Hi,
I was recently driving on the interstate when I hit one of those fun bumps we all love. I heard a thunk and then I heard something scraping. My next move was to pull over, but before I could I heard another thunk and the scraping stopped. After pulling over I noticed that the brace that holds my exhaust pipe/muffler whatever (the long piece the runs up the bottom middle of my vehicle) was loose and had popped out of the catalytic converter. The brace was gone. So, I took a coat hanger and jacked the car up (this was all quick thinking as I was away from home) and created a new brace. I tried to reconnect the exhaust pipe and the catalytic converter and made it look somewhat acceptable. It’s squarely in the hole…but there is space around it…and it’s not all that secure. How serious of an issue is this? I’m in a financial bind and would like to get a week more out of the car…but don’t exactly know what’s going to happen.
Thanks for any and all help,
John from Indiana
What happens to the exhaust after it leaves the engine is not much of a consequence other than environmental. If is is not too noisy, just drive it another week, as long as the pipe does not hit the ground.
A good muffler shop can weld it all back together, and if the pipe is not flattened, it should cost you not too much.
Just don’t go for an emission inspection with the car in this condition!!
There’s a good reason exhaust pipes exit the rear of the vehicle, so noxious gases don’t enter the cabin. Another consequence might be this poorly rigged exhaust pipe exiting the vehicle on the expressway. Would you like to be behind this car if that happens?