You love your car. But, after a few years, you’ll need to spend some money on repairs. A recent study found that Americans spend an average of $397 a year on maintenance and repairs for their cars!
You’ve noticed that you need to fill up the tank more often and you can smell something burning when you’re driving. Could you have a leak in your exhaust system?
We put together a quick guide to help you repair a leaky car exhaust pipe. Keep reading to learn everything you need to know to avoid ending up in the repair shop.
Gather Your Tools
Before starting your repairs, make sure you have all the tools ready. You’ll need a new exhaust pipe to swap out for the old one. You can find exhaust pipes for sale online at a great price.
Lift the Car
You need to have comfortable access to the undercarriage of the car for this repair. Lift the car off the ground far enough that you can slide underneath it without touching the car.
Make sure to place your jacks in secure spots because you don’t want the car to shift or a jack to fail while you’re underneath the car. It’s also smart to have someone else nearby anytime you do work underneath a car.
Find the Leak
If you can’t see the damaged spot, turn the car on and let the sound lead you to the leak. Most of the time, the damage faces the asphalt, so you should see it when you’re under the car.
Repair the Hole
Use steel wool to fill the gap, then secure that with exhaust pipe repair tape. If you want, you can also use an aluminum soda can to cover the repair tape. Then, apply the repair clamps to hold everything tight.
Seal the Repair
Let the car idle for a little while so the exhaust system warms up. The heat activates the tape, which seals the damage underneath. This might not seem like an important step, but you don’t want to skip it because it may render the whole process ineffective.
Test Drive
The final step in repairing an exhaust pipe is to take the car for a test drive to see if the repair holds and leak symptoms go away. If you notice that something still isn’t right, it’s time to start back at step one to take another look.
Should a Mechanic Handle a Car Exhaust Pipe?
If you take your car to a mechanic, the average price to repair your exhaust system is about $200. For most people, it’s much more convenient financially to just do the work yourself.
Even if you’re not an expert with cars, you can repair an exhaust pipe on your own. Those who have some experience under the hood prefer to fix these little issues themselves.
Don’t Let Car Repairs Exhaust You
No one wants to repair their car when it’s broken. But, if you plan well, it doesn’t have to derail your life.
Keep these tips in mind so you can repair exhaust problems right away. The longer you let car problems go, the more expensive the repairs get.
We hope you found this article informative and that you learned all about fixing a leaky car exhaust pipe. If you have any questions about this article or our auto magazine, contact us today!
