Exhaust Problems

Gooner Leroy · 4 Apr 2013 at 17:45

Hello all, a bit of a noobish question here but, I was driving back from Glasgow today and halfway home, I started to notice a loud noise coming from underneath my car and the noise got louder as I accelerated harder (sounds like a boy racer car

). I think its obvious that its an exhaust problem, possible a hole/crack somewhere?

Anyway, since my trusted mechanic is near my workplace which is 40miles away, would it be advisable to drive it there? My google fu is lacking and I can't get an answer there although I did read about potential carbon monoxide building up inside the car :eek:

There is a **** fit round the corner to me which can fit it in tomorrow but that is a last resort

Any help/advice/micky taking of my lack of car knowledge is welcome

-westy- · 4 Apr 2013 at 17:48

I'd imagine that driving it to your mechanic wouldn't really be an issue, depending on the size of the hole you might have a headache at the other end though

monkeys · 4 Apr 2013 at 18:05

Sounds like a hole in your exhaust. Look underneath and see where it is , you will prob need a new part.

bitslice · 4 Apr 2013 at 18:15

monkeys said:
Look underneath and see where it is.

Indeed, just wondering why the OP posting this on the internet was more important than looking underneath first - how long does it take, 30 seconds? :confused:

Kenai · 4 Apr 2013 at 18:18

bitslice said:
Indeed, just wondering why the OP posting this on the internet was more important than looking underneath first - how long does it take, 30 seconds?

Interesting, I didn't know the underneath of cars generally had advice concerning whether it's ok to drive a car with a broken exhaust 40 miles in order to reach a preferred place of repair

Gooner Leroy · 4 Apr 2013 at 18:25

Kenai said:
Interesting, I didn't know the underneath of cars generally had advice concerning whether it's ok to drive a car with a broken exhaust 40 miles in order to reach a preferred place of repair

Haha they don't.

And i did look under the car but couldn't see anything. I will have another check but that's not my main concern as i'm pretty sure there is a hole/crack.

Fuzz · 4 Apr 2013 at 18:38

Quick fit, about the only thing they are good for is exhaust and tyre fitting, will probably be cheaper than your mechanic too.

lemonade · 4 Apr 2013 at 18:42

Gooner Leroy said:
Haha they don't.

And i did look under the car but couldn't see anything. I will have another check but that's not my main concern as i'm pretty sure there is a hole/crack.

Well if you want to know whether its safe to drive with a blow or not then get underneath and find out where it is, cos it could be something either small or something big such as the pipe shearing off the plate thingy, in which case its not very safe. Best way to check is to get an old piece of clothing, start the engine, then hold the clothing over the silencer pipes, this will make the sound of the blow from the hole/crack more prominent and get someone to pinpoint where the sound is coming from, then you can inspect that region/s to see the extent of the hole. If it's nothing major then its fine to drive, I drove my car for over 6 months with a blow, got it changed at kwik fit when the MOT came around, unfortunately I think its blowing again

but it can wait since its a minor one and it has a 3 year warranty.

Gooner Leroy · 4 Apr 2013 at 18:50

I was under the impression to avoid kwik fit at all costs. I might pop it in with them. Depending on the severity of course

bitslice · 4 Apr 2013 at 19:12

Kenai said:
Interesting, I didn't know the underneath of cars generally had advice concerning whether it's ok to drive a car with a broken exhaust 40 miles in order to reach a preferred place of repair

*and the award for weakest contrived joke ever, goes to...*

It's a safety issue, he might have a blown weld around the rear box, which if it came loose might launch a chuck of metal at the car behind him, or as happened to me, impale itself into the tarmac like a javelin and rip itself to bits.

Or it might be a tiny pipe hole which you can bodge with a tin can and wire.

lemonade · 4 Apr 2013 at 20:24

Gooner Leroy said:
I was under the impression to avoid kwik fit at all costs. I might pop it in with them. Depending on the severity of course

For convenience you can't beat a place like Kwik Fit. I would have installed my exhaust myself as its a fairly easy job but didnt have the time to source an exhaust and then fit it with MOT ran out. So I rang around different local and localish places and Kwik Fit was the best price after they price matched (well sort of) as theres came with more warranty and the manager told me they honor that with no questions asked (not sure how to true that is), so they aren't bad tbh with regards to simple stuff like that.

Jonny ///M · 4 Apr 2013 at 22:26

bitslice said:
*and the award for weakest contrived joke ever, goes to...*

It's a safety issue, he might have a blown weld around the rear box, which if it came loose might launch a chuck of metal at the car behind him, or as happened to me, impale itself into the tarmac like a javelin and rip itself to bits.

Or it might be a tiny pipe hole which you can bodge with a tin can and wire.

Mine did this in Berwick upon tweed and had to drive 100 miles with it being so loud.

At full throttle it actually hurt and the mirrors were shaking. Thankfully the backbox didn't come off but did eventually going over a couple of speed bumps on the road my mechanic is on.

I'd drive it but try to always keep the noise down.

Fuzz · 4 Apr 2013 at 23:51

Don't take advice, take a look.
The last thing you want is red hot gas blowing directly on a plastic fuel tank!
No one here can advise you whether it's safe or unsafe without having seen the car, which taking a wild stab in the dark no one has.

Scania · 5 Apr 2013 at 09:19

I like my exhaust

It's big

Joking apart, even Krap fit usually get an exhaust right - take it there given its local.

alexthecheese · 5 Apr 2013 at 09:49

Fuzz said:
Don't take advice, take a look.

That doesn't make sense to me.

The last thing you want is red hot gas blowing directly on a plastic fuel tank!

Is that a genuine worry? Surely not?

Gooner Leroy · 5 Apr 2013 at 12:54

Had a proper look yesterday evening, the pipe before the muffler was almost entirely severed..

Safe to say Kwik Fit got a visit, ended costing £250 for replacement of pretty much full exhaust (all corroded and not in good shape).

Bad news is, it doesn't sound like a Vauxhall Nova anymore

lemonade · 5 Apr 2013 at 20:04

Heh I must admit I quite liked the sound of my exhaust when it was blowing

but it was effecting the performance, when I got it changed the acceleration became more smooth and lively.

Maccy · 5 Apr 2013 at 20:07

I wonder if you actually needed a full system or just one part, my sister nearly got conned for this by Kwik Fit when it just needed one bit doing.

bitslice · 5 Apr 2013 at 20:33

Probably because an old exhaust is a PITA to dismantle.
That said, a full exhaust should be more like £150 plus fitting.

Andre · 5 Apr 2013 at 20:33

Scania said:
It's big

Joking apart, even Krap fit usually get an exhaust right - take it there given its local.

Last one they 'fitted' for me was to a 1.6 clio II, they actually managed to fit a 1.8 Clio Williams exhaust that started blowing every month thereafter due to the stresses of it not fitting right. kwak fit no longer get a look at anything to do with my cars!