Keep in mind that 90% of factories now place the quietest muffler possible on their vehicles. Along with this also keep in mind that more often than not, replacing the muffler will change the performance of your vehicle. So, weigh out your pros and cons. Keep in mind different muffler different performance.
- The second option is if you have a rusty exhaust on your vehicle you can replace it with a new one. This will quiet your vehicle almost instantly. Again, keep in mind that sometimes it’s best to take your vehicle into the shop for. You can make a small problem a large one quickly.
More Power, More Noise
It’s often known and understood that with power comes noise. So, when you have a large engine with a lot of horsepower it’s going to be louder than the Prius that’s just meant to go normal speed. Just as if someone walks, they make minimal noise, but if someone runs both their breathe and footsteps will be louder. Due to force on the body and ground.
More Ways to Make Your Exhaust Quieter
- You can buy an exhaust wrap. This is more often found in dirt bikes and motorcycles to protect themselves from getting burnt. This will quiet your exhaust but nothing extreme. Theoretically the thicker the exhaust wrap the quieter the exhaust will be. Although, it won’t be as much impact as other options.
- You can buy an exhaust silencer. Ultimately these work by creating a smaller opening therefore creating a smaller hole for air to travel through. Quieting the exhaust. To do this, go to your local auto parts store and find the correct size silencer and slide it inside your exhaust. Quick easy installation that will make a difference.
- You can do a DIY silencer. Although, I do not recommend this; I have seen it done. Again, I believe there are times you should just leave it to the professionals. If you continue researching, you will see many ways to jerry-rig an exhaust silencer from pretty smart to downright absurd. Some of the most clever ways I’ve seen people do it are using a pop can, mason jar lid, or steel wool. While these may work just know your risks. Something that may work now can and will cause issues in the for-seeable future.
What If It’s Still Just Too Loud?
At some point you do have to accept that it will never be completely silent. Sometimes that’s an impossible goal to reach. You have to keep in mind it is a vehicle.
There are ways to soundproof your interior to make it to where you no longer hear the humming of your exhaust. You can buy things such as soundproof floor mats and windows.
By soundproofing your interior, you can make it to where the noise is no longer your problem. The noise will no longer affect you on your commute.
Or you could just pull the 20-year-old broke kid that drowns the car noises with the stereo.
Old or new, great shape or poor, vehicles will mess up just as the rest of us.
The exhaust is a large part of any vehicle. While many people believe it has one function; to remove harmful gases from the engine. If truly has four and all are just as important as the next.
- Manage the noise of the vehicle
- Removes harmful gases from the engine.
- Enhances the engines performance.
- Enhances fuel consumption.
As you can see above there are many reasons this part is a necessity. So, when it comes to working on and manipulating the exhaust understand what can happen. I cannot stress enough that if you don’t feel comfortable it’s best not to manipulate it yourself.
Without a functioning exhaust, your vehicle will do one of two things:
- Simply won’t drive.
- Will cause problems throughout the whole vehicle due to the mishap of the exhaust.
In Conclusion…
When it comes to an exhaust that’s making you “that neighbor”, there’s always an answer.
Always start by checking the simple things:
- The alignment
- The manifold gasket
- Holes in the exhaust
If your vehicle comes out clean if all of the above start doing your research.
When it comes to a new muffler always keep in mind factory mufflers are always the quietest muffler available.
When you begin putting modifying and putting silencers on your exhaust or mufflers know that it may do one of three things:
- May mess with your performance.
- May cause back up in your engine due to lack of airflow.
- It may be everything you were hoping for.
When adding DIY modifications always stick to heat proof materials due to the extreme temperatures the exhaust endures.
Stay within your comfort zone and allow your mechanic to do what you can’t.