The exhaust system is designed to allow your car’s engine to breathe out properly, expelling the waste gases and other by-products of burning of fuel. It also works to keep your car quiet and lower harmful pollution.

The components of the exhaust system

1. An exhaust manifold takes exhaust gases from multiple cylinders and runs them into a single exhaust pipe. (On some cars there may be more than one exhaust pipe.)

2. The exhaust pipe carries the waste products from the manifold to the muffler, then out into the air, generally at the back of the vehicle.

3. A muffler is generally designed to cut noise and pollution. It reduces noise in a way that’s similar to noise-cancelling headphones. That is, sound waves are ‘played back’ to each other so that they cancel each other out. And it cuts pollution by using a catalytic convertor. This uses a chemical reaction to turn toxic gases into harmless ones. (It’s called ‘catalytic’ because it does this without itself being used up.)

It’s worth knowing that a sooty deposit on the end of your exhaust pipe is normal if you have a catalytic convertor. And water is a by-product of combustion, so it’s also normal to see water dripping from your exhaust pipe when the engine is cold.

A blockage in your exhaust pipe can cause engine overheating and lack of engine power. Let Indy Performance check that your exhaust system is working properly.