For you to keep your vehicle running efficiently and cleanly, you need to keep a check on your exhausts for damage or failure at least once a year or every 60,000 miles.
At Kirby’s Auto Centre, we offer a FREE exhaust visual inspection on your exhaust system. We can advise you if any work is needed to be carried out. When you drop your car in for your FREE inspection, we check for any physical damage, leaking joints and corrosion.
At Kirby’s Auto Centre we offer a wide range of exhausts and emission systems with all budgets catered for.
How does a vehicle exhaust work?
The main function of an exhaust system is:
- Optimise your engines efficiency.
- Reduce noise.
- Control your vehicles emmisions.
The main harmful gases and particles which your exhaust system controls are:
- Nitrous oxides.
- Hydro carbons.
- Cabon monoxide.
- Soot and other harmful particles.
Emissions produced by the engines combustion process is expelled safely by your exhaust system. The constant tightening of the emission controls have led to increased technology to meet these requirements.
Modern exhaust systems now including items such as pipes, mufflers (or silencers), oxidising catalytic converters, diesel particulate filters, slip catalysts, selective catalytic reduction systems and emission sensors.
The exhaust system on your car is held together and in place by a variety of components such as, gaskets, flanges and hangers.
What exactly is a Catalytic Converter?
A catalytic converter is a system fitted to your exhaust. It changes harmful gases which expel from your engine into less polluting or harmful compounds. Using precious metals inside the catalyst housing, such as platinum, rhodium and palladium, help transform harmful gases into safe ones.
How do I know if my exhaust is about to fail?
If you experience any of the symptoms below, then it is possible that your exhaust is about to fail. Give Kirby’s Auto Centre a ring as soon as possible. Book in for our FREE visual exhaust inspection and we will tell you if anything needs doing.
- Knocking or rattling sounds when you are driving.
- The exhaust is much louder than normal, this usually means there is a hole in the exhaust.
- Smoke coming from the exhaust after the car has warmed up.
- The exhaust has dropped low or is rubbing on the ground.
What can cause an exhaust to fail?
If your exhaust system starts to fail, then you could experience noxious and harmful fumes being drawn into your car. If your exhaust brackets have broken, worn or are hanging low, then it could potentially cause an accident with falling debris.
We have put together a few examples below of causes which can be responsible to the failure of your exhaust system.
- Speed bumps and curbs are contributors in causing to your car exhaust system.
- Driving through deep water can cause harmful damage to a catalytic converter as it will rapidly cool the system.
- Bump starting a car can damage an exhaust system.
- The most common cause of your exhaust system failure is age which will lead to corrosion and deterioration.