Exhaust Systems

Most riders call it "that Harley sound": the loud, rumbling exhaust that lets you know there is a Harley-Davidson motorcycle around. The stock pipes that come on a Harley are designed to meet...

Subaru Motors has employed multiple catalytic converters on its vehicles for many years now. Because the engine compartments are small and since the catalysts need heat to operate effectively,...

Rust is a problem no matter where you find it. But when it's the bolts and nuts on your exhaust system, it can be a little bit trying. There are multiple ways to remove a rusted bolt from the...

The LT1 is an engine designed and built by General Motors. It was fitted into several of GM's production vehicles. Due to its power output, the motor was used extensively on GMs high-performance...

The Hyundai Elantra has been around since 1991, but wasn't made available in North America or Europe until 1993. Featuring different four-cylinder engines throughout its generational redesigns,...

As a result of the air/fuel mixture igniting within the engine, the engine produces carbon monoxide. That carbon monoxide, generically referred to as "exhaust," is routed out of the engine and to...

Thin walled exhaust tubing can be difficult to weld, but choosing the correct welding process will make the task less daunting. Each welding process will weld thin walled tubing. Tungsten inert...

Rusting bolts are a pain to deal with but can be loosened with special equipment. When it comes time to dealing with a set of rusting nuts and bolts on your muffler, that can be tricky as well, as...

Rust can ruin a car, and it often hits the lowest part of the vehicle first. One of the most susceptible pieces to get damaged is usually the exhaust system. They're generally made out of welded...

There have been many advancements over the years in the effort to reduce automobile emissions. These include removing additives like lead from gasoline, developing engines that get better mileage...

The exhaust system in a vehicle is important because it expels heat and gas away from the motor. Excessive heat can cause gasket leaks, piston failure and other problems with the engine. The...

Catalytic converters are a vital part of any automotive emission system. These devices use heat to chemically react (catalyze) with harmful emissions like carbon monoxide, nitric oxides and...

The EGR, or exhaust gas recirculation, valve is a small metal disc bolted to the intake manifold near the carburetor on GMC trucks and vans. The EGR valve draws exhaust gases from the exhaust...

The oxygen (O2) sensors on an Oldsmobile Aurora are a series of small sensors placed in the exhaust system that monitor the amount of unburned oxygen in the exhaust. The O2 sensors relay this...

Practically every car sold in the United States since the mid 1970s has been equipped with a catalytic converter. These exhaust system components reduce the amount of harmful gases that are...

Some cars' exhaust systems will produce an odd burble or bubbling noise. For the most part this is deliberate when it occurs in vehicles upon acceleration, but not always. Many "street racers" and...

Catalytic converters are used to clean up car exhaust by burning left over fuel, not burned by the engine. They use particular properties of precious metals to catalyze the burning of hydrocarbons...

Nothing can be more frustrating than a broken-off bolt on your vehicle's exhaust manifold. Not only is this putting stress on the rest of the attaching bolts for the manifold and the manifold...

We've all heard the old saying, "Patience is a virtue." Wiser words have never been spoken when it comes to exhaust studs. Unfortunately, if you have to remove a stud, chances are it's because it...

A natural byproduct of a combustion engine is water. It is expelled with the exhaust gases. Fuel is mixed with air and then forced into the cylinders. Once the mix is inside the cylinder, a small...

The easiest way to change the sound of your exhaust is to change out the muffler. Generally, this is done at an exhaust shop. But if you have a welder and some time, you can do it yourself using...

The byproducts of automotive combustion are carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides and water. After the engine has used up the ingredients required for combustion, these byproducts must...

The exhaust system on a vehicle is designed to carry the burned engine gases away from the car, according to www.autoeducation.com. If there is even one exhaust leak, these gases, which include...

The EGR, or exhaust gas re-circulation, valve is a key part of your vehicles exhaust system. The EGR valve is responsible for making your vehicle run efficiently by optimizing fuel intake. The EGR...

Replacing a muffler can be a rewarding job that is quickly completed with a few tools---or it can be the task from Hades. A simple look at the muffler will help you determine which way the job...

The Mazda RX7 exhaust may need to be replaced if you live in northern climates where road salt will eat away at the metal underneath the car or if you live near the ocean (where the moisture and...

Prior to the 1970s, cars spewed unhealthy emissions into the air, creating smog. One man, with the desire to clean up the air we breathe, found a way to convert the pollutants in automobile...

The Dodge Ram Sport is a full-sized pickup truck made by Chrysler. The 1999 model year represented the end of the second generation for the Dodge Ram Sport. Like all trucks, the Ram takes a lot of...

The intake manifold gasket on your Saturn is a malleable material set in between the air intake manifold, the cylinder head and the engine block. The intake manifold gasket prevents air and fuel...

Installing a dual exhaust on a Ford station wagon is the exact opposite of removing it. However, if you had the exhaust removed for you or you are doing custom work for your vehicle in stages, you...

An exhaust manifold gasket seals the exhaust to the engine block. Typically, the only time you need to change the gasket is when you notice an exhaust leak. After you have removed the exhaust,...

The catalytic converter is a key piece of an car or truck's exhaust system. It removes many of the toxic substances prevalent in the emissions of an internal combustion engine.

The catalytic converter is widely used as an emissions control unit in automobiles and some industries. It uses one or more catalysts such platinum, palladium and rhodium to burn off many...

While a catalytic converter is designed to last 10 years or more, several variables can make it die sooner. Nowadays, vehicles employ more than one converter, which increases the chances of...

The Madza RX-7 is a two-seater sports car made by Mazda. The RX-7 is unique in that, unlike almost every other car on the market, the RX-7 uses a rotary engine instead of a piston engine to make...

Gibson exhausts are bolt-on cat-back exhaust systems made primarily for trucks. However, Gibson does have design models for cars, motor homes, and SUVs. A cat-back exhaust system is the section of...

The oxygen sensor monitors the fuel-to-air ratio in the spent exhaust near or on the manifold. Since the integration of OBD II (on-board diagnostics) in 1996, the amount of oxygen sensors on...

The first upstream O2 sensor was introduced on the Volvo 240 in 1976 in the state of California. By 1981, all vehicles were required to be equipped with them. By 1996, with the introduction to OBD...

The Lexus S430 is actually classified as an SC430. The "C" stands for "coupe," which is the only way the S430 model is available. The 430 is related to the 4.3-liter V-8 engine. First manufactured...

Oxygen sensors have two basic functions: upstream sensors close to the manifold meter the amount of oxygen and burned fuel mixture in the exhaust; downstream sensors located near the catalytic...

Historically, the Jeep is known to have been one of the first off-road vehicles on the front lines of many wars. The technology that made this vehicle a star player on the battlefield makes it...

It's not always easy to choose an aftermarket exhaust system for your truck that gives you the power and the sound you are looking for. This How To takes some of the mystery out of the entire...

When an engine's spark plug ignites the air/fuel mixture within the cylinder, the mixture explodes and pushes the piston downward. Once the engine reaches its lowest point within the cylinder, the...

A vehicle's intake manifold distributes the mixture of fuel and air to the engine cylinders. If the intake manifold is cracked or the mating surfaces are warped, this will cause the fuel/air to...

Catalytic converters are engine exhaust emissions devices installed on vehicles to help reduce the levels of vehicle exhaust emissions. Similar in size and shape to a vehicle exhaust muffler, a...

The exhaust manifold is bolted directly onto the engine and is where the exhaust gases are vented to on the way to the exhaust system. While this component rarely needs to be replaced, it is often...

The turbocharger is an exhaust-driven supercharger. It has been used to increase power in combustion-type engines for cars, trucks and marine vessels. The turbocharger, or "turbo" for short, is...

The exhaust system on a truck helps to direct the exhaust gases away from the engine bay and safely out the rear of the vehicle. Since exhaust gases coming out of the engine are extremely hot,...

A catalytic converter is an exhaust emissions device that is part of a vehicle's exhaust system. In charge of lowering the exhaust emissions that exit a vehicle's tail pipe, a catalytic converter...