[RiverKing]

This is probably a stupid question, but I think yesterday as I was plowing my way through 4 foot snow drifts in my drive way, I ripped the tail pipe off the muffler on my suv..The car is not loud because of it, and it is running fine, just a little smoke coming from it instead of the tail pipe now, but does an exhaust leak cause your vehicle to loose horsepower at all, or lower gas mileage?? I am definantly going to get it repaired, may just be a few weeks before I am able to get it somewhere.

 

[Creteus]

Actually the less pipe you have the less the engine has to do to push it out. In turn giving you more horsepower. That is if you pulled the whole pipe off. a leak Is a fire hazzard near the engine, but after the muffler no problem.

 

[RiverKing]

Actually the less pipe you have the less the engine has to do to push it out. In turn giving you more horsepower. That is if you pulled the whole pipe off. a leak Is a fire hazzard near the engine, but after the muffler no problem.

I dont know ANYTHING abot cars...But yeah its the pipe that connects to the back of the muffler, and goes towards the back of the truck...So I guess thats the tail pipe right..lol

 

[smokey869]

i would at least take the time to look underneath the suv and see where it is broken and what is close to or above it, most newer vehicles have plastic gas tanks and if the leak is near that i would get it fixed asap, the exhaust is supposed to be shielded from the tank and lines, i would look to make sure, also you have to worry about fumes, carbon monoxide poisoning can occur if leak is where it can be drawn into the vehicle, better to be safe than sorry

 

[Mike81]

If a clamped joint just got knocked loose you can probably just loosen the clamp, wiggle them back together and tighten back down. If it broke or cracked at the muffler you'll need to have some one run a weld on it. Easy to fix, doubt they'd charge you very much but don't put it off too long, as said if the fumes come into the vehicle that's a bad thing.

 

[tofish]

geezzzzzzz , i must be old. don't anyone remember the cutouts they had for street racing?open the pipes before the mufflers so you get all the power?
sorry, had to be a smarty here and show my age. LOL. how far back from muffler does pipe extend now? you didn't say. if broke of at muffler, i'd suggest replace at earliest to keep from exhaust coming back into car.
gary

 

[DANZIG]

"Actually the less pipe you have the less the engine has to do to push it out. In turn giving you more horsepower."

Not always true.
Engines are systems and for maximum performance everything from the intake to exhaust must be in harmony.
My old XLH, for example, likes some back pressure. Many folk like to run open "drag pipes" not realizing they are hurting their Sportster's performance.
All other things being equal, My scooter will always out-run one with drag pipes.

That being said, many stock vehicles are over restricted for one reason or another.

As for the leak, just use your eyeballs, your nose, and your common sense.

 

[DANZIG]

Mmm.. Let me clairfy that a bit.

While it is true that you may pick up a few ponys at WTO, the loss at low and midrange rpms will more than offset it.

 

[cantstopgrandma]

Danzig hit the nail on the head. Cutting off exhaust usually doesn't hurt anything except low end torque, unless you cut it WAY short, like drag headers, then you run more of a risk of burning valves from what i'm told. Example, my S-10 with 4.3L V6 had a swiss cheese muffler for a while, it had no low end torque whatsoever. I've put a new muffler on it, and its like a new truck again. Was it faster running at WOT? Probably, but i dont run it WOT much, mostly putting around town, or pulling trailers, So i wanted my low end back.

 

[RiverKing]

Thanks for the replys guys...I would say the muffle goes back to maybe 6 inches in front of the back tires(Its in the middle of the car)..the the pipe that broke runs all the way to the back of the truck...It looks like it broke clean in half, so a weld job is what i was thinking too